FEATURED: Dr. Fred Farías III of McAllen, Chairman, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, speaks during the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Spring 2024 Commencement on Saturday, May 11, 2024 in Edinburg. On that day, UTRGV President Guy Bailey presented Farías with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley President Medal of Honor – the university’s highest tribute – bestowed upon those whose extraordinary contributions and exemplary dedication have profoundly impacted the university.
Photograph By PAUL CHOUY
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Dr. Fred Farías III of McAllen, Chairman, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, awarded UTRGV President Medal of Honor during the Spring 2024 Commencement
By AMANDA A. TAYLOR-UCHOA
Dr. Fred Farías III of McAllen, Chairman, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and President and CEO of 20/20 Vision Care, has been awarded the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley President Medal of Honor, a prestigious distinction only five others have received before him.
Farías, an optometrist, is a healthcare provider who specializes in caring for a person’s eyes. They examine, diagnose and treat eye diseases and vision problems that affect eyes and vision.
UTRGV President Guy Bailey presented Farías with the award – the university’s highest honor, bestowed upon those whose extraordinary contributions and exemplary dedication have profoundly impacted the university – during the Spring 2024 Commencement on Saturday, May 11, 2024 in Edinburg.
“Receiving this award is an immense honor, one that fills me with both humility and gratitude. To be recognized in this manner, especially considering the esteemed company of the five previous recipients, is truly humbling,” Farías said. “I am deeply grateful for the recognition and for the opportunity to contribute to our community.
“I am proud to have grown up in the Rio Grande Valley and am grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of students and families at UTRGV and across the state. I extend my gratitude to President Guy Bailey and the entire UTRGV leadership for their support and dedication to higher education excellence,” he emphasized.
Since his appointment to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in 2015, and particularly during his tenure as Chairman since 2021, Farías has played a pivotal role in expanding educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley.
The mission of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is to provide leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education system and to promote access, affordability, quality, success, and cost efficiency through 60x30TX, resulting in a globally competitive workforce that positions Texas as an international leader.
60x30TX is the state’s plan for higher education, focuses on this common goal by striving for 60 percent of the 25- to 34-year- old Texas population to hold a certificate or degree by 2030. The plan seeks to increase student success through the combined expertise and resources of many stakeholders.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board was created by the Texas Legislature in 1965 to represent the highest authority in the state in matters of public higher education and is charged with the duty to take an active part in promoting quality education throughout the state.
Most of the statutes that are applicable to the THECB are found in the Texas Education Code, Title 3, Section 61.
https://www.highered.texas.gov/about/
In presenting the medal, Bailey said Farías was selected in recognition of his exceptional leadership and his unwavering dedication to advancing higher education in Texas.
“His commitment makes him a deserving recipient of UTRGV’s highest honor,” Bailey said. “Over the past eight years, we’ve added an enormous amount of degree programs. We’ve added more degree programs than any institution I’ve been a part of, and it’s made countless educational opportunities for our students.
Bailey said these educational opportunities just don’t happen – they are the results of the hard work and dedication by people committed to the advancement of education – people like Dr. Farías.
“His contributions to this institution helped us get to where we are today, so we want to honor him,” he said. “We’ve given very few people presidential medals at UTRGV. It’s the highest award we can give anybody. And if anyone deserves a presidential medal from UTRGV, it’s Dr. Farías.”
During Farías’ time on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, UTRGV has launched 40 new degree programs, with many more in development, significantly enhancing the university’s academic offerings and contributing to the region’s economic competitiveness.
“I have dedicated many years to improving higher education throughout the state and expanding local opportunities for our community,” Farías said. “But I believe my greatest contributions to UTRGV have stemmed from a collaborative effort alongside Dr. Bailey and the administration. Our collective effort have expanded quality education opportunities for students that meet the ever-changing demands of the workforce.”
Farías said he is honored to be recognized and he hopes to leave behind a legacy of empowerment and opportunity for students at UTRGV.
“By advocating for higher education opportunities and supporting the expansion of scholarships at UTRGV, my goal is to help alleviate financial barriers and ensure every student has access to a quality education,” he said. “Further, I aspire to set an example for students by demonstrating the profound impact of dedication, collaboration, and service. Growing up my parents ingrained in me and my brothers the values of service and giving back, which I am wholeheartedly committed to continuing in our community. ”
In previously announcing his appointment of Farías as Chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on Thursday, June 3, 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott provided numerous key highlights of Farías’ achievements:
- He was Vice Chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board when the governor selected him to the top leadership position, and was chairman of the Academic and Workforce Success Committee, as well as a member of the Texas Higher Education Foundation.
- He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, former president of the Texas Optometric Association and the Rio Grande Valley Optometric Society, and a former member of the American Optometric Association Board of Trustees.
- Farías was named the Texas Optometrist of the Year in 2015 and the National Optometrist of the Year in 2016.
- He is a past gubernatorial appointee to the Texas Optometry Board, where he chaired the Licensing and Administration Committee.
- He is a lifetime member of The University of Texas (UT) System Chancellor’s Executive Committee and the UT Austin Development Board and a member of the UT Longhorn Foundation Athletic Advisory Council.
- He is a charter member of the Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation. Additionally, he is active in the McAllen community, serving as chair of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Council.
- He has served on many local and statewide boards including the Vannie E. Cook Cancer Center, the Rio Grande Valley Arthritis Foundation and the Museum of South Texas History.
- Farías received a Bachelor of Science from The University of Texas at Austin, a Doctor of Optometry from Southern College of Optometry and a Master’s degree from Harvard Medical School.
In a related event, more than 4,000 UTRGV students earned their diplomas on Friday, May 10, 2024 and Saturday, May 11, 2024 as part of UTRGV’s Spring 2024 Commencement ceremonies.
The graduation celebrations kicked off at the UTRGV Brownsville Campus at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 10; Edinburg ceremonies followed, at 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at the Bert Ogden Arena.
Bailey congratulated the graduates and shared some inspiring words for the future.
“First of all, to the class of 2024 – congratulations, you’ve done it. You worked hard for four years, maybe five or six, but you’ve gotten here. You have achieved what you set out to achieve. You have achieved something that will sustain you throughout your life, that will transform your life,” he said. “As a first-generation college student myself, it changed my life. Not only my life, but the lives of my family and children. You did this because you worked hard.”
With Mother’s Day upcoming, which would take place on Sunday, May 11, 2024, Bailey told the graduates to thank their mothers for their support.
“You know what tomorrow is – Mother’s Day,” he said. “The values I have come from my mother. I wouldn’t be here in many ways without my mother. After the ceremony, I want you to go find your mom and give her a hug, tell her you love her. This degree is just as much hers as it is yours.”
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas.
This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.
UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, Weslaco, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island.
UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.
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David A. Díaz contributed to this article. For more on this and other Texas legislative news stories that affect the Rio Grande Valley metropolitan region, please log on to Titans of the Texas Legislature (TitansoftheTexasLegislature.com).
