Texas A&M University System Associate Vice Chancellor Dr. Jim Nelson, who is overseeing the University of Houston-Victoria’s transition to Texas A&M University-Victoria, appeared on the City of Victoria’s Town Talk podcast to share what the community can expect from the change.
The transition, which is being finalized in time for the fall semester, will mean opportunities for more degree programs, and Nelson and his team have been collaborating closely with local industry leaders to determine what types of training will prepare graduates for successful careers in Victoria and the region.
“We’ve got an external advisory council that is really helping us,” Nelson said. “What is the skill set [that graduates need]? We want to make this our university; it’s us and the community. To do that, we need community input … What do you need this graduate to be able to do for you?”
One of the first new programs to take off will be aviation, with a management program soft-launching in Spring 2026 followed by a full aviation program in Fall 2026, when the university will also introduce a new agribusiness program.
Nelson explained that preparing students for careers in local industries will be mutually beneficial, preventing “brain drain,” which occurs when many highly trained or intelligent people leave a particular area, and helping local businesses and the Victoria community to retain top talent.
“The goal of what we’re doing here is really to get the local kids into school here, educate them here, let them get jobs here and remain,” Nelson said. “Many of the employers and businesses say, ‘We’re really tired of hiring kids out of Houston and Dallas. They come down, spend three years with us, five years with us, we train them, they’re really productive for us, and then they up and leave.’ But if we can get the local students, the young men and women, to study here, I think we’ll be well-served.”
Despite all of the changes taking place, Nelson reassured residents that some things would stay the same, like the university’s small class sizes and low tuition rate, as well as the familiar jaguar mascot and school colors.
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