The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) formally celebrated the naming of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health on Wednesday, May 13, to recognize a $30 million transformational investment from the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation to drive the school’s future impact by educating the next generation of public health professionals who will benefit the health of communities across South Texas.
Initially made in December 2025, the gift is helping to expand student support, faculty growth and community-based work, especially in areas of South Texas where access to care remains limited.
“My cousin Kate had a warmth about her, exuding a spirit of kindness, loyalty and dedication. My aunt, Janey Briscoe Marmion, and my grandfather, Governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr., created the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation to exist as my cousin’s living legacy and to serve South Texas in her memory,” said Dolph Briscoe, IV, PhD, president of the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation. “I know that the Kate Marmion School of Public Health at The University of Texas at San Antonio will carry out the hopes of my aunt and my grandfather magnificently. We are grateful for this opportunity to partner with the amazing students, faculty and staff at this School to bring better healthcare to South Texans.”
This week, the Kate Marmion School of Public Health will also celebrate the graduation of its inaugural Master of Public Health cohort. The 23 members of that first class will cross the stage as the living embodiment of what this gift makes possible — a school dedicated to confronting the health challenges of South Texas and building the workforce to meet them. In addition to its current MPH and MD/MPH dual degree programs, the school plans to offer a doctoral degree in the future.
The Kate Marmion School of Public Health has become a key part of the university’s work in advancing health education, research and community partnerships.
“The naming of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health marks an important waypoint in our university’s trajectory as we carry out our commitment to making lives better across San Antonio and South Texas,” said President Taylor Eighmy, PhD. “This transformative gift ensures our opportunity to not only support the health and well-being of our community but to train future public health professionals who will go on to touch the lives of so many families and the generations that will follow.”
Listen to the impact of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health.
The school welcomed its inaugural class in August 2024 and has continued to build its presence in public health education and research. Its work remains centered on issues that affect everyday life across South Texas, from chronic disease and prevention to community health and access to care.
“The naming ceremony marked a deeply meaningful milestone for our institution and for the future of public health in South Texas,” said Francisco G. Cigarroa, MD, senior executive vice president for health affairs and health system. “Kate Marmion embodied a spirit of compassion, service and genuine care for others, and it is fitting that her name will inspire generations of public health leaders dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities across South Texas, Texas and beyond. The Kate Marmion School of Public Health represents both an enduring legacy and a transformational commitment to the health of our region.”
The school’s inaugural dean, Vasan Ramachandran, MD, FACC, FAHA, said that the support comes at an important time as the school continues to expand its academic programs and deepen its work with local and regional communities in South Texas.
Earlier this year, the Kate Marmion School of Public Health ranked No. 36 nationally in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, recognizing the school’s growing research enterprise and national impact. The Blue Ridge Institute is an independent nonprofit organization that compiles annual funding data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“This support for the Kate Marmion School of Public Health comes at a key moment in our school’s growth,” Ramachandran said. “It allows us to build on the work already underway by expanding opportunities for students, deepening our engagement with rural communities and advancing research that responds to real regional public health needs. We are grateful for the Foundation’s trust in what we are building.”
Ramachandran also leads the RURAL Study, a nationally recognized effort focused on health disparities in underserved communities. That work remains part of the school’s broader commitment to research that responds to the region’s needs.
Backed by the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation’s deep commitment to the health and well-being of rural Texans, the school will continue expanding an educational experience designed to meet the public health challenges of the 21st century, locally, regionally and globally.
