Texas State University’s July 1 entry into the new Pac-12 Conference isn’t just about college athletics. In truth, it is one facet of a much broader story: the rise of a university increasingly central to the future of Texas.
Over the last five years, TXST has become the fastest-growing public university in the state through strategic investments in student success, academic excellence, workforce preparation, research, and access to higher education.
Today, nearly 45,000 students attend TXST, with enrollment expected to approach 48,000 this fall. Since Fall 2022, TXST has added more students than any other university in Texas. During the Spring 2026 Commencement, TXST awarded more than 5,200 degrees—the largest graduating class in the university’s 127-year history. Those graduates joined a vibrant alumni base that now exceeds a quarter of a million members.
Yet growth, in and of itself, is not the primary goal.
“Growth only matters if it creates opportunity,” said TXST President Kelly Damphousse. “Our mission is to expand access to higher education, prepare workforce-ready graduates, advance research that serves the public good, and help meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing states in the country.”
TXST’s growth has been driven by its commitment to serving its students and Texans.
More than 90% of TXST’s students come from Texas, and approximately 85% remain in the state after graduation, contributing to communities, businesses, schools, healthcare systems, and public service organizations across the state.
Almost half of Texas State students are the first in their families to attend college. More than 40% of the 2025 freshman class were first-generation college students, and first-gen students make up 43% of undergraduate students overall.
“As a first-generation graduate myself, I know the challenges that students can face,” Damphousse said. “TXST is steadfast and innovative in our commitment to support first-gen students in their unique journeys, and it is paying off. Their success is life-changing for them, for their families, for our workforce and for our communities.”
To increase educational access, the university has established more than 30 transfer and co-enrollment partnerships with community colleges and educational institutions across the state, including Alamo Colleges, Dallas College, Collin College, Lone Star College, San Jacinto College, and Lamar State College Orange. This deliberate strategy of making TXST degrees available to students where they are reflects a commitment to provide accessible and attainable higher education for every driven and qualified student. Through innovative initiatives like these, TXST is removing barriers, building pathways, and making sure that more students can achieve their dreams of earning a high-quality, in-demand degree.
The university has also expanded access through online education, launching nearly 60 online degree programs in high-demand workforce fields and growing online enrollment by more than 500% since Fall 2021.
These efforts are helping more Texans earn degrees and supporting the state’s goal of increasing educational attainment.
At the same time, the university continues to strengthen its academic profile. Over the past two years, TXST has added 32 new academic programs, including doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees aligned with workforce demands in healthcare, business, technology, public service, and emerging industries.
The reverberations of this exceptional growth and innovation are being felt well beyond TXST’s campuses.
A recent economic impact study found the university generates $7.7 billion in annual statewide economic activity and supports approximately 75,000 jobs across Texas. At the local level, TXST contributes $3.2 billion to the Central Texas economy and the equivalent of 32,500 jobs. Those benefits are more direct for students earning their degrees: For every dollar they invest in TXST, graduates see a return of nearly seven dollars in their lifetime earnings.
Research activity has also accelerated dramatically. Annual research expenditures reached $183 million in 2025, positioning TXST to attain Carnegie R1 research status by 2027 and strengthening its role as a driver of innovation and economic development.
"The future of Texas depends on talent, innovation, and opportunity," Damphousse said. "Texas State is proud to help deliver all three."
Beginning July 1, TXST will join the Pac-12 Conference, a milestone university leaders view as a reflection of the institution's broader trajectory.
"The Pac-12 did not change Texas State's trajectory, it recognized it," Damphousse said. "For years, our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters have been building a university defined by access, excellence, innovation and impact. Joining the Pac-12 is the next chapter in that story."
As Texas continues to grow, TXST remains focused on the mission that has guided the institution for more than a century: serving Texas, expanding opportunity, and transforming lives through education.