Established in 2013 by the Texas Legislature, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is Texas's first major public university of the 21st century. It significantly expanded educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine. With campuses and research sites across the region, UTRGV enrolled its inaugural class in 2015, with the School of Medicine opening in 2016. UTRGV was ranked the No.1 university in Texas by Washington Monthly in 2023 based on the magazine's annual college guide and rankings.