Efforts are in motion to give Rio Grande Valley students more options when it comes to pursuing higher education programs and research opportunities.

At the Texas A&M location in Tres Lagos, it's a push to address a local and statewide need.

"Right now we're about 3,000 plus short of nurses here in the Rio Grande Valley alone, and 30,000 across the state," Texas A&M Higher Education Center at McAllen Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Manuel Vela said. "So what we need to do is exactly what we're going to do, create new programs that will increase the available pool." 

Vela says the hope is to double enrollment at the campus in McAllen with the construction of the new nursing and health research facility.

"I think together, we're a big strong force in regard to creating educational opportunities down here, and I very much look forward to sitting at the table with each and every one of those individuals, so we can move the Valley forward," Vela said.

The groundbreaking for the new facility will occur sometime in the next year.

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