Georgetown Edition | September 2025

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Georgetown Edition VOLUME 19, ISSUE 1 SEPT. 25OCT. 23, 2025

2025 Higher Education Guide

Transforming campus experience Southwestern University’s tactical plan supports construction, community

The plan, which spans 2021-26, includes exten- sive campus renovations and new construction projects, and focuses on expanding academic oer- ings, improving compensation for faculty and sta, and increasing the school’s national recognition and community engagement within Georgetown.

Professor Robert Bednar, co-chair of the universi- ty’s strategic planning committee, said Trombley’s approach is unique, favoring actionable items over abstract ones to create a “measurable, live document.” “We have giant goals, but we have to get them tied down to, ‘What are we going to do to make them happen?’ and ‘How are we going to do them?’” Bednar said.

BY GRACIE WARHURST

Southwestern University has completed nearly 90% of its rst-ever ve-year tactical plan,

spearheaded by President Laura Trombley. The plan focuses on

ve main priorities and 36 specic actions, bridging the goals of several other institutional plans.

CONTINUED ON 22

CONTINUED ON XX

The Dorothy Perry White Welcome Center is expected to open in spring 2026, housing Southwestern University's oces of admission and nancial aid. GRACIE WARHURSTCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Also in this issue

Impacts: Read about the new HEB that opened in north Georgetown serving the Parmer Ranch and Sun City communities (Page 6)

Development: Learn more about the Heirloom Georgetown project, which will bring a maximum of 3,600 residential units to the city (Page 14)

Business: See how Red Poppy Quilt N Sew is stitching together a community of quilters in Georgetown (Page 35)

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

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SCHOOL BUS SAFETY 101

Stop for school buses when the red lights are flashing or the stop arm is out.

Stay alert near bus stops and watch for students.

Leave extra space between your vehicle and a school bus.

Together, let’s keep our students safe.

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Brittany Anderson

Katlynn Fox Dacia Garcia

Haley McLeod Hannah Norton Karoline Pfeil Sam Schaer Brooke Sjoberg Ben Thompson Joel Valley Gracie Warhurst

Denise Seiler General Manager dseiler@ communityimpact.com

Shannon West Sienna Wight Chloe Young Graphic Designers Abbey Eckhardt Alissa Foss Abigail Jones Sabrina Musachia

Minh Nguyen Joseph Veloz Managing Editor Darcy Sprague Product Manager Gloria Amareth Quality Desk Editor Adrian Gandara Austin Market President Travis Baker

Claire Shoop Editor cshoop@ communityimpact.com

Dana Smyth Account Executive dsmyth@ communityimpact.com

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Impacts West of I35

• Opened Sept. 18 • 1039 W. University Ave., Georgetown • www.daveshotchicken.com

2338

4 7 Brew The drive-thru coee stand sells a range of hot and iced coee drinks, teas, smoothies, milkshakes and energy beverages. • Opened Aug. 11 • 19386 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Leander • www.7brew.com 5 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Tracy and Matthew Cohen opened the franchise location, which oers made-to-order smoothies, sandwiches, wraps and atbreads. • Opened Sept. 3 • 4620 Williams Drive, Ste. 102, Georgetown • www.tropicalsmoothiecafe.com 6 Custom Cuts Barbershop Frank Roland Gonzales opened his barbershop in the Hill Country Salon Suites. The shop oers hair cuts and styling services, and is taking new clients. • Opened June 16 • 5361 Williams Drive, Ste. 126, Georgetown • www.hillcountrysalonsuites.com/custom-cuts Bike & Grow Owners Petra and Tibor Radulay opened the subscription-based bike business to make children’s bikes more aordable and accessible. It leases bikes for children ages 18 months to 11 years old. • Opened Aug. 17 • www.bikeandgrow.com

195

SAN GABRIEL RIVER

KAUFFMAN LP.

ROUND ROCK AVE.

9 2

MAP NOT TO SCALE

2 Soul Fighters Georgetown The Brazilian jiu-jitsu studio has black belt instructors to provide instruction to students of all ages and skill levels. • Opened Aug. 1 • 3701 W. Hwy. 29, Ste. 5101, Georgetown • www.soulightersgeorgetown.com 3 Dave’s Hot Chicken Owned by Brian Cassidy of CW Strong Restaurant Group, the hot chicken sandwich and tenders chain replaced Carl’s Jr.

Now open

1 HEB The 112,000-square-foot store has a deli and meat market, a full-service bakery oering made-in-house tortillas, a sushi counter with fresh selections, a oral department and more. • Opened Sept. 17 • 10110 RM 2338, Georgetown • www.heb.com

Coming soon

7 Walmart A location for the big box retailer is expected, according to a site development permit application submitted by design and engineering rm Kimley-Horn. • Opening TBD • 20991 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Georgetown • www.walmart.com

Dr. Craig P. Torres D.D.S., Endodontist Board Certified (COL US Army Dental Corps RET) • Non-surgical root canal therapy • Root canal retreatments • Root canal surgery Dr. Gloria T. Torres D.D.S., Prosthodontist (LTC US Army Dental Corps RET) 68 Years Combined Experience (Retired Army Dentists)

Call for an appointment 512-868-5999 Advanced Technology CEREC (one day all ceramic crowns) Endodontic Microscopes Digital radiography/photography CBCT (3-D) scans Oral/nitrous sedation www.Torres-Dental-Specialties.com

• Restorative Dentistry • Cosmetic Dentistry • Full mouth reconstruction

(severe wear/malocclusions) • Complex esthetic and functional cases • Dental implants • Dentures / partial dentures

4402 Williams Drive, Suite 104 • Georgetown, TX • Hours M-F 8-5 • Most insurance accepted

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

What’s next PERMITS FILED WITH THE TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

In the news

8 Chuy’s Construction on the new location for the Tex-Mex chain is expected to begin in December and last until July. • Southeast corner of Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Kauffman Loop • www.chuys.com 9 Singas Famous Pizza Construction on the restaurant—which serves signature and specialty pizzas, wings, pasta, salad, and sandwiches—is expected to conclude before the end of the year. • 3701 W. Hwy. 29, Bldg. 18, Ste. 104, Georgetown • www.singaspizzas.com

In the news

Community Impact Community Impact celebrates 20 years as a company in September. Founded in Pugerville, owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the rst Community Impact newspaper in the Round Rock-Pugerville market in September 2005 with a cover story about the rst toll roads in the Austin area. Today, the company has more

than 200 employees supporting 40 hyperlocal editions in Texas, printing and distributing more than 2.5 million newspapers a month. Community Impact has a strong print and digital presence, including a daily email newsletter, to serve readers with free news and help local businesses thrive. • www.communityimpact.com

10 Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David’s Round Rock The medical center was the rst in the nation to use a vascular stent treatment for carotid artery disease. • 2400 Round Rock Ave., Round Rock • www.stdavids.com

Don’t Take Our Word For It

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*actual patient reviews from Facebook and Google

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Dr. Travis Hildebrand • Dr. Kenny Havard • Dr. Aaron White Dr. Lisa Jacob • Dr. Kevin Lew

GEORGETOWN EDITION

Impacts East of I-35

195

4 Holy Spirit Catholic Church Brett Banks founded the church and is its lead pastor. Located in the Getsemani Community Center, Holy Spirit Catholic Church offers weekly mass at 5 p.m. on Sundays. • Opened June 8 • 412 E. 19th St., Georgetown • https://holyspiritgtx.b12sites.com Beeware Beekeeping Owned by Ethan Witt, the business leases bees to landowners in Williamson County who are looking for an agricultural tax exemption on their property. The business also provides swarm removal services. • Opened Aug. 1 • www.beewarebeekeeping.com

Now open

MARKET ST.

1 Alloy Personal Training Located in Teravista Crossing, the gym franchise specializes in small group personal training. • Opened July 10 • 2960 FM 1460, Ste. 103, Georgetown • www.alloyatx.com 2 White Blossom Pediatric Dentistry Led by Dr. Michelle Zin, the practice provides dental care to infants, children and teens. The team focuses on gentle techniques and patient education. • Opened Sept. 22 • 3200 FM 1460, Ste. 305, Georgetown • www.whiteblossomdental.com 3 Highland Rejuvenation Clinic Locally owned by husband and wife duo Dr. Bruce Beheshtin and Mona Madjid, the clinic offers cosmetic treatments, spa services, and reconstructive and rejuvenation surgeries. • Opened June 2 • 2951 FM 1460, Ste. 1801, Georgetown • www.highlandrejuvenation.com

LAKEWAY DR.

OWN

130 TOLL

SAN GABRIEL RIVER

N. AUSTIN AVE.

W. 2ND ST.

E. 19TH ST.

Coming soon

5 Atlas Spas and Swim Spas The hot tub and swim spa retailer owned by Robert Downs is in the process of securing city permits before opening. • Opening TBD • 704 W. University Ave., Georgetown • www.atlasspas.com

1460

110

MAP NOT TO SCALE

El lugar para

ozar

Bienvenido a la herencia hispana de Georgetown!

Este mes reconocemos a la comunidad hispana de Georgetown quienes contribuyen con su cultura y logros, a la ciudad que nosotros amamos. This month we recognize Georgetown’s Hispanic community who contribute their culture and achievements to the city we love. Para más información visite nuestra página web georgetowntexas.gov/library. For more information, visit georgetowntexas.gov/library.

#LoveWhereYouLive |

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

6 Hyatt Studios Construction on the new extended-stay concept will begin this year, according to developer Caliber. The 60,000-square-foot hotel will include 122 suites. • Opening in late 2026 or early 2027 • Northeast intersection of I-35 and NE Inner Loop • www.hyatt.com/hyatt-studios

Coming soon

In the news

Relocations

7 Hill Country Forensics The autopsy provider moved from its previous location at 2334 Rockride Lane, Bldg. 1, Georgetown, due to the

business’s growth. • Relocated Sept. 15 • 136 Market St., Georgetown • 512-240-1060

9 Tony C’s Pizza & Beer Garden and The League Kitchen & Tavern TC4 & Co, the restaurant group founded by Tony Ciola and Creed Ford, is bringing new locations of Tony C’s Pizza & Beer Garden and The League Kitchen & Tavern to Georgetown in 2026. TC4 & Co plans to construct the new restaurants along I-35, and expects to break ground in September. • Opening in the spring • 1411 S. I-35 frontage road, Georgetown • www.tonycsbeergarden.com; www.leaguekitchen.com

10 Me Land Georgetown The indoor playground is set to expand its current space after first opening in early 2025. The expansion will include demolishing interior walls and doors in Suite 115, allowing it to expand from its existing space at Suite 120, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing. Me Land Georgetown currently offers individual play packages, and group packages for birthday parties, events and more. • 610 N. Austin Ave., Ste. 120, Georgetown • www.melandplay.com

In the news

8 Doug Smith Performing Arts Center The physical location for The Palace Theatre’s education department, the center celebrated five years of offering theater camps and classes. • 206 W. Second St., Georgetown • www.georgetownpalace.org/education

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Government

BY GRACIE WARHURST

What they’re saying

The $5.9 million in upgrades was funded through voter-approved park bonds and capital improvement funds. “Thank you to the voters ... for trusting us to be good stewards of your dollar and to give back to our community with wonderful parks like this,” County Judge Steven Snell said. Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey called the park a “county jewel.”

152

130 TOLL

County ocials marked the completion of the park improvements Aug. 22.

GRACIE WARHURSTCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Berry Springs upgrades completed

“We hope that everybody ... will come out and spend time here.” VALERIE COVEY, PRECINCT 3 COMMISSIONER

• An open-air group pavilion • A new remote restroom • A new headquarters/visitor center with restrooms • Additional paved parking • A new maintenance and storage facility • A trail extension under CR 152

The Berry Springs Park and Preserve improvement project is now complete, adding new facilities, a pavilion and a trail extension. Williamson County ocials celebrated the completion of the project at an Aug. 22 ribbon- cutting ceremony. The project, which began last spring, brought the following improvements to the park:

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY GRACIE WARHURST

City raises fees for new development

City explores sale of water service territory The city of Georgetown is considering limiting the area it provides water to by selling portions of its water service territory. Explained A certificate of convenience and necessity is the geographical area in which the city is required to provide water service. Currently, 40% of the city’s CCN customers live outside the 174-square-mile area of the city and its ETJ, as Georgetown’s CCN spans a total of 400 square miles. The history In 2014, the city merged with a rural water district formerly called the Chisholm Trail Special Utility District. While originally intending to take over a small portion of the district, the state Legislature required the city to absorb it entirely. The why By selling part of the CCN, the city will reduce the cost burden on Georgetown taxpayers, as well as better control the growing demand for water. The city would retain all of its CCN that is within Homeowners to see small tax bill increase Georgetown council members adopted the city’s property tax rate and budget for fiscal year 2025-26 at its Sept. 9 meeting. What happened Officials ratified a tax rate of $0.353 per $100 valuation. Although the rate is lower than the FY 2024-25 rate, city taxes will go up because of the increase in home values. This equates to a $14 increase on the average homeowner’s tax bill annually, according to Mayra Cantu, budget manager for the city of Georgetown. “We will be one of the lowest [tax rates] in our region,” Cantu said. The tax rate will support the proposed $1.3 billion budget, which includes $703 million in planned capital improve- ment projects.

Current water service area

Georgetown City Council approved increases to water, wastewater and transpor- tation impact fees at its Aug. 12 meeting. These increased costs for developers will help fund improvements needed for new growth, according to city documents. The goal is to ensure the cost of new develop- ment does not fall disproportionately on existing residents. Digging deeper Although transportation impact fees vary significantly based on the area and the type of land use, developers and property owners can anticipate increases from 100% to over 250% by September 2026.

Proposed transfer area

183

Nontransfer area

city limits and the ETJ, as well as territory west of its ETJ to Hwy. 183. Georgetown will offer neighboring cities the option to purchase parts of the CCN before offering the areas to other providers. Georgetown voters would also need to authorize the sale through an election.

Aug. 31, 2027

Aug. 31, 2026

Current

Water impact fee Wastewater impact fee

$13,000

$12,000

$11,000

$13,500

$10,250

$7,000

SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

County leadership makes final changes to budget Williamson County commissioners approved a $702.4 million budget and supporting tax rate of $0.413776 per $100 valuation for fiscal year 2025-26 at a Sept. 3 meeting. What residents should know The new tax rate is the highest rate commission- ers can adopt without calling an election. A resident’s estimated county property tax bill for the upcoming fiscal year comes out to $1,556 based on the median property value of $358,542, according to county documents. This is an increase of approximately $122 per year from FY 2024-25. What happened The final budget includes two changes from the last budget workshop. At the Sept. 3 meeting, commissioners

Budget totals

General fund: $401.2M Debt service fund: $222.7M Road and bridge fund: $78.5M

Total: $702.4M

SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

unanimously approved removing money allocated for a county vehicle that was already delivered this year, coming out to around $87,000. Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey also pro- posed adding $17.9 million to the general fund for the Capital Improvement Plan and the Long-Range Transportation Plan. The amount is in addition to the previously allocated $20 million for the CIP, and $17 million for the LRTP. “The theory behind [the additional funding] is paying for it now with cash versus financing over the future, costing the taxpayers even more money,” County Judge Steven Snell said.

GEORGETOWN EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Transportation

BY ANNA MANESS & GRACIE WARHURST

City to use eminent domain for intersection Georgetown officials approved using eminent domain to buy a property the city says is necessary for intersection improvements at Williams Drive and Bootys Crossing Road. The history Walgreens is the current tenant of 3204 Williams Drive, and the owner of land needed for a project to improve the intersection. The city offered to purchase the right-of-way, or the right to use a portion of the land, from Wal- greens on March 25, but didn’t receive a response. To keep up with the project timeline, the city needed to move forward with acquiring the right-of-way through eminent domain, said Scott Michael, real estate coordinator for the city. The update Georgetown City Council approved the use of

Road extension added to city mobility plan Georgetown City Council members approved adding an extension of Parmer Ranch Boulevard to its future mobility plan. What’s happening? Developers with master-planned commu- nity Heirloom Georgetown hope to break ground on the extension—from FM 2338 to Ronald Reagan Boulevard—in early 2026.

Walgreens property

eminent domain at its meeting Aug. 12 with a 6-1 vote. District 7 council member Ben Stewart voted

against the motion. About the project

Improvements to the intersection of Williams Drive and Bootys Crossing are a part of a larger project to enhance intersections in the city. For the Bootys Crossing intersection, specific upgrades include widening the four-lane road to a five-lane divided roadway with a raised median and revised left- and right-turn lanes. The project will keep a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicycles on both sides.

Parmer Ranch Blvd. extension

N. PARMER RANCH BLVD.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Development

BY ANNA MANESS & GRACIE WARHURST

Heirloom to bring homes, school site to northwest Georgetown update. Kimble said he envisions bringing a similar version of the Georgetown historic square to the west side of the city.

Heirloom Georgetown received City Council approval to move forward with its mixed-use development Aug. 26. Columnar Investments, the project’s developer, plans to break ground on the site in northwest Georgetown in early 2026. About the project The 620-acre project includes single-family homes and a future 120-acre Georgetown ISD school site. Renderings show plans to introduce a town center, traditional neighborhoods and townhomes to undeveloped land in northwest Georgetown. Heirloom Georgetown will include: • 340 acres of residential property, with a maxi- mum of 3,600 units • 109 acres of commercial space • 48 acres of park land Plans also include incorporating Trader Joe’s as a “destination retail” site, Columnar representative Logan Kimble said at an Aug. 12 development

“Everybody talks about The Domain Part 2,” he said. “That’s not what I envision for this at all.” The update Georgetown City Council unanimously approved a slate of items to further the project, including the development agreement, a second reading of the planned unit development agreement, the annex- ation of the site within city limits and the creation of the public improvement district Aug. 26. The site was previously part of Georgetown’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. Following the annex- ation, the city will provide the following services: • Water and wastewater • Solid waste, bulky waste, yard trimmings and recycling • Fire and police

Heirloom Georgetown is set to include a mix of housing types and amenities.

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Development

BY GRACIE WARHURST

Lakeside Estates to bring 1,000 homes

The details

Per the MUD’s consent agreement, onsite ame- nities include a private amenity center, pedestrian and bike trails that connect to the Goodwater Loop trail, and public parkland. The district and homeowner’s association will be required to main- tain all of the parkland and open space, including drainage and landscaping. The public parkland will have multisport courts, picnic tables, restrooms, covered pavilions, playgrounds and dog parks. Wrought iron fences will separate the public park area from homes. The agreement also stipulates that the single-family homes will have varying lot widths from 45 feet to half an acre.

The Lakeside Estates MUD will consist of 722 acres located in western Williamson County, on the clis above Lake Georgetown. Assistant City Manager Nick Woolery said MUD consent agreements are the process the city uses to lock in land-use and development standards. “The developer and the city team have put in a lot of time to turn this into what I think is going to be a really nice project for the community,” Woolery said.

The Lakeside Estates municipal utility district will create a neighborhood with over 1,000 new homes, extensive parkland and a hotel after Georgetown City Council approved the nal reading of the MUD’s consent agreement Aug. 26. Forterra Developers will lead the project, located in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The MUD will have a maximum tax rate of $0.975 per $100 valuation.

Lakeside Estates’ land plan includes: • About 437 acres for 1,312 single- family homes • 14.6 acres for a hotel or resort • Nearly 187 acres for open green space • 14.7 acres for a wastewater treatment package plant

What else?

Forterra Developers will make several road improvements and additions, per the agreement, including: • Extending Cross Creek Road as a north-south connection to Hwy. 29 • Construction of a main thoroughfare through the neighborhood Williamson County will own the roads and take care of maintenance and repair. The district and HOA will be responsible for the landscape buers and sidewalks. The developer will also construct a 30-inch waterline and a wastewater treatment package plant.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Education

Average tax bills in GISD go up $200 Georgetown ISD has adopted a slightly lower tax rate for fiscal year 2025-26 com- pared to FY 2024-25. Despite the decreased rate, a GISD homeowner with an average taxable value of $379,767 could expect to pay $3,989.83 in property taxes for FY 2025-26, according to district information. This would be an increase of $199.12 in annual property taxes compared to the previous tax rate and average taxable home value of $359,513 in FY 2024-25. The breakdown At an Aug. 18 meeting, the GISD board of trustees approved a maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.6931 per $100 valuation, and an interest and sinking tax rate of $0.3575, totaling $1.0506.

GISD ranks second in Austin-area home sales Georgetown ISD had the second highest number of home sales this spring compared to other Austin-area school districts. From April to June, 1,849 new homes were sold in the district, surpassing Liberty Hill ISD’s 1,714 homes sold. Hays CISD continued to have the highest number of home sales at 3,683. Despite seeing a decrease in its overall enroll- ment projections from the beginning of the year, GISD “will continue to grow for many, many years” due to an abundance of undeveloped land in the area, Zonda Demographics adviser Stuart Keogh said at an Aug. 18 board meeting. Zooming in The Wolf Ranch area saw the most housing growth from April to June, Keogh said. Addition- ally, much development was underway near Ford and San Gabriel elementaries, as well as near

Home sales by neighborhood

Parkside on the River

330

Wolf Ranch/South Fork

264

Santa Rita Ranch/Tierra Rosa 156 Retreat at San Gabriel 131 Patterson Ranch 123

SOURCE: ZONDA DEMOGRAPHICS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Mitchell and Williams elementaries, he said. Wolf Ranch Elementary is projected to be over- capacity beginning next school year with nearly 1,000 students. Williams and Cooper elementaries are expected to exceed capacity by the 2028-29 school year with 972 students and 725 students, respectively.

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Business

Personal

Mortgage Wealth

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY CHLOE YOUNG

District aims to grow career, technical classes Georgetown ISD is looking to continue expand- ing its career and technical education program. The district may begin providing courses in entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, networking and building trades, Wes Vanicek, chief of construction and future readiness initiatives, said at a Sept. 2 board workshop. This comes as the district has adopted a goal to increase the percentage of graduates meeting criteria for college, career and military readiness from 79% in June 2025 to 90% by June 2026. What’s new This school year, GISD launched an advanced manufacturing and robotics CTE program through a partnership with CelLink Technologies and the Georgetown Manufacturing Alliance. “Students are getting industry-grade, hands-on experience in manufacturing,” Vanicek said.

GISD begins rezoning for 2026-27 year Georgetown ISD will adopt updated attendance boundaries to accommodate the opening of new schools and balance enroll- ment across campuses nearing their capac- ities, Chief of Strategic Operations Lannon Heflin said at a Sept. 2 board workshop. What’s happening GISD will rezone campuses for the 2026-27 school year to: • Open Elementary School No. 12 and Middle School No. 5 • Address capacity concerns at Williams, Wolf Ranch and Cooper elementaries • Maximize the utilization of current campuses • Plan for future growth

Georgetown ISD has:

24 CTE courses offering industry-based certification in 12 career pathways

1,371 students headed toward completion of a CTE program

A 65% passage rate for industry-based certifications

A $2.7 million increase in CTE funding since the 2020-21 school year

SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

“There are some of these jobs that kids can come straight out of high school making $50,000 or more as an 18-year-old with a lot of upper mobility

in the career.” How it works

Each school year, the Texas Education Agency assesses school districts on whether their students are ready to attend college, enter a career or enlist in the military after graduation.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

Higher Education Guide

2025

4 updates from Georgetown area higher education institutions

2 Austin Community College The ACC board of trustees approved a $568 million balanced budget this summer, which includes a 3% pay raise for employees, maintains ACC’s minimum wage, and keeps tuition and fees unchanged, according to a news release.

4 Franklin Pierce University The university’s latest program to produce more physician assistants celebrated its new learning center in Round Rock with a ribbon cutting earlier this year. FPU’s Round Rock Academic Center, located on the Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital campus, is the home for FPU’s hybrid Master of Physician Assistant Studies program in Texas. The 24-month program combines online learning with in-person clinical training, and the 7,000-square-foot learning facility in Round Rock serves as a space for students participating in the hands-on portion of the graduate program. The program welcomed its second cohort of students this March.

1 Texas State Technical College Texas State Technical College broke ground on an expansion of the East Williamson County campus in Hutto in February. The expansion is expected to open by spring 2027. The new 70,000-square-foot facility will house three programs, including advanced manufacturing, industrial systems and precision machining technology, according to a news release. The project will cost $47 million, TSTC Communication Specialist Kate Altier said. TSTC’s East Williamson County campus is part of a multi-institutional teaching center called the East Williamson County Higher Education Center—a 112,000-square-foot facility that sits on 57 acres, according to the college’s website.

3 Concordia University Texas A new partnership with the University of North Dakota offers a dual-degree program that allows students to earn a degree in either mathematics or chemistry from Concordia, alongside one of five engineering degrees from UND.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Education

Texas State University unveiled a major expansion in June to transform its Round Rock campus into a more traditional college campus, with a goal of growing student enrollment to 10,000 by 2030. The plan would add seven buildings to the existing three across the campus’s 101 acres, including academic halls and student housing. The campus reached an enrollment of 2,193 students this spring—a 21% increase compared to spring 2024—driven by the campus’s rst-ever freshman class admitted last fall. Julie Lessiter, TXST’s vice president of the Round Rock campus, said a combination of growth in Williamson County and the absence of universities oering freshman through graduate options in the area has the site “perfectly positioned to be the Texas State northern frontier.” TXST Round Rock plans for growth

Growth phases TXST Round Rock’s plan is based on student enrollment milestones.

NATURE PAVILION

NEW CHILLER TOWERS

PAVILIONCAFE

NEW UTILITY PLANT

6,000 total students A Esperanza Hall: 81,600 sq. ft. B Life sciences: 80,000 sq. ft. 7,500 total students C Academic: 145,000 sq. ft. D Housing: 200 beds

FUTURE PARKING GARAGE

10,000 total students E Housing: 200 beds

F Academic: 105,000 sq. ft. G Academic: 105,000 sq. ft.

15,000 total students H Future academic quad

SOURCE: TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Increased investment Austin’s life sciences sector has regularly drawn hundreds of millions of dollars in private funding. 2019 $239.5M 2020 $402.8M 2021

Zooming in

sophomore at the Round Rock campus. Also in the works is a life sciences incuba- tor—a collaboration between TXST, Round Rock Chamber and design rm Concept Companies—to tap into the area’s growing market. Mayor Craig Morgan said the incubator could help Round Rock become more competitive. “I think that would encourage more companies that may want to actually relocate to Central Texas—more particularly, Round Rock,” he said.

At 81,600 square feet, Esperanza Hall, con- struction on which began in November 2024, will be three-stories tall and feature research labs for science and engineering. Part of the expansion’s rst phase, the building will allow students to take lab courses in person. “Being a campus [predominantly] for nursing and those health professions, labs would be very critical and benecial for freshmen and sophomores to go on,” said Maryssa Burilson, a

$1.06B

$437.2M

2022 2023 2024 2025*

$600.1M

$164.3M

$507.9M

*AS OF JUNE SOURCES: AVISON YOUNG TECHNOLOGIES, CRUNCHBASECOMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY GRANT CRAWFORD

Mapping it out

Going forward

Enrollment growth

Round Rock campus

To make room for 7,500 students, TXST will need to build upon the rst phase of the master plan by adding more academic buildings and, for the rst time, student housing—200 beds in the second phase. “You’re friends with the people in your classes, but you sometimes wish you had a strong bond and relationship with them,” said Ana Ramirez, a TXST Round Rock sophomore. “I denitely think adding these residence halls will really help with that.” The master plan’s future layout organizes student growth around a cross-pattern of quads and open spaces. Along side the campus’s rst quad, TXST’s next academic building would include “an iconic arch” that would mirror Trauth-Human Hall in San Marcos, Lessiter said. “[Students have] all said we really need some

Between TXST’s main campus in San Marcos, Round Rock campus, satellite locations and online students, Lessiter thinks TXST could grow from its roughly 37,000 students to a goal of 50,000 throughout the entire system. “The San Marcos campus is pretty landlocked, and there’s a lot of room for growth here,” she said. With space available, the plan for the Round Rock campus includes a long-term development scenario to accommodate 15,000 students. Lessiter said the school’s degree programs for health professions could draw more students outside of the Austin metro, such as from Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, and ultimately lend to the university’s 15,000-enrollment mark. The outline includes expanding the campus southward across the property, with a network of quads made up of academic buildings. This would require upgrades to utilities, water infrastructure, technology and parking, according to the plan. While enrollment milestones could be years in the making, growth at TXST’s Round Rock campus will continue this fall with its second-ever class of incoming freshmen. TXST President Kelly Damphousse said at a May board of regents meeting that after the campus welcomed its inaugural freshman cohort of roughly 80 students last year, more than 200 are enrolled for the upcoming fall semester.

10K 8K 6K 4K 2K 0

Projected

SOURCE: TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

space where we can collaborate together, build community and really get to study in a nice envi- ronment, and that is going to be achieved with the master plan,” Lessiter said.

The local impact

“When these students graduate, if they choose to stay here, live here and work here, then we’re going to get tenfold

The blueprint for a 10,000-student campus includes an additional 200 beds of housing and two more academic buildings in its third phase, accord- ing to the plan. With a current course oering of 18 undergrad- uate programs and 11 graduate programs, the third phase would help expand that catalog. Lessiter said the school plans to begin oering an aviation program to help address an ongoing pilot shortage, as well as engineering degrees. “We’re really all about helping our students get into their careers,” she said. “So having that as our mission is going to draw students to this campus to

return from them by what they do in our community.” CRAIG MORGAN, ROUND ROCK MAYOR

be able to get their undergraduate degree.” TXST Round Rock would be the third-largest university in the Austin metro if it reaches a student enrollment of 10,000.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

From the cover

Transforming campus experience

Digging deeper

The big picture

Diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity Priorities: Retention Infrastructure Program development Compensation

The strategic planning task force specifically high- lighted DIBE and retention as the two most immedi- ate concerns for the tactical plan, with the majority of the tactics going toward these objectives. One reason for that is to uphold the “lifecycle of a student,” Trombley said. “You come and you spend four years with us, and then become an invested alum and you stay in touch with us,” Trombley said. “In addition to hopefully assisting you into graduate school or into your first career through our career center, you will also then choose to mentor one of our students and perhaps help them along the way.” One key accomplishment of the plan’s DIBE efforts is Southwestern’s new designation as a Hispanic-serving institution, which means 25% of the full-time undergraduate enrollment is Hispanic. The school is the first top-85 liberal arts insti- tution according to U.S. News & World Report to receive this designation. “This is just part of the growth that we have seen because that is a part of the population that’s actually growing when it comes to students going to college in the Southwest,” Trombley said.

Southwestern’s five-year tactical plan has five central priority areas: diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity, or DIBE; student retention; program development; physical and technological infrastructure; and competitive compensation. The strategic planning task force created these priority areas after receiving community feedback in 2020, Bednar said. “We had broad inputs, and we sorted through them and coded them and themed them until we saw these points of emphasis start to cluster together,” Bednar said. Four years in, the university has achieved 89% of the plan. So far, a key tactic has been making school more affordable for students, Trombley said. Decreasing student debt is the first tactic included in the plan’s funding priorities. “Providing additional financial aid to our students is absolutely essential because it’s really all about access,” Trombley said. “That is very quickly becoming a real concern of ours because of what we see as cuts in students’ ability to access student loans.” Other key accomplishments in the first four years of the plan include fundraising over $83 million, which contributed to successfully completing the $150 million Thrive campaign. The fundraising initiative began in 2017 and contributed to increased financial aid, paid student internships, endowed faculty positions and campus capital improvements. “When we created the tactical plan, we did it in aligning with our ability to fundraise,” Trombley said. “So the two were always on a parallel path from the very start.”

Funding priority

Cost

$100K per year

Decrease student debt

New academic advising program

$400K per year

Development of Advising Quality Enhancement Program

$500K + $10K per year

Develop inclusive teaching certificate program

$10K per year

Fund research to document efforts for inclusivity

$5K + $10K per year

Vibrant campus amenities for students

TBD

Student training and employment program

TBD

Develop a technology master plan

TBD

Staff professional skill development

$5K

Housing and amenities projects Phase 1

$30M

Percent of tactics in each priority area Compensation 11.1%

Improved faculty office space and classrooms

$10M

11.1%

Programming

Student emergency fund

$20K per year

38.8%

Retention

41.6%

Infrastructure

TBD

Increase hourly staff wages

47%

DIBE

NOTE: THIS TABLE IS ORGANIZED BY FUNDING PRIORITY.

NOTE: THESE PERCENTAGES DO NOT EQUAL 100% AS SOME TACTICS ARE IN MULTIPLE PRIORITY AREAS.

SOURCE: SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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