A major philanthropic contribution is set to alleviate financial burdens for hundreds of university students across the San Antonio area. Prominent philanthropist Harvey Najim has committed $5 million to the University of Texas at San Antonio to create an essential support fund tailored for undergraduates enrolled in the university's tuition-assistance initiative, school administrators announced.
The newly established Harvey Najim Bold Promise Scholarship is structured to address the critical non-academic costs that frequently challenge low- and middle-income college students. Rather than applying toward tuition, the funding is specifically designated to help students manage the rising costs of apartment rent, groceries, regional transportation, and required course textbooks.
Under the terms of the multi-year gift, the endowment will distribute $500,000 annually over the next decade. This structured allocation guarantees sustained, long-term assistance for eligible undergraduates navigating their degree programs while attempting to keep pace with day-to-day living necessities.
The initiative directly targets recipients of UTSA’s established Bold Promise program, which already covers 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for four full academic years. While tuition waivers significantly reduce the barrier to entry, university leaders noted that basic survival expenses often force scholars to take on multiple jobs, pulling vital time and energy away from their studies.
With this latest commitment, Najim’s cumulative financial contributions to the University of Texas at San Antonio have surpassed $25 million. This substantial total places him among the most consequential private benefactors in the institution's history, having financed an array of student-centered initiatives and academic resources over several years.
Najim emphasized that access to educational opportunities creates enduring positive change for individuals and the broader regional public. In a statement regarding the endowment, he expressed his ongoing admiration for the work ethic demonstrated by local scholars who strive to earn their college degrees despite significant economic headwinds.
"Education changes lives and strengthens communities," Najim said. "I have seen firsthand the determination and potential of the UT San Antonio students, and I believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed."
UTSA President Taylor Eighmy praised the transformative gift, noting that the funds directly address the realities faced by working-class undergraduates. Eighmy remarked that the donation demonstrates Najim's profound confidence in the academic capabilities of the student body and reinforces the vital role higher education plays in socioeconomic mobility.
"This generous commitment builds upon the countless opportunities Harvey has already created for young scholars at our university and across our region to build strong foundations for their future," Eighmy stated, pointing to the lasting structural benefits the funding will generate for families across South Texas.
To qualify for assistance through the Najim scholarship, applicants must satisfy specific academic and geographical criteria. The funding is available to Bold Promise students attending UTSA, individuals enrolled at the UT San Antonio Health Science Center, and transfer students transitioning from the Alamo Colleges district through the AlamoPROMISE pipeline into the Bold Promise program.
Additionally, the scholarship includes a local residency requirement aimed at bolstering communities within the immediate San Antonio metropolitan region. Eligible scholars must reside within Bexar County or one of seven contiguous counties: Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, or Wilson.
The underlying Bold Promise initiative first began operations in December 2019 with a more restricted scope. At its inception, the tuition-relief framework was open solely to first-time freshmen who graduated in the top quartile of their high school class and whose annual household income did not exceed $50,500.
The program has undergone significant broadening since its initial rollout. Eligibility was subsequently extended to qualified transfer students, and in 2024, the University of Texas System broadened its reach even further by increasing the maximum family income cap to $100,000 across all nine of its academic institutions. That policy adjustment made tuition-free university education accessible to approximately 7 million additional Texas families.
Since its launch, the Bold Promise framework has provided life-changing tuition relief to more than 5,000 students at UT San Antonio, enabling them to pursue their higher education goals without the burden of mandatory tuition debt.
The new scholarship commitment continues Najim’s targeted efforts to address basic needs insecurity among San Antonio's student population. Just last year, the philanthropist pledged $1.25 million to UTSA and the San Antonio Food Bank, creating an annual $125,000 disbursement over a 10-year timeline to operate campus food pantries at both the Loop 1604 and downtown UTSA locations.
By pairing full tuition coverage with targeted aid for housing, nutrition, books, and transit, university leaders hope the new scholarship will remove the remaining economic obstacles that threaten degree completion, allowing promising students to focus fully on their academic and career development.
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