When Southstar, the developer behind VIDA, reached out via social media to ask who it should name one of the community’s new parks after, the overwhelming response was in support of beloved faculty member Megan Wise de Valdez, chair of the Department of Natural Science and professor of biology.
“Dr. Wise de Valdez has played a pivotal role in building and growing the University,” reads one social media recommendation about the park name.
“She’s the best professor I’ve ever had,” reads another. “She’s passionate about her work and about helping her students succeed.”
To celebrate the new park, Southstar and Texas A&M University-San Antonio hosted a dedication ceremony today, Thursday, March 20. Faculty, students and staff attended to show their support and appreciation for Wise de Valdez.
“We received name recommendations that spanned the heritage, flora, fauna and lore of the area,” said Southstar Chief Operating Officer Gretchen Howell. “But so many students and peers wrote glowingly of Megan’s impact and her passion for teaching and research. We are thrilled to recognize her many contributions as we commemorate this park. She is a great example of the wide impact educators have, not just in the classroom but in the community.”
Wise de Valdez started her career at A&M-San Antonio in 2010 as the University's first biology faculty member. Working with limited resources, she helped build the biology program from the ground up. A 2022 Piper Professor Award recipient, Wise de Valdez is known for her mentorship and involving students in her groundbreaking research, which focuses on the urban ecology of mosquitoes.
"I am truly floored by this honor,” Wise de Valdez said. “San Antonio has been my home for the past 15 years, the longest I’ve lived anywhere. I’ve become deeply connected to this city, especially the South Side. Words can’t express how much it means to me to have a park named after me in San Antonio.”
The new Megan Wise de Valdez Park is a wonderful part of the VIDA community, which is situated at the doorstep to A&M-San Antonio off Loop 410. The park has an open lawn to encourage pick-up games, shaded benches and VIDA’s first public art, the climbable sculpture “It Takes All Kinds” by Wanderlust Ironworks, which celebrates the coming together of neighbors.
VIDA will have about 2,000 single-family homes, 1,400 apartments and 600 student housing units when completed. The community is a great local resource. In addition to the new park, there’s the 35-acre Madla Greenway, which has a mile-long trail, old-growth oak trees and a seasonal creek, an ideal spot next to campus to relax and enjoy nature.
“I want to thank Southstar, who is not only our neighbor, but a wonderful collaborator as well. They recognize the importance of partnerships to strengthen our entire community. They will help us expand our impact – as they grow, we grow, and as we grow, they grow. Our relationship is one that will help improve the quality of life in South San Antonio,” said President Salvador Hector Ochoa. “The Wise de Valdez Park could not be named after a more deserving individual. Megan is an A&M-San Antonio pioneer. She is making a big impact on our students, across the South Side and all of Texas.”