Trinity announced on Friday in a press release that it is establishing the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities after a $25 million donation from the Malú and Carlos Alvarez family. The donation includes money for new scholarships, opportunities for undergraduate research and internships, endowed professorships and a dean’s position.
“Among the largest gifts in Trinity’s history, this investment secures the future of disciplines at the core of a liberal arts education and ensures that generations of students will continue to think critically, create boldly, and lead with purpose,” the press release read.
Rubén Dupertuis, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, will be the founding dean of the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities.
Carlos Alvarez was the founder of the Gambrinus Company, which produces Shiner Beer in Texas. He’s also credited with introducing Modelo and Corona beers to the United States. While he established his wealth in the beer industry, he and his wife Malú supported education, the arts, disaster relief and other humanitarian efforts. He donated $20 million to UT San Antonio, $1 million to the Alamo and $1 million to Community Labs, a non-profit that helped create COVID-19 safety zones.
“Carlos believed that education and the arts open doors to understanding ourselves and one another,” John Brozovich, Alvarez’s son-in-law, president and CEO of The Gambrinus Company, and Trinity trustee, said according to the press release. “This commitment to Trinity University reflects who he was as a husband, father, and leader. Our family is honored to see his values live on through the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities.”
The Alvarez family has donated to Trinity before, notably supporting the launch of the Mexico, the Americas and Spain (MAS) Program. The program provides students the opportunity to study abroad and participate in internships in said countries and regions of the world.
The most recent donation to a school at Trinity was the Semmes Foundation’s $26.5 million toward the D. R. Semmes School of Science in February 2024.
“This transformational gift ensures that generations of Trinity students will be inspired by disciplines that center culture, creativity, and the human experience to expand our understanding of the world and our place in it,” Vanessa Beasley, Trinity president, said according to the press release.
