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SBL Architecture Reflects on Higher Education Panel Discussion Shaping Fort Worth’s Future

This morning, I had the opportunity to attend the Fort Worth Report’s panel discussion on higher education’s role in shaping North Texas.  With Texas A&M’s downtown campus and UTA’s new presence in west Fort Worth joining TCU and Tarleton State, the conversation highlighted how higher education expansion is truly becoming a game-changer for our community.

The panel was moderated by Chris Cobler, CEO and Publisher of the Fort Worth Report, and featured:

• John Goff, Founder and Chairman, Crescent Real Estate
• Greg Ulmer, President, Aeronautics at Lockheed Martin
• Jennifer Cowley, President, University of Texas at Arlington
• Robert “Bobby” Ahdieh, Chief Operating Officer, Texas A&M–Fort Worth
• James Hurley, President, Tarleton State University

Some of the key insights I took away included:

• Tarleton’s growth potential – James Hurley shared that their Fort Worth campus, which began in 1978 with just 8 students, now spans 80 acres with significant development opportunities ahead.
• Community activation – Bobby Ahdieh described his role as being in the “business of making great ideas,” challenging us to see these projects not just as game changers for higher education, but for Fort Worth itself.  He noted the ripple effect already bringing new partners like Cook Children’s into the fold.
• UTA’s westward move – Jennifer Cowley joked about Parker County peaches before sharing the real reason: west Fort Worth had been an “educational desert.”  With growth moving that way, UTA wanted to establish a strong foundation for the next 30 years.
• Collaboration over competition – Both Hurley and Cowley emphasized that partnerships among universities are essential.  This is not about competing, it is about making North Texas stronger together.
• Talent and workforce development – Greg Ulmer described Lockheed Martin’s efforts to engage students as early as the 8th grade, mapping their path to achieving career goals.  Cowley added that her focus is creating “sticky talent,” degree programs that keep students and their skills here in our region.
• Demographic shifts – One striking statistic Cowley shared: 2025 marks the peak of high school graduation rates before a decline, due to lower birth rates.  That makes regional planning and program innovation even more critical.

At SBL Architecture, attending events like this helps us stay aligned with the direction higher education is moving.  With our team currently serving on six local university IDIQ programs, we are actively engaged in shaping the environments that support these strategic goals.  We are renovating college academic spaces that not only serve students, but also strengthen communities and talent pipelines across North Texas.