Our Crowdfunding Groups
Dear Family, Friends, and Roadrunner Community,
Obtaining an education was an important goal for us. It wasn’t always easy to pursue an education. As we worked to see this goal become a reality, we were fortunate enough to attend UTSA.
“When I was younger, I dreamed about going to college. I knew achieving this dream wouldn’t be easy, but I was determined. When I arrived at UTSA, it was hard to be a first-generation college student navigating the higher education system. There was so much I didn’t know about obtaining and retaining scholarships, scheduling classes, student involvement, and career preparation. At the time I thought I was alone in experiencing these challenges.” – Carla Juarez
“As a transfer student, it was an adjustment to become acclimated to a four-year institution. My first time at UTSA, I was overwhelmed by not only the size of the campus but also the student population. There were also many services on campus that as a transfer student I was not made aware of and did not begin to utilize until a few semesters into being a student.” – Andrew Hubbard
During our time at UTSA, we came to realize that the challenges we believed to be facing alone we shared with many other Roadrunners. Most importantly, we found that there were many kind and dedicated individuals that not only wanted to help us succeed but who wanted to help every Roadrunner student succeed. Among those individuals is Dr. Rhonda Gonzales. She currently serves as Interim VP for Student Success, Associate Vice Provost, and College of Liberal and Fine Arts Professor. Dr. Gonzales is also one of the co-writers of the grant proposal that enabled UTSA to have the First Generation and Transfer Student Center.
The First Generation and Transfer Student Center provides mentorship, workshops, career exploration and community building activities to first generation and transfer students. By providing students with resources and a community of support, we can assist students in achieving their educational dreams. It is places like this center that help students connect with each other and find strength and motivation in their shared experiences.
It was our privilege to serve our university in student leadership roles during our time as undergraduates, and today its one of our greatest achievements to be alumni of UTSA. We were lucky enough to not only reach our educational dreams at UTSA but to also find each other. As we prepare to say, “I DO,” we are excited to have the opportunity to give back to the center that assisted us and students like us in achieving educational goals.
We will forever be grateful for this center and the individuals who contributed to our education. We hope you will join us in supporting the First Generation and Transfer Student Center.
For more information on the First Generation and Transfer Student Center visit:
Sincerely,
Carla ‘17 & Andrew ‘17
