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1976
Jesús R. “Corky” Rubio,
M.B.A. in business, is chairman of the board for the newly
reconfigured Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, which
encompasses 21 counties. He also was chairman of the
committee responsible for overseeing construction of the new
$8.5 million Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center,
located on six wooded acres in San Antonio. Corky, whose two
daughters were members of the organization, writes that he
enjoys seeing the mission of Girl Scouts converted into
reality when girls become leaders in the community. “Girl
Scouts is a premier organization that promotes girls to be
women of confidence and character.”
1977
Thomas Hoy,
M.A. in education, retired as executive vice president of
San Antonio College. His accomplishments at SAC included the
creation of a model leadership institute, which was named
after him; leading the college through its accreditation
process; and, he writes, “knowing when to stay out of the
way of creative people.” He says that his fondest memories
serving as executive vice president are of the students
during graduation activities. “Students would glow with the
feel of success and their eyes communicated that they were
going to reach a higher point in their potential.” Thomas,
who received his Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University, is
also the recipient of the 2006 Distinguished Service Award
from the Junior/Community College Student Personnel
Association of Texas. The award honors his life’s work in
higher education, specifically in the area of student
affairs. “It is always meaningful to be recognized by your
peers, and I had worked in a number of roles with this
association over the years,” he writes.
1978
Diane Gonzales Bertrand,
B.A. in English, continues her love of writing as
writer-in-residence at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
She is also the author of Ricardo’s Race, a
children’s book about the life of UTSA President Ricardo
Romo. Diane felt a kinship with Romo, who grew up, as she
did, on the West Side of San Antonio, and she uses the story
to remind children that “everyone should get more education
so they have a career back-up plan for unexpected
surprises.” It is crucial, she says, that children find
heroes in their own communities. Diane recently finished her
19th book and is working on a novel for teens, which she
hopes to complete by the end of the year. This spring, she
is busy traveling to the Rio Grande Valley, Austin and
Corpus Christi to promote literacy and tell children about
the importance of writing their stories.
1984
William H. “Skip” Pope,
B.B.A. in accounting, recently was commissioned as a major
in the Texas State Guard. He is assigned to Headquarters,
1st Regiment as regimental training officer. The retired
Army serviceman joined the all-volunteer state guard after
hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “With all of the National Guard
and Army Reserves federal deployments, it occurred to me
that there had to be some organization to pick up the slack
and take care of Texas. That’s when I found out about the
Texas State Guard,” he writes. “The Army taught me that you
don’t hang back when there is work to be done. They also
taught me that you don’t shy away from the hard jobs or
worry about the pay when you are doing what is right and has
to be done.” The agency works closely with the American Red
Cross and FEMA and cross-trains with these agencies on
disaster preparedness and response. Skip is also a
substitute teacher in the North East Independent School
District in San Antonio, and has received teaching
certificates in composite science, tech applications and
tech education.
1989
Gary Robinson,
B.S. in electrical engineering, was promoted to director of
strategic sales for Marvell Semiconductor in Houston. The
company is the leading supplier of
semiconductors, which include wireless, wired Ethernet,
switching, storage, processor, and transceiver technologies.
In his spare time, Gary enjoys traveling with his four
children—the youngest are 3-year-old twins—and watching them
learn and grow.
1990
Melissa Jernigan,
B.A. in English, established the first endowed scholarship
in the respiratory care department at the University of
Texas Health Science Center. The endowment honors a promise
she made to her father, once a promising high school boxer,
who died after a 30-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Her self-published book, The Last Fight of A Champion,
Sonny Stephenson vs. Parkinson’s Disease, is an
additional tribute to her father. “By sharing Daddy’s story,
I keep my promise to him to let people know what happens to
you when you have Parkinson’s. I also believe that someone
who receives his scholarship may actually turn out to be
that someone who will do something about it so no one else
has to go through it,” she writes. “Daddy was one of those
quiet givers. … He was a living example of how we should all
treat people. By establishing this scholarship, I am able to
continue my Dad’s tradition of giving to others and helping
all those you can.”
Deanna Jones
Raybourn,
B.A. in English, recently finished writing Silent on the
Moor, the third book in the her Lady Julia Grey series,
due out in March 2009. The first book, Silent in the
Grave, has been nominated for three awards, including an
Agatha Award. The second book, Silent in the Sanctuary,
was just released in January. “I’m under contract for six
books altogether, several in the Julia Grey series, and at
least one stand-alone historical novel. The book I’m
preparing to write is not part of the series; it will be a
mysterious book set in Scotland and Transylvania in 1898,”
she writes. “I majored in English and history at UTSA
because I knew I wanted to be a novelist, and I knew I
wanted to write historical fiction. I chose the Victorian
era because it’s a fascinating time when so many of our
modern conventions and ideas were born, but so much more was
seething below the surface. … And the foggy gaslit streets
do help add a bit of atmosphere to a mysterious novel!”
Michelle
Freed Schultze,
B.M. in music, is the founder and president of CHOSEN
Adoption & Foster Ministry Inc. Michelle and her husband,
Lee, began the agency after they adopted four children
through private/domestic, international (China) and foster
care. CHOSEN offers opportunities to mentor, tutor or
support children in need of a loving home. It also offers
adult education classes and Bible study training for those
considering adoption or foster care. Michelle’s latest
CHOSEN program mentors young women who have been in the
Child Protective Services system and who now are homeless
and expecting.
1993
Robert Lee Masten,
B.B.A. in personnel human resources, announces his
retirement from USAA in San Antonio.
Sandra Lynn
Sherman,
B.A. in interdisciplinary studies, earned her master’s
degree in library science from the University of North
Texas, and is now the librarian at Crestview Elementary in
the Judson Independent School District. Sandra previously
taught first and second grade at Crestview.
1994
Don Barker,
B.S. in mechanical engineering, is the president of Barker
and Associates Inc. in San Antonio.
1995
Michael Bollinger,
B.B.A. in accounting, and his wife, Lisa, announce the birth
of their son, Mason Patrick, on Feb. 4. Michael is deputy
assistant director of financial statements and audit
readiness for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville,
Ala.
Amanda Carter Way,
B.A. in sociology, is the founder and president of Adoption
Priorities Inc., a placement agency offering domestic,
international and foster adoptions. Amanda also helps
families navigate the process through educational training
and assistance with dossier paperwork. She is married to
alumnus Mitchell L. Way, B.A. in criminal justice
’91. They have two adopted children from Russia.
1996
David Safir,
B.S. in architecture, was promoted to associate with Corgan
Associates Inc. in Dallas. In his nine years with the
company, David has worked on several major projects. He
received his accreditation in Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design and a master’s of architecture with a
concentration in urban planning from UT Austin.
1998
Jennifer Anne Naples,
B.S. in kinesiology and health, recently passed the National
Certified Diabetes Educator exam. Jennifer is employed at
the Methodist Hospital Weight Management Center in the
Medical Center in Houston.
1999
Steven Reyes,
B.S. in biology, is happy to announce his marriage to Sheri
McKee. The two were joined in marriage on Nov. 9, 2007.
2000
Claudia Carranza Garduno,
B.S. in kinesiology and health, and her husband, David,
announce the birth of their second child. Gabriel Jesus
arrived Aug. 21, 2007.
2001
Angelina B. Jackson,
B.S. in kinesiology and health, M.A. in education 2006, is a
member of the adjunct faculty at San Antonio College.
Angelina is also a personal trainer with Spectrum Athletic
Clubs and is a taekwondo black belt instructor. E-mail her
at
angelinaj@satx.rr.com.
Cassandra
Miranda,
B.A. in communications, received the Hall of Fame award at
the Public Relations Student Society of America’s 2007
national conference in Philadelphia. The Hall of Fame Award
is given annually to a former PRSSA member who has built a
distinguished career in public relations and continues to
contribute to public relations education through PRSSA
involvement. Miranda has been a professional adviser to
UTSA’s chapter since April 2006 and served as the chapter’s
director of public relations during her undergraduate
studies. She recently moved to Houston to take a position in
strategic communications with the NASA Johnson Space Center
after working for the American Heart Association in San
Antonio.
2002
Amy Pozza Kardos,
B.A. in history, will receive her Ph.D. in history from
Cornell University this spring and has accepted a
tenure-track position in the Department of History and
Geography at Northern Kentucky University. Her dissertation
extended the topic of her honors thesis at UTSA in
addressing the cultural politics of minority nationality in
Xinjiang, China, in the early communist period.
2003
James Farrimond,
M.B.A. in business, is employed at Rackspace Managed Hosting
in San Antonio.
2004
Ethel Arreola Kruse, B.B.A. in
management, is an insurance casualty adjuster at USAA in San
Antonio. Ethel is pursuing her M.B.A. in international
business.
B. Cody
Bowles,
B.A. in psychology, was named program manager for the
Epilepsy Foundation of Central and South Texas in San
Antonio.
Dalinda
Garza,
B.A. in interdisciplinary studies, is a third-grade teacher
at General Ricardo Sanchez Elementary in the Rio Grande City
Consolidated Independent School District, Rio Grande City,
Texas. E-mail Dalinda at
dalinda21@hotmail.com.
Patriza
Raquel Gonzalez,
M.A. in counseling, is a special education teacher with the
San Antonio Independent School District. She is the leader
and recycling co-coordinator of the Bonham Academy Nature
Club, where students learn about nature and gain an
appreciation for conservation. She has a 12-year-old
daughter, Eden.
Major
William Hayden,
B.S. in biology, was promoted to senior systems engineer at
Rackspace Managed Hosting in San Antonio. Major and his
wife, Rachel Elizabeth, were married in October 2007.
2005
RoseAnn Julson,
M.B.A. in business, is the executive vice
president/marketing and communications director for
LPRmarketing in San Antonio. She previously served as
marketing director for the San Antonio Express-News.
Katrina Rios,
B.A. in interdisciplinary studies, is a teacher with the
Houston Independent School District. Katrina is pursuing her
M.A. in education leadership.
Christopher
Bruce Watson,
B.S. in biology, is attending Texas Tech University in
Midland, Texas, and is enrolled in the physician assistant
program.
2006
Mark North Jauregui,
B.B.A. in management, is a realtor and owner of Northmax
Realty in San Antonio. Mark is pursuing his M.B.A. at UTSA.
Whitney
Thompson,
B.S. in biology, is an academic adviser with the University
of Houston.
Alessandra
Zinicola,
B.B.A. in marketing, is marketing coordinator at Middleton
Lawn and Pest Control in Orlando, Fla.
IN MEMORIAM
Paul D. Epner,
B.A. in early childhood education ’88, passed away Nov. 23,
2007. Paul was born in Yonkers, N.Y., and moved to San
Antonio at age 3. A graduate of Robert E. Lee High School,
he received his degree in education with an emphasis in math
from UTSA and taught middle school math for eight years.
Paul then devoted his creative energy to his work as a
children’s book author. He traveled throughout Texas
entertaining thousands of elementary school students with
his Herbert Hilligan series of book presentations. He
returned to teaching and was teaching math at Rawlinson
Middle School in San Antonio at the time of his death.
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