In November 1990, members of UTSA’s Air Force ROTC topped off POW/MIA Awareness Week by planting a live oak tree in front of the University Center to honor POWs and MIAs who served in Vietnam. In this archive photo, Karen Carter ties a yellow ribbon around the tree as William Coulston (ROTC Corps commander), Tahnee Roubidoux (Angel Flight commander) and Gilbert Martinez (Arnold Air Society commander) look on.

Eighteen years later, the tree still stands outside the University Center, only these days it stands in the middle of a construction zone as UTSA completes a $33 million expansion of the UC. The bulldozers spared the ROTC tree and several others nearby; in fact, a proposed bridge linking the old and new buildings was relocated to save the tree. The new building will open this summer.

Photo courtesy of the UTSA Archives at the Institute of Texan Cultures