Mayor Addresses Prefreshman Engineering Program Closing Assembly
(July 27, 2001) The San Antonio Prefreshman Engineering Program (PREP) wrapped up for the summer with closing ceremonies at the UTSA Convocation Center. The 23rd Closing Assembly featured San Antonio Mayor Ed Garza as the keynote speaker, who spoke to a large crowd that included the families of over 1,100 participants in the eight-week program.
Garza commended the students for their participation in the program and encouraged them to give back to their communities when they become adults. He offered a word of advice that he received from Maria Berriozabal, wife of PREP founder Manuel Berriozabal: "Use your brain, but don't forget to follow your heart."
Over the last two months, the San Antonio area 6th-11th graders who participated
in PREP learned about careers in mathematics and engineering. Since its inception
in 1979, nearly 9,000 students have completed one PREP summer component, and
many have returned for the second and third year sessions.
Over the last 12 years, PREP has offered scholarships to students who have
met certain requirements as participants in the program. The students must
have completed three years of PREP, graduated from high school, been accepted
to a college, maintained a "B" average in high school and completed
a college preparatory academic program through the level of first year calculus
and physics.
Five $1,000 UTSA scholarship recipients were announced at the event, and thanks
were offered to the scholarship sponsors Roberta Tiner, UTSA Student Chapter
of the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists, and the Hispanic
Association of Communications Employees of SBC Corporation (HACEMOS).
UTSA PREP Scholarship Recipients:
Monica Gonzales, Health Careers High School (Riklin scholarship)
Julian Castillo, Natalia High School (UTSA Student Chapter of the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists scholarship)
Debra Mata, Pearsall High School (UTSA Student Chapter of the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists scholarship)
Oscar Castro, Health Careers High School (HACEMOS scholarship)
Fernando Funakoshi, Central High School (HACEMOS scholarship)