Points of Pride

• Public Safety Employees of the Month
  • January 2025: Armando Gonzalez
  • February 2025: Josh Hurtado
  • April 2025: Frank Irek
• Wes Reel earned his Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP) certification in February 2025.
• In January 2025, Amanda Villegas was named Patrol Employee of the Semester for fall 2024.
• Ynes Alderson, Associate Director of Purchasing, was selected for the NACUBO Emerging Leaders Program, a premier leadership development experience aimed at high-potential finance and business professionals.
• Congratulations to Sheila Darcey, who was nominated for and is now participating in the inaugural E&I EdPro NextGen Leadership Program, a program that is geared toward developing the next generation of educational procurement leaders.
• Business Affairs Strategic Communications launched a new training series this spring, hosting two sessions: Graphic Design Basics & Adobe Express presented by Raina Michalsky and Kat King, and Four Steps to Creating Dynamic Presentations presented by Lauren Beaver and Liz Rockstroh.
• Nikki Lee, Angel Espinoza, Aimee Garcia and Jolene Mandujano from Administrative Services launched a virtual workshop series in spring 2025 to help administrative support staff across Business Affairs strengthen internal processes and adopt best practices. Topics include Basecamp, Microsoft productivity tools, DocuSign signature routing and event planning.
• Congratulations to our Business Affairs graduates:
  • DTS Director Elizabeth Cuadros will proudly walk the UTSA stage in May 2025, having earned her Master of Science in finance.
  • Congratulations to Ashley Declet, Human Resource Generalist on earning her Master of Science in human resource development from Villanova University in December 2024.

Business Affairs celebrates our student employees:

• On April 24, Business Affairs interns Sohail Ali, Valeria Cazares Reyna, Mia Coronado, Madeleine Marroquin and Quincy Nguyen presented their projects at the Business Affairs Intern Showcase. This event provided a platform to reflect on their internships, share their insights and demonstrate how their experiential learning opportunities align with their studies.
• Congratulations to our spring 2025 student employee and intern graduates:
  • Madeline Garcia, Ezabella Khan, Daniela Cruz, Sebastian Diaz Rodriguez, Jasmin Garcia, Valeria Cazares Reyna, Brooklyn Hamilton, Hannah De Los Santos, Natalie Perez, Karla Aldapa, Maya Collier and Hannah Hughes.

• Kudos to the Inspections and Plan Review (IPR) team— Michael Coe, Matthew May, Cameron Robinson, Vanessa Carter and Joseph “Greg” Garcia for completing multiple certifications and training during the spring 2025 semester that will enhance their vital work at UTSA. Their commitment to professional growth helps ensure our campuses remain safe, compliant and thoughtfully developed and maintained.
• Congratulations to the Business Service Center’s recent Bomb Award recipients. Amanda Hernandez (February), Leticia Torres (March) and Mieko Johnson (April) have each gone above and beyond, demonstrating outstanding performance, innovation and teamwork.
• Congratulations to Alyssa Favilla and Teresa Vela on being named semi-finalists for the University Excellence Awards in the Excellence in Customer Care category. Their commitment to creating a welcoming, solutions-focused experience has made a meaningful impact across campus. Through their professionalism, strong communication and dedication to service, they’ve elevated support within Disbursements and Travel Services and set a high standard for excellence at UTSA.
• A huge round of applause to all the University Excellence Awards nominees and semi-finalists.
  • Congratulations to Tyler Boehme for winning the Collaboration Champion Award.
• Congratulations to Megan Kinkade for earning her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, a remarkable achievement that reflects her dedication to excellence and continuous improvement. This spring, 17 Business Affairs team members are participating in the Lean Six Sigma certification program, working toward Yellow, Green and Black Belt certifications between April 11 and July 7, 2025. Their commitment to continuous improvement reflects our division’s dedication to streamlining processes and enhancing the way we serve the UTSA community.
• Public Safety’s Det. Lauren Duff and Officer Joseph Waelbroeck showcased their expertise at the 51st Chancellor’s Trophy Pistol Match, a highly competitive event among top sharpshooters across Texas. Det. Duff earned first place in the Iron Sights individual category. Thank you both for your outstanding performance and for proudly representing the UTSA Department of Public Safety.
• In January 2025, UTSA was recognized by NICHE.com for impressive rankings in the Best College Food category—we’re in the Top 50 nationally, #5 in Texas and holding strong at #1 in San Antonio. Congratulations to Campus Services for leading the way and continuing to enhance the campus dining experience for our Roadrunners.

• Officer Eric Rubio and Officer Juan Martinez led four successful self-defense classes during the spring semester, providing practical skills and hands-on training to UTSA students.
• In April 2025, Facilities responded quickly following a lightning strike on campus, setting up a temporary generator on the East Campus Lots to restore power to blue-light emergency phones, security cameras and lot lighting—while also managing the permanent repair.
• Thank you to our Facilities team for their continued efforts to help safeguard our campuses by humanely capturing and releasing wildlife, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for both our university community and local wild animals. In April, a disruptive ringtail cat near the Facilities Services Building was captured and released back into the wild—a win for conservation efforts of this elusive native species.
• Business Continuity and Emergency Management facilitated a collaborative training exercise with over 30 communications leads across UTSA in January 2025, resulting in improvements to protocols and strengthened institutional readiness.
• Business Continuity and Emergency Management upgraded UTSA’s emergency notification system and mobile safety app by implementing SafeZone, a platform that enhances real-time communication with UTSAPD during critical incidents.
• On Feb. 10, UTSA Dining and UTSA Campus Services celebrated the grand opening of Union Perk in the Student Union. This new coffee shop offers a welcoming environment where students, faculty, staff and campus guests can relax, connect and enjoy their time on campus.
• In February, People Excellence coordinated the 2025 UT System Heart Walk, with over 100 employees supporting an event that emphasized heart health, wellness and community engagement.
• Thank you to our Real Estate and Property Management team for their key role in advancing UTSA’s downtown growth. Their work to support the purchase of One Riverwalk Place, an 18-story building adjacent to the Southwest Campus, marks a major step forward in expanding our presence and impact in the urban core.
• UTSA Dining partnered with The Common Market Texas and the Roadrunner Pantry to launch the Farm Fresh Box Program , an innovative initiative that provides fresh, locally sourced produce to the campus community while supporting students facing food insecurity and strengthening local agriculture.
• In February 2025, UTSA Dining enhanced its commitment to student well-being by offering Health & Wellness guides through Campus Dish at the Main and Downtown campuses. These resources help Roadrunners make informed dining choices and encourage a balanced lifestyle.
• Thanks to Campus Services, Just4U stickers were added to all RowdyMarts in February 2025, making it easier for students to spot healthy dietary options while on the go. This thoughtful addition supports everyday wellness and empowers students to make better food choices.
• On March 22, teams from across Business Affairs joined Rowdy Games, engaging with campus colleagues through sports and wellness activities.

• Kudos to our Facilities team for their outstanding work in preparing the Southwest Campus for the Fiesta Arts Fair on April 26–27. Their efforts ensured that the grounds and buildings were fully operational, clean and welcoming for all who attended this annual community event.
• Officer Joshua Van Meter demonstrated excellent awareness and quick response during a shift in March 2025, leading to the recovery of important property and support for an ongoing investigation. His professionalism and dedication reflect the high standards of our Public Safety team.
• During UTSA’s 2025 Day of Service, 11 Business Affairs team members volunteered at the Whataburger Resource Room for its first mobile food distribution, representing a partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank. This impactful annual event offered a meaningful opportunity to support the Roadrunner community and provide essential resources to our students.
• During its Spring 2025 Town Hall, Administrative Services hosted a can opener donation drive to support the Whataburger Resource Room. Can opener donations are essential to help students access canned goods from the pantry. These simple tools make a difference and reflect our collective dedication to student support.
• Thank you to the UTSA Department of Public Safety for providing lifesaving care during the spring 2025 semester. Their swift responses and actions saved lives this semester and their commitment to the safety and well-being of our community is deeply appreciated.
• Employees from several Business Affairs areas participated in the 38th MLK March on Jan. 20, joining the San Antonio community in a meaningful day of connection and reflection.
• Business Affairs departments participated in the ChildSafe Cardboard Kids campaign in April 2025, showing support for this important community cause that helps raise awareness about child abuse and neglect.