Dear Roadrunner Community,
During these difficult last few weeks, it has been heartening to see the entire Roadrunner Nation come together to help those in need, especially our students.
As a university, we have taken the necessary steps to protect the health of our students and ensure their continued academic success despite the major disruption. And yet, for so many of our students their needs go much deeper. Food insecurity, an inability to pay housing expenses and lack of technology are very real struggles.
As just one indicator, within 24-hours of UTSA announcing the availability of emergency funds through the federal CARES act, nearly 770 students applied for aid totaling $1.95M. The stark reality is that the needs go far beyond the funds available through CARES and other institutional funds.
Thanks to donations from alumni and local community members, we are providing our students with additional, much needed support. So far an additional $10,000 in gifts to the student emergency fund have been distributed to students in need.
More help is on the way. UT System Chancellor James Milliken has generously allocated $25,000 from the Chancellor’s Council and Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee to support our student emergency fund efforts.
We are issuing a challenge to Roadrunner Nation to match that $25,000 before May 5th for #GivingTuesdayNow, a global effort to support those in need as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
If you are able, will you make a gift to one of the emergency funds today?
Whether it is putting more food on the shelves of the Roadrunner Pantry or giving a student the technology they need to succeed in their online classes, your gift will help us to continue supporting our students as they reach for their dream of a college degree from UTSA, despite our dramatically changed circumstances.
I can’t thank you enough for your consideration.
With appreciation, Taylor Eighmy President |