Newsletter

Hispanic Heritage Month  

Prosperity, Power, and Progress is the theme for this year’s National Hispanic Heritage Month to be observed across the U.S. and at the University of Texas at San Antonio. From Thursday, September 15 through Saturday, October 15, community leaders, faculty, staff, and students around significant themes in Latinx culture will be showcased at a variety of programs and events. During these challenging times with the ongoing pandemic, racial unrest and political divide, UTSA’s celebration will focus on hope and resilience mirroring the national theme for this year. 

Visit the UTSA Hispanic Heritage Month website to learn about the events happening on campus and around town for students and their families. Special events of note include:

• Jovita Idar Quarter Release Celebration – The kickoff event on Thursday, September 14 will include a roundtable and a celebration in the Buena Vista Building at the Downtown Campus
• Tejano Explosion Celebrando el Diez y Seis – Enjoy dancing to the best Tejano music around at this two-night event across from the Historic Market Square on Friday and Saturday, September 15-16. 
• Calle UTSA – Roadrunners can enjoy midday student performances, activities, food, music and pinatas at this campus street fair on Wednesday, September 20. 
• Outdoor Family Film Series: Selena – Head to Mission Marquee Plaza with your lawn chairs, blankets and snacks on Thursday, September 21 for a screening of the film Selena.
• Lotería Night – On Thursday, September 28, UTSA Student Success Centers invite current students to relax with a game of lotería. 

Encourage your student to nominate themselves or a friend for the Outstanding Latinx Student Award! One roadrunner will be selected during Hispanic Heritage Month who has demonstrated leadership and advocacy to the Latinx community. Nominations close on Sunday, October 1.

Family Weekend

Gather the loved ones for a weekend of fun in San Antonio! UTSA Family Weekend will be Friday, October 13 through Sunday, October 15 with events on the Main Campus and at the Alamodome.

On Friday afternoon, visit one of the Student Success Center Open House events to learn more about the ongoing resources for your Roadrunner in their academic college. Throughout the weekend, families have the opportunity to visit the Campus Rec for a workout or a walk around the indoor track.  

The two featured events for the weekend are the Family Association Dinner on Friday and the UTSA Football game against UAB on Saturday. The dinner will include a performance by the UTSA Mariachi Los Paisanos and the announcement of the Family of the Year.  

Parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends are invited to spend quality time with your students and to meet other Roadrunner Families at these events. Complete details and where to purchase dinner and game day tickets are on our Family Weekend page. We hope to see you there!

Family of the Year Nominations – Now Open! 

The 2023-2024 Family of the Year contest is now accepting applications. The Family Association invites students to share the reasons why your Roadrunner family should be the next UTSA Family of the Year! Students should brag about how their family has supported their academic successes and personal growth. Nudge your student to submit their nomination by Friday, September 22.

The announcement of the 2023-2024 Family of the Year will take place during the Family Association Dinner and includes special recognition at Saturday’s Football game. 

Family Association September Socials

Cheer on our UTSA Roadrunners at a soccer and volleyball game to receive a fun giveaway from the Family Association! 

• UTSA Women’s Volleyball vs SMU – Sunday, September 24 at 1:00 pm at the Convocation Center
• UTSA Women’s Soccer vs. North Texas – Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 pm at the Park West Athletics Complex

Timely Care  

UTSA is launching a new program offering free, virtual mental health support to students. Administered through TimelyCare, a Texas-based provider of virtual health and wellbeing resources in higher education, the app provides students with 24/7 access support.

For most UTSA students, TimelyCare will replace the services offered through MySSP, which the university provided to all students last year. Visit Wellbeing Services to learn more about the programs and services available to students.  

Students seeking on-campus health care or counseling can call Wellness 360 at 210-458-4142 or log into their MyHealth Portal to schedule an appointment. Urgent and crisis walk-in services are available during business hours and the 24-hour crisis line can be accessed by calling 210-458-4140, option 3.  

Services offered through the new program include: 

• On-demand mental health and emotional support
• Scheduled mental health counseling sessions
• Health coaching
• Psychiatry services (by referral only)
• Guided self-care content
• Access to free or reduced-cost community resources

For most UTSA students, TimelyCare will replace the services offered through MySSP, which the university provided to all students last year. Visit Wellbeing Services to learn more about the programs and services available to students.  

Students seeking on-campus health care or counseling can call Wellness 360 at 210-458-4142 or log into their MyHealth Portal to schedule an appointment. Urgent and crisis walk-in services are available during business hours and the 24-hour crisis line can be accessed by calling 210-458-4140, option 3.  

Suicide Prevention Week

The month of September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month. UTSA offers a number of opportunities for students to learn how to recognize warning signs of suicide and how to approach someone about a suicide-related crisis. Students can sign up for Campus Connect training, Mental Health First Aid training, and more throughout the year by visiting the UTSA Wellbeing Services RowdyLink page.

Has your student explored RowdyLink?

Involvement outside of the classroom is incredibly beneficial to the student experience while at UTSA. RowdyLink is an engagement platform where students can find information about upcoming events on campus hosted by student organizations, departments, and colleges. By logging in with their UTSAID and passphrase, students can even connect directly with the over 300 student organizations on campus. RowdyLink even has an Experiential Learning Transcript that serves as a record of a student’s involvement at UTSA

Fall UTSA Ring Sales  

UTSA Ring Sales will be taking place at the Main and Downtown campuses this week. Students should order their UTSA Ring by Friday, September 15 in order to participate in the Night in the Alamo Tradition and Fall Ring Celebration!  

It’s Been a Couple Weeks, Time for a Check In 

UTSA students are in full swing for the fall semester. Between classes, work or internships, and new friendships, your Roadrunner may have plenty to update you on for your next call or video chat. Here are some suggested topics to discuss and questions you can ask.

• Tell me about your roommate. Do you spend time hanging out together? 
• What is the workload like for your classes? Are you learning what you expected to learn? 
• Have you joined any student organizations or research groups? 
• How are you meeting people? 
• Have you checked out Campus Link or the Resident Report email?