Donor Stories

An Alum’s Dedication to Supporting Diversity in the Air Force

Porfirio Munoz ’89, graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and then commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force. Having been active in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) in high school, he decided to join UTSA’s ROTC program and went on to become the first in his family to graduate from college. In appreciation for his UTSA education and successful Air Force career, Munoz created the Hispanic AFROTC Cadet Endowed (HACE) Scholarship.

UTSA Alumnus Helps Computer Science Majors Run Toward Success

UTSA computer science alumnus, Joey Mukherjee, ‘95 became interested in the field of computer science at a young age. Recognizing the high-quality education he could receive from UTSA, he joined the university’s computer science program following his high school graduation. Joey recently created an endowed scholarship fund called the Joey Mukherjee Endowed Scholarship for Computer Science Majors Who Don’t Run Good - an homage to a quote from the popular movie Zoolander.

Grateful Alumna Gives Back

Recognizing that she would not be where she is today without The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Carlos Alvarez College of Business, Ann Janson ’97, gave back to the institution that helped launch her career in human resources with a $250,000 gift in her will to support the college’s Center for Student Professional Development.

When You See a Need, Pay it Forward

After graduating from Luther Burbank High School in the 1950’s, Ruben Escobedo attended San Antonio College (SAC) and later transferred to St. Mary’s University. When The University of Texas at San Antonio was created in 1969, he was pleased to see the city’s first public university begin providing affordable options for further higher education. Through the years, he and his wife, Veronica, became closer to UTSA as three of their four children proudly graduated from the university.

UTSA Alumni Double Support for UTSA’s Cybersecurity Program

Both longtime supporters of The University of Texas at San Antonio and U.S. Air Force Veterans, Nancy Kudla ’87 and her husband, Frank ’85 generously doubled the size of their existing endowment, the Nancy and Frank Kudla Endowed Fellowship in Cybersecurity, including a gift in their will. They established their endowed fellowship in 2011 to support graduate student research and education in cybersecurity. Their latest gift was inspired by the matching gift challenge from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, made possible by the contribution of Mr. Alvarez, UTSA Campaign Leadership Council Co-Chair.

Helping Students Explore and Improve Our World

Mary Whisenhunt ’20 and her husband John have almost polar opposite interests in the academic realm. While Mary thrives on archaeology and the study of human history, John has a deep admiration for astronomy and learning about things beyond our world. Despite their different interests, the couple has a common goal — supporting The University of Texas at San Antonio in a way that benefits students and faculty from both areas of study.

The Power of Caring Donors

UTSA alumni Linda ‘81 and Art ‘88 Chavez recently made a bold commitment to the Felicity Karam Endowed Memorial Scholarship. Making a gift in their will, they joined other Sombrilla Society members who have shared their future plans to support UTSA.

What's In A Name? A Lot If That Name Is 'Sombrilla'

During UTSA’s 50th anniversary celebration, many in the Roadrunner community were inspired by stories about the university’s development and the remarkable individuals who transformed the vision for UTSA into reality. One that truly resonated was “The Sombrilla Story."

Houston Roadrunner Looks Back and Leaves a Legacy

An Air Force kid who was born in Germany and whose family moved every couple of years, Denise Gales Langabeer (BBA ’90) found a home when she enrolled as a management major at The University of Texas at San Antonio in the 1980s.

Giving Goes Full Circle

UTSA alumnus Tim Chapman ’84 understands the importance of supporting hardworking students through college. As a former UTSA scholarship recipient himself, he is dedicated to paving a way for students through school. To help UTSA students on their paths toward graduation, Tim established an annual scholarship fund in 2000 and named it The Frank Edward and Beverly Hill Chapman Scholarship in honor of his parents.

Teachers Share Passion for Supporting UTSA through Gift Planning

It wasn’t until her friend and former middle school physical education teacher, Kathleen Moss, MA ‘88, made a legacy gift to The University of Texas at San Antonio that Nicole Guzman, MA ‘05, realized how she could also pay back the university that has meant so much to her.

The Will To Support Students

For the past 40 years, Dr. John Richardson and Dr. Janet Puckett have been proud to call San Antonio their home.
Reflecting on their own college experiences, the couple says that they truly cherished the benefit of having affordable tuition while earning the educations that set them up for success. With a strong conviction that everyone should have such educational opportunities, the couple established charitable trusts to create the Dr. John Richardson and Dr. Janet Puckett Endowed Scholarship.

Creating a Lasting Memory: Newkirk Family Endows Memorial Scholarship

Alumnus Devin Newkirk loved banking, traveling, playing the trumpet and UTSA. When he passed away in 2009 after a two-year battle with cancer, his family turned to UTSA to help establish a legacy for their son, the Devin Newkirk Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

A Professor, A Veteran, and A Passion for Knowledge

It is friends and patrons like Professor A. David Mangelsdorff, a self-described “traveler, scholar, educator, philanthropist, and damn Yankee,” who value the resources and services of the UTSA Libraries and are committed to supporting a premier public research library for San Antonio.