JANUARY 22, 2024 — Rebecca “Becky” Anderson, senior associate vice president for operations and strategic initiatives in the UTSA Office of the Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement (VPAAE), has been honored with the 2024 Jan Richter Hopson Achievement Award. The award recognizes UT System employees who have demonstrated excellence and distinction in the field of development and advancement services for more than five years.
Anderson joined the UTSA staff over two decades ago and her career has seen remarkable growth. During her early career with the university, she served in a series of administrative and business-operations support roles. In 2005, she joined VPAAE, where her dedication and expertise led to a series of promotions including the management of various departments within the division. Today, she oversees talent management, finance and operations and manages a portfolio of internal and university-wide strategic initiatives.
“Becky’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to UTSA have been nothing short of inspirational. She is an exceptional team leader who has played a pivotal role in the evolution and success of our division at UTSA,” said Karl Miller Lugo, UTSA vice president for advancement and alumni engagement. “Her achievements are a testament to her professional excellence and her profound impact on our university community. We are deeply grateful for her tireless efforts and are so proud that she has received this truly deserving award and recognition.”
Anderson’s track record at UTSA includes playing a key role in the successful development and execution of preparedness plans for the university’s inaugural We Are UTSA campaign, and the Be Bold campaign — the largest campaign in university history, which has already reached 76% of its $500 million goal.
Anderson has also overseen many initiatives to enhance employee retention and to improve internal communication and job satisfaction. She led the restructuring of VPAAE’s staff awards to incorporate peer nominations, along with implementing monetary awards for recipients and staff celebrating milestone work anniversaries.
Additionally, Anderson heads the division’s BRAVING Champions, a volunteer group that focuses on fostering a sense of belonging for all employees while enhancing employee engagement, satisfaction and productivity. This group organizes division-wide training and discussions to promote a collegial atmosphere and improve interpersonal communication skills among staff.
“Receiving this award is both meaningful and humbling for me. I am inspired by everyone in our division. They fuel my work,” Anderson said. “The credit for this award truly belongs to our team; everyone has immense dedication and their contributions have been invaluable. I couldn’t have achieved any of this without them. I’ve had an amazing journey with UTSA and am looking forward to what comes next for the future of this outstanding university.”
Anderson is one of 1,266 full-time employees working in advancement-related roles across the 14 schools and health centers in the UT System.
In 2020, a university retiree who formerly worked under Anderson’s leadership also received the award. Benga Adeeko was recognized for his excellence after spending over two decades working in Endowment Services. He retired from UTSA in 2021 with 30 years of service.
