A message on student well-being

Dear Roadrunners,

As the fall semester draws to a close, I believe it is important to reflect on recent events and reiterate our commitment to the well-being of all Roadrunners. The UTSA community is deeply saddened by the untimely deaths of two of our undergraduate students in unrelated incidents. 

Eric Naranjo, a senior finance major, died in a plane crash on December 1.

Cesar Caballero, a sophomore pre-music major, died by suicide on December 4.

Both Roadrunners left an indelible mark on UTSA through their passionate campus involvement and leadership. We offer our deepest condolences to Eric and Cesar’s family, friends, and loved ones. While notifications and intervention efforts for impacted students delayed notification to the entire community, I want you to know that the well-being of every Roadrunner is our first priority. 

These are difficult discussions; yet it is important to not remain silent about the signs of distress, suicide prevention and effective bystander intervention. There are on-campus entities working on proactive strategies to address mental health and I encourage you to participate. Active Minds is a student organization dedicated to ending the stigma around mental illness. Additionally, Counseling and Mental Health Services hosts regular trainings for the campus community on these critical topics, and we encourage you to get involved in those proactive efforts by contacting them at counseling.services@utsa.edu. 

Losing members of our community is very difficult, and it is during these times that we are reminded of the importance of caring for one another. Please know there are support services available on campus and that you are not alone—our staff is here for you. If you or a friend is in pain or experiencing challenging circumstances, please reach out to us. Proactively encouraging your fellow students to seek support is vitally important.  

Help is always available through Counseling and Mental Health Services. Call 210-458-4140 and press option 3 to speak to someone 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for emotional support. 

Eric, Cesar and Mariana Otero, our student who passed away earlier this semester, will all be honored on March 20, 2020, during our annual Roadrunner Remembrance ceremony. I hope you will join us that day to remember them together with the other members of our community who passed away during the year. Thank you, once again, for supporting each other during this difficult time.

Sincerely,