Every semester, Staff Council raises money through water sales at the Spring commencement ceremonies to generate scholarship funds for the staff community at UTSA interested in furthering their education.

UTSA Staff Council Annual Scholarship
AMOUNT: $500
o Must be degree seeking “benefits eligible”
o Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
o Must enroll for a min. of 3-credit hrs.
o Must be in good academic standing
o Must submit a one-page biographical essay describing obstacles/challenges faced in obtaining higher education. *include personal goals, professional goals, or any contributions made to UTSA.
*Two awards of $500 for undergraduate level; Two awards of $500 for graduate level

UTSA Staff Karen Whitney Endowed Scholarship
o Must be full-time UTSA staff employee and enrolled in UG or GRAD courses
o Must be enrolled at UTSA pt/ft AND pursuing a degree
o Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
o Must attach a 200-word essay explaining how pursuing a degree will help you in your current and future work in higher education.
*One award, amount varies
*BOTH APP. REQUIRMENTS: ON-LINE GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

For more information click here.

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The Best Dressed Door and Office Competitions are sponsored by the Campus Activities Board to encourage all UTSA faculty and staff to decorate their doors or departmental offices as part of the homecoming festivities. For homecoming, we will be playing Lamar University Cardinals and our theme is “Capture the Cardinals, Battle in the Birdcage”.

This year, we will separate the competitions and offices will have to pick between decorating their office or decorating their doors. They will be judged separately.

Judges will be looking for those with the most UTSA Spirit, creativity, and use/integration of the homecoming theme. Decorating may begin on Monday, January 24th and must be completed by Friday, January 28th. Judging will take place January 31st – February 2.

DT/ITC and 1604/UH winners will be announced at Rowdy Rampage on Friday, February 4th. Plaques will be awarded in multiple categories. First place winners will also receive breakfast tacos in their office on a day and time which works for them.

Interested departments/offices need to fill out the online form by noon on Friday, January 21st, 2011 to enter the competition. If you have questions or are having trouble with the online form please contact Francisco Lugo at francisco.lugo@utsa.edu or 210.458.4728.

The 2011 Golf Cart Parade will be one of the best and biggest in UTSA Homecoming history. It all starts with the Decorating Party on Thursday, February 3 at 7:00 p.m. on the UC Paseo just outside the Convocation Center. Organizations participating in the parade will be creatively decorating their carts in the “Capture the Cardinals: Battle in the Birdcage” theme. This is a great opportunity for organizations to come together, have fun and celebrate the UTSA community. It wouldn’t be a Golf Cart Parade Decorating Party without the pizza and beverages provided by the President’s Office and the hip music provided by DJ Gumby. If your organization wants to participate in the Homecoming Golf Cart Parade please contact John Montoya at 210.458.4936 or John.Montoya@utsa.edu

Campus Recreation would like to invite UTSA Departments to join in the Homecoming festivities by sponsoring* a team for the Homecoming Golf Tournament on Saturday, February 5th at Silverhorn Golf Club. Fees are $300/team or $75/player and include Green Fee, Cart, Range Balls, Lunch, Replay Card, Player's Club Monthly Pass, UTSA Wind Jacket, Goodie Bag and Door Prizes. The tournament will be an 18 hole scramble with a shot-gun start at 8am. Deadline to register is Friday, January 28th to secure accurate size for jacket. Final deadline is Monday, January 31st. Registration can be found at: http://www.utsa.edu/recreation/intramurals/golf_tournament.cfm.

*Please note that departments that would like to fund foursomes to participate in the UTSA Homecoming Golf Tournament on February 5, 2011 may use official occasion or gift funds ONLY if alumni or donors are a part of the golfing foursome. If a department needs assistance filling a team, please contact the Student Affairs Development Office at x5119.

The Student Affairs Development Office is pleased to announce the first call for grant proposals/applications to the Student Affairs Transformation Fund. The deadline for completed proposals/applications is Thursday, February 17, 2011. Dr. Gage E. Paine will review all grant proposals and make award decisions by March 15, 2011. Complete guidelines along with the application are attached. We would like to thank all Transformation Fund donors for their support. Without their contributions, we wouldn’t be able to provide this innovative opportunity in our division.

Please direct any questions you have to Brittany Pratt

(January 26, 2011) - The Student Leadership Center accepted 28 students to the 2011 Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference in College Station, Texas. Held at Texas A&M University, the conference hosted over 550 participants from Thursday night through Sunday morning. Speakers discussed topics that focused around this year’s theme of “The Imagine of Impact: A Reflection of a Leader”.

This year’s 23rd annual conference included inspiring keynote speakers such as: Richard T. Jones, Marshawn Evans, Dominique Dawes, and Derrick N. Ashong. Included within the conference were workshop sessions, a career and vendor fair, as well as the Advanced Leadership Institute. The students were also invited to attend SBSLC Entertainment night, a collegiate social and the annual closing banquet.

The conference offered the students multiple opportunities to meet the speakers and interact with those hosting the workshops. Kenny Bosah, a junior studying Biology at UTSA, won a contest during the conference and will receive a 30-minute session with motivational speaker Marshawn Evans. Kenny was the only participant out of 550 to receive this opportunity.

The Student Leadership Center selected students from different areas of campus in order to have a diverse group represent UTSA. The students were challenged to bring their experience back to UTSA to better serve in their community. In order to reflect on their personal experience during the conference, each student was provided with a journal at the beginning of the four day trip. Their inspired entries and the journals will be passed onto the students attending the conference next year. Some of the students shared these insights:

BJ Winston shared, “SBSLC is definitely a life changer for anyone who attends.”

Kiara Gradney was asked to describe the conference in one word and she chose “eye-opening”.

Justina Williams shared, “I am on the road back to UTSA and in addition to my luggage I will be bringing back a host of ideas to better UTSA as a whole, the organizations I am involved in and my career.” Odessa Wiggins was inspired by Marshawn Evans and stated “Don’t do less when you have more. So I told myself I will never do less.”

Thato Segosebe stated that “I will bring back a new found motivation to school and the knowledge that excellence in everything I do is expected at a minimum”. He also shared for future Roadrunners, “whatever expectations you may have for this conference, expect them to be exceeded.”

Charnelle Thompson shared that, “To anyone and everyone who attends SBSLC I urge you to start applying everything that you learn as soon as you learn it. Don’t wait to become great.”

If you are interested in more information about our programs and events, please visit the Student Leadership Center on campus (UC 1.002) or our website at www.utsa.edu/slc/

(Jan. 25, 2011)--Winners of the 2011 Homecoming Art Contest were announced Tuesday, Jan. 18 in the University Center Retama Auditorium galleria. Derek Bell from the Student Homecoming Committee was on hand to give out the prizes. Rachel Paver claimed first place with her submission "Dunk It UTSA." Justin Constantino was awarded second place for his design "Speedy Victory." Third place was awarded to Pallas Aidinian for her entry "Tradition-Spirit-Pride."

"Each artist received a trophy and cash prize. First place was awarded $250, second place $100 and third place $50....

For the full article, visit: URL

(Jan. 12, 2011)--It's time to show your UTSA school pride!
Official UTSA Homecoming 2011 t-shirts are available now at the University Center Retail Center on the Main Campus and the Durango Building Information Center on the Downtown Campus.

Short-sleeved t-shirts are very reasonably priced at $5 with sizes ranging from youth large to 3XL. For your convenience, credit cards now are accepted.

So, come get your official UTSA Homecoming 2011 t-shirts while they last!

>> For more information, call 210-458-6159 or visit the UTSA Homecoming 2011 website for the event schedule.

For the full article, visit: URL

The New Year is upon us and the UTSA campus has welcomed students back for the spring semester. It is exciting to think that in only eight months UTSA Football will be kicking off for the first time ever in the Alamodome! Your support as a Roadrunner Athletic Fund donor has been instrumental in creating a nationally known program that San Antonio and Texas can be proud of.

Men's and Women's Basketball have both moved into Southland Conference play and are faring well. We need your support each game to fill the Convocation Center with fanatic Roadrunner fans. Be sure to stop by Chili's Too on campus for the RAF club event and join other members for food and drinks before home basketball games.

RAF at Chili's Too Dates
February 2 vs UT Arlington
February 5 vs Lamar
February 16 vs McNeese
February 23 vs A&M Corpus Christi
March 2 vs Central Arkansas

UTSA Homecoming is just around the corner. On Saturday, February 5 the men's team plays versus Lamar University and this will be the last spring homecoming event at UTSA.

We will be hosting the Second Annual UTSA National Signing Day event on Wednesday, February 2 at The Institute of Texan Cultures. Join Coach Larry Coker and his staff as they announce the newest additions to UTSA Football. Due to the signing day event, the Men's Basketball game that night has been moved back to 7:30 P.M. This will allow time for fans to attend the event downtown and then make it back to campus to cheer for UTSA Basketball.

Be on the lookout for spring sporting events. We will be hosting RAF events during competitions for each of our teams this spring. It is always a great time and I enjoy visiting with you.
Go 'Runners!

By Lorna Stafford
Communications Coordinator, Office of Communications

(Jan. 19, 2011)--The basketballs are ready to be handed out and the ballers are ready to step to the paint when the new sports court opens at the UTSA Downtown Campus.

Jesse Zapata, UTSA vice provost for the Downtown Campus, will make the first two-point shot, and maybe even a three-point shot, during the official opening of the sports court...

For the full article, visit: URL

In most cases, simply starting a football program, then shepherding it into a conference in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision would be the achievement of a lifetime. But for UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey and her staff, the real work has only just begun.

With the impending move comes the need for drastically improved facilities, an expensive proposition that will push her department's resourcefulness to its limits....

For the full article, visit: URL

Colleen Snodgrass will be taking over the reins from Linda Edmundson upon her retirement at the end of this month! Colleen’s first day as an Administrative Services Officer II is Tuesday, February 1, 2011……Thanks!