UTSA Dream Runners program awarded $10K from State Farm to promote college awareness

State Farm gift presentation to UTSA

By Kris Rodriguez
Public Affairs Specialist

(May 29, 2014) -- State Farm has donated $10,000 to support the UTSA Dream Runners, a collaborative program between the UTSA Office of P-20 Initiatives and UTSA Athletics that focuses on the educational improvement and higher education awareness of San Antonio area elementary and middle school students in grades 5-8.

Through the program, participants are given the opportunity to learn and experience college life by hearing from UTSA student athletes and then seeing them on the field or court. Students also are taught the importance of reading and math skills and the value of pursuing educational opportunities after high school graduation. Additionally, the students are introduced to a university setting when they tour the UTSA campus.

Dream Runners not only teaches students about higher education, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but also about the importance of working hard to be their best academically as well as athletically.

Campus administrators from Northeast Independent School District and Somerset Independent School District also were in attendance at the presentation ceremony and shared testimony about the impact the Dream Runners program has had in their school districts.

"Many times we do not get a chance to see the tremendous impact people can have on individuals, but that is not the case with the Dream Runner program," said Kriesti Bunch, Somerset ISD staff development coordinator. "The model athletes involved in the program bring hope and inspiration to these students and encourage the students to strive high so they can reach their goals."

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The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

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