A Message from UTSA President Ricardo Romo, November 2015
Nov. 20, 2015
Dear Friends,
Thanksgiving is the time of year to pause and reflect on all that we have to be thankful for, and our UTSA Roadrunner family has much to be grateful for this year. 2015 has been a year of significant milestones and accomplishments for UTSA.
Most recently, this past month, we received the exciting news that UTSA biomedical engineering professor Rena Bizios was elected by her peers to the National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Bizios conducts groundbreaking research that is demystifying tissue engineering and regeneration. Her commitment to research, teaching and mentoring is shaping the next generation of biomedical engineers.
Dr. Bizios’ election is one of the highest honors a professional in her field can receive, and she is the first UTSA professor ever to receive such a recognition. Her election is a significant and very tangible step forward in UTSA’s advance toward Tier One, a designation that includes, among other things, the number of faculty at a university with memberships in the National Academies.
This wonderful news comes on the heels of the close of our inaugural capital campaign, We Are UTSA – A Top-Tier Campaign. The campaign was expected to raise $120 million. But, when all was said and done, we raised $180 million in gifts that, when combined with state matching funds, will have an impact of $202 million. The funds are already supporting student scholarships and fellowships, faculty recruitment, research and support, campus activities and community outreach programs.
On the subject of community outreach, this year, UTSA received the prestigious Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, recognizing our commitment to teaching and research, public service, volunteerism, civic partnerships and economic development initiatives within our community.
These are just three of the major steps forward that UTSA took this year to the path to Tier One. None of them would have been possible, though, without your steadfast support and our shared belief that San Antonio deserves a world-class university.
So as we pause to celebrate this holiday season to give thanks, your friendship and support will be foremost in my mind. Simply put, we couldn’t do it without you. And for that, I am truly grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Go ’Runners!
Ricardo Romo
President, The University of Texas at San Antonio
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Events
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.