Jaciel Castro is learning new ways to connect UTSA with the community.
(Sept. 14, 2017) -- Jaciel Castro has had a busy summer. In addition to working at KIPP San Antonio, running a dance company, and taking care of his son and expecting wife, the UTSA graduate student has maintained a full plate as a UT System Student Regent as both he and his wife pursue graduate degrees. The first UTSA student to serve in the role, Castro represents the UT System student voice at Board of Regents meetings.
In his first three months as the Student Regent, Castro has attended eight meetings, all focused on strategic initiatives to enhance operations at the UT System’s 14 institutions.
“It’s a better experience than I could have ever hoped for,” Castro said. “I wish every student at each UT institution could see what’s going on at System. It’s like a parent. The child never really understands what the parent goes through to give that child an excellent education and a better future. I’m just beginning to see what that parenting looks like from a System perspective.”
Castro says it was a privilege to be a part of the hiring process for new UTSA President Taylor Eighmy.
“It was exciting. I asked him tough questions about how he plans to tie his vision for UTSA into the community,” Castro said. “Dr. Eighmy is a driver for innovation and change. He has what it takes to advance UTSA’s standing.”
Castro has also learned about new opportunities to enhance UTSA’s involvement with public schools in San Antonio.
“I’ve gained insight into the possibilities for UTSA - where we can go and how we can more strongly work with the public schools,” Castro said. “The UT System is doing a lot to enhance student engagement and college graduation rates, and increasing access to policy makers by meeting with city leaders. I’ve learned new ways to bring more resources to our schools and get more students on the path to college.”
His goal is to visit all 14 UT System institutions by the end of December, spending time with students, presidents and community leaders. He wants to learn about their needs and visions then discuss that feedback with the Regents in the spring.
Castro is set to graduate from UTSA with his master’s of science degree in finance with a real estate finance and development concentration in 2018 just after he finishes his term as Student Regent on May 31. Once he graduates, he plans to start working on his second master’s degree at UTSA in urban and regional planning beginning next fall. He also plans to get involved with another board in the San Antonio community to keep the cradle to career conversation going.
“I’m more focused than I have ever felt now that I’ve had this experience,” Castro said. “I better understand why I’m here at UTSA and why I’m with the Board of Regents. I’m excited to see what’s next.”
UTSA is recognized as one of the top five young universities in the nation by Times Higher Education.
Learn more about the UT System Student Regent.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Covidence is a systematic & scoping review tool used to streamline the process of screening and reviewing articles. Using this software, research teams can easily import studies, perform automatic deduplication, and extract data using templates. This workshop will show attendees how to start a review in Covidence, add collaborators, and get started on screening.
Virtual (Zoom)In this workshop, attendees will be introduced to Pandas, a Python tool for working with data easily. It makes it simple to organize and analyze information when data is organized and categorized, like spreadsheets or tables.
Group Spot B, John Peace LibraryEach fall and spring semester, students convene at the Main Campus at UTSA with booths, ideas and prototypes. A crowd of judges, local organizations, students, faculty and sponsors walk around and talk to the students about their projects and ask questions. Students get the real-life experience of "pitching" their project with hopes of getting funding or support to move to the next level.
UTSA Convocation Center, Main CampusJoin the doctoral candidates for the Doctoral Conferreal Ceremony and celebrate their accomplishments.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusCelebrate the graduates from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, College of Education and Human Development, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and University College.
AlamodomeCelebrate the graduates from the College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and College of Sciences.
AlamodomeThe 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.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.