Frost gift will help students overcome coronavirus-related hardships

APRIL 9, 2020 — Efforts to help UTSA students weather the coronavirus pandemic have received a significant lift, thanks to a generous gift from Frost. The local financial services leader has awarded UTSA a $50,000 gift to help its students overcome coronavirus-related hardships. 

To put the funds in the hands of the people who need it most, UTSA will be allocating the gift to four student funds. They are: 

• the Student Emergency Fund, which is offering general financial assistance to UTSA students who have been impacted by coronavirus-related hardships and need temporary funding to stay enrolled,

• the Student Tech Fund, which supports students who need internet access or a personal computer to successfully transition to 100% online instruction during the coronavirus pandemic,

• the Roadrunner Pantry and Whataburger Resource Room, which can provide more than a week of meals to a student who is food insecure for $5, and

• the Fostering Educational Success Center, a program that engages and supports Roadrunners with a history of foster care.

Last week Frost announced a $2 million donation to Texas nonprofits for COVID-19 relief efforts. Half of that gift will be allocated to organizations in the San Antonio area. The remaining portion will be given to charities in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, the Permian Basin, Corpus Christi, Rio Grande Valley and Victoria. 

“The combined total of $2 million is the largest charitable donation Frost has made, surpassing even the donations we made to nonprofits after Hurricane Harvey,” Frost Chairman and CEO Phil Green said in a statement. “Because the pandemic and the resulting shutdowns were unprecedented events in our state’s history, we felt that we, as one of Texas’ oldest businesses, should step up and make an unprecedented effort.” 

⇒ Visit UTSA’s Coronavirus Relief page to contribute to programs that can support students. 

Frost selected UTSA for a donation as a result of its long-standing relationships and commitments with the university. Additionally, Frost is well-versed in the challenges that students face in balancing education with their personal obligations. 

“During difficult times like these, our community is what pulls us through. This generous donation is a wonderful example of how community-minded partners like Frost are helping Roadrunners take care of one another,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. “Frost has long invested in the well-being of San Antonio, and we are particularly grateful for their support of our students during this time of uncertainty.”