OCTOBER 7, 2022 — UTSA McNair Scholar Erica McFarland is deeply devoted to improving the health and holistic well-being of others. Her interest in wellness was sparked during her time at the Hightower High School Medical Science Academy in Missouri City, Texas, where she enjoyed shadowing nurses at Saint Luke’s Hospital and gained experience in clinical teaching during her senior year.
To continue growing in the field, she decided to study biology at UTSA. Then she switched to public health with a concentration in health promotion and behavioral science in the College for Health, Community and Policy.
McFarland had her sights set on UTSA from the time she was in elementary school, after her older sister toured the university. At the young age of nine, she was already impressed with the school’s diversity and location. Of the 12 colleges she received acceptance letters from nearly nine years later, UTSA remained her top choice. She was thrilled to finally have the chance to attend her dream school.
“UTSA is incredibly diverse and welcoming, and that is something I was really looking for in my higher education journey. I live right outside of Houston and I wanted to attend a school in a major city that has access to resources and more opportunities for growth,” McFarland said.
With an altruistic spirit and great appreciation for motivational environments, McFarland dedicates the majority of her time outside the classroom to volunteering and serving in leadership roles that augment her college experience.
The 2021-2022 UTSA Spirit of the Roadrunner recipient is a Senior Senator in the Student Government Association and a member of the President’s Student Advisory Council, the Honors Alliance, and the Volunteer Organization Involving Community, Education and Service (VOICES).
She served as a Calm Counselor for children with special needs at the Children’s Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP) and also gained clinical teaching practice during her freshman year at UTSA in the UTEACH program.
As a result of McFarland’s contributions, she has received several awards and scholarships. She won the first Jane Findling Award, given to UTSA students who show excellence in leadership and service, and she was accepted into the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, a federal program funded by the U.S. Department of Education TRIO grant.
The McNair Scholars program supports first-generation and low-income students in their pursuit of research-based graduate studies. Through this program, McFarland won an additional internship scholarship with UTSA’s Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement.
“Scholarships in the UTSA community are so incredibly important as they provide us with essential support, not just financially, but also emotionally and mentally,” McFarland said. “With the support I’ve been given, I have been able to conduct extensive research on personal development and growth for the past three years and have seen an exceptional improvement in my own mental health and well-being.”
McFarland’s experiences at UTSA helped her realize her potential. With lessened financial pressure, she has been given the space to understand her likes, dislikes, interests and passions. Her ability to participate in extracurricular activities is helping her grow as an individual and narrow down exactly what she wants out of life. While McFarland’s still in the process of developing her professional path, she knows that she will continue helping others become their very best selves.
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In partnership with Metro Health, HCAP will host a lecture discussing the life and body of work of Dr. Fernando Guerra, longtime director of the Metropolitan Health District.
Buena Vista Theater, Downtown CampusJoin our team to reflect on the students’ achievements and challenges during the semester and explore techniques, strategies, and tools to address growth mindset, self-reliance, and what it takes to keep students committed and on the path to success
Multidisciplinary Studies (MS 240) and VirtualThis course will introduce you to this popular graduate program, providing a review of UTSA’s Employee Educational Benefit program and MPA info. Free lunch will be provided!
Mesquite Living Lab, Main CampusDía en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.
Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza , Main CampusFiesta Arts Fair is a party with a purpose! The annual art-focused fundraising celebration provides operating support for UTSA Arts, which is dedicated to community arts education for children and adults, public-facing performances and exhibitions, and arts-based research and partnerships to enhance the accessibility of the arts for the public.
UTSA Southwest, 300 Augusta, San Antonio TX 78205This year’s UEA ceremony will be an in-person event that will take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25 in the H-E-B Student Union Ballrooms (HSU 1.104/1.106) on the UTSA Main Campus. The ceremony will feature UTSA President Taylor Eighmy, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Myron Anderson, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Business Affairs Veronica Salazar and representatives from Staff and Faculty Senate.
H-E-B Student Union Ballrooms (HSU 1.104/1.106), Main CampusSan Antonio’s treasured Asian Festival returns on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Downtown Campus. In observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month the one-day performance, entertainment, and food event will celebrate the diverse Asian diaspora represented in South Texas and San Antonio. Come and enjoy one of San Antonio’s premier family-friendly events, with hands-on activities and opportunities to learn through experience.
UTSA Downtown CampusThe 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, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.