Honors College graduates shine brightly, prepare for bold futures

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DECEMBER 7, 2023 — This weekend, roughly 130 seniors in the Honors College will be crossing the stage at UTSA Commencement ceremonies, clad in orange honors stoles that shine as bold and bright as their futures. Many of these high-achieving students already have impressive jobs lined up or have plans to pursue graduate studies.

With hands-on experiential, individualized learning at the core of the UTSA Honors College experience, this unique advantage has given these career-ready Roadrunners an edge up as they pursue their dreams.

Microbiology and immunology major and Terry Scholar Emmanuella Mbajiofor is one of four students graduating with Honors Distinction, a designation awarded to Honors College graduates who complete more than the required honors curriculum and finish with at least a 3.3 GPA

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“The Honors College exposed me to so many opportunities I never would have known about or have had access to otherwis.”

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Born in Nigeria, Mbajiofor was 10 when her family moved to Texas to fulfill her parents’ desire for her and her three younger brothers to have a better education in the U.S.

From an early age she loved math and science and by eighth grade, she knew she wanted to become a doctor. She strategically enrolled in Alief Early College High School, which allowed her to graduate from high school and earn an associate of science degree in pre-medicine from Houston Community College concurrently.

Despite graduating salutatorian of her high school class and already having college experience, Mbajiofar was initially intimidated when came to UTSA in the fall of 2021.

“I remember sitting in a room with the Honors College dean and all these incredibly smart, talented honors students during Welcome Week my first year and experiencing major imposter syndrome,” Mbajiofor said. “But then I remembered my father’s wisdom that there will always be people who are better at something than you, so you must keep learning and try harder. Since then, I have operated with a mindset that if I employ a greater work ethic, I can surpass any deficiencies in talent I might have.”

Determined to prove her standing in the college, Mbajiofor took advantage of as many opportunities as she could. She became involved in student organizations like the Terry Scholar Student Organization, VOICES and the Black Health Professions Organization. She participated in several experiential learning opportunities offered through the Honors College, including the Citymester program, during which she gained patient care and clinical experience as an intern at the Bandera Family Health Clinic.

Additionally, she applied for and received funding from the Honors College to get her phlebotomy certification and to go on a medical mission in Guatemala with the San Antonio chapter of Women in Medicine.

“The Honors College exposed me to so many opportunities I never would have known about or have had access to otherwise,” she said.

Starting in January, Mbajiofor will begin her master’s degree in health, community and policy at UTSA to get a broader understanding of public health before going to medical school.

Several other Honors College graduates this fall also have exciting opportunities lined up.

For example, mechanical engineering major Patrick Mochen will be moving to Raleigh, N.C. to work as a commissioning and validation engineer at pharmaceutical consulting company Sequence.

Sophia Cavenaile, a double major in psychology and politics and law, is going to begin an M.B.A. locally at St. Mary’s University in the spring then begin law school there in the fall.

Aidan Chang is going to put his degree in computer science with concentrations in cyber security and software engineering to work with a full-time position with the Department of Defense starting in February.

“As we celebrate the accomplishments of these exceptional students, we also recognize the profound impact they are poised to make on the world,” said Jill Fleuriet, UTSA vice provost for honors education. “Each graduate has cultivated their own brand of resilience, creativity and purpose while in the Honors College. Here's to the extraordinary achievements of our Honors graduates and to the boundless potential that defines each and every one of them!”

This fall’s Honors graduates received their bright orange and blue honors stoles at a special Honors College celebration held in early November.

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Home to roughly 2,000 hardworking, achievement-oriented, conscientious students across all majors, the UTSA Honors College offers one of the most unique experiential honors curricula in the nation. Its practical, hands-on approach to learning allows students to chart their own path and achieve their highest potential.

To graduate from the Honors College, students must complete a combination of honors courses and signature experiences, which can be fulfilled by participating in inside or outside the classroom activities such as service projects, professional development such as internships and fellowships, intellectual achievement such as thesis and research, study abroad or other cultural exploration, engaged living, skill development, independent study, honors contracts, or by taking additional experiential learning honors courses.

— KC Gonzalez

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