Editor’s Note: The following is a back-to-class message from UTSA Student Government Association President Aydan Villarreal.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 — To all my new Roadrunners, welcome to UTSA! To my returning peers, welcome back to the nest! My name is Aydan Villarreal, and I have the truly distinct honor of serving as your 2024-2025 student body president. It’s such a joy to see everyone back on campus learning and creating amazing things.
UTSA is a remarkable Tier One research institution and a cornerstone of the San Antonio community. Thanks to our vibrant and diverse student body, we are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution. As Roadrunners, your contributions are vital to our continued success. Every day, you help shape a brighter future for UTSA.
Now onto how I work for you. The UTSA Student Government Association (SGA) is a sponsored student organization dedicated to supporting UTSA students. Alongside my fantastic executive cabinet, my role is to be your primary advocate and voice. We're here to help you access resources, address concerns and foster an inclusive environment where every student feels welcomed and valued.
While SGA has room for growth, I'm excited to be stepping into this role with a clear vision for improvement. There’s plenty of work ahead, but you can trust that we are fully committed to doing everything we can to empower you and enhance your experience. My plan for SGA this year includes advocating for your wellbeing, improving student life, and realigning SGA to its purpose. When SGA thrives, Roadrunners thrive.
We know that Roadrunners want to be heard. This is your voice, vision and student body.
I have some advice to share with you, my fellow Roadrunners.
Tip #1: Ask questions
UTSA is a large institution. If you ever need directions to a class or have a question about a resource, just ask a fellow Roadrunner. Everyone is here to support you and help you succeed.
Tip #2: Engage with others
I love to #GetInvolved but I understand that so many of our Roadrunners are busy with their families, jobs and of course, their education.
Being involved at UTSA can happen in many ways. Maybe you go to your college student success center to learn about an internship opportunity. Maybe you attend a resume workshop in our career center. Maybe you join an organization or become an officer. Maybe you attend a cycling class at the campus recreation center. Maybe you go to a UTSA athletics game. Hopefully you attend an SGA meeting and engage with your peers in class. However you engage with other Roadrunners, you are contributing to what makes UTSA a great place to work, learn live and discover.
Tip #3: Take care of yourself.
While SGA is dedicated to advocating for your well-being, we already have many resources at our disposal as students. The TimelyCare app offers 24/7 mental health support in various formats, and our Wellness 360 clinic provides in-person counseling sessions. Best of all, these resources are available to students at no cost.
Your Student Government Association is here to serve you. We understand how busy your lives are, and we’re dedicated to supporting your success as a student and as an individual. Together we will build a Roadrunner community that is informed, engaged, and proud.
I can’t wait to see you on campus. Birds up!
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Join the conversation around the current status of voting rights in Texas at this flagship event produced by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project in honor of their 50th anniversary.
Downtown CampusThere are many citation managers. Which one is right for you? This workshop will explain what a citation manager is and how it can help you organize your citations, insert citations as you write your paper, and generate your bibliography. If you plan to attend one of our hands-on Endnote®, Zotero®, or BibTeX® / LaTex® workshops, we recommend that you start with this overview.
Virtual EventJoin us for a recital featuring a variety of Hispanic music from Spain and Latin America. The evening’s entertainment will include pieces by UTSA faculty, the UTSA Mariachi Los Paisanos, and special guest artists including the director of Texas A&M International University's Mariachi Internacional.
UTSA Recital HallJoin Dr. Rachel Yvonne Cruz, Assistant Professor of Mexican American Studies, for an interactive discussion on how music can challenge patriarchy, sexism, and colonialism through a guided discussion and live acoustic performance.
Assembly Room, 4th Floor (4.04.22), John Peace Library, Main CampusIn this hands-on workshop, participants will learn to setup an EndNote library, save references and PDFs, and automatically create and edit a bibliography. Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to have EndNote already installed on a personal computer.
Virtual EventAre you required to use LaTeX for writing your research papers? This workshop is divided into two parts: an introduction to Zotero, a citation management tool, and a demonstration of the features of Overleaf, a free online LaTeX editor.
Virtual EventCome listen to the UTSA Jazz Ensemble at a free event.
UTSA Recital HallThe 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 promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
