Points of Pride for June 15 - 28, 2013

Dear friends,
 
We are excited to share selected highlights on the great achievements by our students, faculty and staff as our summer terms continue!
 
Together in service for our University community, 

Dr. Maria Hernandez Ferrier
President, Texas A&M University-San Antonio

 

Students win communications scholarship award

For the second year in a row, students in the communications program have been chosen as the recipients of the Association of Women in Communications Ajay Castro Scholarship for Re-entering Women. Stephanie Alonso is a mother of six who decided she wanted to better her life and her children's by going back to school after an eight-year absence. She earned an associate's degree in communications/journalism at Palo Alto College, and is now working towards her bachelor's degree at Texas A&M-San Antonio. Alison Wadley is a young mother whose passion for photography inspired her to earn an associate's degree in photography from San Antonio College. She is now enrolled at Texas A&M-San Antonio studying photojournalism and pursuing a degree in communications. The two were recognized at the AWC 33rd Annual Awards Banquet and Silent Auction on June 21 for their outstanding accomplishments.

Building the halls of academia

The construction and facility needs of Texas academics continues to be a challenge facing state institutions. The Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects (I-LinCP) hosted "Growing Pains: Challenges Facing San Antonio's Higher Education Facility Needs" with leaders from local universities. Exploring best practices for "Maximizing the Facility Dollar," Dr. Charles Rodriguez, chief of staff and vice president for strategic initiatives and military affairs, shared the Texas A&M-San Antonio perspective as part the institute's panel addressing the issue in San Antonio on June 13.

Students benefit from a network of excellence

Four education students will receive scholarships from the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas (HWNT) at their annual awards breakfast on June 29. Graduate students Juanita Sepulveda and Sonya Walker, and undergraduate students Luz Maldonado and Ana Linda Gonzales, will be recognized for the outstanding achievements and persistence they demonstrated through their scholarship applications. Last year's scholarship winner, Ester Venzor, will also be present to speak about how the HWNT scholarship she received impacted her past year as a student at Texas A&M-San Antonio. HWNT was recently recognized by Senator Judith Zaffirini for their success in promoting the advancement of Hispanic women in the public, corporate and civic life.

Investing today, shaping tomorrow

The Texas A&M San Antonio Foundation is excited to announce a $50,000 scholarship award from the San Antonio Chapter of the American Petroleum Institute (API), Inc. The scholarship aligns with a major initiative of Texas A&M University-San Antonio in support of the study of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields, and represents the first time the San Antonio API has donated to the Texas A&M San Antonio Foundation. The scholarship award was presented by Mark Franki, chairman of the Board of Directors for API San Atonio Chapter, Inc., at a special ceremony at the Texas A&M-San Antonio Main Campus on June 27. Find out more about how the scholarship will support industries like the Eagle Ford Shale with Texas Public Radio.