University Magazine

Sthefany Garcia

Sthefany Garcia, a first-generation college student and recipient of the Dream.US scholarship, has been on a mission to exceed expectations from the time she and her father toured Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-San Antonio) in 2017. She recalls the first time she came to campus: “There were only three buildings. I was new to the college experience and felt like as the campus grew, I could grow along with it.” Sthefany contributes her success in college to the support of her family who instilled in her that she could make college a reality by working hard and searching for resources. This fueled her desire to pay it forward – to help other first-generation college students find the support they need for success in college.

As a Harlendale High School graduate, Sthefany grew up on the south side of San Antonio, where she was a stellar student and active in her community. While in high school, she competed two certificate programs in health care – one as a certified health care technician and the other as a certified phlebotomist – while contemplating the nursing profession. Although she decided to pursue a different profession, she completed several hours of duel credit classes, which gave her the added boost to graduate early from A&M-San Antonio with her bachelor of science in business.     

As an audacious campus leader and member of the President’s Leadership Class, Sthefany embodies the A&M-San Antonio core values of excellence and service. In addition to her academic excellence, evidenced by a 4.0 GPA, she has dedicated yourself to creating educational opportunities for others. Through a strategic plan seed grant from A&M-San Antonio, Sthefany was selected to join a university team of faculty and staff to research best practices for supporting undocumented and DACA students. She gained valuable insight from other students at campuses across California, where the research took place. Through this work, Sthefany helped establish the DREAM Peer Mentor Program for A&M-San Antonio.

“I want to work with students on the south side to give back to my community and help other first-generation college students with resources,” she says. “I am so glad we started the first-generation college student organization. It helped me bond with other students like me. I feel passionate about paying it forward.”

Sthefany was award the Outstanding Senior Award in Spring 2020 and graduated with honors. When asked what is next, she says she will be interning at A&M-San Antonio in the campus life department, working with orientation and parent programs. She hopes to work in higher education or community engagement within the city of San Antonio. Sthefany says, “My experience at A&M-San Antonio has been beyond my expectations and helped me believe in who I could become,” Sthefany says. “I have had so much support and hope to pay that support forward to other students.”