Alumni Awards

Sara Briseño Gerrish ‘10, one of the region’s most successful Realtors, grew up in the real estate business but initially had no interest in working in the industry. Her mother, Beatrice Briseño, started her own firm in 1997 and joined RE/MAX in 2006. As a high schooler, Gerrish often helped out around the office, but the experience didn’t make her want to follow in her mother’s footsteps.

“As a kid, I saw my mom working nights and weekends, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I don't want a job like that,’” Gerrish said. “I actually went to college not to be a realtor.”

However, as an undergraduate at St. Mary’s University, she began seeing things differently.

“When I got older, I saw the impact my mother was having on people's lives, especially first-time homebuyers, and she was making quite a good living at it. I realized it was something I could see myself doing. I got my broker’s license when I was 19 in 2006, and I’ve been here ever since.”

Gerrish made the right choice. She has excelled as a real estate agent, and the family business—she co-owns RE/MAX Unlimited with her mother and sister—has grown into the largest South San Antonio real estate office, with about a dozen agents.

A few years into her career, she earned her MBA at A&M-San Antonio in 2010. (She also served on the committee that helped select the University mascot.)

“I consider myself a lifelong learner, and the MBA taught me how to run a small business,” she said. “I was able to apply the skills that I learned at A&M-San Antonio to running our brokerage.” As Gerrish’s real estate career flourished, she tackled other challenges. She served as the 2023

Chairman of the San Antonio Board of REALTORS, which serves about 14,000 real estate professionals in the region. She is currently a Regional Vice President of Texas REALTORS and a board member for the National Association of REALTORS, helping oversee policies, procedures and advocacy work.

In addition, she is the 2024 Chairman of the Board for South Texas Business Partnership (formerly known as the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce), a position that helps her chart a course for a part of the city she holds dear.

“I'm a proud Southsider, which is finally getting the recognition that it deserves,” she said. “It’s great to see the economic development and all the new places to live, work and play. It’s also been amazing to see the University's growth these past 15 years. I feel privileged to be a part of the South Side’s momentum and to be able to serve the community where I grew up. I’m really excited about the future and what it means for not only South San Antonio but all of South Texas.”

Sabrina San Miguel '16 '19 is a lifelong storyteller who uses the written word not only to express her feelings and thoughts but also to support the San Antonio community and champion social change. Born and raised in Denver Heights on the city’s east side, she holds a B.A. in English and Gender Studies and an M.A. in English.  

As director of development at the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AITSCM) she oversees fundraising, communications and marketing for the nonprofit, which helps preserve and protect the culture and traditions of the Native American tribes and other indigenous people who resided in the Spanish colonial missions. 

“We are the second-largest Native American center in Texas,” said San Miguel.

Moreover, the organization spearheads an initiative that promotes responsible fatherhood by helping males and fathers achieve greater self-esteem and better awareness of their responsibilities to their families and community. Many of the men the AITSCM serves are perpetrators of family abuse and neglect and are often caught up in the court system.  

Lori Day ‘22 has always had big ambitions. While many young girls dream of becoming a teacher or nurse, Day, a Texas native, aspired to one day become President of the United States. While she never made it to the White House, she said this early desire to be Commander in Chief set her on the right path.

“My childhood dream of becoming President helped shape my journey by igniting my passion to create change in my community,” she said.

Growing up in a low-income area of Houston, she saw family and neighbors struggle. The experience further sparked in her a desire to improve the lives of marginalized groups. She graduated from Texas A&M University-San Antonio in the fall of 2022 with a B.A. in English Language and Literature. During her time at the University, Day worked as a student involvement coordinator and served as General the Jaguar, the school mascot.

After graduation, Day focused on helping others, connecting with more than a dozen nonprofits. She worked as an entertainer at Morgan’s Wonderland, an inclusive theme park for kids with special needs, and as an advocate at Child Advocates San Antonio, helping place children in foster care. She also got involved with Children’s Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP), which provides recreational opportunities for individuals with medical conditions or disabilities.

“CAMP taught me the importance of meeting people where they are rather than expecting them to adapt to us,” she said. “This experience inspired me to learn more about disability inclusion, leading me to volunteer with more organizations focused on this cause.”

Last year, she worked as a special education instructional assistant with San Antonio ISD. During her time there she facilitated individual and group instructional activities and helped manage student behavior and crisis intervention.

Today, Day is with the nonprofit DisABILITYsa, which provides programs, resources, and volunteer opportunities to improve the lives of people with disabilities in San Antonio. She serves as an advancement program director and helps oversee the organization’s many initiatives that connect people with organizations and businesses that provide support and services for those with disabilities, including community-based instruction and training programs.

Day is also embracing her role as a leader, focusing on bridging gaps in housing, education, and incorporating new designs to make public spaces more accessible.

“The belief that inclusivity means reimagining the world, not just making accommodations, has greatly influenced my work in policy and education,” she said. “When we address accessibility, we often benefit a broader range of individuals.”

To further sharpen her leadership skills—and, admittedly, step out of her comfort zone—Day is also participating in the Alexander Briseño Leadership Development Program. Managed by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the seven-month program provides networking and learning opportunities with existing and emerging civic and corporate leaders, with a focus on both strategic and empathetic leadership skills.

“Leading with passion, compassion, and accessibility resonates with me the most,” Day said. “As does taking risks and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s all part of growing up and learning.”

Class of '16

For a young man just five years out of college, Brian Harrin has accomplished more than many people do in a lifetime. And he has a four-page, single-spaced resume of wow-worthy achievements to prove it.

To be fair, Brian started his multi-faceted career at a very young age. Inspired by international travel with his family, Brian started his own business—U-travel--at age 14. During high school, where his after-school work program revolved around insurance, his father, a successful entrepreneur, asked if Brian would be interested in starting such a business with him. Not one to bypass an opportunity to broaden his skill set, Brian became a licensed insurance broker and co-founding partner of San Antonio-based The Harrin Group.

For higher education, Brian chose Texas A&M University-San Antonio because he wanted to attend an institution that was different than those his high school peers were attending. “I was drawn by the opportunity to potentially make a mark on this new but growing institution,” he explains.

While majoring in communication/journalism Brian honed his Herculean work ethic, leadership capabilities, and wide-ranging interests. He spent a semester interning for Texas Senator Ted Cruz, monetized his hobby of collecting autographs by publishing his Amazon.com four-star rated Can I have your Autograph at the age of 20, and served as vice president of the Student Government Association.

After graduation Brian earned a master’s in international affairs from the University of North Georgia, with a specialization in Middle Eastern security issues.

Currently he is a full-time intelligence specialist for the U.S. Air Force based at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and remains fully engaged in management of The Harrin Group. “I find fulfillment in both jobs,” he says, “and find it very doable.”

A life-long learner with a passion for travel, intelligence work, and learning about other cultures, Brian has amassed a list of credentials that include an Intelligence Fundamentals Professional certificate awarded by the Department of Defense, a three-month graduate course in Critical Thinking from Cornell University, a certificate in Modern Standard Arabic from Noor Majan Arabic Institute in Oman,  and a certificate on The Puzzle of Terrorism and Counterterrorism from the International Institute for Counterterrorism in Israel. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish and Arabic. Of his recent U.S. Air Force’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award, he modestly says, “I’m really glad I made an impact at the 547^th Intelligence Squadron at Nellis AFB in Nevada, whose history dates back to 1944.”

In the past, Brian found time for volunteer projects where his communication, organizational and technical skills could positively impact organizations such as the Calvin Coolidge Presential Foundation, the Karnes County Historical Society and the San Antonio Area Metal Detecting Club, part of what they do is assist law enforcement officials at crime scenes.

Certainly not all work and no play, Brian’s extensive list of interests and hobbies runs the gamut from fitness and athletics to numerous cultural pursuits and

especially international travel. To date, he has visited 18 countries and in 2024 he'll add Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. He’s also on target to earn his private pilot’s license.

Whatever his future entails, it’s safe to assume this Distinguished Alumnus will always “make an impact.”

Class of '11, '15, and '16

Juanita Sepulveda was born to Justo and Juana Sepulveda in Mexico, raised in Frost, Texas, and originally dreamt of becoming an anesthesiologist. “But no one in my family knew how to start,” she recalls. Fortunately, they knew that education was essential to advancement, and they strongly encouraged her to “believe in herself.”

 After honorable service in the U.S. Marine Corps, she returned to San Antonio, Military City USA, earned an undergraduate and two graduate degrees at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, and embarked on a career path that included entrepreneurial success, significant community involvement, limitless volunteerism, and notable advocacy for small businesses and women veterans and their children. 

Currently, she serves as Chief Operations Officer and Partner at Vanyel Investments, a firm that provides training in stock options trading through a process she says has a 99 percent success rate that is currently being patented.  Juanita says, “We at Vanyel Investments aspire to gain recognition as the company that created the most millionaires.”

She also serves as chair of the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy Committee, co-chair of the Small Business Advisory Commission, co-chair of the Veteran’s Advisory Commission, and chair of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation for the Hidden Heroes City Initiative for the City of San Antonio. Additionally, she serves on the boards of the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Foundation, the SAMMinistries Foundation, the Dress for Success Foundation, and Texas Public Radio. She has served numerous volunteer stints on organizations as diverse as the Center for Health Care Services, her children’s elementary and middle school PTAs, the San Antonio Food Bank, and Saint PJ’s Children’s Home, to name but a few. She is also a Point of Light recipient and a George W. Bush Institute scholar. Indeed, an impressive record for a mother of seven!

Juanita credits her success to her family, business partner Roger Torres, education and the nonprofit groups who have supported and encouraged her.  The three top organizations are Texas A&M University-San Antonio, SAMMinistries, and Dress for Success-San Antonio.  “They were there to support and help me and my family when I returned to the workforce,” she explains. Today, Juanita pays it forward by being a proactive member of their boards and was recently chosen as a Global Ambassador for Dress for Success.

Justifiably proud of her accomplishments, Juanita is a sought-after speaker and co-author of an Amazon bestseller, Her War Too, based on her experiences and the effects of her military service. “Sometimes it’s frightening to share one’s story,” she admits, “but we forget that our stories are a roadmap for others to find their strength.”

For women who aspire to combine a career, community engagement, and service with motherhood, the straight-talking, no-nonsense, indefatigable Juanita encourages them to “be honest with themselves.  You are not going to have it all.” She also stresses the importance of setting boundaries, honest family conversations, and realistic goals. ‘Learn to say “NO” and to say “YES” to yourself more often.”

In 2008 Juanita was inspired by the relentless spirit of José Hernández, an astronaut, who rose from being a migrant worker and later by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who after finding her voice, vowed never to remain silent again. In that spirit, Juanita,  says, “There are still many who have not found their voice yet, so I loan them mine until they discover their own.”

Class of '20

When Clayton Jaskinia graduated from Texas A&M University-San Antonio in May 2020, eager to begin his career with the Edgewood ISD, he encountered a disrupted academic environment.

“Yes, it was a tough time,” he acknowledges. “We started out fully remote which meant adjusting to the technology involved with teaching online.” Undaunted, Clayton found a novel way to engage his seventh-grade Texas history students. He began driving around the state creating virtual tours to literally bring Texas history them.

When the district transitioned to half the class being taught in person and the other half receiving instruction online, the challenges increased. “Now we were being tasked to engage both in-class students and online students.” That meant designing assignments and projects for two different learning environments. One example of the clever ways Clayton adapted was to have the in-class students create a model train boom town, where each child was responsible for a part of the town and asked to write an explanatory note for each car as if it were a museum display. The online students had to create theirs either by drawing it or using the video game Minecraft. Clayton’s creativity and willingness to go above and beyond prompted the State Association of Texas Pioneers to honor Clayton as Educator of the Year in his first year of teaching. His efforts were again recognized when he received the E.T. Wrenn Teacher of the Year award for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Originally from Kosciusko, Texas, the young teacher says he draws inspiration from his grandparents who were not afforded the opportunity to have an education. One left school at age five to work in the onion fields and another went back to school at age 54 with children still at home and a restaurant to run. “I wanted to become a teacher so maybe I could become the kind of person who makes kids want to come to school every day and be a fighter for them,” he says.

 Clayton’s leadership abilities surfaced prominently at A&M-SA where he served as president of NSLS, Student Government Speaker of the Senate and Senator for the College of Education and Development. He also was “founding father” of the Delta Chi fraternity, president of the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Council, and lead Jaguar ambassador.

Currently, in his fourth year of teaching U.S. history to eighth graders, Clayton expects to earn a master’s in curriculum and instruction (C&I) this December, noting, “I look forward to becoming a district social studies specialist one day.” Not one to rest on his early success, Clayton is also exploring options for a Ph.D.  program. While most of his time is devoted to teaching and pursuing his personal goals, he does take time out for spending time with friends and family and serving as alumni board president for the San Antonio chapter of Delta Chi.

Meanwhile, his primary focus is helping the many students who fell behind during the pandemic disruptions. “We work hard to close the gaps in understanding and try to reconnect to students in a tech focused world.”

So, what does the host institution of the Southwest National Primate Research Center do with a colony of retired chimpanzees? If you are the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas BioMed) in San Antonio, you hire Alexander Greig, a man who gives his heart and soul to the animals he works with. As an enrichment specialist, Alexander looks after the psychological and physical well-being of the large colony of the highly complex and intelligent animals. His responsibilities include coordinating and distributing daily enrichment activities while conducting behavioral research. Funded by a grant from the Institute, Alexander researched and implemented shade structures to protect the animals from the Texas heat. He also works collaboratively with scientists and institutes nationwide to establish and employ best practices in the field.

Before graduating magna cum laude from Texas A&M University-San Antonio with a B.S. in biology, a B.A. in psychology, and a minor in chemistry, Alex interned at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging, housed at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. (UTHSCSA). While conducting undergraduate research with non-human primates, he helped developed a novel cognitive test that provides researchers with a tool to quantify executive function in non-human primates, especially related to the areas of aging, dementia, and Parkinson’s studies, where decline in executive function is predicted to be prevalent.

After graduation, Alexander continued working at UTHSCSA in a behavioral biology lab within the Department of Psychiatry. It was there he used rodent models and psychopharmacological techniques to investigate the behavioral and biological mechanisms of substance abuse and addiction. He assumed his current position with Texas BioMed in 2018 and is one of only nine professional behaviorists affiliated with the Southwest National Primate Center, one of seven flag-ship primate centers established and funded by the National Institutes of Health and one of the largest primate laboratories in the world. Describing his work, Alexander says, “Every day is an incredible challenge. These animals are strong-willed and they have very diverse personalities. I would go so far as to call many of them my “friends.”

Beyond his day-to-day responsibilities, Alexander has presented his research at multiple national scientific conferences and is an active member of the American Society of Primatologists. A dedicated scholar, who recently earned a Master of Science in Biology-Zoo Science from West Liberty University, he has attained all three certifications offered by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, including the highly sought after and hard to attain certification of Animal Laboratory Technologist. Since 2014, Alexander also has served as event coordinator for the Science Olympiad, an annual event hosting 300+ middle and high school students interested in STEM fields in which they compete in various science activities to qualify for the State Olympiad.

While Alexander’s laser like focus on and passionate love of science leaves little time for recreational or outside pursuits, his favorite hobby is spending time adventuring outdoors with his wife and two-year-old daughter. He also delights in discussing his work. “That’s what we biologists live for,” he explains. “We live and breathe the scientific method and we sacrifice our free time and often our sanity for our species of choice.”

By day, Jacinta Flores’ logical left brain is shining brightly in a world of numbers and analytics. Off the clock, her emotional right brain lights up as she expresses her creativity and love for the entire Texas A&M University-San Antonio family.

Jacinta’s professional career began several years before she enrolled at A&M-San Antonio. She was an accounting assistant at FBD LP, a local company that makes and distributes frozen beverage dispensers to clients like Coca Cola, Taco Bell, Target and just about anywhere that iced and carbonated beverages are sold. While completing her B.B.A in business administration at A&M-San Antonio, she was promoted to executive financial analyst. In 2018, Jacinta returned to the University and earned her Master of Professional Accounting. She was promoted again to the position of Cost Accountant II. For an international company that is expanding into Asia, that entails a variety of heavy-duty accounting.  Recently, Jacinta has accepted an Accountant II position with H-E-B corporate office in the Manufacturing, Transportation and Warehousing division, which she started in late September.  She is excited about the impact that H-E-B is going to have on her, as well as the impact she is going to have on H-E-B.

A happy counterbalance to all those numbers and reports is Jacinta’s delight in supporting A&M-San Antonio families and students. She accomplishes this under the umbrella of the A&M-San Antonio Family Association, which she co-founded in 2020 with the goal of bridging the gap between home and school to help students—many of whom are first-generation—succeed. The organization was inspired by the 2019 cohort that had taken the Family First Seminar, a course offered by the Office of Family Engagement. Since taking on the role of secretary/treasurer—she’s currently in her third term—she has established traditions that serve students. She also organizes events, serves the University in recruitment efforts, and functions as a major resource for families. Under the aegis of the Family Association, she established the Adopt-a-Student program. She also initiated hosting Loteria during Welcome Week for students and their families and volunteered to take in FATE (Fostering Assistance, Transitions, & Education) students during the holiday season. Utterly indefatigable in her passion, Jacinta’s favorite project is the Student Angel Program, which she initiated when the Covid pandemic occurred.  Recognizing the financial hit that devastated many families, she was determined there would still be a Christmas for those in need.  Open to any student, the program asks students who sign up to provide a Christmas wish list. Jacinta seeks sponsors who help fulfill those wishes and the Family Association provides the wrapping paper and supplies they need for the event.  Jacinta reports that “on Distribution Day, the students are about as giddy as small children…and the gratitude expressed by the recipients is unbelievably overwhelming.”  The program benefitted 34 students during 2020 and grew to include 52 students in 2021. Jacinta hopes to double that number this year. 

As a devoted alumna, the proud mother of 3, one of which is a current Jaguar in her senior year, and a dedicated supporter of A&M-San Antonio students and families, Jacinta continues to find ways to provide support and opportunities in meaningful ways.  As a University staff member expressed it, “Jacinta is tied to the University academically, in service, in motherhood, and in heart.”  That, indeed, is the Jaguar Spirit!

After earning her associate degree in business administration from San Antonio College, La-Tieka Sims Howell transferred to Texas A&M University-San Antonio, where she discovered the “career field that lit the fire in my soul.” Strongly influenced by the Jaguar motto--On a Mission—La-Tieka embraced every opportunity the University offered. She was very active on the A&M-San Antonio campus and held leadership roles in numerous student organizations such as campus activities and campus governance.

Throughout her tenure at A&M-San Antonio she served as president of the Student Government Association, president of the Campus Activity Board, and treasurer of the Black Student Union. La-Tieka collaborated with the faculty senate and several commissions to develop and implement student success initiatives, advocate for and promote student interests, and served as the student representative to city, county, and state entities. She provided leadership, education, training, and programming to improve campus culture. Those campus roles and opportunities honed her skills in collaboration, organization, and implementing initiatives. Armed with those skills and coupled with her passion for good governance and serving her community in full flame, it was inevitable that La-Tieka would seek a community-focused career.

While earning her B.B.A. in management, she began her career interning for San Antonio District 2 Councilwoman Jada Andrews Sullivan and within a year became the deputy director of policy. The following year, she became the constituent services representative for City District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo and currently serves in his office as director of constituent services. Employing the same skills that made her a campus standout, La-Tieka works closely with community organizations, neighborhood associations, faith-based organizations, and advocacy groups to address concerns and provide running updates on district issues. She also drafts responses on the Councilman’s behalf. During her year (Aug. 2020-July 2021) as the San Antonio Fellow for IGNITE National, a movement of young women who are ready and eager to become the next generation of political leaders, La-Tieka collaborated with four local colleges to educate and interest young women in civic engagement , provide voter education resources, help registered voters, and collaborated with 24 other Fellows across the country to present a variety of topics centered on political engagement.

Ever mindful of the opportunities that launched her career, La-Tieka includes giving back in her mission. She makes it her business to reach out and offer internships and volunteer opportunities to students, and volunteers at campus events whenever her pressure cooker schedule permits.

Though obviously focused on training, encouraging, and empowering young women to assume leadership roles, she is also keenly aware of the difficulties many young women face as they try to establish their independence or engage with the community. Toward alleviating a niche but long-overlooked need in the community, La-Tieka sits on the board of Driving Single Inc., a local non-profit that raises funds to provide a car to single parents who need transportation. As her mission to “serve, grow, and have an impact on the communities around me continues unabated,” La-Tieka says, “I’ll always be grateful to A&T-San Antonio for the life-changing impact it has had on my life.”  

Nathan began his career in 2005 by volunteering at the City of Decatur Fire Department in Decatur, Texas. Today Nathan serves as Fire Chief for the city in which he grew up. In those intervening years, Nathan became a certified paramedic and firefighter, earning a promotion to Fire Captain and multiple honors as Firefighter of the Year and Fire Officer of the Year. Nathan transferred to Texas A&M University-San Antonio with associate’s degrees in Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection and Safety Technology, and Fire Service Administration from Weatherford College. Upon graduating Summa Cum Laude from A&M-San Antonio with a B.A.A.S. in Fire and Emergency Services Administration, Nathan was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief in Charge of Operations and to Fire Chief in March 2020. A father of three-year-old twin girls, Nathan still makes time to serve as an adjunct instructor for Tarrant County College, teaching everything from basic fire safety to firefighter development.

LeWayne is a two-time graduate of Texas A&M University-San Antonio, earning a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems and his MBA. Now Chief Technology Officer for Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP, LeWayne oversees all IT operations, including security and compliance. A firm believer in lifelong learning, LeWayne is currently working on his Ph.D. in Education at University of The Incarnate Word. LeWayne volunteers his time with Meals on Wheels, Adopt a Family, and Blood Donations and also believes in sharing his personal resources, including a generous donation to the A&M-San Antonio General’s Food Pantry. LeWayne is continuously mentoring students by providing them paid internships at his workplace—a program he launched to give high school and college students experience with project management, programming, database administration, and system engineering. Over the past five years his company has provided internships to approximately 50 students.

Sa grew up in Irving, Texas, but has made San Antonio her home since earning a B.A.A.S from Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Currently pursuing a master’s in Technology and Innovation Management at Northcentral University, Sa works as a technical writer at the cybersecurity and software development firm Def-Logix, Inc. To balance that tech-heavy thinking, Sa finds creative outlets through her “Culture Shocks” blog (theresaly520.wordpress.com) exploring nature, health, food, travel, and other topics. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Sa has never taken for granted the opportunity to pursue an education—something her parents were not able to do. While at A&M-San Antonio, Sa immersed herself in student activities, including the Justice Society and the Environmental Club. Her volunteer interests include helping the Rotary Club of Alamo Ranch with recycling projects, building houses for Habitat for Humanity, serving as a reading buddy through San Antonio Youth Literacy, and getting kids excited about computing at Youth Code Jam.

Tim started off his career after graduating in a true blue-collar fashion. He worked at a fitness center and it was not until two months after that he finally had his first client and another two or three before he got his second. In addition to his duties at the fitness center, he also worked as a nightclub bouncer and as a commercial cleaner most nights of the week and while he could have made a living with the latter two, his first love was helping people get healthier. Tim slowly built up his clientele and reputation as a personal trainer.  His opportunity to earn money while teaching people how to train safely and effectively was a dream come true for him. Within a year he became a top-earning trainer as members of the fitness center started to take notice of the quality training that he offered. Although Tim was thriving at the fitness center, he always had a goal to own his own strength/conditioning facility. In 2012-2013, when CrossFit was growing in popularity, Tim would drive to work each day, passing what seemed like a CrossFit gym on every corner of the route. Driving passed all of those CrossFit gyms daily gave him confidence. This served as a constant reminder to him that it was possible he could own his own fitness center and with each passing day, his confidence grew. With the support of his family and girlfriend (now wife), he started taking the steps towards turning his dream into reality. In 2014 they opened Heavy Metal Fitness (HMF).

Luckily, he had no idea what he was getting into or he may have had second thoughts. They had zero members and a $3000 monthly lease, but failure never crossed his mind. He continued to work at the fitness center, essentially working two jobs now. Some of his clientele supported his new venture and trained with him at HMF. However, others opted to stay at the fitness center which meant that he would be going back and forth between the two facilities throughout the day. During these days, he could just lock up HMF when he left because he had so few members. Nonetheless they survived those early months. His wife had to pay for all of their household expenses and bills because he was just making enough money to pay the rent for HMF. Very slowly they did a little better each month ($50 more, $100 more). Heavy Metal Fitness did not grow fast, or suddenly explode in popularity but member by member, athlete by athlete, and competition by competition they forged a reputation in the strength community. Considering that the original HMF was located in a 2000 sq. ft. office space, once they fulfilled their 3-year lease they decided it was time to move into a slightly larger location as the clientele continued to grow. Their move to the new NW Military location was very exciting, yet just as scary. They were essentially doubling their space (2300 sq. ft to 4150 sq. ft.) AND doubling their expenses. Right when he felt like progress was being made, it was as if they were starting from scratch once again. The profits that they had finally started to see in the original space would be eaten up by the rent/utilities of the new one. However, the potential to grow their brand bigger and better was worth the risk.

Tim is exceptional at transforming regular people into competitive strength athletes (whether powerlifting or strongman). He learned really quickly that competitive strength athletics is very niche and very blue-collar (typically they are not going to spend a lot of money on a gym membership or personal training). If he was only going to cater to this crowd, then he was NOT going to be profitable. So instead, he does his best to convince each member of their potential, no matter what their current strength or experience level is. He does his best to help build their confidence along the way and teach them how to train OPTIMALLY for performance. Before long, they are committing to their first contest! These are men and women from all walks of life and all ages. Tim uses what he learned with his Kinesiology degree at A&M-SA not just to serve the niche for the Strongman community but for others who are looking for the motivation and resources to improve their health.

As a tenured City of San Antonio employee, Irma coordinates policy efforts between agencies, departments and City Hall to tackle the needs of constituents in a rapidly growing city. Her dedication to San Antonio’s prosperity for all citizens has kept her in her adopted city.

Mrs. Rodriguez's interest in engagement led her to pursue a BBA in International Marketing with minors in Finance and German from the University of Texas at San Antonio where she was one of six US students selected to attend Munich University, representing the Southwest United States.  She received a Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Project and Construction Management from Texas A&M University - San Antonio.   She is still active with campus activities, being a regular member of alumni events—including the Book Club.  She was recently appointed to sit on the TAMUSA Regional Center Plan in which she advocates for lower-middle income sustainable housing and preservation of farmland.

Mrs. Rodriguez is a 2011 Alex Briseño Leadership Development Program (ABLDP) alumna.  She is also a graduate of the 2018 Latina Leadership Institute and a cohort of the 2019 City of San Antonio’s Women Mentoring Leadership Program, in which she held the honor to be paired with the Deputy City Manager, Maria Villagomez.

Mrs. Rodriguez is part of various organizations, both professional and academic.  She participates in groups such as Communities in Schools, State Association of Texas Pioneers, the Women’s Club, the San Antonio Charro Association and the Fiesta Commission. 

Irma held the distinction of being one of the longest serving Royal Coordinators for the Fiesta Commission, providing protocol guidance to official Fiesta Royalty.  Her dedication to Fiesta started during her tenure as San Antonio Charro Queen in 2008 and guided a new generation of Latina leaders to represent Mexico’s only official Sport.  She was recently elected to be a Fiesta Commissioner until 2023, sitting on the Miss Fiesta Selection committee, the Accreditation committee and the Finance committee. 

The mother of two young girls, Mrs. Rodriguez teaches Sunday school at St Brigid’s Catholic Church.  A lifetime Girl Scout member, she is active in her daughters’ troop as a co-leader and committee member of various Girl Scouts of South West Texas groups focusing on development and strategic planning.  She volunteers in Girl Scout recruitment and was appointed the Volunteer Action Committee chair to review outdated policies and provide the best possible services for San Antonio’s girls and their parents. 

She is currently serving as a 2019-2022 Providence Catholic School board member with a seat in the Finance committee and Fundraising committee.

Her passion in youth programs is not only for her daughters, but to be able to empower children that need support and positive role models in their lives. She strongly believes that to have successful children, you need parent involvement. Aiding parents to grow and become motivated to empower their children has become a driving force.

In her free time, Irma enjoys reading, sewing, the outdoors, her horses and traveling with her children.  Their goal is to visit all 50 state capitols and presidential libraries.  She is currently intending to run for the Northside Independent School District Board, Seat 5.

As a result of the transformative experience that Chris had while participating in the European Innovation Academy 2017 (EIA), he was reminded of his commitment to continuing his education, while mentoring others wishing to pursue an international study abroad opportunity.  The value of the international experience has manifested itself into scholarship money that Chris has donated back to the University and the College of Business for the purpose of supporting current students who need financial assistance to make a study abroad opportunity possible.  Chris also donates his time to assist students as they prepare for the EIA experience by acting as a College of Business Study Abroad Alumni Ambassador.  Chris’s desire to help current Jaguars has been extended to his becoming a Finance Major/Mentor for Freshmen.

Chris states “my goals are to become a reliable team-player, implement what I learned from my business studies at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and grow to become a leader.  I also aspire to become a subject matter expert and learn as much as possible from my peers and leaders at Zachry.”

Chris’s current Director at Zachry, a fellow A&M-SA graduate, shares the following: “Chris currently works as an IT Business Analyst for Zachry Group.  In that role Chris serves as a liaison between the Information Technology Enterprise Support Team and end business systems users working in the different Zachry Group companies.  Mainly Zachry Industrial Inc., Zachry Engineering Company and JVIC.  He interfaces with end users to understand their business and processes requirements, documents those requirements and then looks for innovative solutions to automate manual processes and fill current system gaps.  In order to do his job correctly, Chris has to understand not only the business environments and industries Zachry works in but also understand the technical landscape of business systems and translate the business needs into systems requirements.  It is a role that requires a diverse skill set that ranges from interpersonal skills, critical thinking skills and technical systems skills, in both a domestic and international capacity.”   

Chris states that his most important personal achievement, up to this point, is being featured in the Turino News Paper (Italy) and on the EIA internet site for placing 6^th out of 95 teams from around the world (2017) at the conclusion of his teams new product validation (in Rome) and pitch (in Turin).

A native of San Antonio and a first-generation college graduate, Guerra received both undergraduate and graduate degrees in kinesiology under the guidance of Associate Professor John D. Smith. While completing his undergraduate degree, Guerra was a prosthetic technician for a local Specialty Prosthetics and Orthotics of Texas. Later, he attended the prosthetics program at California State University Dominguez Hills. Because he took a particular interest in research and the discipline of kinesiology, he came back to San Antonio to complete his clinical residency and studied at A&M-SA to complete his master’s degree. He practiced as a prosthetist for a little while but knew my calling was in research and assisting people in resource limited environments.

His decision to pursue a Ph.D. was made easier by the training he received at A&M-SA and the reassurance from advisors that pursuing a terminal degree was actually possible. He attended Loma Linda University’s Rehabilitation Science program and received his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science in 2017 and began his academic career shortly thereafter first as a faculty member in a Prosthetics Orthotics program in Florida and later in Thailand.

He has dedicated the last several years of his life to building a graduate prosthetics program in Bangkok, Thailand and guiding purposeful, clinically relevant research for Southeast Asia and the world.

Marinella G. Murillo has actively served the San Antonio and south Texas community all her adult life, both professionally and personally. She recently retired from an accomplished 40-year career in the federal government and has embarked on new challenges proving that women can make outstanding contributions at any age. She has served as a volunteer voter registrar and has also volunteered on various city, county and national political campaigns. She is involved in promoting Southside economic development as well as climate, environmental, social and domestic violence issues. Marinella has continued in her role as a Labor Union Area Vice-President and serves on the San Antonio Central Labor Council of the AFL-CIO. In addition, Marinella has served on the national board of Directors of Federally Employed Women, the Young Women’s Christian Association of San Antonio, the San Antonio Council for Independent Living, the Prairie View A&M Youth Advisory Board, Columbia Little League Board of Directors and the St. Francis Academy Parent-Teacher School Board.

Throughout her career Marinella has been known for demonstrating cultural sensitivity, engaging interpersonal skills, maintaining great personal integrity and a deep passion in employee and labor representation. She has “gone the extra mile” for many individuals in her role as a successful EEO Counselor and mediator, Federal Women’s Program Manager and Union Official. Her advocacy has not only made a difference in this community, but it also garnered notice on the national level as she has served on the Federally Employed Women’s National Board of Directors and the American Federation of Government Employees Council 222 Executive Board. In both instances, she was the first Latina to serve at a national level. She has been the recipient of numerous awards for her volunteer and advocacy efforts to include the Alamo Federal Executive Board Federal Women’s Program Manager of the Year, the Alamo Community College Outstanding Former Student Award, the San Antonio Image Hispanic Women of the Year Award and the San Antonio Women’s Celebration and Hall of Fame to name a few.

Marinella started her federal career with the U.S. Small Business Administration in economic development and marketing and later transferred to U.S. Housing and Urban Development serving as a grants manager, Contracting Officer, a Community Relations Officer, Public Housing Specialist and a Senior Community Planning and Development Representative. Having served in various positions at SBA and HUD also garnered Marinella recognition by FEMA as her specialized experience proved invaluable when she was detailed to FEMA during natural disasters throughout South Texas. Just prior to her retirement, HUD spotlighted her work with a Hurricane Harvey homeless and disabled veteran survivor at the national level.

Marinella graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University-San Antonio and plans to return to school to pursue a master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in non-profit leadership. She is a proud grandparent of two nearly perfect grandkids, and one of them is currently attending A&M-SA. Marinella’s passion for serving the community and work ethic has been passed on to her daughter, Genny. Genny is an early childhood special education teacher at Northside ISD who has also received numerous accolades and recognition for her work. She plans to enroll at A&M-SA in the Master of Educational Leadership program, thereby making three generations of one family attending A&M-SA!

Antonio is the Global Sourcing - Export Manager for H-E-B in San Antonio, Texas. He started his career as a Global Sourcing Manager immediately after graduation and has now been with H-E-B for 4.5 years. Since then, he has been promoted to Export Manager and now works with H-E-B partners across multiple departments such as procurement, international commerce, own brand/private label, accounting, warehousing, legal, transportation, customs, and marketing from both H-E-B Texas and Mexico divisions. He acts as the liaison between Texas’ 350+ stores and Mexico’s 66 stores in an effort to achieve mutual benefits. Antonio has helped source many private label authentic products from across the globe such as extra virgin olive oils, olives, cheeses, pastas, pasta sauces, jams, spreads, candy, prosciutto, cookware and much more for both H-E-B Texas and Mexico. In addition, he launched CIAO ITALIA - H-E-B MEXICO four years ago, a month-long sales event with the objective of introducing authentic Italian cuisine, culture, and products to H-E-B Mexico’s consumers. While pursuing his Master’s degree in International Business and Marketing from A&M-SA, Antonio, aka DJ TONYC (ton*ik) was a full-time DJ/event coordinator and marketing entrepreneur. He is the founder and owner of one of Texas’ biggest food festivals, the Barbacoa & Big Red Festival which is in its 9th year and gathers over 30,000 attendees. He also served as a consultant to the Miller-Coors Company, Dos XX and Red Bull North America for targeted brand management projects. The Monterrey Mexico native ended up right back where it all started, traveling almost weekly to H-E-B Mexico’s headquarters in Monterrey, Mexico (2 blocks away from the hospital in which he was born) where he works hand-in-hand with leaders across the company to strategize H-E-B’s next big move.

As a business owner and entrepreneur, Giselle has been recognized as an effective and motivational team leader with a consistent track record for delivering bottom-line results, customer satisfaction and developing strong relationships with clients. Since graduating with her bachelor of science in exercise science and with a minor in psychology from A&M-SA in 2012, Giselle has been an active alumna volunteering her time at numerous university events, providing movement opportunities for facility and staff, facilitating the School of Business with end-of-semester projects, as well as activating the local Southside community and surroundings areas.

A true inspiration to many and a proven leader with both education and hands-on experience of over 22 years in health and fitness coordinating, personal training, group fitness, sports performance and orthopedic spine and sports therapy. Giselle spent the last 13 years in leadership roles, owning/operating a small personal training business, and in the last 7 years founded what is now known as Brooks - Local Premier Fitness Company MIX FIT SA. Located on the Brooks Campus sits MIX FIT'S 5,000 square foot training facility providing an Open Gym, Group Fitness and Personal Training Facility. Giselle prides her business in being more than a gym, but an exercise experience as she and her team set the standard for Functional Training, Local Corporate Wellness Programs, and Community Activation opportunities for all fitness levels.

Aside from her business and community involvement, Giselle is a busy wife and mother of a 6 year old son, and 9 month daughter. Giselle’s mission in life is to set an example for her children, but also to make a difference in her community by impacting as many lives as possible through a healthy lifestyle and mixture of fun and unique fitness experiences. She and her team at MIX FIT thrive on motivating a movement on the South Side that is truly passionate, and dedicated to educating and instructing proper fitness and wellness, thus creating a healthier more active community and better quality of life for our city.

Fidela Arroyo is a 29-year old wife, daughter, sister, and mother of two beautiful little girls. Born and raised in San Antonio, she currently resides in Seguin, Texas. Fidela started at San Antonio College where she received her associate’s degree. She then transferred to Texas A&M University-San Antonio for her bachelor’s degree and has now attained her Master of Science with an emphasis in Applied Criminology.

Fidela has a passion to help people to overcome their obstacles since she started as a teenage mother. Parenthood is the leading reason that teenage girls drop out of school. More than fifty percent of teenage mothers never graduate from high school, much less college.

As a mother, Fidela knows parents want to provide all they can for their children. Therefore, she began her own party rental company in 2014 to help parents give to their children what they may not have had for themselves. She has had the privilege to host school carnivals, charity events, rodeo events, grand openings, birthday parties, weddings and much more. One of her favorite charity events was the Bed Race to End Homelessness in New Braunfels, Texas.

Fidela has used her degree to help those who are in need and/or incarcerated. She bonds people out of jail, guides them through the legal process and court dates, and works hand-in-hand with law enforcement, rehabilitation facilities, court liaisons, Haven for Hope, Salvation Army, Laurel Ridge, Crime Stoppers, Professional Bondsmen of Texas, Professional Bondsmen of the United States and MHMR in order to help clients get the help and/or treatment they may need. Fidela feels there are so many people that need rehabilitation versus incarceration.

Fidela is quite involved in her community. She has promoted and organized events and been a public speaker and motivational speaker. She is now considering getting an alternative teacher’s certification next to be one-on-one with our youth.  Fidela says Dr. Seuss says it best, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

Bianca Goodrum, a Licensed Professional Counselor who resides in San Antonio, is a proud Jaguar alumna as she received her Master of Arts degree in Counseling & Guidance from Texas A&M University-San Antonio in May of 2014. Bianca is also a Proud Aggie; she graduated from Texas A&M University in College Station where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health. Gig Em Aggies!

Bianca had the privilege of working collaboratively with children, adolescents and adults for 5 years in their grieving process at The Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas. She also had the opportunity to work at Clarity Child Guidance Center; a mental health treatment center which seeks to help children overcome the restricting effects of mental illness, as well as improve their ability to function within their lives.

Bianca currently is working as a counselor at The Rape Crisis Center where she works each day to hold space for survivors of sexual violence and their family members to offer Help, Hope and Healing to one client at a time. She also spends her time on the weekends working with clients through grief, depression, trauma, anxiety and familial concerns in her private counseling practice with her father Kenneth E. Goodrum, LPC-S.

Bianca’s counseling philosophy is that a good Counselor is one who provides genuineness, unconditional positive regard and empathy for their clients as they process their thoughts and feelings. She believes she is most helpful as a Counselor when she is able to meet her clients where they are, in order to provide quality care.

Bianca is a 3rd year Counselor Education & Supervision Doctoral Student at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Bianca’s research interest consists of Counselor Wellness and the importance of Counselors taking care of themselves while doing the hard work of holding space for their clients and their needs. In addition, her research interests consist of working with youth who are challenged with mental illness, experiences with trauma, and grief. Bianca loves working with future Counselors-in-Training (CITs) and their development to ensure CITs offer quality care to their clients. Lastly, Bianca is excited about the opportunity to use her PhD to help her one day lead and guide future Counselors-in-Training.

Kristal Eaker is a 2012 and 2015 graduate of Texas A&M University – San Antonio with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Business with a concentration in Management/Human Resources. In her role as a single mother, she has undergone many hardships especially working and going to school full-time to support a son.

As a student worker in the College of Business at Texas A&M University – San Antonio, Kristal was hired to recruit students for the College of Business and to increase enrollment while discussing opportunities within the programs offered. Due to her hard work, she was soon hired full-time as a recruiter with mentors Kris Scheneman and Debbie Knipe teaching her transfer advising concepts which quickly became her niche. As a transfer advisor, she met and bonded with Roberta Cancio who is a firefighter with the San Antonio Fire Department. Due to her mentorship, Kristal began to volunteer with her at many SAFD fundraising events including the Heroes Fest for the Firefighters Cancer Fund. Kristal was also asked to assist in organizing and executing the fundraiser for injured firefighter Brad Phipps and Fallen Firefighter Scott Deem which raised over $90,000 for their families.

While attending A&M-SA, Kristal became involved in the Society for Human Resources (SHRMA) on campus and the City of San Antonio Chapter (SAHRMA) (serving as President of the A&M-SA Chapter for two years). Kristal along with her team headed many volunteer efforts including helping students get registered to vote in the election (over 70 students were signed up in just one day) and getting donations each year for the local food bank, raising over 52,000 lbs for those in need.

Due to wanting to help the Military Affairs Office on campus assist veterans, Kristal began volunteering with that office and attended many recruiting events in order to help our military better understand their options for education and help to ease their transition.

Over the next several years, Kristal was able to assist numerous active duty, retired, separated, Green-to-Gold and ROTC students. She says, “It is amazing to see our ROTC kids develop into the great adults that I know they can be. Even after my employment with A&M-SA ended, and I found employment closer to home, I still found time to help out our ROTC cadets with their advising questions, their 104R and even their workouts (although they are much better at it than me. Ha)”.

Kristal has since become involved with Project Phoenix (a non-profit organization geared to helping Veterans and the homeless), the Travis Manion Foundation (a non-profit that empowers veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations) where she has participated in the 9/11 Heroes run for the last 4 years and has been the top donation earner the last 3 years, and the SA Rodeo Ticket Committee where she assists the Military Affairs office in hosting Wounded Warriors for a night of friendship, camaraderie and entertainment that they most likely would never get elsewhere.

To be able to help our Service Members and First Responders in any way that she can is what drives her to do what she do. Her father and grandfather were military and her son is an active duty Marine. This is her way of giving back.

While pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at A&M-SA, Jess was given the chance to join the research team of Dr. Corinna Ross. Under her tutelage, Jess conducted a research study on maternal obesity in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), a small new-world primate roughly the size of a squirrel. From that moment on, she was hooked.

Jess graduated cum laude on May 20 of 2016 and began her new job three days later as a Research Assistant at Texas Biomedical Research Institute under Dr. Suzette Tardif, one of the leading marmoset researchers in the world. She was hired to organize and carry out a four- to five-year project aimed to standardize captive marmoset nutrition for both research facilities and zoos around the world. While working on the nutrition project, Jess was assigned to a multitude of other research projects focused on aging and cognition for young and geriatric marmosets. During this time, Jess also had the unique opportunity to collaborate with amazing scientists around the country, including some from the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and the Smithsonian National Zoo. Their research led to her to securing authorship on multiple papers published in national peer-reviewed journals, including Nature Magazine’s Scientific Reports, and the American Journal of Primatology. Jess was fortunate enough to earn the opportunity to present her research at multiple national and international conferences, such as the International Society of Primatologists and the American Society of Primatologists. After three years as a research assistant and with the nutrition project wrapping up, Jess realized she wanted to be a part of not only the research with marmosets, but the care and wellbeing of these amazing creatures. On August 1, 2019, she assumed the role of Colony Supervisor at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, making her the youngest supervisor in the institute. Her current duties put her in charge of executing all research projects, scheduling physical exams and monitoring colony health, and supervising the husbandry staff for the largest colony of marmosets in the country. Jess has an incredible opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s leading researchers in areas as wide-spread as aging, nutrition, neuroscience, and infectious diseases. She feels it is her duty to make sure that the animals are given the best care while they help push our scientific knowledge in these areas.

Her parents named her Blanca Aracely Banda. “There is importance in your name,” her abuelita said, “it is part of your identity, your essence, your cultura.” The footprints of the different cultures of San Luis Potosi, Mexico are written in the features of her face:  Indigenous, Japanese and Spaniard. She happily embraces them all. As an alumnus of Texas A&M Kingsville and of A&M-SA, Blanca’s had the privilege to witness the development of her beautiful university. Blanca, too, will tell you she grew with it.  “I’m a 43-years-old woman pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration.”

Blanca strives to be involved in her university and community, serving as a member and officer in eleven organizations within the university and two organizations within the San Antonio community: RAICES and Catholic Charities. A proud Jaguar, Blanca  dedicates her award to the spirit of Esperanza that walks the halls of the university. “It was the hope of the honorable Senator Frank Madla that gave us A&M-SA. May that same hope become a reality in our lives, hope in ourselves and hope in others. Esperanza, I see it in the faces of students, I witness it in the lessons of our professors; it is a part of me. For it is the Esperanza of my ancestors that gave me the strength to be audacious. It was the Jaguar Spirit that brought me here.  Thank you.”

Distinguished Alumnus

Ben Zeller is an 8^th-generation Texan with deep roots in The Lone Star state.  He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Houston-Victoria (UH-V) and earned an MBA from Texas A&M University-San Antonio.  He worked in the financial sector at Wells Fargo Bank and then at Texas Dow Employees Credit Union.  While there, Ben ran for Victoria County Judge and was elected in November 2014 as one of the youngest County Judges in Texas, age 30 at his swearing-in.  He is the past President of the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association, has taught business classes at Victoria College, and was chosen by UH-V earlier this year as their 2018 Young Alumnus of the Year for outstanding professional accomplishments.

Spirit of the Jaguar

As Director of Military Affairs and Army ROTC at Texas A&M University-San Antonio since 2011, Richard helped to establish A&M-SA as not only the first purple heart university in the area but the first to establish a stand-alone building solely for military-connected students--an achievement that has since been duplicated all over the United States.  Richard has helped improve resources and programs for veterans and their families through volunteer participation on several state and national panels, committees, and boards.  Currently he is the chair for the City of San Antonio’s Committee on Veteran Affairs, the Director of Operations for the San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families (SACVF), and the Co-Chair of the SACVF Community Veteran Engagement Board to name just a few.

Recent Graduate Award

A talented artist, writer, composer, vocalist, and native of the South Side, Alyssa earned an associate’s degree from Palo Alto in communications and a B.A. in communications from Texas A&M University-San Antonio and will apply next year to a master’s program at the University of the Incarnate Word.  When she graduated from South San Antonio High School, she was the first in her family to achieve more than a middle school education.  Alyssa has created a freelance tutoring business, mentors students on the South Side, and hopes to publish her poetry novel in 2020.  But she will tell you that the “opportunity of a lifetime” was acting as the lyricist for A&M-SA’s Fight Song which was introduced to the community in the fall of last year.