San Antonio First Lady Visits Campus

First-Year Experience and Student Leadership offices invited Erika Prosper, Senior Director of Customer Insights at H-E-B., to Texas A&M-San Antonio in celebration of Women's History Month.

Erika Prosper is commonly known as the first lady of San Antonio, the wife of Mayor Ron Nirenberg. During a guided discussion panel, Prosper discussed the importance of listening, advocacy, and fellowship. The panel host was Angel Silva, a criminology major, and First Year Experience student employee.

Discussion questions covered various hot topics regarding gender pay inequality in the workplace and the concept of Imposter Syndrome. 

"Women for a long time have been fed the line that it is okay to have Imposter Syndrome. I'm here to tell you no. There is going to come a time in your life and in your career where you're really good at what you do…. I think women have been the ones who have been historically gaslighted to not feel that they should be in the room at the table. There is going to be a point where you're really good at what you do, and you need to stop and say I no longer have Imposter Syndrome. I now live in an Imposter System, and it's my job to dismantle the system."

After the panel, the floor was opened for students to ask her questions. Students asked about how to ask for help and ways to build strong fellowship with peers. Prosper spoke on the human desire to help others. She empowered students to be specific about their needs when asking for help so that others can activate guided paths and connections. 

Prosper stayed well into the evening after the event, chatting and taking photos with students. 

Photos from the event: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamusasse/albums/72177720315260326