ty of Texas at San Antonio FAll 2013 The Universi

Honorable Quest the many facets of our newest faculty INSIDE Honorable Quest The university’s newest faculty members come from around the globe and bring 14 with them unique expertise and research.

Boomtown, Texas It seems to have happened overnight. With the discovery of the Eagle Ford Shale, small towns across the southern half of Texas are dealing with more people, more 22 housing needs and more money.

the newest face of CoverGirl cos- Community The Paseo metics, thanks to Walking in comedienne Ellen 28 Taxing WOrk 4 their Shoes DeGeneres. Chris Rosas ’00, Like a living game M.B.A. ’02, does board, an Institute It’s Not All what he can to of Texan Cultures 10 Rock ’n’ Roll inspire fellow Road- exhibit navigates There’s much more runners to work in visitors through to the world of the world of tax. the dips and turns music than notes. If of the immigration you want to have a Formula experience. career in the industry, 30 for Success one UTSA class will Math degrees aren’t Music tell you how to go just for teachers 6 with Brains about it. and profs anymore. He’s a neuroscien- Math-based tist by day, a jazz Roadrunner professions are musician by night. 12 Sports everywhere. Professor Donald Sports briefs, Robin seamlessly plus get to know 31 Class Notes makes the transi- Jeromie Hill, the Profile of veteran tion from science basketball team’s advocate William to music. award-winning O. Dawson III ’10, power forward and M.P.A. ’13; and Something to resident Aussie. Anwei Chen ’08, ON THE COVER: Kimberly Fonzo, assistant professor of English, is one of 8 who works in the newest additions to UTSA’s faculty. The former theater actress found her Smile About passion for medieval literature backstage. Alexis Harris, a se- virtual reality. Special thanks to Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church for the setting nior anthropology and Hunter Vick, a junior English and history major, for costuming. major, becomes

ON THIS PAGE: In the South Texas night air, a raw oil collection tank stands as a testament to the new 21st century black-gold rush along the Eagle Ford Shale. Hard-working Carrizo Springs is now facing extraordinary challenges from this unprecedented economic boom. fall 2013 Sombrilla 1 Photos by Patrick ray Dunn Healing Water Not a Hatchling The work that the team I am super glad this story from Engineers Without was told. I was there Borders is doing is an at the UTSA versus the Fall 2013 awesome thing. I’m glad University of Arkansas Volume 30, Number 1 to be a part of UTSA game. I’ve told more The University of Texas LETTERS Engineering. You make than a few folks how I at San Antonio EDITOR’S NOTE Sombrilla a happy life with girls that us proud. was present when our President had similar ambitions of first Roadrunner mascot What do you want? Spring 2013 earning badges, going on Philip Gabriel Casso Ricardo Romo I particularly love the Mechanical engineering was hatched by Antonio trips and getting together If you could follow your dream, any dream, what would in my head pointing out what was impractical or un- Spring 2013 issue. You major, UTSA Gonzalez III ’82. Antonio, Publisher and regularly. We went to several you do? achievable. I couldn’t do a cartwheel, but I still be- the sombrilla guys really put out an you did our school proud. Vice President for neat places for camping. external relations As I ate lunch in the Sombrilla one recent fall after- lieved I could somersault my way onto the most famous outstanding publication. Where It was an exciting time for I’m still involved. I took us then, as it is now. Marjie French noon, I was forced to think about that question. It was football field in the world. I was afraid of heights but I wanted to share my my daughter to the World Roadrunners Go ’Runners! staring me in the face in vivid red marker on a presen- dreamed of flying to the moon. I’m a shy introvert but input with you about your Center in Pune, India, Associate Vice PResident Roost tation board that had to be at least eight feet tall and I believed that someday I would perform for a packed feature story about our which was another exciting Daniel Arismendez ’79 for Communications and Your graphic about San Antonio 16 feet wide. “If you could pursue your dream with no audience at the Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera House. first Roadrunner. That was opportunity where she Marketing where Roadrunners roost fear of failure, what would you do?” And then I grew up. really entertaining. Please learned about the Girl Joe Izbrand indicated no alumni A crowd was gathered around the board and oc- That little voice in my head got louder and more let your staff know to keep Scouts and Girl Guides Changing Lives live in Oklahoma. I’ve Editor casionally a brave soul would step forward, pick up persistent. I started thinking about what was the up the great work and don’t around the world. I want to Whatever a human mind been in Oklahoma since Lety Laurel a marker and start jotting down an answer. I watched stop sending me Sombrilla take her to the one in Pax can conceive, a human smartest path, the one that made sense. Words like 1982. Born in Nebraska, because it is a really well- Lodge, London, before she mind can achieve! Associate Editor with curiosity and with just a little bit of age-weary “responsible,” “honorable” and “economical” started raised in Texas and now done magazine. graduates from high school. (Napoleon Hill) Martha Guillermo Garcia amusement. beating incessant rhythms in my head. permanently affixed to William Love ’01 Girl Scouts isn’t just about Hathorn is a perfect So what would I do? The dreams stopped coming. Oklahoma. You could design Director Corpus Christi, Texas earning badges. Girl Scouts example of determination It’s a loaded question, for sure. But one that was So on that recent fall have put me almost Tom Palmer are proven leaders if they go to succeed in life. I’m a easier to answer when I was a kid. day, I walked up to the anywhere, but at least through the entire program. 78-year-young grandma Astronaut. presentation board, a lot Girl Power currently I should be Photographers The biggest adventure and didn’t have the Patrick Ray Dunn, Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. older, a little bit wiser and Girl Scouts is a wonderful Kalpana M. Iyengar representing Oklahoma. opportunity to attend Mark McClendon Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and astronaut. with just a sliver remain- way to learn leadership Ph.D. student, UTSA Thanks for your attention you can take is to live skills along with engaging college, but two of my Famous musician. ing of the dreamer in me. to a correction. And Contributors daughters graduated from Back then I had no fear of failure, no little voice And I saw their dreams in fun activities such Tangle of thank you for the great as camping. I was a girl the University of Texas at Tim Brownlee, Ashley written in blue, green, red the life of your dreams. magazine. I am very Dumulong, Christi Fish, KC guide in India and I went Memories Austin. My mother used and orange. Some were proud of UTSA! Gonzalez, Eleazar Hernández, —Oprah Winfrey to Raichur to attend I am a Roadrunner who to tell us “Education is tiny, almost hidden. Oth- Margaret Anderson Kathryn Jones, Judith Lipsett, the national Jamboree. has recently dealt with the best inheritance we ers were scrawled across ’81 Newalla, Okla. Kris Rodriguez, K.L. Rodriguez Girl Scouts is the No. 1 Alzheimer’s disease. My can leave to our children. the board, pictures and Nobody can steal it from leadership development mom died April 20, 2012, Editor’s note: The Web Designer formulas punctuating their messages: their minds.” I’m really organization that teaches from early-onset Alzheimer’s. number of UTSA alumni Kristina Leh “Make an amazing historical discovery that chang- She was 66 years old. proud of my children and and helps girls grow residing in Oklahoma is es how we see history itself!” I applaud any and all 221. We apologize for my dear friend, Martha. Web specialist emotionally and socially. It “Create the next greatest equation and become the research efforts. the omission. The correct Maria Corral was important to me to join Magdalena Villanueva next Einstein (E=MC2).” graphic can be viewed at San Marcos, Texas ‘‘ when I was in high school Wendy Crawford ’92, utsa.edu/sombrilla/roost. Sombrilla Magazine “Answer people’s prayers.” because I wanted to live M.B.A. ’94 Dayton, Ohio is published two times “I would save all the endangered animals in the a year by the Office world.” of University Communications I could feel the dreamer in me stirring. Growing. Write Back! and Marketing, go online! UTSA, One UTSA Circle, Dreaming once again. What would I do if I could pur- We’d love to hear from you! How San Antonio, Texas 78249. sue my dreams without being tethered by fear? I found Need more information? Check out these UTSA websites: do you think we’re doing? Have It is mailed without charge to my answer. And if you ever see that big presentation ’’ Chat with us! For back issues of To discover ways to any comments about the stories alumni, faculty, staff and board, you just might see it tucked away on a corner. facebook.com/utsa Sombrilla, go to give back, go to friends of The University of I may be older, but I think maybe I had it right be- utsa.edu/sombrilla twitter.com/utsa you’ve seen here? Contact us at Texas at San Antonio. giving.utsa.edu fore. And maybe someday I’ll see you in Paris. Or, rath- [email protected]. Or mail your Phone: (210) 458-6155 For campus news Check out the latest sports Go mobile: Email:[email protected]. er, you’ll see me. letters to Sombrilla Editor, Office and events, visit stats and information at utsa.edu/mobileapp utsa.edu/today of University Communications To be removed from the Saludos, utsa.edu/athletics For everything else, Sombrilla mailing list, go to utsa.edu and Marketing, UTSA, One UTSA For The Graduate Reconnect with old receive Sombrilla Online School, go to classmates at Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249. only or update address utsa.edu/graduate utsa.edu/alumni Letters may be edited for length information, send a message Andre Childs, a junior physics major, writes down his dream of trav- to [email protected]. eling all over the world. The board is a project by San Antonio resi- or clarity. dent Russ Garcia, who visited colleges and universities throughout Central Texas in October to ask the simple question: If you could Lety pursue your dreams with no fear of failure, what would you do?

2 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu Fall 2013 Sombrilla 3 THE PA StASEOroll Around Campus Walking in their ITC exhibit navigates visitors through the dips and turns of the immigration experience Shoes By K.L. Rodriguez

he stories are wrenching, in- “The waiting, the state of limbo and immigrants are 30 percent more likely spiring, heartbreaking. A native the uncertainty of what the outcome to start a business than a native-born When I Tof the Democratic Republic of would be are what made the process American.” Congo immigrated to the U.S. after his difficult. Thank God for overcoming.” What the “Why We Came” exhibit listen to or read entire family was killed. A young Ni- Along with the Adeekos, Gould does best is explain the many paths gerian left everyone in his country— interviewed each immigrant featured to citizenship. There are 185 differ- about people mother, siblings, friends—to attend a in the exhibit and wove their stories ent kinds of visas. Some immigrants Minnesota community college on a throughout the display. There are six become citizens in as little as six or ‘‘that immigrated scholarship. A Cambodian came after stations that visitors pass through, seven years, including those who are here as refu- riding a bicycle 500 miles to Thailand, where they learn what the immigrants closely related to a U.S. citizen—such getting captured by the Khmer Rouge, packed, how they adapted to a new as a parent or spouse. Others who can gees, escaping escaping, falling into a booby trap and environment, which traditions they naturalize quickly are wealthy inves- surviving a refugee camp. kept and which they abandoned. tors and star athletes. But the path to war, famine or Then there is the young wife Adeeko, for example, maintained citizenship for most, Gould said, is 10 from Mexico, whose husband swam his native language. But he and his to 20 years. personal per- across the Rio Grande River while she Nigerian wife raised their children “For a lot of people, the process of secution, I feel crossed in an inner tube, clinging to a speaking English only. The exhibit immigration is confusing and kind of a handful of clothes. includes this quote that explains why: mystery,” she said. “This exhibit is de- humbled that Welcome to “Why We Came: The “Part of the reason was we didn’t want signed in the shape of a game board Immigration Experience,” a powerful them to have the same accent handi- so you have to navigate the process.” there are others and poignant exhibit at UTSA’s Insti- cap we do.” For Benga Adeeko, the pathway to tute of Texan Cultures. Adeeko earned a bachelor’s in edu- citizenship is complete. But even after that have paid The exhibit traces the experiences cation from the University of Illinois, living in the United States for 35 years, a greater price of 16 immigrants through a creative and an M.B.A. from Eastern Illinois he thinks about his home in Africa. game board. Visitors select color- University. Today, he serves as the “Even though I came here to fur- than I did. coded cards and immerse themselves director of endowment services and ther my education, from time to time in the journeys of actual immigrants, compliance at UTSA. I still feel the guilt and pain of the —Benga Adeeko learning the motivations of becom- The exhibit notes the successes of heavy price I paid—and continue to ing a U.S. citizen and understanding other immigrants, such as Lan-Anh pay—for that opportunity to be here,” the challenges of the process. At the Ngo, a doctor, and Soan Ngo, a den- he said, referring to family, friends and end, visitors take a citizenship test and tist. Lan-Anh Ngo came to the U.S. familiar places he left behind, espe- ’’ share their own immigrant stories. from Vietnam with her mother and cially his widowed mother. “When I “I hope this will open people’s eyes attended high school in Texas. At 13, listen to or read about people that im- to the complexity of immigration,” Soan Ngo escaped Vietnam by boat migrated here as refugees, escaping said Sarah Gould, the designer and cu- with his sister, nearly died at sea, and war, famine or personal persecution, I rator of the exhibit. “It’s not easy.” finally settled in Amarillo, Texas. The feel humbled that there are others that Benga Adeeko emigrated from Ni- two met at Texas A&M University and have paid a greater price than I did.” geria in 1978. It took him 15 years to got married. Shukuru Saidi is one of them. In become a citizen. “I came here with nothing and now 2004, he fled the Democratic Republic Adeeko and his wife, Moji, went I’m a physician,” Lan-Anh Ngo said. of Congo and went to Tanzania after from one part of the U.S. to another to The exhibit offers compelling trivia. his entire family was killed. further their education and endured a Did you know the founders of Google, “I feared for my life,” he said. long and agonizing journey to citizen- eBay and Yahoo are all immigrants? Saidi wound up in San Antonio— ship. They struggled through unem- “Many immigrants are entrepre- and his story is now displayed on the ployment, low wages and separation neurs,” Gould said. “In fact, approxi- walls of the ITC so that visitors can try from family. mately one out of 10 immigrant work- to understand, or at least appreciate, “It was heart wrenching,” he said. ers owns a business. That means what he went through to be here. n by T homa s Palmer I llu s tratio Ffallall 2013 Sombrilla 5 THE PASEO

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“We’ve raised our admissions standards, Music with and students like what they see. Top- tier students want to come here because brains they know they will be surrounded by Neuroscientist and radiology prof trades labs for jazz other top students, by by Guillermo Garcia top-tier faculty, and they will get a top-tier education.” —President Ricardo Romo, onald Robin, who during the day is a neurosci- The name of his group, Royal Punisher, is more befitting at the Sept. 24 State of the entist and professor at UTSA, isn’t the type who a heavy metal band than a jazz quartet with decades of University address Dwalks around in a lab coat and tie. rock and improvisation “chops.” It became the group’s for- With attire consisting of a T-shirt, a pair of well-worn mal handle after Robin visited a winery in Napa Valley that shorts and flip-flops, one gets the idea that there is more produces a zinfandel of the same name. His band mates to this professor’s life than lecturing on the com- loved the name. plexities of the human brain. The quartet performs regularly at their home bar, Bone- After dark, one gets a much clearer pic- shakers, near downtown San Antonio, and continues to ture. Once the sun has set, Robin sheds what attract the local arts crowd as it plays in non-jazz venues few Ph.D. trappings remain, powers down his around town. This year, it was named the top jazz act by computer and plugs in his guitar to play in a band readers of the San Antonio Current. with an unlikely name: Royal Punisher. “We are getting people to listen to us who had never A Royal Punisher performance includes a mix of im- much listened to jazz,” Robin said. “And we are playing in by the numbers provisation with such standards as Thelonious Monk’s venues where we are bringing jazz to high school and col- “Epsitrophy” and Frank Zappa’s “Blessed Relief.” lege students, which is not bad.” 33 This summer, the quartet recorded and produced its first The band is already inspiring some elementary and faculty promoted to album of original compositions, due out this fall. middle school students: Robin’s three children, ages 11, 9 associate professor with “We could have done it before, but we weren’t ready,” and 6, are learning to play the piano, guitar and drums and tenure in 2013 Robin said of the recording sessions. “It took us three years they also sing. playing together to get us ready.” The next generation of “punisher” musicians may short- The laid-back musician/scientist is also assistant direc- ly be taking the stage with their scientist father. tor in UTSA’s Honors College. He teaches a course that pairs neuroscience students and art students and explores how the brain guides art and how art affects the brain. Another course “evaluates the ideas that people believe in, whether the idea works or not. There are the ideas of ‘perpetual mo- tion,’ or taking sea salt to improve your health. Basically, it is ‘voodoo,’ if someone believes in it, but we know it doesn’t work,” he said. Robin also heads the Human Performance Division of the Research Imaging Institute at the University of Texas //in brief// Health Science Center at San Antonio, where he was named Nobel Nolan radiology professor of the year in 2011–12. Doctoral student Penchants for both music and academia came early in Amanda Nolan was Robin’s life. one of 600 scientists chosen to attend Born in Boston while his father was on the faculty at Har- the Meeting of vard University medical school, he began playing the violin Nobel Laureates and at age 4. Students in Lindau, Germany. It was the First taught by his father’s best friend, who was in the fourth time in five string section of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Robin years that a UTSA said the internal musical light didn’t ignite until the grand student was selected to attend. old age of 6. He picked up a guitar about the same time that Illustration by Phillip Luna Nolan, a chemistry his father put Miles Davis’ critically acclaimed, revolution- Donald Robin, professor and assistant director of UTSA’s Honors College, is a student, is working ary classic, “Kind of Blue,” on the turntable. neuroscientist by day and jazz artist by night. His band, Royal Punisher, plays in on cancer stem cell venues throughout San Antonio and includes Don Phillip Luna on bass, Estevan research. “That was it. I fell in love,” he said. He has been playing Garcia on the alto sax and Kory Cook on the drums.

ray du nn ck ray p hoto by Patri ever since.

6 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu Fall 2013 Sombrilla 7 THE PASEO

! “I have always been at- tracted to the Baroque, and I grew up in the barrio. I see the beauty in both, so I wanted to Something to put those two elements together. I like the high drama. I feel like I’m Smile About staging my own opera.” New cosmetics model smiles for a mission —Arturo Almeida, curator of the UTSA art collection, about his San Antonio art show “Side By Rudy Arispe by Side,” as quoted June 30 in the San Antonio Express-News lexis Harris isn’t just another pretty face. after she submitted her online application in January. She’s the new easy, breezy face of CoverGirl—and “I waited for a long time and never heard back,” she said. A she’s ready to share the limelight with superstars “In March, one of the producers called and said they had Sofía Vergara, Queen Latifah and Pink, whose long lashes tickets for me to go see Ellen because they knew I was such and shimmering lips shine in magazine and TV ads all over a huge fan. I had written about a million times to get tickets the world. and nothing ever happened.” //in brief// Harris was handpicked from among 20,000 contestants Harris took her mother and 9-year-old brother to the tap- Breaking who submitted essays and videos to The Ellen DeGeneres ing. Once they arrived, a producer told her that they had Ground Show, explaining why they should be the new CoverGirl. made a mistake and had only one ticket, but not to worry Sue Ann Pemberton, a senior lecturer of The popular host announced a nationwide search in January. because her mom and brother would get to sit backstage historic preservation Now the best is yet to come. instead and would be well taken care of. and architecture in Harris, a 19-year-old senior anthropology major, will During the show, DeGeneres told the audience that she the College of Archi- be fussed over by stylists and hair and make-up artists as had a special announcement to make, saying she had finally tecture and fellow of the American Institute she and her idol, DeGeneres, work together in a CoverGirl selected the next CoverGirl, and that she was going to intro- of Architects, recently photo shoot that will appear in an upcoming issue of duce the winner to the audience. was elected to serve People magazine. “She said, ‘But first I’m going to bring her family onstage.’ as president of the “I still keep pinching myself to make sure this isn’t a Then my mother, brother, grandmother and sister-in-law San Antonio Conser- vation Society for the dream,” Harris said. walked out,” Harris said. “I started crying my eyes out. She 2013–2014 term. She Since being named a CoverGirl in March, Harris’ life showed my submission tape to the audience, and then is the first architect has been a rollercoaster. In April, she traveled to Las Ve- called me down to the stage.” and preservation gas to work the red carpet as a correspondent for The Ellen During a mock press conference, Harris stood next to professional to serve as president. DeGeneres Show at the 48th Annual Academy of Country DeGeneres, herself a CoverGirl brand ambassador, and Music Awards. She interviewed some of country music’s fielded a few playful questions from make-believe members hottest stars, including Shania Twain, Tim McGraw and of the press. Finally, DeGeneres presented the new Cover- Lady Antebellum. Girl with a $20,000 check. Was she nervous? Harris has already put much of that money to good use. “No, not all,” Harris said. “I just didn’t want to embarrass She used it to support her nonprofit SMIILE (Students Mak- myself.” ing Impact In Lives Everywhere), which she founded in June by the numbers She was also a correspondent for CoverGirl at the BET 2012 in her hometown of Killeen, Texas. The organization Awards in Los Angeles in late June. Just a few weeks earlier, collected food to distribute to people in soup kitchens and 3,692 Harris wrapped her first eight-hour CoverGirl photo shoot assisted area families with collection drives for clothes and freshmen in fall 2013 at that city’s famed Milk Studios, where the make-up brand school supplies. photographs all of its famous faces. “It’s about giving back to your community and doing good “It was awesome. They did my things in the world wherever you can,” she said. hair, make-up and nails, and I Harris, who expects to graduate in May 2014, plans to got to try on all these fabulous earn a master’s degree and then a Ph.D. in public policy. clothes,” the young model recalled She credits her mother, Keesha, for her drive and ambition. of the back-to-school themed photo “She has been a big part of my support system,” Harris shoot. “They let me keep the shoes, said. “She’s someone I’ve looked up to growing up. I admire the letterman’s jacket that I wore the way she has balanced her life, work and family.” and the bright orange Capri pants Her mother, a program manager with the Boys and Girls and pink top.” Clubs of Central Texas, said she is happy for her daughter’s Harris’ once-in-a-lifetime inclu- recent success. sion into the CoverGirl club started “I am extremely grateful and appreciative simply because Alexis allows me to share this moment with her,” she said. Alexis Harris, a senior anthropology major, “She is the positive influence young people need.” was surprised on national television in March So what was it like for Harris to finally meet her idol? with news that she would be the next model for CoverGirl cosmetics. “It was a dream come true. I was just happy to be in the audience,” Harris said. “She has these big, blue eyes, and Photo: Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

she’s so down-to-earth.” du nn ck ray p hoto by Patri

8 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu Fall 2013 Sombrilla 9 THE PASEO ! QR EG $ “Let’s assume that to some degree UTSA is the beneficiary of the fact that kids might not be able to get into the EG flagship [UT Austin]. It’s UTSA, not UT Arlington. It’s UTSA, not UTEP. $ It’s UTSA, not UT Tyler that has experienced $ this growth. What is the secret sauce? What is it about this campus, this institution, that has $ become such a magnet?” —Evan Smith, editor-in-chief $ and CEO of Texas Tribune, in an QR Aug. 19 interview with President Ricardo Romo about enrollment, demographic changes and E G $ Rock graduation rates F eans learning Roll’ f the business nusic career m $ ’A m d outs o : the ins an By rudy arispe $

Illustration by Tom Palmer by the numbers rant Carfer is already record- music department who has taught the in- at the Convention Center. After years as a and not to do, and career options,” she said. 100 ing his own album. That’s the troductory course for the past four years. freelance musician, King began teaching at While the class is a requirement for student companies in easy part for the 21-year-old. “Most of us don’t know about these UTSA. That was 20 years ago. Flores’ major, students like Dillan Williams the Roadrunner business What comes next is why he’s things,” he said. “We also talk about the In addition to Introduction to the Music are interested in learning the business of incubator Gsitting in Morgan King’s Introduction to the history of the business going back to the Industry, King also teaches History of Rock, music just in case they need a Plan B for Most musicians are not Music Industry class. invention of the phonograph and how it History of Jazz, and Jazz Skills. Recently, he their career tracks. “I have a lot of questions because I’m changed the whole music business, to the was part of the band for a performance by Williams, a political science major, said trained the way these recording my album and plan to do every- idea of copyrights, and the development of the Four Tops and the Temptations at the he’s always been interested in politics and ‘‘ thing for it and to promote it,” said the mu- technology to today’s digital downloads.” Majestic Theater in San Antonio. government, but he can’t quite discard the students are ... traditional sic marketing major. “I also want to be a King can speak from personal “Most musicians are not trained the way idea of pursuing a music career. record label owner and help other up-and- experience about the ups and downs of these students are. [The students] are set up “I make a lot of music, so I want to learn paradigms are going away, so coming artists with their careers.” a music career and what it takes to make to succeed from a business aspect,” he said. the ins and outs of the industry and how to King’s class covers everything about it in the industry. His first professional “What’s happening now is those traditional market myself and get my name out there,” by the numbers it’s increasingly important careers in music, from composing and gig straight out of college was playing paradigms are going away, so it’s increas- he said. producing to becoming a jingle writer or saxophone with the Tommy Dorsey ingly important that musicians today learn Psychology major Marcus Medina is also 85 that musicians today learn to music therapist. It is especially geared to- Orchestra and touring the country by bus to take care of themselves.” considering whether to pursue a career in his countries represented by ward those who have dreams of perform- with the group for nine months during That’s why Alex Flores is taking the class. degree field or one in music. He already works UTSA students take care of themselves. ing professionally or who plan to work in the late ’70s. Later, King moved back to The music marketing major sees a future for in the industry as a deejay and musician. related fields. San Antonio and was a pit musician for herself in the cutthroat industry. “I’ve always been interested in music,” he —Morgan King The course analyzes publishing, record touring Broadway shows and for Johnny “I sing and write music. I’ve already said. “I want to learn more about the indus- companies, copyrights and royalty pay- Mathis, Sammy Davis Jr., Liberace and learned so much in the first few days of this try and about copyright laws in case I want ’’ ments, said King, a senior lecturer in the Vikki Carr during private performances class, such as the legal aspects, what to do to pursue music later on in life.” 10 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu Fall 2013 Sombrilla 11 THE PASEO

! Loves to travel: “It was a tremendous “It is so much fun to have Arnold and Sadie: achievement to win the experienced such a large part of Has two dogs, an English WAC Commissioner’s Sports Briefs America, traveling to games with “staffy,” named Arnold, the team. And I got to do it for free, after the weightlifting Cup in our first season Rice two days later. For her player in conference in the league. The credit which is pretty cool.” actor and former California efforts, she was the first history to sweep the governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; goes to all the hard Offensive and Defensive freshman to earn C-USA and Sadie, whom he describes as work and dedication Defensive Player of the Player of the Week awards “just a crazy dog I love.” from our student- Week honors this fall. in a single week. The athletes and coaches. Roadrunners opened We’ve always felt we Cross Country league play with a pair of On Conference USA: The women opened the road victories at Tulane had a well-rounded “We are going to be finding out who we are. 2013 season with a vic- and Louisiana Tech on department, one in Our goal this year is to compete, give the other tory at the Texas Lutheran the last weekend of which we are successful teams in the conference a run for their money Invitational and three other September. across the board in all and prove that we are able to play at this level.” of our sports. Winning runner-up performances. Senior Nina Herrera led our third conference the way for the Roadrun- Commissioner’s Cup ners. She was named Favorite food: in the last six years is Conference USA Athlete a great reward and A delicious, big of the Week on Sept. 23 spotlight Texas steak. representation of that Jeff Huehn, UTSA Athletics following her second-place success.” effort at the UTSA Ricardo —Lynn Hickey, UTSA athletics Romo Classic and also Jeromie Hill director, in June was victorious at the TLU Invite, which helped the By Guillermo Garcia Eric Soza is the first Roadrunners football player ever to be named to a Roadrunners win the team national award preseason watch list. He was named to both the Manning Award and inaugural Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award in August. title for the third consecu- tive year. eromie Hill, the UTSA basketball team’s the weather and the Football Team. He also is a 2013 The men won their third award-winner, has somewhat more than people of San Antonio. Senior quarterback Eric Senior CLASS Award consecutive crown at the Ja crosstown commute. Arguably, he has The people here made my transition Soza was named to both nominee. Texas Lutheran Invitational what is probably the longest commute to easy. I also chose [UTSA] because the Manning Award on Sept. 7 and the Road- school: 8,300 miles. this school is going places at a rapid (nation’s top QB) and the Soccer runners posted two other But despite playing ball halfway around pace and I want to be a part of that.” inaugural Earl Campbell UTSA is in its first season runner-up performances to Sophomore Brett Hogan recorded the world from home, the 22-year-old na- Hill has been a standout hoopster, Tyler Rose Award (top of playing at the new Park open the 2013 campaign. the best score by a Roadrunner tive of Cairns, a beachside city of 150,000 in having twice been named to the All- West Athletics Complex. in 10 years and the fifth-best in offensive player in Division program annals. Queensland, Australia, plays “grouse.” That Southland Conference team. In his I with ties to the state of The team, which includes NCAA Championships is Aussie slang for very good. first year, he was named 2010–11 Texas) preseason watch 14 newcomers, opened the UTSA will host a pair Hill had never been to Texas before arriv- Southland Conference Freshman of Men’s Golf lists back in August. He facility on Aug. 16 with an of NCAA Championship ing three years ago, but he was pleasantly sur- the Year. UTSA opened the fall is the first Roadrunners exhibition game. Freshman events in 2014. The NCAA prised by the similarities: warm weather, lots As a sophomore he led the team campaign with a strong football player ever to be goalkeeper Bubba Makela Men’s Basketball Second of wide-open spaces and engaging, friendly with 204 rebounds. He also earned performance at the Sam named to a national award helped the Roadrunners to and Third Rounds will be people. Only the koalas and the ’roos were the conference’s Student Athlete H. Hall Intercollegiate preseason watch list. Soza, a successful opening week- held March 21 and March replaced by coyotes and rattlesnakes. of the Year award for his 3.25 GPA on Sept. 9-–10 in who graduated last May end of Conference USA 23 at the AT&T Center, It didn’t take the 6’8” senior power forward in the College of Business, where Hattiesburg, Miss. The with a degree in physical play with nine saves over while the NCAA Men’s Golf long to adjust: the water in his coastal home he is a marketing major hoping to Enjoys playing: Roadrunners recorded education and is in his first 200 scoreless minutes in San Antonio Regional is town, where the tropical rain forest meets go into sports, entertainment and “Lots of golf,” shooting in the fifth-best 54-hole //in brief// year of graduate school, the 0–0 tie with Florida scheduled for May 15–17 the Great Barrier Reef, is about as warm as tourism management. the mid-80s. scorecard in school history What a Rush recently was named to the Atlantic on Sept. 27 and at Briggs Ranch Golf Club. the Gulf of Mexico. So he and his girlfriend But first, he plans to pursue pro- with a four-over-par Favorite movie: A new tradition has 2013 AFCA Good Works the 2–0 victory against frequently find themselves in Corpus Christi, fessional basketball opportunities taken shape. Minutes 293-281-282—856 en Happy Gilmore Volleyball Texas, enjoying the warm seawater. after he graduates next year. before kickoff at each route to an eighth-place Senior outside hitter While he quickly developed a taste for As a junior last season, he home football game, finish. Sophomore Brett hundreds of freshmen McKenzie Adams was that king of Texas food, steak, Hill is still racked up impressive stats: Hogan also stamped his and the Spirit of San named the preseason blown away “by how everything is bigger in 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds name in the record book Antonio Marching Conference USA Player Texas: the cars, roads, food portions, num- per game while averaging 31 minutes of Band rush the Alamo- with a five-under 74-67- of the Year and the ber of students in school,” as he told an on- playing time on his way to All Conference dome field, forming a 67—208, the best score Happy Roadrunners were voted line sports fan site. second-team honors. human tunnel to ush- by a Roadrunner in 10 er in the team. Two second in the league’s He was recruited by a number of col- “I think it is realistic that I will play years and the fifth-best in hours before rushing preseason poll. On Sept. leges, but he chose UTSA because he’d get professionally,” he said. “It is more a matter Gilmore the field, the students 16, Adams was the first program annals. gather at the Student a chance to be a starter as a freshman after of where, at what level and for how much. I attending high school at the prestigious Aus- could make the pros in Australia, but I hope Affairs tailgate party Freshman goalkeeper Bubba Makela boasted nine saves over at Sunset Station to 200 scoreless minutes against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 27. tralian Institute of Sport. to play in Europe,” where salaries are higher, get ready. photos by Jeff Huehn, UTSA Athletics But he also chose UTSA “because of as is the level of play.

patrick ray dunn

12 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu The 64 new faculty come from around the world and bring with them The faculty now inhabiting laboratories and lecture students can benefit, said President Ricardo Romo. halls across the campus represent one of the largest With the new class, UTSA’s total number of faculty has expertise that ranges from sports to smoking, literacy to play. Their incoming class of educators in the past decade. It’s a reached more than 1,400. research spans from why athletes sometimes choke under pressure to sign of things to come, said Provost John Frederick. “Our faculty members play a major role in ensur- phytochemical compounds in foods that can prevent heart disease. Next year’s incoming freshman faculty is expected to ing that excellence and innovation thrive at UTSA and to be as high as 50, as the university’s Tier One drive in San Antonio,” he said. “These expert scholars accelerates. and researchers come from a variety of fields.

With the new faculty, a new career cycle begins, Through teaching, research and community out- ß meaning that “the development of the next generation reach, they will help us prepare strong leaders, of university leadership has begun,” Frederick said. which will ensure a strong future for our gradu- It also means a larger knowledge base from which ates and our city.” Honorable ß Meet some of the new faculty:

Kimberly Fonzo uestBy Tim Brownlee, Guillermo Garcia and Lety Laurel Assistant professor of English here’s Alisoun, the wife of Bath, bookstore and picked up a book who proudly married and about de Pizan, an Italian-French T manipulated several men. Then author who lived from 1363 to 1430 and there’s Judith, from the biblical story is perhaps best known for her work The of a cunning yet saintly widow who Book of the City of Ladies. slays a powerful man and saves her “I spent that summer backstage reading people. Procula, the wife of Pontius the entire book,” she said. “I started noticing Pilate, and Joan of Arc are favorites. the way in which she used these prophetic But for Kimberly Fonzo, assistant female figures in her work. These women professor of English, the magic and could see what men in power couldn’t see, mystery of medieval literature isn’t and they seemed to reflect her identity as an so much about the characters, as author. I was fascinated.” Q scintillating as they may be. Fonzo’s passion was born. “The authors themselves are the “Medieval literature taught me to look characters that compel me,” she said. at art on its own terms and suspend my Fonzo, who is teaching an under- judgment,” she said. “It’s like a mystery novel graduate course on early literature through class in a way because you’re trying to 1700 and a graduate course on medieval trace the origins and history of ideas and literature, is so intrigued by writers from that to explore an unfamiliar kind of literature period, especially Christine de Pizan, that on its own terms.” she decided to dedicate her career to learn- Students are often familiar with ing more about them and the techniques such period works as Beowulf, Geoffrey they use to represent themselves in their Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and Dante own stories. Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy. Yet there is Medieval literature is any written work much more to the genre than those familiar from Europe and the surrounding area works, she stressed. created during the Middle Ages, which was “If you are missing medieval literature, you’re from roughly 500 to the late 1400s. While missing nearly 1,000 years full of rich material,” she it spans an array of subjects, much of the said. “There is something for everyone. There are Anglo- work is rooted in religion. Saxon materials, a lot of which deal with religious Fonzo did not always appreciate the subjects and also nation-building and relationships to literature. As a college student, she was a the past. There’s the Arthurian literature, which is very strong critic because she saw it as more humorous, with romantic tales, but they are also tales of historical than literary. Then came an “aha valor. There are adaptations of Classical texts, texts about moment” in an Indiana bookstore. subversive spirituality, texts criticizing governments, pas- Fonzo, who is also an actress, was in toral texts about our relationship to the land. Bloomington for a stage production. “That’s a lot of literature to miss.” >>> During a break, she wandered into a 14 photos by Patrick ray dunn ß

Nathern Okilwa Assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies

hen young Nathern Okilwa wasn’t working “I feel refugee students are the epitome of real on a farm near his western Kenyan town, struggle, and their stories have limited representa- Whe was toiling away in school. Although tion in public discourse or literature here in the his mother left school after fourth grade, she be- U.S.,” he said, adding that the United States is the lieved education was critical for her children. single-largest host country to refugees from around Her son would go on to become the first in the world. Similarly, Kenya is a host country for his family to earn a Ph.D. many refugees facing political instability in neigh- “My mother believed education was a path boring countries. to a better life,” he said. “This was practical “Some of the students in refugee camps in advice because it was evident to me that an Kenya end up here in the U.S.,” he said. “I look agrarian lifestyle did not hold much promise forward to interacting with them and eventually for the future.” telling their stories through my scholarly work. Okilwa, who received his Ph.D. from the I hope I can trace their stories back to the refu- University of Texas at Austin, is interested in gee camps and, if possible, to their homeland. helping disadvantaged children, including I believe connecting these dots will provide those from economically disadvantaged unique policy intersectionality between the groups; racial, linguistic and cultural minor- U.S. and international contexts.” ities; special education students; and recent Matthew McCarter immigrants, especially refugees. He wants assistant professor of management to further explore how refugee students navigate and learn in a foreign environment t was a jigsaw puzzle that pieced Matthew Suddenly, McCarter saw examples everywhere. and to understand how they survive and some- McCarter’s life together. Or, at least introduced Like the students who walked across delicate land- times thrive, even with so few resources. Iwhat would become his field of study, his scaping, each thinking they were the only ones to do His personal, professional and educational unique teaching style and a different approach so, but ultimately killing the grass from their sheer experiences shaped his career path and research to everyday negotiations. numbers. Or the group projects where one person interests. When he was a student in Kenya, many Ironically, that puzzle was never completed. inevitably does most of the work to get the job done of his classmates struggled financially. They When McCarter was an undergraduate at while other group members shirk. couldn’t afford basic school supplies, uniforms or Brigham Young University, his class was given a McCarter went on to write 15 journal articles on healthy meals. simple task: break into groups and complete a the subject of cooperation versus competition. He Then he became a teacher and saw their jigsaw puzzle. Each group was given a different received his Ph.D. in business administration from the struggles from another perspective. puzzle. Whichever team finished first and ran to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, and held “I know what it means to struggle to make life winner’s circle, which included an overhead projec- the Wang–Fradkin Assistant Professorship in the Argy- work,” he said. “Having had the fortune of teaching tor, would win a bag of Snickers. ros School of Business and Economics at Chapman in different school contexts here in the U.S. as well “Quickly we discovered we were all missing University prior to joining UTSA. as Kenya, I see the similarities and differences in pieces and had incorrect pieces. We had to figure out He continues to study conflict management with the challenges of schooling for youth. I count how to cooperate with each other while at the same a focus on interdependent decision-making and col- myself fortunate to have made it through past time compete against each other,” he said. lective action. obstacles to get to where I am today. Virtues that I The class exercise failed. “I’m still fascinated by it,” he said. “I see it as a acquired from my upbringing were hard work and The overhead projector light was stolen. Puzzle problem that we always have to fix.” resilience, and those, coupled with a measure of pieces were snatched from tables and nearly com- And the problem is everywhere, prevalent in faith, always pay off.” pleted puzzles were deliberately knocked over. churches, businesses and communities, and within He feels a sense of obligation to disadvantaged More than 20 minutes after the class was to end, families, he said. children. Through his work, he wants to have a posi- the instructor stopped the game with no winners. “When people don’t have a monetary incentive to tive influence on their lives. “I was shocked at what happened,” McCarter said. cooperate, we have to find some other way,” he said. “Everyone was doing what was best for themselves, “So I’m trying to find some other ways.” and it resulted in the group doing poorly.” This fall, McCarter is using approaches similar to He couldn’t stop thinking about it. After a the puzzle exercise to teach the same concepts in his sleepless night, with the advice of a professor, he own class. decided to research what could have caused such “I believe the best way to learn management aggressive behavior. theory is to experience it or to witness someone else That’s when he discovered a book on social experiencing it,” he said. “Don’t just take my word for dilemmas, situations in which individual and it. You just watched it happen. The students will never group interests are at odds. forget it.” >>> 17 ß ß

Luc i n da N eva r e z Assistant professor of social work

ucinda Nevarez still thinks about a young That’s a phenomenon that’s all too familiar to man she once helped at a Houston hospital. Nevarez. As a child, her sister was turned away L The man was diabetic, dependent on from emergency care from the only hospital in medicines he couldn’t afford. So he’d purposely the region because her family had an outstanding go without until his body could no longer func- balance. The family had to drive more than an tion. Blood transfusions were necessary. He’d hour to another city to get treatment. go to the emergency room, get treated and “I think that instilled a great interest in me in released, then neglect his health until he making sure all individuals can receive health became so sick that once again he’d care,” she said. return to the same emergency room It also showed her what for crisis care. a difference community Then one day that hospital involvement could make. After turned him away. It was a new being turned away for treatment, policy, they said, and people who her parents returned to their repeatedly used the emergency South Texas small town room for crisis care of treatable condi- and launched a success- Alexis Godet tions would now be denied care. ful campaign to bring a Assistant professor of Geological Sciences That’s how he ended up at the hospital clinic to the county that where Nevarez worked as a medical social would serve all patients, worker. She arranged for him to be temporarily regardless of their abil- ow does a researcher study ocean him to pursue graduate studies. That’s when he supported with medication, and he went on his ity to pay. sediments and coral reefs in land- learned about the fragile nature of ecosystems. way. Later, news came from her hospital adminis- Neither of her Hlocked Switzerland? The answer is Coral reefs are underwater structures trators: the same policy would be enacted at parents were social simple for Alexis Godet, assistant professor of formed from calcium carbonate secreted by her facility, and repeat patients would no longer workers, but Nevarez geological sciences. corals, which are tiny animals that thrive in be treated. believes it is through their influence that “One hundred and twenty five million years clear, shallow, sunny water. Although most of “After my interaction with him, I felt like if it she now focuses on the needs of individu- ago, what is now the Alps was at the bottom of them are less than 10,000 years old, coral reefs was an issue that was so large that they had to als within their social environment. the ocean. I can now study ocean sediments are considered crucial to maintaining ecobal- start making a policy around it, there must be “I really hope to make a difference on a mountain…from a blue world to a green ance, since they are hosts to the most diverse multiple people that are experiencing the same in the community in some aspect and world,” he said. ecosystems on Earth. They are also fragile. thing,” she said. “I just happened to come across I hope to encourage as many students Back then, the Alps mountain range was “Corals live on carbon dioxide in the air and one of them. It made me wonder what was hap- as possible to continue with their edu- nothing but the sandy floor of a watery world. water,” Godet said. “If you create crisis in the pening to all the others.” cation,” she said. “I think sometimes Then the Eurasian and African tectonic plates atmosphere with too much carbon dioxide, the So she set about finding out. She began when we’re researching, we can get at the ocean bottom started shifting and push- coral won’t be able to keep up. They also are researching health disparities and the impact of so removed from the populations ing against each other. The plates rose and vulnerable to temperature change, which can discrimination in health care. that we’re researching. But what I’ve after millions of years became the mountains destroy them if it’s too drastic.” “Some people think of discrimination in terms already seen is that here at UTSA, that exist today. Godet will teach about the importance of of culture or race, but there is also discrimination this is not just a population we’re As a geologist specializing in sedimentol- maintaining ecobalance in the world. based on economic status and gender, among studying. This is a population we’re ogy and carbonates from the Early Cretaceous “I want my students to understand that we others,” she said. serving.” >>> period, Godet is interested in ecosystems don’t want coral reefs and associated ecosys- that have made this blue-to-green shift. He tems to go away,” he said, adding that through- studies diagenesis, physical and chemical out Earth’s history, there has been a lack of changes that occur while sediment converts balance between ocean and atmosphere, yet to sedimentary rock. ecosystems continue to adapt. Godet’s interest in the ocean began with “We need to figure out how fast changes are coral reefs, which he observed on a scuba occurring and determine how long it will take diving trip when he was 20. Then a professor to recover.” taught him about sedimentology and inspired

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Web Extra: To view more profiles of UTSA’s new fall faculty, go to utsa.edu/sombrilla/newfaculty.

Rahman Azari Assistant professor of architecture Marcio Giacomoni ahman Azari believes the best the same time, use modern technology,” he assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering footprints left behind are small— said. “Today, better insulation helps, but it’s Renvironmentally speaking, that is. not enough. Too often today, building equals hen aquifer levels are broadcast daily from San Antonio. Azari is interested in ways to minimize the energy consumption.” on the radio, you know that water is an Despite San Antonio’s heavy growth over the environmental burden of buildings and Buildings are responsible for 75 percent Wintegral part of people’s lives in that past decade, the total amount of water being reducing the impact of construction on of electricity consumption, and 40 percent broadcast area, said Marcio Giacomoni, assistant pumped from the Edwards Aquifer, the metro- the world. of fossil-fuel energy consumption. It doesn’t professor in the Department of Civil and Environ- politan area’s main water source, remains about Azari, assistant professor of architecture, have to be that way, he said. mental Engineering. the same, he said. believes architecture today should aim at People are sometimes aware of sustain- “There is a huge demand for water in South The city’s water utility has also heavily pro- being self-sustained and carbon-neutral. ability issues, but many are discouraged by Texas, and with San Antonio experiencing so moted water conservation methods, such as the He hopes to instill in his students the higher construction costs, he said. But much growth, that demand is only going to installation of high-efficiency, low-flow toilets. increase in the future,” he said. But the drought, now in its third year, “is hav- the importance of net-zero energy green buildings will save their owners money This is why understanding the region’s ing a huge economic impact, and not just with buildings, the buildings that produce in the long run with reduced utility rates, he hydrology and the need to promote conser- the downstream rice farmers in Southeast Texas, as much energy as they consume. These stressed, adding that it’s a small price to help vation efforts are so critical. Giacomoni’s re- who require huge amounts of water to grow buildings have lower environmental the planet. search will focus on analyzing water resources their product,” he said. “It is critical impacts than regular buildings. “You must include energy-saving features systems, water resource management and plan- that more and better conservation “Sustainability shouldn’t be viewed like you would include windows,” he said. ning, and the application of Geographic methods are developed if growth is as optional or a luxury,” Azari said. “A “Designers and architects should see it as Information Systems and remote sensing to wa- to continue.” responsibility for architecture students is their professional and ethical responsibility ter resources and environmental engineering. seeing environmental design as an essential to leave a smaller footprint on the world.” As an undergrad, Giacomoni thought about goal of their design process.” the practicality of becoming an engineer when Throughout history, cultures from around considering what the job situation might be like a decade after graduation. He was also motivat- the world adapted architectural techniques ed by his sense of environmental consciousness. to fit to their surrounding climate and He wanted to develop the skills to address place. Thick adobe walls were used in some the needs and problems associated with good climates to keep buildings warmer in the water management techniques to help stretch winter and cooler in the summer. Higher the precious resource, he said. ceilings in hotter climates kept heat above “I appreciate nature a lot, and managing people’s heads, and transoms over the doors water resources has huge implications that have opened to aid air circulation. During warmer a direct impact on all aspects of life,” he added. weather, occupants could also migrate to the Giacomoni earned his undergraduate degree cooler basement. in Brasília, Brazil, and his M.S. in Porto Alegre, Bra- “In contemporary architecture, we can zil, at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. After receiving his Ph.D. at Texas A&M Uni- achieve self-reliance by incorporating more versity, he secured his post at UTSA anxious to principles of traditional, old architecture continue his water-related research at the height in interaction with the environment, and at of the ongoing, years-long drought. “I believe there are a great number of real success stories here in how San Antonio Water System has so efficiently promoted methods for conserving water,” he said. The city’s water utility uses a storage and recovery system that includes pumping water out of the Edwards Aquifer into the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer during non-drought years. That aquifer is used as an underground res- ervoir to significantly cut down on the amount of water lost to evaporation. When there is need, the reserved water is used to meet the demands

20 ß he result of microscopic plants and animals The source of that light, more than 220 derricks that lived in a huge, shallow ocean that covered drilling for oil across 20 counties 24 hours a day, is Boomtown, Texas TTexas some 92 million years ago is now clearly more than just startlingly eye-catching. visible from the dark reaches of outer space. That picture may be the ultimate snapshot of the Carrizo Springs busting at the seams From miles above the earth, the picture of a state’s energy future and represents what is being crescent-shaped 400-mile-long, 50-mile-wide scab referred to as the single biggest economic By Guillermo Garcia of light extending across a swath of South Texas just development in Texas history—and UTSA is involved south of San Antonio rivals the lights emanating from in helping the area, known as the Eagle Ford Shale, The once-sleepy Carrizo Springs is now awakening with extraordinary and sudden economic growth. UTSA is lending its the state’s major metropolitan centers. assess the changes and capitalize on the boom. >>> hand to aid this community unprepared for economic surge.

photos by patrick ray dunn Our community, and many others like it, stand to benefit from “the huge increase in drilling activity. But at the same time, many of our communities don’t have a planning department or even a city engineer, so coordinating the growth and try- ing to plan for smart growth is a real Local restaurants, such as Red Dog’s, are benefitting from the influx of traffic in the area. challenge for us. —Adrian DeLeon, mayor, Carrizo” Springs

It took a long time for this overnight bonanza. The Eagle Ford Shale formation is estimated to Over millions of years, the microscopic life that ab- hold billions of barrels of crude oil, untold trillions sorbed energy from the sun and stored it as carbon of cubic feet of natural gas and other petroleum molecules accumulated in layers of sediment at the products trapped under huge layers of rock. bottom of the shallow sea that once covered the Experts believe the volume is so huge and the region. The biomass was created when the plants find so significant that they predict that by 2020 the New construction projects are sprouting up in and and animals died and sank to the sea bottom. United States will have surpassed Saudi Arabia as around Carrizo Springs, where the population has There the residue remained, trapped for eons the world’s premier energy exporter, due partly to jumped from 5,400 to more than 40,000 in one year. under incredible pressure and heat surrounded by the drilling now ongoing in South Texas. what until very recently had been impenetrable The more than 800 oil derricks operating all over rock formations. But this year alone, about $30 Texas this summer represented nearly half of all U.S. billion will be spent pulling black gold from this rigs and nearly 25 percent of rigs drilling around the formerly resistant land. world. It is not only the drilling, pipeline and trucking In the Eagle Ford, the twinkling lights seen from firms that stand to gain from what was once a lightly satellites represent the contemporary equivalent of populated, mostly economically depressed part of the boom of the 1800s Gold Rush. rural Texas. Except bigger, much bigger. Business owners anywhere near the huge play Based on capital expenditures alone, the activity have seen their companies change almost over- at Eagle Ford Shale ranks as the largest single oil night, with the level of activity redefining what an and gas development in the world. oil industry hotbed is. Last year, oil exploration and Last year, oil exploration and extraction was extraction accounted for a regional economic im- responsible for more than 116,000 jobs, said Thomas The lunch-rush often brings Juan Carmona, pact that surpassed $61 billion, according to a UTSA Tunstall, who heads the UTSA Institute for Eco- Dimmitt county commissioner, and many other economic analysis. nomic Development’s Center for Community and locals to Balia’s Restaurant. Business Research. up, some of those issues will increase in complexity “But at the same time, many of our communities The modern-day black gold rush has resulted But the institute’s findings, along with for local governments unequipped to address them, don’t have a planning department or even a city en- in numerous so-called “man camps” that an earlier study tracking the activity’s despite the huge amounts of “new” revenue coming gineer, so coordinating the growth and trying to plan temporarily house oil field workers. This one, impact in specific counties where drilling called Mesquite Lodge, also has a cafeteria, to cities and counties in the region, Tunstall said. for smart growth is a real challenge for us,” he said. entertainment room, theater and clinic. Oil is active, also point to potential problems The university’s effort focuses on measuring the That is where much of the university’s community companies provide transportation between for exploration firms and the host of economic and social impact the massive explora- outreach effort is focused, said Francine Romero, the camps to the fields. related businesses that support them, tion effort is having on 14 rural South Texas counties associate dean in the College of Public Policy. as well as for landowners, local govern- most significantly affected by the drilling but which A component of UTSA’s involvement is a partner- ments and residents. have little existing infrastructure support, he noted. ship with Shell Oil that provides direct university The huge amounts of water needed for “Now our community, and many others like it, expertise to elected officials and the region’s policy exploration and extraction of the oil and stand to benefit from the huge increase in drilling makers, she noted. gas, the traffic generated as a result of activity,” and the accompanying increase in the tax A series of public meetings—including one in that activity by fleets of 18-wheel tractor- base, said Adrian DeLeon, mayor of Carrizo Springs, DeLeon’s hometown and ending with a session in trailers, and the skyrocketing housing a community that now is called home by more than San Antonio with local elected officials and industry prices fueled by a huge influx of workers 40,000 people. Just last year, the population was representatives—was designed to help governments scrambling for places to live all create around 5,400. respond to the massive influx of people, equipment formidable issues for many of the small “We have a great opportunity to get some capital and economic activity to an area that has tradition- towns in the region. And many of them improvement projects that we would not otherwise ally been lacking in growth opportunities. appear to be poorly positioned to man- Web Extra: even dream of being able to fund,” said the first-time For local and county governments, the increased To view a satellite image of the age the massive infrastructure needs the mayor, who along with his mother runs two restau- tax revenues are swelling local coffers, Romero noted. Eagle Ford Shale formation and view boom is causing. rants that rely heavily on the daily traffic generated In the three years ending in 2012, sales tax col- more photos from Carrizo Springs, Over the next decade as drilling ramps by the oil firms. lections in the targeted area rose a whopping 68 >>> go to utsa.edu/sombrilla/eagleford.

24 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu Fall 2013 Sombrilla 25 Business owners near the Eagle Ford Shale formation have seen their compa- nies change almost overnight. Last year, oil exploration and extraction accounted for an economic impact of more than $61 billion for the region.

The boom has been felt at Red Dog’s, a local restaurant where Gilberto Cantu III (left) and Ethan Eric Garcia eat with their families.

percent, from $751 million to $1.2 billion. just unthinkable three years ago, so there are two quite In 2012, the last year for which full data is available, contrasting sides to the boom,” he said. construction activity accounted for nearly $40 million Increased tax bases will give local governments in direct and indirect economic impact, generating 279 the opportunity to build more parks and green spaces new jobs with a payroll of $11.4 million. to improve quality of life. The money may also lead But while the economic impact on rural, impover- to improved medical facilities, improved roadways ished counties is important, “to me it is about govern- and more adequate power and water supplies. The ment structure being in place to be able to formulate increased population also has the potential to help good policy and good decisions. It is about helping local school districts boost the quality of K-12 educa- people build up the capacity of their local government tion as well as vocational education programs, Tunstall to a level that they need to take maximum advantage pointed out. of the boom they are experiencing,” said Romero. But he noted that these communities must also look The huge amounts of water needed In addition to meeting “livability issues,” communi- to the future. “There is another side to the boom, not for exploration and extraction of the ties also face critical housing concerns. DeLeon said what the communities are going through right now, but many residents in Carrizo Springs are being forced out what they will look like 20 years from now, what sort oil and gas, the traffic generated as the demand created by the oil field crews causes of growth there will be and how best we can assist the as a result of that activity by fleets local rental rates to rise sharply. cities and the region to best manage now what their “Some [fast-food restaurant] workers are pulling community will look like then,” he noted. of 18-wheel tractor-trailers, and down $15 an hour and getting a $500 signing bonus for The opportunity looms. the skyrocketing housing prices staying on the job six months,” Tunstall said, illustrating “There is a huge opportunity for all concerned,” how desperate some business owners are to hold onto Tunstall said. “Right now we have the chance to lever- fueled by a huge influx of workers their workers. age the academic side and provide the expertise avail- scrambling for places to live all “But at the same time, a house that was renting for able here to be able to provide real advice to policy $500 to $600 is now going for $2,500, if you can even makers, elected officials and business leaders for the create formidable issues for many of find one vacant. That kind of rent in South Texas was future benefit for all.” the small towns in the region.

26 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu community by the numbers $12,900 raised by Mr. and Mrs. UTSA candidates for the UTSA Alumni Association scholarship Y Taxing Work for program COMMUNIUniting ourT alumni a Rowdy Racker By Lety Laurel

hris Rosas knows his strengths. They’re listed on and you’re trying to wind down. And the emails start the back of his work ID badge for Rackspace Host- coming again from the other side of the world.” Cing, Inc. His goal after graduating from UTSA was to find a job, There’s Arranger, the trait that means organization, any job, and pay off his student loans. But along the way, despite his currently cluttered cubicle desk. Then there’s he met employers who encouraged him to continue in Restorative, which marks him as someone who likes to the field, urged him to work hard, and lined up jobs that fix things. Responsible predictably pegs him as someone would give him the experience he needed to be com- who takes personal responsibility for his work. Relator petitive. //in brief// means he identifies with people. Today, it’s his turn to pay it forward, he said. Finally, there’s Developer. That’s the one he really “If you’re a parent and one of these interns was your Rowdy’s connects with. kid, wouldn’t you want somebody out there looking out Home Roadrunners raised “I like to teach people,” he said. “I like to mentor them. for them? If no one had done that for me, I wouldn’t be more than $31,000 to I like to see them grow.” where I am,” he said. “Who knows? Some of these interns bring a 1,000-pound As the global tax director for Rackspace, he oversees may be my boss someday. They’ll be nice to me. roadrunner statue, a team of 13 people who all make sure tax authorities are “I just think I have a perspective that can help them, already dubbed Iron Rowdy, to UTSA’s happy and that the cloud-computing and Web-hosting and if I don’t take the opportunity to do it, what good Main Campus. It took company is compliant and protected. am I?” three years for Iron “So if you want to manufacture something or you After all, he is a Developer. It’s right there on his Rowdy—a creation want to provide a service that you sell from the U.S., and badge. of Lubbock sculptor you have a data center in the U.K., and you’re selling to a and blacksmith R.G. Box—to be born and customer in India, how do you tax that? Does it get taxed set free on UTSA’s once or three times? That’s what we figure out,” he said. campus. When Rosas signed on with Rackspace three years ago, he went through a required assessment that ranked his top five skills. Like all employees, they are listed on his employee badge. Shortly after he was hired, Rosas started an internship program in his department. Soon, other groups within Rackspace were following his lead and implementing their own internship programs. Incidentally, everyone who has been hired as an intern under Rosas has been a Roadrunner. And there are now so many alumni work- ing for Rackspace, Rosas and the rest are referred to as Roadrunner Rackers. “I love bringing in new people and teaching them and giving them a real-life perspective of what they are going to be working on so they can make an informed decision about what they want for their career,” he said. “People can show up here and really hate tax. They by the numbers could love Rackspace, but at the end of the day they’re still doing taxes. So I want to at least give students some real-life exposure.” 1,000+ And it takes a special breed of people, he admitted, to student participants in the UTSA Center for love working on the intricacies of international tax. Innovation and Technology “Your day starts when Europe wakes up and your day Entrepreneurship boot is done when Asia finishes,” he said. “When you wake up, camp your email box is already full from Europe. They come Chris Rosas ’00, M.B.A. ’02, is the global tax director for Rackspace online at 2 or 3 a.m. our time. If you wake up at 7 a.m., Hosting, Inc. The cloud-computing and Web-hosting company is known they’ve already had a full productive morning. Then Asia for its unconventional workspace, which features a spiral slide, video comes on at 6 p.m., when you’re at the end of the day games and pool tables. ray du nn ck ray p hoto s by Patri 28 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu Ffallall 2013 Sombrilla 29 community

by the numbers class notes 65 the Bulverde/Spring Branch Economic Development percent of new freshmen in 1980 \\ Frank Charles, B. A . Foundation in Bulverde, Texas. the top quarter of their high in history, M.A. in history ’95, school graduating class Math a retired high school science and social studies teacher, is an 1996 + adjunct professor of U.S. history \\ Luis Cuellar, B.S. in at Alamo Colleges. civil engineering, is regional Degree manager in San Antonio for Klotz Associates. 1983 = \\ Danny Padron, M.A. in education, is head football 1997 Job coach for Texas Lutheran \\ Roberto G. Rosas Jr., University. In September, he B.F.A. in art, retired from the San received the Pillar of Fairness Antonio Police Department award from San Antonio’s as a sergeant after 22 years of Northside Independent School service. He now owns Miracle Still Serving A Formula for Success District. Weaver Creations LLC, a multimedia company in San William O. Dawson III ’10, M.P.A. ’13 The advantages of a math degree really add up Antonio. He recently published Fresh from a career in the military and a of academia, where you are basically on

1984 a second edition of the novel, short stint as a civil servant for the Depart- your own, and then you realize that the By Ashley Dumulong \\ Jane Galbraith, B. S. The Temptation of the Miracle in applied sciences, is a retired Weaver, and a sequel to that ment of the Army, William O. Dawson III ar- sergeant or chief is not there motivating Quick… What do the 15 highest-paying jobs have in common? they don’t know how to express the question, break it down teacher and now works as a first novel,The Liberation of the rived on the UTSA campus for the fall 2008 you, directing you or getting you up in the Time’s up. or answer it,” he said. “So that’s a lot of the work that we do, private math tutor in Las Vegas. Miracle Weaver. semester ready to secure a degree. morning,” Dawson said. The answer: Math. and that’s where the skills of mathematicians really begin to Five years and two degrees later, The SVA and the advisory commit- Here’s another: What do the top three jobs with the high- rise to the top—finding out what the client wants to know including an M.P.A., the veteran of the tee help veterans cope with everything 1998 Army Intelligence Corps is still involved in from delays in GI Bill payments, which est satisfaction ratings have in common? and transforming that into a formal statement, and then fig- 1990 \\ Keyhla Calderon- spearheading efforts to assist other veterans cover schooling costs, to providing support Figured that one out, didn’t you? uring out how to test that statement.” \\ Susan K. Lugo, B.A. in communications, Every one of these careers has a common denomina- In their roles at the company, UTSA alumni provide ser- Medina, B.B.A. in is an anchor and reporter transitioning to life in academia. services both on and off-campus, assisting tor—they are all math-based professions. vices not only to federal and state agencies, but also to cor- management with for KWEX-TV, a San Antonio He earned his B.A. in political science in in career development and coordinating //in brief// Once thought of as a degree that produced mostly teach- porations and financial institutions. a concentration in Univision station. She received 2010 to fulfill a promise to his single mother veteran recruitment drives to encourage all the Pillar of Respect award Big Tex ers and professors, mathematics majors are cropping up ev- “Our researchers study everything from the economic marketing, was who sometimes worked three jobs to sup- veterans to enhance their education and named the 2013 from San Antonio’s Northside port Dawson and his younger sister. skills portfolio. Resurrection erywhere, and they are using those degrees in nearly every impact of toxic groundwater contamination to research to Independent School District in Joel Guerra ’90, Business Woman “I had to sell her on the military educa- He said that his group increasingly works industry in today’s competitive environment. determine if there is discrimination in municipal housing September. B.S. in electrical of the Year by the Research, engineering, computer programming, com- policies,” Cowan added. “I like to tell our applicants that we tional benefits, because it was the only way with veterans suffering from mild cases of engineering, and Fort Worth His- to convince her to sign me into the Army post-traumatic stress disorder. Nathan Dye, B.S. in munications, biomathematics, cryptography, statistics, don’t offer jobs, we offer exciting careers that will never be panic Chamber of when I was 17,” he said. “The military provides veterans with electrical engineering finance and operations are just a few of the fields where boring.” Commerce. She is 2002 ’13, designed, built mathematics majors are finding success. Job growth within the field is only expected to ac- \\ Kelley Black, M.S. in As an undergrad, he relied heavily on tu- numerous skills to fight wars, engage principal of SKM biology, is acting director of and programmed the “There is hardly a place out there that wouldn’t want to celerate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, tors and advisers “who helped me make the enemies abroad and support and defend hardware in Big Tex, Communication studies at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee transition [out of the military environment the Constitution, but it somehow fails to the iconic oversized hire a mathematician,” said Sandy Norman, mathematics employment for mathematicians, especially those with Strategies LLC. School in Sewanee, Tenn. She to] academics,” he said. teach many of us how to take the array of cowboy that stands department chair. “People with quantitative skills are val- advanced degrees, is expected to increase 22 percent by also teaches biology and at 55 feet and looms ued in virtually every aspect of the working environment, 2018. And those careers pay well, too. A 2009 study by coaches tennis. But he noticed other ex-military students skills and abilities and transition them into over the State Fair of whether they be carpenters or mechanics, scientists or in- CareerBuilder.com revealed that the national salary aver- struggling with their transition. So in spring real-world, civilian skills that veterans need Texas. vestment advisers. A mathematician can take a complex age for an individual with a bachelor’s degree in math is 1991 2009, he helped found the Student Veterans to thrive and prosper with the other 99 collection of data and recognize relationships that other slightly more than $94,000 per year. \\ Mike Flores, B.A. in 2003 Association, and served as its president percent of Americans,” Dawson said. political science, is the president \\ Veronica Campbell for three years and its secretary during the Dawson now works for the U.S. Depart- people may not see, or in many cases find connections that And projected growth in the businesses that employ Stich, B.B.A. in information of Palo Alto College in San initial year. The association serves 2,700 ment of Housing and Urban Development are invalid.” mathematicians means opportunities to climb the career Antonio. In September, he was systems, recently published the veterans and their family members who as a community planning and development One San Antonio-based company is capitalizing on ladder, said Robert Jopling ’12, a research analyst at Ana- given the Pillar of Responsibility novel, The Assassination Race: those attributes and using them in a broad range of practi- lytic Focus. award from San Antonio’s Secrets of The Afterlife Society. have enrolled for courses at UTSA under representative. He continues to serve as an cal applications. “To be honest, I was surprised at how well my degree Northside Independent School the GI Bill and the Hazlewood Act. adviser to the Student Veterans’ Association Analytic Focus relocated its corporate headquarters to from UTSA prepared me for my career. For example, there District. The group is also part of UTSA’s Veterans executive council and is the organization’s \\ Larry Mendez, B.F.A. 2004 Service Advisory Committee, which brings external liaison. the Alamo City in 2006, just four years after establishing it- was a programming class that I really didn’t want to take but \\ Jesus Armando in art, was named an executive together all entities involved in facilitating “The type of support and services that self as a leader in statistical consulting. Since that time, it was a requirement in my degree plan. It turns out that class Gonzalez, B.B.A. in managing director of the San on-campus services for student veterans organizations like the SVA provide are has hired eight UTSA alumni in a variety of positions, in- has helped me more than almost any other,” he said. “I have Antonio office of Transwestern. management, is an associate cluding several research analysts. a terrific future ahead of me and there are plenty of jobs He will oversee a team of with Greenberg Traurig LLP in and their families. He said the purpose is to invaluable to fill in the gaps while our fight- “Math is the science of problem solving, and individuals out there. It’s a relatively low-stress field and yet at the same more than 75 employees Houston. He was featured in make veterans’ on-campus experiences as ing men and women transition to the real Latino Leaders Magazine in with these degrees have very similar character traits,” said time, it’s incredibly challenging.” and a portfolio of more than seamless and efficient as possible. world, academic life and then on to their an article on Houston’s young Charles D. Cowan, president and CEO of Analytic Focus. However, Cowan cautions math majors not to ignore the 6.5 million square feet of Often, younger veterans who have been chosen career,” Dawson said. commercial real estate. Latino leaders (February/March in combat struggle with physical as well as “I have and will continue to try to “They have an innate ability to see large problems, break other disciplines as well. 2013 issue). >>> them down into small problems and then solve them.” “I always encourage students to take some writing and psychological issues. Having somewhere to make an impact on the lives of our Web Extra: And that, said Cowan, is tremendously important to com- communication classes as well,” he said. “You can be the turn for help is critical, Dawson said. heroes, one veteran at a time, and I chal- To view a video about 1992 “Coming out of the military, you are used lenge those who have been as fortunate the advantages of a panies like his that provide consulting and expertise in sta- smartest person in the room, but if you can’t effectively com- \\ Sherry L. Mosier, B.A. in criminal justice, was to a supportive, regimented world, but then as me to do the same.” math degree, go to tistics, economics, finance and litigation support. municate your theories, ideas and suggestions, you don’t named executive director of these younger veterans encounter the world —Guillermo Garcia utsa.edu/sombrilla/math. “Oftentimes clients come in with a broad question. But stand a chance.”

30 Sombrilla www.utsa.edu Fall 2013 Sombrilla 31 community Post ! 2006 Scripts “As Texas goes, we’re \\ Alex Sammons, B. S. Where in chemistry, is an engineer likely to see the rest of with Soloshot, a startup tech is This? the country going in company founded in San the coming decades.” Antonio.

—Lloyd Potter, Texas state demographer, in a July 3 interview with NPR about demographic 2007 \\ Catherine Austin, changes that could reshape the B.B.A. in finance, is founder political landscape in Texas of the retail and fitness

facility Run Wild Sports in Photo: R od Sear c ey San Antonio. Unreal World 2008 \\ Lanette Heffner Anwei Chen ’08 Garza, M.A. in political Anwei Chen has traveled with sound and music. professional artists as well science, recently became around the actual world We’re at the very end of the as students on the picture an e-content analysis and and creates virtual worlds— food chain.” and remembers putting in assessment librarian at on film. Instead of being Chen also has worked in long hours. by the numbers Trinity University. \\ Dan Iza, B.B.A. in in front of the cameras, animation. She has been “I didn’t have a life,” marketing, is the recreation though, Chen works behind involved in the animated she recalled. But the hard 179 director at the Hyatt the lens in animation and shorts Sidekick and Take work paid off when the film UTSA students to graduate Regency Maui Resort and visual effects. Me Home, and the intro received a slew of acco- from The LeaderShape Spa. He and his wife, Annie Her film credits include to Karma. Chen also is an lades, including the Oscar Institute, a national Iza, became parents to Fruitvale Station, which won artist who paints in acrylic nominations. organization that equips Austin Daniel in February young adults to become 2013. the Grand Jury Prize and on canvas and works in On Fruitvale Station, Chen leaders Audience Award at the 2013 chiaroscuro—the relation- worked on the pre-, produc- Sundance Film Festival, and ship between dark and light. tion, and post-production 2012 Beasts of the Southern Wild, Even as an undergrad, phases of the film and again \\ Almoutaz El for which Chen headed a Chen possessed some of the managed a team working Hassan, Ph.D. in team that produced sophis- most important qualities for on the visual effects shots. environmental science and engineering, is a ticated visual effects. The success, said Ryan McPher- Two days after the film postdoctoral research movie was nominated for son, a lecturer in the Depart- premiered in January at associate at Texas A&M best picture and three other ment of Communication. Sundance, The Weinstein AgriLife Research and Academy Awards. “She demonstrated a Company acquired it for Extension Center at El Paso. On both Fruitvale and genuine and deep curiosity $2.5 million. It was released Beasts, Chen was respon- in her ability to ask the right in July 2013. 2010 sible for post-production, questions, a great will to When Chen went to \\ Humayun Zafar, which means coordinating work and the best attitude,” Fruitvale’s screening, she Ph.D. in information systems, and managing artists and he explained. watched closely for flaws. is a tenure-track professor at their shots and schedules. Receiving advice from “The whole time I was Kennesaw State University Chen oversaw a team of 33 Seok Kang, assistant profes- looking for the mistakes,” in Georgia. He is ranked as people responsible for 81 of sor in the Department of she said. The average the top marathon runner the 120 visual effects shots Communication, was a turn- viewer likely wouldn’t no- for the state of Georgia and is also undefeated on Beasts. She also com- ing point for Chen. tice them, but “I know every in singles tennis for the municated directly with the “Visual effects production shot,” Chen explained. state. He qualified for the directors on both films. was one of my suggestions So what’s next for Chen? ! Boston marathon and was “When you’re a kid you during our conversations,” “In the foreseeable future, also invited to play in the want to be an actress or a Kang said. “She had the I do want to stay in visual “A strong community qualifiers for the U.S. Open ballerina,” Chen said. “Even clear goal and pursued it effects,” she said. As a free- Tennis Championship. and a strong city in college I really wanted to without hesitation. It made lancer, she can work on a happen when people be an actress.” today’s Anwei, I think.” variety of projects. are engaged. UTSA 2013 After working as an extra After graduating from It may look glamorous to students want to \\ Xavier Johnson, on a couple of films, she re- UTSA, Chen went on to the outsiders, but film can be a B.A. in sociology, was an contribute to making alized that wasn’t what she Academy of Art University difficult industry, she added. intern in U.S. Congressman wanted to do. Instead, with in San Francisco. That’s “People don’t tell you our campus, our Lloyd Doggett’s Washington, the help of mentors and where she learned how to that. Producers are brutal in community and our city D.C. office. He is a law some key opportunities, she become an animator, and this industry,” she said. “You stronger.” school student at the University of California, found that her talents lay her path was set. have to work really hard —Zack Dunn, president of the Berkeley, and was recently in managing the complex Chen got her big break at it. But if you really like it Student Government Association, named president of his law shots that make films visu- working as the visual effects and you’re very good at it, about its efforts to register school class. voters for the National Voter ally interesting. production manager for people will be out hunting It Could Be Anywhere Registration Day project. There “My job involves a lot of Beasts of the Southern Wild you down.” were 481 people who registered planning,” Chen said. “After as part of a school assign- —Kathryn Jones It’s made of iron and weighs 1,000 at the event on Sept. 27. editing, we are in synch ment. She worked with pounds. And if you rub it, luck may come your way. Can you guess what this is?

Go to utsa.edu/sombrilla to find out what 32 Sombrilla and where it is. Photo by mark mcclendon The university of texas at san antonio Non-Profit Org One Utsa Circle US Postage San Antonio, Texas 78249 Paid San Antonio, TX Permit No. 2474

ENRICHING EXPERIENCES Mauricio Sanchez, a first-generation college student from San Antonio, was recruited by other universities in Texas, but Mauricio Sanchez he knew that being part of the first UTSA Football team, in his San Antonio hometown could, in his words, “be something special.” Business Major “This community has given me big–time support,” he says. “I Future Coach get to play a sport I love and focus on getting a good education. Being at UTSA has changed my life and I am blessed to have this support.”

Through the We Are UTSA—A Top-Tier Campaign, the university was able to build facilities that athletes like Mauricio need to ensure their success on the field. UTSA’s new athletic complex provides competition and practice venues for track and field, soccer, baseball, softball, tennis and football.

Make an investment in UTSA today. Visit WeAreUTSA.com today to learn more.

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