(Oct. 26, 2018) — The UTSA Institute for P-20 Initiatives and Department of Intercollegiate Athletics are teaming up to kick off the first Dreamrunners event of the 2018-2019 school year. The program, established in 2005, provides select San Antonio area elementary, middle school students with an opportunity to visit the UTSA Main Campus, speak with a panel of students and attend a UTSA athletic event as a way of increasing college awareness, fostering career exploration and highlighting the value of higher education.
Dreamrunners will kick off on Friday, October 26 with 70 fifth grade students from Bob Hope Elementary school. The students will be hosted by Kayla Martinez, senior program coordinator in the Institute for P-20 Initiatives, and UTSA students from Rowdy’s College Information Advocates, UTSA Ambassadors, G-Force students and Athletics. UTSA college students will also host the students by serving on a panel to answer the many questions that the elementary students have about college life.
“It is imperative that we introduce students to the opportunities that higher education brings at an early age,” said Belinda Harmon, senior director of Community Outreach in the Institute for P-20 Initiatives. “The Dreamrunners program helps them understand the connection between education and their career goals and dreams.”
After the campus tour, students will enjoy a meal before preparing to cheer the UTSA volleyball team to victory. The students will receive UTSA t-shirts and participate in a special opening ceremony on the court with UTSA VP for Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletic Director, Lisa Campos and Associate VP for Strategic Enrollment Partnerships, Joseph Kulhanek. The 2018-2019 Dreamrunners program is active in the fall and spring semesters and is made possible, in part, by funding from H-E-B.
The UTSA Institute for P-20 Initiatives provides leadership skills to enable pre-K through grade 20 students to develop and complete their educational goals. UTSA is dedicated to strengthening education and the workforce of San Antonio as a top urban serving institution.
