MAY 12, 2021 — With Commencement right around the corner, UTSA graduates will be embarking on new adventures in the professional world, graduate studies and their personal lives.
To help them navigate this exciting—and admittedly overwhelming—time, a group of UTSA alumni were compelled to offer morsels of advice and nuggets of wisdom to the university’s soon-to-be graduates.
From staying an active Roadrunner after graduation to landing a dream career, these alums shared what they feel will help the graduating students succeed in life.
We encourage all ‘Runners to learn their faces and take their words to heart:
“Change can be scary, exciting, and everything in between. I encourage you to try new things. You’re about to leave behind the tight schedule of always having the next assignment or test or paper due. It’s easy to feel lost with your extra time. Find something that interests you in your community like a sports league or volunteering with a fun organization. It should help you de-stress after work and meet new people. Last but not least, you’re not alone. Remember to use your UTSA resources like your network of peers and professors in your field, the University Career Center, and the Alumni Association. There are still so many resources on campus for you during post-grad life. Best wishes and birds up!”
—Lauren Lopez ’20
“Now that you’ve graduated, it’s time to create your path. Be bold and continue to develop yourself both personally and professionally. Strive to be a leader in whatever career you find yourself in. Never wait for someone else to offer you opportunities for growth—create those opportunities for yourself. And finally, make sure you are passionate about the job you are interviewing for. Passion equals job satisfaction. Congratulations, graduates!”
—John W. Shaffer III ’02, M.A. ’07
“When finding a job, remember to be more focused on what culture you want to be a part of and what culture you want to represent. The specific job you hold will change, but the culture of a company will likely not. And once you land your job, be ready to learn quickly and find ways to quickly add value.”
—Andrew Hubbard ’17
“When I graduated college, I never planned to work in fundraising, but an ad in the paper (that’s how we found jobs back in the day) for a position at a place where I wanted to work caught my attention. I didn’t get that job, but I did well enough on the interview that they wanted me for another opening. Being open-minded helped me find my career path. Being UTSA alumni is special and what you put into it will come back to you. Stay engaged, help other Roadrunners, and support the university. When you give every year, it helps students and improves the value of all of our degrees.”
—Heather Green ’07
“Being a graduate from UTSA means you’ve joined a very special and expansive community of alumni. Connecting with fellow alumni has had a tremendous impact on me both professionally and through the lifelong friendships, I’ve made. As UTSA alumni, we’ll forever be connected and share this special bond with one another. Never hesitate to reach back to your alma mater when you need help taking future steps in your career and I encourage you to offer your hand to help the Roadrunners who come after you.”
—Yvonne Addison ’09, E.M.B.A. ’18
“Get involved with the UTSA Alumni Association and stay involved. Members within the association represent all UTSA colleges. You may be surprised who some alumni are—they may be a mentor or even a future employer. You never know who you will meet or reconnect with. My wife and I met at a UTSA football game in 2013. We quickly realized it was not our first meeting. We took a tennis class together in the summer of 1991. Had it not been for our UTSA involvement, we may have never had the chance to reconnect.”
—Chuck Clark ’04 and Joyce Clark ’96
