This story is part of a series highlighting the university’s outstanding graduates crossing the stage on May 16.
Roxanne Contreras’ life has never been easy. She was raised in poverty by a single mother who battled mental illness and alcoholism. Instead of graduating from high school the traditional way, she attended Penn Foster, an online high school that allowed her to enter the workforce at a young age so she could help provide for her three siblings’ basic household needs.
A decade later, Contreras found herself in a similar situation to her mother’s: a single mother of four children with a bleak outlook on her future. She had attempted college once, but paused her studies as life continued to throw challenges at her way.
That’s when she knew she needed to change. This time, it wasn’t just to improve her life. It was about her children.
“I found myself caught in a cycle of unhealthy relationships and had to pause and truly reflect on where my choices were leading me five to 10 years into the future,” Contreras shared. “Being a single parent again forced me to look closely at the life I was creating and the example I was setting for my children.”
Contreras was determined to break the cycle of financial struggles and unhealthy relationships. But, she admitted, her education was about more than financial security. It was about identity and legacy.
“I thought deeply about the life I wanted for my children, a life rooted in security, opportunity, and self-respect and I realized education was the key to creating something different,” she said. “I wanted to prove to myself that my circumstances did not define me and to show my children that perseverance, growth and education can change the trajectory of life.”
Contreras started at Palo Alto College (PAC) during the pandemic. There, she found her love for storytelling and connecting students to resources that could change their lives.
She graduated from PAC in 2021 with associate’s degrees in teaching and business. But she didn’t stop there. She immediately enrolled in UT San Antonio Online’s Multidisciplinary Studies program, which aligned with her lifestyle needs.
“As a struggling single parent, I needed a program that offered flexibility while I balanced full-time work and raising my four children,” Contreras said. “UT San Antonio Online allowed me to manage my responsibilities without sacrificing my education.”
At UT San Antonio, Contreras finally found the transformation she had been seeking. She became more confident, sharpened her perspective and realized her lived experiences have value in professional spaces.
“UT San Antonio showed me that my nontraditional path was not a weakness, but a strength — giving me the confidence to speak up, take ownership of my work and pursue continued professional growth,” Contreras said. “It gave me validation, belief in myself and the confidence to model life-long learning for my children.”
Throughout her journey, Contreras continued to endure profound personal loss, including the passing of her mother in 2024. In reflecting on her mother’s life, she saw herself — not only the hardship of raising children alone, but more deeply, love, generosity and hospitality.
Now, Contreras’ life looks vastly different than it did in 2019. She is a purchaser at Alamo Colleges District, she’s graduating from UT San Antonio in May, and she’s in a healthy relationship with a spouse who loves and supports her and her children.
She said she is proud to be a first-generation college graduate, showing what is possible when determination is met with opportunity, support and purpose.
“Choosing to earn my degree became a declaration: that my past did not determine my future, that stability was possible, and that my children would grow up watching their mother pursue growth with intention, resilience and hope,” Contreras said.” I am graduating not just with a degree, but with a stronger sense of identity, self-worth and direction.”
Contreras is already experiencing how her decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree is reshaping her family’s future. Encouraged by her example, her spouse returned to school and will soon graduate with an associate’s degree from San Antonio College. Her son will graduate high school this month, becoming the first male in the extended family to do so. And her daughter, who graduated high school in 2024, is now continuing her education at PAC.
“For a long time, I’ve been waiting for moments like these,” Contreras said, “to see the impact of my decisions come to life in my family.” she said.
