Editor’s Note: The following is a back-to-class message from UTSA Student Government President Zachary Nepote.
Welcome to UTSA, Roadrunners! My name is Zachary Nepote and I have the honor of serving as your 2023-2024 student body president. I am excited to welcome everyone to the new school year, especially the incoming students to our amazing university.
UTSA is a young and thriving university, designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution. The university has achieved the R1 Classification (“very high research activity”), also referred to as Tier One, from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Our traditions and celebrations are reflective of our profound connection to San Antonio, its community, and its culture—all of which I cherish very closely.
The UTSA Student Government Association, also referred to as SGA, is a sponsored student organization that serves as the primary voice and advocate for the student body.
SGA is here to assist students in accessing resources, voicing concerns and facilitating an equitable environment where students feel represented and heard. We have made fantastic strides in developing as an organization, building partnerships around campus, and developing our relationships with other student organizations.
Join us at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 24 in the Student Union Harris and Travis Rooms (HSU 2.212 and HSU 2.202) to Meet Your Representatives. Students will learn more about the appointed representatives of SGA and how they can serve their fellow students and the UTSA community. If you are interested in becoming a senator, file here or swing by our office located at the H-E-B Student Union (HSU 1.214).
Roadrunner Days, a two-week series of events, seminars and socials, begins tomorrow. It concludes on Saturday, September 2 with a watch party on campus of the first football game of the 2023 season. These events connect students to resources, organizations and other students. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about UTSA traditions like Midnight Light, the Get Involved Fair and the Howdy Rowdy Bash.
I want to share some tips I picked up over my time here at UTSA.
Tip #1: Get involved
With over 300+ student organizations, UTSA has a place for everyone! Whether your interest is in pre-professional groups, Fraternity and Sorority Life, volunteering or discovering new hobbies, there is an organization for you. Joining an organization and getting involved is the best way to make new friends, expand your interests, network and grow as a person.
How can you find these organizations?
RowdyLink is a great resource that I recommend for getting involved. If you log in with your UTSA credentials, you can view a list of all student organizations and their current points of contact.
Tip #2: Utilize all available resources
While getting involved is exciting, many of us have other responsibilities like working, taking care of a family member or serving our country. It is important that you take care of yourself and utilize the resources UTSA offers to assist students mentally, academically, socially and professionally.
Whether you need tutoring, exercise classes, access to mental health care, professional development, or the Whataburger Resource Room—also known as the Roadrunner food pantries—UTSA has the support you need to thrive and walk across the stage in a few short years.
Please take care of yourself and know that UTSA has resources to support you. You are valid, you are seen and we care about you. Going to school is a long journey; never feel discouraged to reach out and ask for help.
Tip #3: Speak up
If you see something, say something. UTSA has a multitude of safety resources, ranging from our Police Department and the LiveSafe App to the PEACE Center and Title IX offices. Never feel invisible or that there is no help for you. I encourage all students to Google these offices, become acquainted with their purposes, and be a beacon of knowledge for a student in crisis.
Never forget that your voice is important, it is valid and it is heard.
UTSA is on an incredible trajectory, and this is an amazing time to be a Roadrunner. I will leave you with this: Explore what UTSA has to offer, expand your interests, and meet new people. We are in one of the most important and brief eras in our lives. Take it in, learn as much as you can, and be proud of your journey.
Good luck this upcoming year and Birds Up!
