Editor’s note: This article is part of a yearlong series highlighting the stories and successes of past and present UTSA Top Scholars to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the program.
As a freshman last fall, Jasbeth Medrano wasted no time getting involved in various hands-on and service-learning opportunities on campus and in the surrounding community. The UTSA Top Scholar student volunteered with refugee and migrant services organizations, and helped organize the San Antonio International Women’s Day march.
During her first year, Medrano also enrolled in the Philosophy and Literature Circle, an experiential course offered in the UTSA Honors College. In the course, students explore the humanities, liberal arts and literature alongside incarcerated participants at San Antonio’s Dominguez State Jail.
“I’m very passionate about criminal justice reform, and I think that passion did manifest from that class.”
“That class has influenced a lot of my work, and it’s actually one of the reasons why I decided to take up a criminal justice minor,” Medrano said. “I’m very passionate about criminal justice reform, and I think that passion did manifest from that class.”
Now in its 10th year, the UTSA Top Scholar is a premier program housed within the Honors College. Each year, 10 high-achieving students from high schools across Texas are selected to become Top Scholars. They receive a four-year, comprehensive scholarship that provides funding for tuition, fees, on-campus housing and study-away opportunities, and they benefit from experiences in and out of the classroom that stretch their academic foundations to new levels and prepare them for the workforce. The program also provides students with a built-in community of peers who support each other’s academic, professional and personal growth.
The UTSA Top Scholar program introduced Medrano to the ultimate experiential education opportunity: living and learning in another country. This past summer, Medrano, who is now a sophomore, was selected to participate in the Fulbright UK Summer Institute (UKSI) at the University of Bristol with a small group of undergraduates from across the United States. It was the first time the Garland, Texas, native had traveled overseas.
“Going into the trip, I had no idea what to expect. And I was kind of scared to be traveling overseas on my own,” Medrano said. “But it was an amazing experience.”
The three-week-long summer institute is an esteemed cultural and academic program. Students explore the interdiv of the arts and activism while gaining tools to become leaders in their own communities. A political science major and self-proclaimed activist, Medrano knew the program would be the perfect continuation of her previous volunteer experience and community involvement.
“The program had a div that addressed a lot of social issues like feminism, incarceration and migration,” she said. “Experiencing firsthand the work that activists are doing abroad was super eye-opening.”
Medrano also met and learned from individuals who immigrated to the UK from countries like Jamaica, something she could relate to as a Latina living in the U.S.
“I could see the parallels between my experiences as the daughter of Latin American migrants,” Medrano said. “That really opened my eyes to how big the world is but how connected we all still are.”
Long before boarding her flight to cross the Atlantic, Medrano enlisted the help of the UTSA Top Scholar community to help her build a strong application for the summer institute. Alumnus Taylor Helmcamp ’21 and Andrew Chapman, director for the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards (ONCA) in the Honors College, were happy to help.
ONCA provides all students with information and guidance on submitting applications for awards, scholarships and research and study abroad programs. It is a key part of UTSA’s commitment to delivering transformative learning opportunities, like Fulbright UKSI, that allow students to engage in international dialogues and gain insight to help them navigate their post-college careers.
“I asked a couple of people who had already applied and were accepted to Fulbright, like Taylor. She helped me out a lot during the application process,” Medrano said. “Dr. Chapman was also super instrumental in helping me write and edit my application.”
Medrano first considered coming to UTSA during her senior year of high school, when she stumbled upon a book by a UTSA professor while doing research for an essay. Although she originally planned to attend school closer to home, Medrano had the chance to meet with current UTSA Top Scholar students during the program’s recruitment process. She was left with such a positive impression that she decided to enroll at UTSA.
“The selection process was a lot of fun, and it made me realize that this program was more than just a scholarship; it was a community,” recalled Medrano. “Having access to these amazing people and being able to connect with them, and now being able to call some of these super accomplished people my best friends, has just been amazing.”
The UTSA Top Scholar program is currently accepting applications for Fall 2024. The application deadline is December 1, 2023.
