From left to right: UTSA President Ricardo Romo, Associate
Professor Harriett Romo, Associate Professor Belinda Flores,
White House aide Sonia Medina, Assistant Professor Misty
Sailors and Vice President for Extended Services Jude Valdez

White House aide visits UTSA to discuss health issues

By Alison Beshur
Public Affairs Specialist

(Nov. 18, 2005)--San Antonio native Sonya Medina, special assistant to President Bush for domestic policy and director of projects for the First Lady, met Friday with Ricardo Romo, president of UTSA, and Misty Sailors, UTSA assistant professor of interdisciplinary learning and teaching, to discuss the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Sailors is working with rural classroom teachers in South Africa to address the HIV/AIDS issue and is developing math, science and health learning materials for children.

Medina has traveled with the First Lady to Africa and recently met Sailors at the United States Agency for International Development's Textbook and Learning Materials post-award conference in Washington, D.C.

"Education for all children in Africa, especially young girls, is imperative," Medina said. "The President and Mrs. Bush are committed to this cause and hope that all children will one day be able to lead healthy and hopeful lives."

While in San Antonio to see family, Medina visited UTSA to gather more information about Sailors' research and work in South Africa.