(Aug. 20, 2019) -- To further realize its vision to provide world-class educational, economic and cultural opportunities to underserved communities in San Antonio’s urban core, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) today announced its intention to establish a community center in San Antonio’s historic Westside neighborhood. The new center will serve as a hub for UTSA to foster meaningful relationships with Westside residents and business owners that drive educational access, lifelong learning and economic opportunity.
UTSA is actively pursuing a prime location where area residents and their families can receive a variety of potential services including after-school tutoring, college admissions advising and preparation and, longer-term, adult education programs to encourage lifelong learning. The university will partner with Westside community groups and organizations to help shape the center’s services.
To support small business owners, the center will serve as an access point for entrepreneurs who want to work with UTSA. The university has a longstanding tradition of supporting Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) vendors. The UTSA Institute for Economic Development also offers an array of services to foster growth of small and medium-sized businesses.
“UTSA is committed to improving the quality of life of San Antonians by providing increased access to educational and economic mobility,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. “This community center will serve as a model for how we extend our connections deeper into San Antonio’s neighborhoods to provide access to education, university services and other programs.”
To support the Westside neighborhood’s rich cultural traditions, the center will also collaborate with the City of San Antonio, City Council District 5 and local community leaders to promote arts and culture programming.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity for UTSA, our west side neighbors and community leaders to collaborate in a mission of preservation with positive growth,” said Kristi Villanueva, president of the West San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. “This joint effort will further a strong economic driver for current and future west side neighbors.”
As part of its master planning process, UTSA is working with the National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB), a nationally recognized non-profit organization specializing in research and data-driven strategies to support equitable neighborhood development.
NALCAB is currently undertaking a research study on the issues impacting vulnerable populations near the UTSA Downtown Campus. The results of that study will help the university shape the programming at its new community center and the campus.
UTSA expects to identify the location for the center in the coming days and begin offering programming and services later this Fall.
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Archaeology 201 will briefly go over the foundations of archaeology and related skills, followed by a different topic over the course of this week (like skeletal analysis, global cultures, and more).
Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA Main CampusCraft a comic to create your own narrative and find your voice through storytelling. Participants will learn to create characters that are self-reflective and through a community lens.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusJoin the Student Involvement Center and the Whataburger Resource Room (Food-Pantry) for a service project! Help us prepare for the Roadrunner Days Move-In Market on Thursday, July 25 from 11 AM - 2 PM by assisting us with the following volunteer needs. We are preparing for UTSA's largest garage sale, but everything is free for our students!
BK Lot 5 Building (Next to Campus Garden), Main CampusCome enjoy a discussion on art as a self expression in the age of moving technology and telling your story with a community.
REGSS Community Room (DB 3.202,) UTSA Downtown CampusThe UTSA Veteran and Military Office will be holding a social event for our new military-affiliated students to come out and meet our office, staff, and other students.
MB 0.100, Ground Floor Lobby, Main BuildingThe Student Union invites you to join us for Kickback at the Union, a fun event designed to get you acquainted with all of the services available in the Student Union!
Student UnionInterested in learning more about the different fraternities and sororities in the Multicultural Greek Council? Come meet our organizations and enjoy free food and music.
Retama Galleria (SU 2.02,) Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.