UTSA Alumni Association Life Members, Greg Whitaker ’90 and his wife Melissa are strongly connected to the university. The couple is dedicated to giving back and they currently serve as Co-Chairs for the university’s Campaign Leadership Council Houston – a regional volunteer leadership group that helps create impactful fundraising opportunities in support of Be Bold: A Campaign for Our Future, the largest fundraising campaign in UTSA history, which will publicly launch in Fall 2022.

Melissa originally transferred to UTSA as a pre-nursing major and graduated from the UT Health Science Center, while Greg graduated from the university as an accounting major. Despite his admitted lack of musical skill, Greg enrolled in UTSA’s Masterpieces of Music class for his fine arts credit. In 1990, he unexpectedly met Melissa on a trip to Europe organized by the class professor, Dr. Lawrence Barker, and the pair were married just three years later.

“It was an interesting way to meet because as an accounting graduate, I was not musically inclined at all. Melissa definitely had the musical talent. The fact that we connected through a music class is really funny to us. It was definitely fate,” said Greg.

Grateful for their unparalleled experiences as UTSA students, Greg and Melissa were encouraged to stay connected to the university with the help of their good friend and fellow Houston-based Alumni Association Life Member, Pat Clynes. In the early 90s, Greg joined Pat on visits to high schools to share information about UTSA. He also became very involved in the first alumni chapter in Houston.

“We stay involved because we’re excited to see what transpires over the years with the academic and athletic programs and to witness how the school grows and expands. I originally came to UTSA with the intention to transfer to UT Austin but as a student, I realized that the school had so much going for it, so I decided to stay. We are so proud of the university and how far it has come,” said Greg.

With many UTSA Campaign Leadership Council Houston meetings currently being held virtually, Melissa and Greg look forward to soon being able to meet in person with their fellow CLC members in San Antonio and continue working to support UTSA’s Be Bold campaign. As CLC - Houston Co-Chairs, the couple will also host and facilitate the meetings for the Houston area council members.

“We’ve enjoyed meeting the people that represent the school. They have all been top-notch and we appreciate the opportunities we’ve been given to work with them. We couldn’t be more grateful for our experience, the university’s staff, fellow alumni, and the CLC members,” expressed Greg.

Melissa and Greg currently reside in Houston, Texas, and are parents to three daughters, ages 26, 24, and 21. They remain in touch with their former professor, Dr. Barker, and in recent years have even brought their daughters along on their travels to Europe through his continued musical tours. With their deep and lasting ties to the university, Melissa and Greg are proud to remain involved with the university and the educational and social activities of the UTSA Alumni Association to increase support for UTSA among alumni in the Greater Houston area.