University issues update on Westside Community Partnerships Initiative

OCTOBER 28, 2020 — Editor’s note: The following message was sent today via email from Roger Enriquez, Westside Community Partnerships executive director, and Rod McSherry, interim vice president for university relations, to all faculty and staff:

Since we are now just over a year since the launch of the President’s Initiative on Westside Community Partnerships, we wanted to provide a few updates regarding UTSA’s efforts to elevate our relationships with San Antonio’s West Side, particularly those neighborhoods adjacent to our Downtown Campus.

First, a request. We know there are many UTSA faculty and staff conducting research, teaching or service activities on the Westside, and we are interested in getting a more comprehensive view of these undertakings. If you are involved in any UTSA-related projects directly impacting San Antonio’s Westside, please take our 3-minute survey.

The Westside Community Partnerships initiative encompasses four key themes around creating pathways to economic prosperity, educational excellence, community-based research and community-campus engagement, aligning closely with UTSA’s identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Although the pandemic temporarily slowed our progress, we are still making strides to foster meaningful relationships, opportunities and research. By way of example:

• UTSA’s Westside Community Center—now a year old—serves as a home base for community-based workshops, research focus groups, exhibits, community group meetings and trainings.
  
• The College of Education and Human Development is actively exploring educational partnerships and wraparound services with Lanier High School, Tafolla Middle School, J.T. Brackenridge Elementary School and the San Antonio ISD.
  
• Over the past 12 months UTSA’s Small Business Development Center advised 127 businesses on the West Side, helping them to acquire more than $1.3 million in capital infusion (including $867,000 in COVID disaster recovery loans) and creating and retaining 422 jobs. In the same period UTSA awarded $104,987 to Historically Underutilized Businesses for goods and services.
  
• Community outreach programming continues to provide additional avenues for connection. Our slate of virtual events for Hispanic Heritage Month was just one recent example, and we are looking forward to a series of activities recognizing the 25th anniversary of the César E. Chávez & Dolores Huerta March in the spring.

All of these efforts are points along a pathway to fulfilling UTSA’s commitment as an urban-serving university and a driver of economic mobility for San Antonio—signaling our integral and interdependent connections to our neighboring communities. There is much more work to come, and we are grateful for your support.