Scholarship enables UTSA quarterback to make a positive impact

NOVEMBER 21, 2022 — UTSA graduate student and Roadrunners Football champion quarterback Frank Harris, has been playing football since the age of five. He grew up in Converse, Texas, where he spent much of his time playing sports, riding horses, fishing, and hunting with his family and friends.

As a young child, Harris had dreams of becoming a professional bull rider. Luckily for UTSA, he decided to focus his talents on sports, dedicating the majority of his school years to becoming an excellent football player. His achievements and drive led to a UTSA Athletics Scholarship, confirming his choice to attend the university.

“Of every school, I’m so glad I chose to attend UTSA. It’s amazing to be playing at one of the only Division I schools in the city. I love my experience here as an athlete and the incredible sense of camaraderie among our fan base in San Antonio,” Harris said.

“The degrees I am receiving are going to be useful forever, even after I retire from football.”

The youngest of four siblings who have attended college, Harris was thrilled to receive a full-ride scholarship to UTSA for both undergraduate and graduate school. He is one of 85 students who received a UTSA athletics football scholarship supported by the Roadrunner Athletics Fund. The scholarship allows Harris to focus the time he needs on his academics while also practicing four days a week for several hours with his fellow Roadrunners.

As a testament to his hard work and dedication, Harris has received several prestigious accolades, including the Dave Campbell's 2021 Texas Football Offensive Player of the Year. He even made the semi-finalist lists for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. With so much of his time taken up by practice and academics, Harris does not have the bandwidth to balance outside employment with his schooling.

“Especially during the football season, you aren’t going to have time for a job. I was incredibly fortunate to receive a scholarship where I receive a stipend to help me support myself and won’t be in debt when I graduate college,” Harris said. “My siblings always remind me how lucky I am that I won’t be in debt when I graduate.”

In 2021, Harris received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the UTSA College for Health, Community and Policy. He will receive his master of public administration degree from The UTSA Graduate School in spring 2023.

As he pursues his dream of becoming a professional player in the NFL, Harris is keeping his post-football career options open. He noted that he intentionally chose to receive his education in fields with a broad range of career possibilities, and is looking forward to finding out what he can do with his university education in the workforce and how he can make a positive impact in the community.

“Opportunities like this don’t always come around and people on scholarships really put that to use. We know that we are blessed to be in the positions that we are in,” Harris said. “I know many people that wouldn’t be in college if it weren’t for the scholarships. I, myself, would not be able to dedicate enough time to football to be able to play. Receiving a scholarship provides an opportunity that will affect the rest of our lives. These degrees that I am receiving are going to be useful forever, even after I retire from football.”

— Jordan Allen