Emmy-nominated storyteller Alex Boylan films an episode of "The College Tour” on Main Campus.
MARCH 22, 2023 — Today, UTSA made its debut on the Amazon Prime Video series, “The College Tour.”
Created by award-winning producers and hosted by Emmy-nominated storyteller Alex Boylan, each episode of “The College Tour” highlights one university through the stories of its students. UTSA is one of more than 80 universities and colleges that have been featured to date.
“For high school students trying to decide where they want to attend college, traveling to visit different campuses can be expensive and time-consuming, which may hinder students from considering schools that are farther away from home,” said Lynn Barnes Jr., UTSA senior vice provost for strategic enrollment. “By partnering with ‘The College Tour,’ we now can show prospective students and high school counselors across the nation and the world what life-changing opportunities are available here at UTSA, through the eyes of Roadrunner students who are seizing those experiences to create their bold futures.”
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Espy speaks to the Roadunner community during "The College Tour" screening.
The episode is split into 20 segments—one for each featured student —allowing Roadrunners from a variety of majors and backgrounds to illustrate life at UTSA from their unique viewpoint. Each segment also focuses on a different aspect of the UTSA experience, ranging from campus life and student activities to career-engaged learning and research excellence.
The students starring in the episode were selected through a video audition process, and filming took place in September 2022 at various locations across the Main, Southwest and Downtown campuses.
The following Roadrunners comprise the student cast:
UTSA leaders and members of the student cast, along with their friends and families, enjoyed an on-campus screening last month. Swapping out the typical red carpet, guests walked the UTSA orange carpet, enjoyed music and refreshments, and watched the one-hour episode in the Student Union Retama Auditorium at the UTSA Main Campus. A panel of cast members also screened the episode for prospective students and their families at UTSA Day last month.
“Being a part of ‘The College Tour’ was an amazing experience for our UTSA team of students, staff and faculty who worked in front of and behind the camera to produce the show, and we are excited that soon everyone will have the chance to see the final product,” said Barnes.
Along with the main episode, Boylan also spent time with UTSA President Taylor Eighmy and Director of Freshmen Recruitment Ana K. Rodriguez as part of the Coffee With the President and Ask Admissions miniseries. In these brief episodes, Boylan gets additional insight from Eighmy and Rodriguez about UTSA’s admissions process, financial aid, life in San Antonio and other topics relevant to prospective Roadrunners.
“San Antonio is such a special place. It’s the seventh-largest city in the US, but the city is so welcoming, it really feels like a family,” said Boylan. “The same thing is true for UTSA: from the moment our crew stepped foot on campus, we felt like honorary Roadrunners.”
“UTSA also is one of fewer than two dozen universities that are designated both as a Hispanic-serving institution and a Tier One research university, and it was evident from our time on campus that the university is really leveraging that distinction, as well as its many partners across San Antonio and Texas, to create one-of-a-kind opportunities for its students. We're so excited about sharing the UTSA story with the world.”
“The College Tour” will be available on Apple TV and other streaming platforms, in addition to Amazon Prime Video.
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All UTSA students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families are invited to march with the UTSA delegation in San Antonio's 38th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. March. Free transportation will be provided from the Main and Downtown Campuses.
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Dreamers Resource Lounge, Main CampusJoin us for Coffee with Vets, a casual social event where veterans can come together, connect, and share camaraderie over a cup of coffee. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind, meet fellow veterans, and build community in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
Veteran Lounge (JPL 4.03.04,) John Peace Library, Main CampusStop by to ask questions or learn about how you can become involved in Wellbeing Services events and programs.
Window Lounge (SU1.02.00C,) Student Union, Main CampusArt of Wellbeing is a weekly workshop provided by Wellbeing Services! Join us as we use different art mediums each week as a way to improve our overall wellbeing!
Magnolia Room (SU2.01.30,) Student Union, 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.
