Graduating on time with less debt: How UTSA degrees set up students for success

Anna Almaraz '23 earned the Najim Scholars experiential learning scholarship, the Francisca Villarreal scholarship and others while at UTSA.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 — The value of a college education can be measured in a variety of ways, but two of the most important factors are time and money. UTSA is making sure students achieve those marks in an effort raise the value of the university’s degrees.

“At UTSA, we take pride in our efforts to help our students graduate on time while minimizing their debt, reflecting our deep commitment to both affordability and academic success,” said Heather Shipley, UTSA provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

One key approach, Shipley says, is encouraging students to take 15 credit hours each semester. As a result, UTSA students are graduating in 4.4 years as of the 2022-23 academic year, as opposed to graduating in 5.2 years in the 2013-14 academic year.

According to institutional data, students who take 15 credit hours or more a semester graduate faster and with a higher GPA. Most university degree programs require 120 hours, which is attainable in 4 years while taking 15 hours each semester.

“This approach not only helps them minimize educational costs, but it allows them to enter the workforce earlier, giving them a head start on building successful careers,” Shipley said.

“UTSA is committed to its mission to provide a high-quality, affordable education that transforms lives and opens doors to new opportunities.”

Recent UTSA undergraduates are averaging nearly $5,200 less in education-related loan debt than their peers a decade ago. In 2022-23, 43% of UTSA students, like Anna Almaraz ’23, graduate without any education-related debt thanks to scholarships and financial assistance.

“College needed to be paid for,” Almaraz said. “If college was not paid for, it was going to be tough and it was going to have to come out of my own pocket.”

Almaraz grew up in San Antonio helping her mother clean houses to support her family. She says her entrepreneurial spirit grew and inspired her to launch her own marketing business while in high school — an effort to help her get closer to her dreams, but also a financial necessity.

“I've always worked multiple jobs because I had to pay for everything,” she said. “My textbooks, my parking and all of that good stuff.”

Almaraz earned the Najim Scholars experiential learning scholarship, the Francisca Villarreal scholarship and others while at UTSA. She says many of her scholarships were merit-based and included GPA and 15 credit hour requirements.

In four years, this first-generation graduate earned her B.B.A. in Marketing. She crossed the stage in the spring of 2023.

Although she had job opportunities upon graduation, Almaraz was encouraged by Carlos Alvarez College of Business Dean Jonathon Halbesleben and his staff to elevate those opportunities by applying to the Texas Business Hall of Fame. Anna applied and won the Harvey E. Najim Future Texas Business Legend Award, providing her with a life-changing scholarship and invaluable career opportunities to work alongside community donors, while pursuing her M.B.A. at UTSA debt-free.

“UTSA, the counselors, everyone really helped me out,” she said. “It was a huge scholarship and was sponsored by Harvey Najim, one of our biggest donors here at UTSA.”

This is just one of many examples of how the university’s targeted financial assistance, comprehensive support programs and a focused effort to streamline the path to graduation is helping alleviate the debt burden many college graduates face.

“UTSA is committed to its mission to provide a high-quality, affordable education that transforms lives and opens doors to new opportunities.” Shipley said. “This proactive approach both accelerates their career trajectories and boosts their lifetime earning potential, emphasizing the value of a UTSA degree.”

— John Elizondo