Jonah Espinoza named UTSA’s first Sumners Scholar

Jonah Espinoza addressed the university's contingent in Austin during UTSA Day at the Capitol in February.

APRIL 22, 2025 — UTSA Honors College student and Top Scholar Jonah Espinoza has been named a 2025 Sumners Scholar, becoming the first student in university history to receive the prestigious award. He is one of only 36 undergraduates in the country selected by the Sumners Foundation of Irving, Texas, which recognizes students who demonstrate civic engagement, academic excellence, leadership potential and a commitment to furthering U.S. democracy.

Espinoza, a San Antonio native, is double majoring in economics and in politics and law. He was selected from a distinguished applicant pool of students from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas who are attending a college or university in Texas or Oklahoma.

The Sumners Scholarship provides $40,000 in financial support — $20,000 per year for a student’s junior and senior years — and offers access to a range of academic enrichment opportunities, including public policy and leadership programming, lecture series and internships.

Espinoza credits his parents and mentors for inspiring him to succeed academically and give back to his community. Growing up in San Antonio, he witnessed firsthand the barriers many residents face in accessing quality education and resources. During the application process, he connected these local issues to the mission of the Sumners Foundation, noting that challenges such as low literacy rates and low educational attainment can contribute to political disengagement.

“As we move toward progress, communities like mine can come together and become increasingly ‘conscious [that we] are the government,’” said Espinoza, paraphrasing a quote by Hatton W. Sumners, former U.S. Congressman and founder of the Sumners Foundation.

Espinoza (left) and fellow UTSA students Kayla Trujillo, Chizitere Ohaji and Sahana Babu, participated in UTSA Day at the Capitol earlier this year. Espinoza is a Parliamentary Fellow with the Texas House of Representatives this spring as part of the UTSA Legislative Fellows program.

Espinoza plans to dedicate his future to addressing those challenges through the intersection of economics, public policy and legal advocacy. After graduating from UTSA, he plans to pursue a dual-degree program to earn both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Public Policy. Ultimately, he aspires to serve in a policymaking role where he can help expand access to opportunities for all Americans.

Since his first year at UTSA, Espinoza has participated in the Top Scholar program, a four-year, merit-based scholarship that supports high-achieving students with personalized experiences in academics, leadership and community service. With guidance from Top Scholar program staff, he has achieved notable accolades and awards in his first and second years.

He currently serves as the District 8 Representative of the City of San Antonio Higher Education Student Advisory Board (HESAB), where he helped develop the 2025 Higher Education Student Survey. He is also a Parliamentary Fellow at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, working full-time with the Texas House of Representatives as part of the UT System and UTSA Legislative Fellows Program. In summer 2024, Espinoza participated in the Fulbright UK Summer Institute at Queens University Belfast, where he studied identity and intergroup relations in divided societies.

“We are incredibly proud of Jonah and excited to see him represent UTSA and the Top Scholar program as our first Sumners Scholar. His selection reflects his dedication to civic leadership and academic excellence. The opportunities he’s embraced through the program have set the stage for what we know will be a remarkable future,” said Kristi Meyer, director of the UTSA Top Scholar program.

In addition to his other commitments, Espinoza is a member of the UTSA President’s Student Advisory Council, where he provides feedback on student priorities and serves as a sounding board for new ideas and university strategic initiatives.

As he looks ahead to future opportunities in San Antonio, Austin or Washington D.C., Espinoza will remain committed to public service, grounded by a deep sense of purpose fueled by the examples set by his family, local leaders and historical figures.

— Alexandra Sheldon