HONORS COLLEGE COMMUNIQUE: October 2025   Hello from Honors College! In partnership with Academic Advising, we are sending a monthly Honors College Communique on the Advising listserv, in which we will send updates about:     1. Honors news, updates, and advising information 2. Honors opportunities open to all students 2. A highlighted benefit of being an Honors College member 3. A student highlight from your advising areas 4. Contacts within Honors for more information Honors News: Honors has two new Counselors! Please welcome, Brianna Hernandez and Josiah Rodriguez. Brianna joined us on September 8th, as the Honors Pre-Health Professions Counselor. She has experience with advising, career planning, research, mentoring, event and project management, hosting sessions, developing and delivering presentations, designing trainings, and more! She has been a student ambassador and became a lead. She has worked with all levels of students, from high school though college, and with first-gen and transfer students. [cid:image001.png@01DC3E6F.2899EAE0] Josiah joined us on September 22nd. He has experience with advising, career planning, mentoring, hosting sessions, developing and delivering presentations, financial aid, and more! He has been a teacher, tutor, and a supplemental instruction leader. He has worked with all levels of students, from K-12 though college. [cid:image002.png@01DC3E6F.2899EAE0] Honors Academics: Call for Judges! We invite the UTSA community to be judges for the Fall 2025 Honors College Experiential Learning Fair (ELF). Interested? Please email Dr. Hector Aguilar at hector.aguilar@utsa.edu<mailto:hector.aguilar@utsa.edu>. It only requires about 1.5 hours of your time. What is the ELF? Each semester, community members and UTSA staff, faculty and graduate students serve as judges for our Experiential Learning Fair<https://honors.utsa.edu/academics/elf/> (ELF). In the “ELF,” UTSA Honors College students present significant accomplishments outside of the classroom in Service, Professional Development, Intellectual Achievement & Research, Cultural Exploration, Engaged Living, and Skill Development. The ELF is an opportunity for them to share their experiences and learn to speak about them in meaningful ways. We intentionally invite community members and UTSA partners to judge to make explicit our belief that education is a civic good. Student efforts in our curriculum should benefit our communities. Judging Process. The judging process will be relatively simple: · The judging is Wednesday, November 19th. · The student presentation times are 11:30-12:30 and 2:30-3:30. · There are two judging sessions: 11:00-12:30 and 2:00-3:30, both in the HEB SU Ballroom. · The judge training and poster previewing in the first 30 minutes of the sessions. · We will provide the rubrics and training. Can’t commit to being a judge? The ELF is open to anyone who wants to see the presentations. Stop by and say hello to our students! Honors Opportunities for All Students: Archer Fellowship Program- The Archer Fellowship Program<http://bit.ly/ArcherProgram> provides undergraduate students from across The University of Texas System with a unique opportunity to explore their interest in public policy and/or public service in our nation’s capital. Earn in-residence UT San Antonio credit for coursework and gain hand-on work experience in a full-time internship of your choosing. Archer Fellows live together near Capitol Hill and build lasting friendships and professional connections with each other. All majors are welcome! The 2026-2027 application will open November 2025. Upcoming information sessions: November 10th at noon and January 23rd at noon. More information is on the website<https://honors.utsa.edu/programs/archer-fellowship.html>;. Citymester Program - is a 10-week summer program, May 27- August 4, 2026, designed to immerse students in the vibrant landscape of San Antonio through part-time internships or research experience, volunteer work at service organizations around the San Antonio community, and visits to key locations across the city. These site visits are valuable in helping students gain a deeper understanding of San Antonio’s unique history, culture, and challenges while fostering connections with the communities and organizations that shape the city. Citymester offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore social issues, engage with community partners, and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities within our community. The program is open to all UTSA undergraduates, regardless of major, and participants in the Honors College will earn three Honors College experiences. Citymester is more than just a summer program—it's an avenue for cultivating future leaders who are informed, engaged, and ready to make a difference in San Antonio. Students do not need to be in the Honors College to participate. Application deadline is October 31st. Upcoming information sessions: Tuesday, October 21st at 4pm, and Wednesday, October 29th at 5:30pm. Visit the website<https://honors.utsa.edu/programs/utsa-citymester/> for more info. Highlighted Benefit for Honors College Members: Honors in the City is a program that gives our students the opportunity to explore San Antonio, experience new things, and make new friends. The Honors Program is about building community and providing immersive experiences throughout the city. The second Honors in the City event of Fall 2025 will be a cello-centered performance of Classics II: Brahms 1 – Beyond Borders<https://www.saphil.org/seasontickets> at the San Antonio Philharmonic. Students will be able to attend this magical performance at no cost! Student Highlights: Congratulations to our first-year Honors College student, Kaden Bryant (graduated from Highlands HS (SAISD), who was recently awarded the Broadway Bank College Scholarship in partnership with San Antonio Education. Kaden was also a member of the class of 2024 UT San Antonio Knowledge for Freedom program<https://colfa.utsa.edu/interdisciplinary/knowledge-for-freedom...;. [cid:image003.png@01DC3E6F.D0625730] Best Regards, Alegra Lozano, Director of Counseling, Honors College, alegra.lozano@utsa.edu<mailto:alegra.lozano@utsa.edu> Hector Aguilar, Associate Dean, Honors College, hector.aguilar@utsa.edu<mailto:hector.aguilar@utsa.edu> Honors email: honors@utsa.edu<mailto:honors@utsa.edu> Honors advising email: honors.advising@utsa.edu<mailto:honors.advising@utsa.edu> Honors website: https://honors.utsa.edu/ Honors Experiential Learning Lab: https://honors.utsa.edu/academics/experiential-learning-lab.html