The University of Texas at San Antonio
A community vision becomes a reality on the campus of The University of Texas at San Antonio
The downtown community of San Antonio shared a vision that a university campus should be more than just a place where a student could earn a degree. It could also be the venue through which an entire community would grow, thus allowing generation after generation to benefit.
This vision became a reality when Phases I and II of The University of Texas at San Antonio's (UTSA) Downtown Campus were completed using $14.3 million from PUF bond proceeds, $17.9 million from revenue bonds, and $20 million from tuition revenue bonds. Opened in July 1997, the UTSA Downtown Campus offers college classes as well as providing opportunities for the richly diverse community to grow.
The UTSA Downtown Campus is the site for city-sponsored classes on forging neighborhood associations and community revitalization plus the bulk of the University's extended education programs. In terms of cultural events, UTSA Downtown offers a free lecture series on contemporary issues and regularly invites the public to free exhibits, films, musical performances, and activities. One example is UTSA's annual observance of Latino Heritage Week, which coincides with Diez y Seis de Septiembre. The Child Advocates San Antonio, a group of volunteer advocates for abused children, rents space for a nominal amount to hold training for their volunteers, thus exposing many new visitors to the downtown campus. These various uses of the Downtown Campus are proof that a university campus can enhance its community by providing more than just an opportunity for educational advancement.
