New Bold Scholar program enables more first-year students to live on UTSA campus

AUGUST 16, 2022 — Today, the first cohort of Bold Scholars will be moving into their new rooms in Chisholm Hall as part of UTSA’s Move-In Days. The select group of about 220 incoming freshmen are part of an exciting new program that is allowing more students to experience the important benefits of living on campus their first year of college.

The Bold Scholar program is reserved for students who were admitted to UTSA as part of the university’s Bold Promise tuition assistance program.

The program, which is managed by the division of Student Success in collaboration with Strategic Enrollment, is funded by the Promise Plus endowment that the UT System created earlier this year to reduce the cost of higher education for undergraduate students and their families.

“We are confident we're going to see early successes in this pilot initiative.”

"We are confident we're going to see early successes in this pilot initiative,” said Tammy Wyatt, UTSA vice provost for student success. “The goal is to build and expand the program so we can allow more of our students to be able to experience the tremendous benefits of living on campus and not let finances prevent them from taking advantage of an opportunity that sets them up for success.”

The Bold Scholar program includes a comprehensive on-campus living-learning experience at no additional cost to students during their first year at UTSA. Living-learning communities are residential programs that allow students to connect with others who share a common focus and include specialized programming that promote academic success and belonging.

Including the new Bold Scholar program, UTSA has 10 special interest housing opportunities available for students. Other special interest housing communities center around the sciences, business, engineering, data science, honors, first-generation college students, Spanish language immersion, leadership and service, and wellbeing.

The Bold Scholars will live in newly-renovated triple-occupancy rooms in Chisholm Hall. Residents will have built-in support and programming from the Resident Assistants who live on each floor. Students will also receive dedicated support from two full-time professional staff.

The scholars will benefit from dedicated holistic support from academic advisors, counselors, professional and peer mentors, success coaches and others who will help them to experience the range of academic support and social engagement programs that make UTSA a model for student success. Additionally, the staff supporting the scholars will use the university’s suite of Civitas student success management tools to monitor their academic engagement and provide real-time support customized for each student.

This summer, 78 units in Chisholm Hall were completely renovated, receiving a new vanity, toilet, shower, plumbing, ceiling tiles, mirror, dressers, desks, chairs, mattresses, wardrobe and cabinets. 

In addition to the room renovations, the residence hall received an all-gender restroom, new community kitchen, new lounge, expanded first floor laundry room, and additional features to make the property more accessible.

Seventy-eight rooms in Chisholm Hall were fully renovated during the summer ahead of the Bold Scholar students moving in for the new semester.

Move-In Days is the lead-in event to Roadrunner Days, an annual, series of fun and informative events designed to welcome both new and returning students to UTSA before and during the first two weeks of classes. Dozens of engaging and informative activities provide students multiple opportunities to make connections with other students, faculty and staff.

To make the move-in experience as smooth as possible, the office of UTSA Housing and Residence Life asks that all students and families enter campus at Brackenridge Ave Lot 5, off UTSA Blvd. and Babcock in the southwest corner of campus. From there, they will receive temporary unloading permits and further direction to where they need to go. At the unloading lots near the residence halls, volunteers from the UTSA community will be waiting to help students move their possessions into their new homes.

The UTSA campus community is advised to avoid the north side of Main Campus along Tobin Ave. between Barshop Blvd. and Brenan Ave. during Move-In Days. In addition, Resident Lots 1, 2 and 3 will be closed for resident unloading.

— KC Gonzalez and Elyse Brown