UTSA has recently announced its new Bold Promise program, a program that offers free tuition for eligible incoming freshmen. High school seniors and twins Adrian and Jennifer Uribe will be among the first Roadrunners affected by this program.

Growing up on San Antonio’s West Side, the Uribe twins have always appreciated having each other for support.

“From the beginning of elementary school to now in our senior year of high school, we’ve always been together,” A. Uribe said. “Of course, we don’t have the exact same classes, but we still have the contact and connection that we’ve had for the past 17 years. We grew up on the West Side of San Antonio, and I think one of the biggest contributions to our success was having each other there when we needed support.”

Both Uribe twins are part of the Engineering Institute at Sidney Lanier High School. J. Uribe chose the architecture path within the institute.

“From the beginning of high school, I was presented with three opportunities to choose from when I applied to be a member of the Lanier High School Engineering Institute,” J. Uribe said. “The one that really caught my attention was the architecture program. I’ve been with the program for four years now, and I definitely found my passion; the way you can take your own design and shape it and modify it to become a reality always fascinates me.”

She hopes to major in architecture at UTSA and become a licensed architect.

“One of my biggest career goals is to earn my official architecture license, which might not sound difficult at first, but it really is,” J. Uribe said. “There are many different parts of the licensing process that are very stressful, such as the many tests and design projects that get you through school.”

A. Uribe chose to be a part of the construction path in the Engineering Institute.

“I joined the Engineering Institute but didn’t really have an idea what I would do after high school,” A. Uribe said. “I joined the construction program and … gained a lot of different exposure to the three different fields: architecture, construction and engineering. I realized that I had a really strong passion for the designing of structures … which is why I have chosen civil engineering as my career.”

He plans on majoring in civil engineering at UTSA and owning his own engineering firm in San Antonio one day.

UTSA has always been J. Uribe’s number one school, and she looks forward to attending college with her brother in anticipation of an easier transition to college for both of them.

“From the beginning of high school, I knew that UTSA was my top choice school,” J. Uribe said. “UTSA has everything that I am looking for and has a really great architecture program. Everybody talks about how frightening starting college is, but I feel that by having each other there for support and help is really going to help us succeed throughout our career.”

A. Uribe looks forward to the connections he will make at UTSA.

“One of the things that I am looking forward to is the networking and exposure opportunities for many different aspects of college,” A. Uribe said. “I know that UTSA is a very diverse and inviting campus, and I just can’t wait for what I am going to be a part of and the people that I am going to meet.”

He is also thankful to the Bold Promise program for the aid it will provide to his family and the opportunities it will allow him and his sister to have.

“Going to college under the Bold Promise definitely means a lot to me and my family,” A. Uribe said. “Paying for college has always been the most stressful obstacle that we’ve encountered, and we know that our parents do not have the money to pay for tuition — especially for both of us — so the Bold Promise has definitely relieved some stress and allowed us to focus on our careers and schooling.”