The Spirit of the Roadrunner program, formerly known as Mr. and Ms. UTSA, recognizes a pair of students every fall “who embody the spirit of UTSA while striving for the highest levels of academic achievement, campus involvement and community service. They demonstrate the Roadrunner Creed in their daily actions and serve as ambassadors to the university at various UTSA-sponsored events throughout the year,” according to UTSA’s website.
The two students recognized this year are computer science major Alessandro Espinosa with his platform initiative “Better Together” and real estate and finance development major Russel “Russ” Ogbor, whose platform initiative is “Roaming New Frontiers.”
Espinosa’s feature with The Paisano can be read online at paisano-online.com. Featured below is the other half of the duo, Ogbor.
Becoming Spirit of the Roadrunner has given Ogbor a new perspective on UTSA and the city of San Antonio. It has deepened his connection to the area and furthered his ambitions to add value to the community.
“The Spirit of the Roadrunner is the active symbol of what it means to be a student here at UTSA. It’s the embodiment of engagement, passion and appreciation for what the university has to offer,” Ogbor said. “For me specifically, it allowed me to connect with UTSA on a whole new level. I sought to explore new opportunities and experiences that would allow [me] to enjoy my time in San Antonio while I’m here for school.
“Originally being from Houston, I only saw S.A. as a tourist attraction, but ever since enrolling at UTSA, I’ve been able to embrace the culture, pride, history and lineage that makes up this vibrant city. So now being Spirit of the Roadrunner, I can continue adding value and be integrated with UTSA’s mission and its effect on the community.”
Ogbor thoroughly enjoyed applying to the program. It bolstered his confidence as a candidate and provided him with a memorable campaigning experience that he would happily repeat.
“It was a fairly competitive yet fun application process. There were so many worthy and valuable candidates throughout the entire duration who all would have been impactful with their efforts,” Ogbor said.
“It started with a general application wanting to know ‘Who you are’ and ‘What you do here at UTSA,’ along with your platform idea that you wanted to carry out during your term as SOTR. It led to a unique ‘TED TALK’ style presentation elaborating on your platform, which was exhilarating. It gave me the confidence to ensure that I can be worthy of this position. It ended off with a week of campaigning during Homecoming Week where I got to go to a variety of UTSA events and spots on campus to talk about why I should be voted SOTR.
“Plus, I got the chance to walk on the football field during the HOCO game where they announced the winners — I felt like a true celebrity. It was an amazing experience that I would do all over again,” Ogbor added.
He hopes to bring more attention to the Downtown Campus during his tenure, coinciding with UTSA’s recent increases in its enrollment.
“With my time as Spirit of the Roadrunner, I seek to accomplish the goals of my platform: ‘Roaming New Frontiers’,” Ogbor said. “UTSA is a booming university, and we’re growing rapidly. As we’re seeing this growth, UTSA is looking to move various degree programs to our Downtown campus — DT Proper, Southwest and San Pedro I & II — to ensure their highest and best use of education. I want to focus on bringing better awareness to that section of UTSA as it plays an important [role in] the school’s future.”
Ogbor cited “site tours/workshops, UTSA events that mirror [those at the] Main Campus and surveys/questionnaires to gauge what students want to see implemented for future development,” as ways to improve awareness of the Downtown Campus.
“As we activate the engagement students have with UTSA downtown, we also stimulate the urban core of San Antonio allowing the city to prosper and flourish as a prominent market not only in Texas but around the U.S.,” Ogbor said. “Outside my platform, I want to ensure students feel comfortable, accommodated and heard to express themselves in a safe environment. I know this doesn’t occur overnight, but I want to use [the] SOTR position to take those necessary steps forward to make UTSA truly thrive.”
