Posted on August 28, 2026 by
Interim Dean Tillyer's Welcome Message to Students for Fall 2026
Welcome Message from Interim Dean Tillyer
Hello Roadrunners!
You may know this already, but your area of study is one of eight that make up the College for Health, Community and Policy, which is sometimes called HCAP! And as the interim dean of your college, I am very excited to welcome you to the start of the fall semester and the beginning of a new academic year!
I am always excited about the start of a new academic year. Like many students at UT San Antonio, my own educational journey wasn’t along that typical high school to college path. For starters, I grew up in Canada! I earned my GED and started at a community college. When I transferred to university, I carried many of the same fears and hopes that all of us as first-generation students carry. But I worked my way through it by finding friends and faculty to support me. Eventually, I made my way to Ohio and the University of Cincinnati where I earned my doctorate.
Now, as a professor, it feels a little bit like I’ve spent my whole life in a classroom! And along this journey, I’ve learned a few things about what it takes to be successful as a student and in my career.
One strategy I’d like to share is to get involved beyond the classroom. I know it can be a challenge to find an extra hour here or a few minutes there for things like joining a club, attending a guest speaker or participating in a workshop – but opportunities like these are what make your time at UT San Antonio a richer and more rewarding experience.
In the rest of this message, I will highlight a few items that are coming up soon and invite you to check them out!
Resources from Your HCAP Student Success Center
Connect. Learn. Belong. Those three words are the best way to summarize everything the HCAP Student Success Center offers to students like you! Visit the Center to connect with other students and the resources you need to navigate life at UT San Antonio. Learn a new skill or two when you attend workshops and special events. And discover that the Center is right where you belong as a student in HCAP!
Have an Internship this Semester? Getting Ready to Job Search?
Our career team has been hard at work this summer developing two exciting new programs to help you find a job or internship, explore graduate school or land that first job as you think Beyond the Tassel!
Beyond the Tassel is our brand-new workshop series designed to help you find, apply and interview for, and land a job. Whether you are looking for a part-time job as a student, an internship to compliment your studies or your first job after graduation, these workshops offer something for everyone. Programs are available in-person and online.
Discover at Your Own Pace
To discover even more ways to get your fall semester off to a great start, I encourage you to visit our website at hcap.utsa.edu and follow our social media accounts on Instagram (@hcaputsa and @hcapssc) and LinkedIn.
As the fall progresses, I encourage you to share your ideas with me on how we can make your student experience here at UT San Antonio truly transformational. Feel free to contact my office at HCAP@utsa.edu and our team will do its best to assist you.
On behalf of all of the faculty and staff at the College for Health, Community and Policy, we wish you all the best for a fantastic fall semester!
Onward!
Rob Tillyer
Interim Dean and Professor
College for Health, Community and Policy
The University of Texas at San Antonio
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