Posted on May 9, 2024 by Storm Goodman
Adrian Garcia, UTSA Construction Science Management 2024
Adrian Garcia pursues his interests and graduates with a degree in Construction Science Management (CSM). As a San Antonio local, he was surprised and elated to find out about UTSA’s Construction Science Management program and all of the future career growth opportunities it presented. With a history of love for building and assembling things, Adrian chose to attend UTSA to obtain a degree in a field he was passionate about. Read the full Q&A with Adrian to learn about his journey and what his advice is for future Roadrunners.
What made you decide to attend UTSA?
I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico but I grew up in San Antonio. I love this city, all my family lives here and my roots were firmly planted here so I did not want to have to uproot my wife and kids so that I could go back to school. While my wife was supportive of my decision to go back to school and assured me that she would be ok with doing whatever we needed to do, we luckily did not have to go anywhere. UTSA offered a strong and growing Construction Science and Management program and I knew that the construction industry in San Antonio would provide ample opportunities.
When did you figure out what you wanted to study in college?
During Covid, like many others, I was reflecting on where I was, what I was doing and where I was planning on going in life. I knew I wanted to do something that I enjoyed so I had to start there. I’ve always liked building things, woodworking and especially enjoyed Legos even as an adult. I enjoyed building things and following a set of plans to make sure it was built correctly. So, I did some research to find what kind of jobs were out there that would allow me to do that on a larger scale and what kind of degree would be needed to get that kind of job. A short time later, I had my answer and here I am a few years later about to graduate with my degree in Construction Science and Management.
What did you enjoy most about your experience at UTSA?
I enjoyed getting to make connections both with my peers as well as with people in the industry. My peers and I have learned and grown together throughout our time here and I have no doubt that we’ll keep in touch and I’m excited to see where life takes them. The CSM faculty and industry leaders really want us to succeed so they foster this environment where you have support from all sides and there’s so many networking opportunities and events that connections are made so easily.
What have you learned, in your time at UTSA, that surprised you the most?
What surprised me the most was to learn how many different career paths this degree would open up. When I first started, I was only thinking of residential home building, but quickly learned about so many other possibilities including multi-family, commercial and industrial, private, public, etc.
Do you have any goals or plans after graduation?
During the summer of 2023, I was able to complete an internship with Valero at their Three Rivers Refinery. Thanks to that internship, I was offered a full-time position upon graduation so I plan to start working there full time once I graduate. I’m excited to grow with the company and put what I learned to good use.
What advice do you have for people considering the programs at UTSA?
My advice would be to be curious. Talk to people who have graduated from the program, talk to people who changed programs, talk to the professors and advisors. Attend information sessions and pick people’s brains.
What is your life motto/ slogan?
“Ask yourself this question: Will this matter a year from now?” I asked myself this question a lot over the last few years. When I was debating whether or not to go back to school, when I was stressed with juggling work, school and family life and wondering if it was all worth it, when I was debating on whether it was a good idea to quit my full-time job to be able to complete my internship and finish school. This motto helps me to not sweat the small stuff but rather to focus on what really matters and to make decisions based on what effect it’ll have on me and my family in the long run.
— Storm Goodman
