The Carlos and Malu Alvarez ACE Scholarships

The Access College & Excel (ACE) Scholar Program is a scholarship program aimed at increasing retention, persistence, and a resilient sense of belonging for incoming freshman transferring from high school into UTSA with the goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. ACE Scholars receive a scholarship, individualized academic assistance, participation in a college success seminar course, engagement with a learning community of their peers, mentoring, and advising services during their first two academic years in at UTSA.

Students who apply must have a minimum high school GPA of 2.5 or equivalent, have 80% or higher attendance during their high school senior year, and must fit into one of the following categories of students: a first-generation college student, a student who identifies as an orphan/ward of the state, emancipated minor, under legal guardianship, unaccompanied youth, are or has been at risk of homelessness, or has a history of foster care; a student who qualified for free or reduced school lunch; students who are single parents; and/or a student who works part-time to finance their education.

The ACE Scholarship is a two-year program and awards each Fall and Spring. Recipients must maintain the following requirements to remain eligible for the scholarship:

• Maintain at least a 2.0 GPA throughout both years.
• Maintain enrollment of at least 12 hours during Fall and Spring semesters.
• Attend meetings with your ACE Peer Mentor during Fall and Spring Semesters.
• Attend academic coaching meetings with the ACE Senior Program Coordinator each Fall and Spring semester.
• Meet with an academic advisor, or career counselor, or success coach, or faculty mentor at least once per semester
• Participate in volunteer events coordinated by the ACE program each Fall and Spring semester.
• For First Year ACE Students, participation in a College Success Seminar during the first Fall semester only.
• For Second Year ACE Students, participation in at least one workshop event coordinated by the ACE program during each Fall and Spring semester.
• Writing an appreciation letter to the Alvarez family at the end of each year within the program.

If selected as a finalist for this scholarship, you will be invited to UTSA’s Downtown Student Success Center, where a formal interview process will occur.. Students should be hardworking, tenacious, self-disciplined, motivated, persistent, and responsible.

For more information, please visit our website (https://www.utsa.edu/studentsuccess/ace/), call us at 210-458-2838, or email us at ACE@utsa.edu.

CAP students are not eligible for this scholarship.