Name: Manojna Kintada
Class: Class of 2017 (Officially Class of 2018 but graduating early)
UTSA Involvement:
Ms. UTSA 2015
College of Science Dean’s Student Advisory Council President-Elect
UTSA Ambassador
Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Health Honors Society) Recruiter
Heart Health Student Organization President
Supplemental Instructor Leader
Indian Cultural Association Service Chair
National Society of Collegiate Scholars Vice President of Planning to Achieve Collegiate Excellence
Leadershape Graduate 2015
Rising Researchers Graduate 2014
Global Medical Brigades Member
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Major: Biology (Pre-medical Student)
On November 7th, you won the coveted Ms. UTSA title. How has life changed since then? My life has changed drastically since then. I have realized that I am no longer Manojna Kintada. I am Ms. UTSA. And every action I do from now on reflects not only me but my university. I now serve as an ambassador for UTSA and a role model to all UTSA students as well as members in the San Antonio community. Being awarded the Ms. UTSA title is an honor. I am privileged to be named Ms. UTSA 2015 and I can’t wait to see what this year holds for me.
What was it like running for title of Mr and Ms. UTSA with your brother? It was very exciting. We both got to go through this journey together and made it as finalists. We gave each other healthy criticism, motivated each other, and pushed each other throughout the entire journey. He was a great support system and we both had a memorable experience.
You have been incredibly active on campus throughout your time as a student. How do you think this has prepared you for such a major role? As a kid, my parents have always put me in a lot of activities. Growing up, I’ve gotten so used to doing something every week, that it felt weird not doing something. This pushed me to be as involved as I am today. I feel that being part of many organizations on campus helps me learn more about me. It helps me evaluate myself and teaches me my strengths and weaknesses. Being part of many organizations have taught me to prioritize, to give back, and most importantly to continue learning; all the characteristics that mold Ms. UTSA.
What changes are you looking forward to bringing to the UTSA community? I am looking forward to implementing my platform on E-Tutoring. As a Supplemental Instructor Leader for General Chemistry I, I get a lot of students who reach out to me saying that they have work or class and ask me for copies of the handouts I provide in my sessions. Unfortunately as an SI, I have to say no because I can only provide resources to those who attend my session. I find this very heartbreaking because as Supplement Instructor Leader, I couldn’t give the resources my students need to succeed. So I developed the E-Tutoring program, where students can access online tools such as live-streaming for general homework questions and class specific sessions for classes that are notorious for high D, F, and withdrawal rates. These academic tools are easily accessible at any hour anywhere. This will help the UTSA community by improving our graduation rates and allowing students to excel academically.
Where do you see UTSA in 10 years-15 years? In 10-15 years, I hope to see UTSA reach Tier 1 status and continue to grow. In 10-15 years, I know UTSA will motivate many students to push to graduate on time, continue to excel academically, and be more involved on campus. In 10-15 years, I know UTSA will be the first pick for many students across the country because of the top tier resources it provides.
In a few short years, you will become one of thousands of graduates from our university. What do you want your legacy on campus to look like? I want my legacy to inspire others to do more and be more. I want to graduate leaving an example. Leaving an example by showing students that this is the best four years of your life. But college is what you make of it. In life, everything is a choice. It is your choice to be a good student. It is your choice to become involved. It is your choice to take advantage of all the opportunities UTSA provides to us. When students graduate and look back, I want them to think that [they’ve] made the right choice.