The UTSA Citymester Program is a student engagement initiative developed by the Honors College. Through Citymester, UTSA and community partners work together to educate our future leaders using internships, service-learning projects, and networking opportunities. The program provides selected students a summer of engaged learning outside the classroom. Students will work with non-profits, businesses, and other agencies in San Antonio to gain valuable career skills to supplement their UTSA education.
Students do not have to be members of the Honors College to participate in Citymester!
For questions about the Citymester Program, email HonorsSpecialPrograms@utsa.edu.
Program Details
City Skills: (3 hours) City Skills is the Internship component of Citymester. Placements are based on student career interests and a match-making process with current and new partners. Through the internships, students and community partners work together to strengthen our local businesses and institutions.
City Solutions: (3 hours) City Solutions is the service learning component of Citymester. This is an opportunity for students to work with civic or non-profit partners to identify and develop solutions to improve our community. Students have an active role in serving the community and developing city solutions.
City Sites: (3 hours) The community becomes the classroom in this upper-division, interdisciplinary seminar. San Antonio’s key institutions and landmarks host students for classes and unique opportunities to connect with city leaders in government, industry, and philanthropy.
Learn more about Citymester!
Hear from Citymester alumni and partners about their experience while participating in the program!
Mitchell Foster
Mitchell Foster, an environmental science major, had the opportunity to intern with the San Antonio Zoo and complete a service project at the Cibolo Creek Nature Preserve during his Citymester experience. He worked with various bird species and learned how to care for them and their environments at the zoo, and helped upkeep environmentally friendly landscaping and assisted with public education programs at the Cibolo Creek Nature Preserve. His participation in Citymester helped make him a strong candidate for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Hollings Scholarship/Internship program, which he was selected for in Spring 2024.
Eligibility
UTSA students from any academic major may apply for the UTSA Citymester Program. To be eligible for the UTSA Citymester Program, students must:
- have a UTSA GPA of 3.25 or higher (students that have a 3.0 GPA may email citymester@utsa.edu to petition)
- be enrolled at UTSA for the semester prior to the beginning of Citymester
- students do not need to be a member of the honors college to participate in Citymester
Common Questions
If you are a member of the Honors college, you will receive credits. There is a possibility that you can receive credit in your major. Once accepted to the program, email your academic advisor and CC Kristi Meyer regarding credits.
We don't recommend adding classes to the 9 CM hours. However, if you must add classes, contact us to discuss how this could impact your ability to successfully complete Citymester.
Selected Citymester students are required to attend workshops and Citymester orientation before they begin City Skills, City Solutions, and City Sites. Attendance at orientation by the UTSA Honors College is mandatory.
The application is now closed for the
Summer 2025 Citymester Program
Program Dates: May 27, 2025 - August 8, 2025
Application Deadline - October 31, 2024
Applications for Summer 2026 will open September 2025
*Note: Only active UTSA students may submit the UTSA Citymester Program application. If you encounter issues when attempting to start the application, please visit Microsoft Office and ensure you are signed in with your UTSA account (firstname.lastname@my.utsa.edu).
Contact
For questions about the Citymester Program, email HonorsSpecialPrograms@utsa.edu.
Opportunities within the Honors College
The Honors College offers students the opportunity to participate in a number of different programs to further expand knowledge, especially in the realms of professional development, leadership development, and public service. Special programs are fully integrated into the Honors College curriculum, making credit transfer simple and ensuring that students are working toward Honors requirements.
