Tuesday, October 15th 

12pm – 1pm: Life After A Liberal Arts Degree (Hybrid Panel Session) 

Alumni: 

  • ONLINE: Cristobal Lopez (History) 
  • IN-PERSON: Caroline Nolen (Philosophy) 
  • IN-PERSON: Henry Esparza (Political Science/American Studies) 

Bios: 

  • Cristobal Lopez (he/him) is a Texas Field Representative with the National Parks Conservation Association and has a Masters in History from UTSA, graduating in 2022. Like many students, Cristobal was unsure of what career awaited him after graduation. However, his love for public history and national parks led him to the National Parks Conservation Association, where he has now been for over a year and a half. With NPCA, Cristobal helped establish the Blackwell School National Historic Site, Texas' newest National Park Site that preserves and tells the story of segregated Mexican American education. 
  • Caroline Nolen (she/her) is a research administrator II and graduated with her B.A. in Philosophy in 2021. She is a first generation, former foster youth COLFA alumni. In her career, she’s been involved in nonprofit administration, strategic planning, grants and contracts management and data analysis. 
  • Professor Esparza (he/him) is faculty with the Department of Political Science and Geography, teaching in Political Science and Global Affairs. He graduated with his Master’s degree in Political Science from UTSA in 2001. As an undergrad, and after initially pursuing a degree in business, he fell in love with Political Science and changed his major.  After a full career, he now makes less money than he ever has, but the passion and energy he feels when he walks into a classroom is greater than the loss of income. His advice: Every day is the greatest day of your life! Live in the moment.  

 

2pm – 3pm: Making a Difference: Careers for Social Impact (Hybrid Panel Session) 

Alumni: 

  • ONLINE: Adriana Miramontes Olivas (Art History) 
  • ONLINE: Bianca Alvarez (Art History) 

Bios: 

  • Dr. Adriana Miramontes Olivas is the Curator of Academic Programs and Latin American and Caribbean Art at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon. Before continue to pursue doctoral education, Adriana received her Masters of Art from UTSA in 2012. She has taught university courses to over +2,000 students and she continues to engage with over 1300 students every year, from across disciplines, to discuss her curatorial projects and exhibitions. Adriana mentors students, publishes in peer-review journals, and works with members of the community to provide access to the arts and culture through Dia de los muertos celebrations, Latino and Latinx events, and service in various committees across campus. 
  • Bianca Alvarez is the new Head Curator at UTSA's Institute of Texan Cultures and previously worked for the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture as a Public Art Project Manager directly shaping the city’s visual landscape through dynamic public art installations that were made possible because of a process that centered community.. She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in 2013 and her Masters in Art History and Criticism in 2016, both from UTSA. As a public servant and arts and culture administrator, Alvarez is committed to championing equity, amplifying diverse voices, and highlighting a more inclusive human experience. When it comes to careers with social impact, it takes a team to drive change and the mindset of being part of something larger than yourself. If you have a vision, you can be the one to champion it. 

3pm – 4pm: The Creative Pro's Survival Guide (In-Person Individual Session) 

Alumni:  

  • IN PERSON: Celina Perkins (Digital Communication) 

Bio: 

  • Celina Perkins is a Marketing Manager, Graphic Designer & Creative Pro with over 10 years of experience. She received her Digital Communication degree from UTSA in 2016. Celina has worked on creative projects for a variety of brands and groups, including CorePath Laboratories, Baptist Health System, Olay, Covergirl, Snapple, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), HEB, the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Incarnate Word High School and the Witte Museum. 

5pm – 6pm: National Security Careers 101: From "Getting In" to the Day-to-Day (Online session) 

Alumni: 

  • ONLINE: Javier Roman (Global Affairs/Political Science) 

Bio: 

  • Javier Roman is a two-time UTSA alumni having earned his BA in Global Affairs 2017 and MA in Political Science in 2019. While at UTSA, he also worked in Advising and eventually as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Political Science, Geography, and Global Affairs. Additionally, he served as the Under-Secretary General of Outreach and later as Secretary General of UTSA's Model United Nations, where he helped lead a joint UTSA delegation with Goethe University-Frankfurt am Main at the National Model United Nations. His research ranged from various subjects to include NATO, cyber warfare, and cyber law. As a graduate student, he also assisted various UTSA professors on published research and other written works. After completing his studies and prior to his work at the Department of Defense, he worked in a legal capacity for the federal government. He currently he serves as an analyst in the greater DC Metro Area in a globally focused mission. Javier is married and as a native Texan, he enjoys living on the East Coast because there are real seasons 
     

Wednesday, October 16th 

 12pm – 1pm: Creative Careers: Making the Most of Your Creative Profession (In-Person Panel Session) 

 Alumni:  

  • IN-PERSON: Breanna Castillo (Communication) 
  • IN-PERSON: Kaitlyn Rosas (Communication) 

Bios: 

  • Breanna Castillo (she/her) received a Bachelors in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations in 2014. She is Communications Specialist for UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts-Dean's Office with over nine years of experience as a communication professional within the art and event-based non-profit sector. She got her first role as Marketing Coordinator for Woodlawn Theatre through connections she made through UTSA organizations she was a part of. The roles in my career have allowed me to harness my skills in graphic design and photography to craft compelling visual narratives that engage audiences to elevate my employer's mission. Passionate about storytelling, she loves bringing artistic visions to life while fostering community connections through impactful events and campaigns.
  • Kaitlyn Rosas (she/her) is officially a “Digital Communication Specialist” but considers herself a “Multimedia Designer and Writer.” She received her degree from UTSA in 2022, a BA in Communication with a concentration in Digital Communication and a minor in Film Studies and Professional Writing. When Kaitlyn was envisioning her dream job, she always knew a creative career was the path for her. She began her professional journey in high school, attending the North East School of the Arts, where she majored in Film Studies and projected her path in digital storytelling. After directing a successful short-film documentary, she embraced her passion for digital media, creating content for The Paisano and working as a marketing assistant for Santiko's Entertainment. Upon graduation, she joined the Creative Marketing team at Gonzaba Medical Group. 

 

2pm – 3pm: Teaching in College: Getting Started (In-Person Panel Session) 

Alumni:  

  • IN-PERSON: Henry Esparza (Political Science/American Studies) 
  • IN-PERSON: Kalia Glover (History) 
  • ONLINE: Elaine Wong (English) 

Bios: 

  • Professor Henry Esparza (he/him) is faculty with the Department of Political Science and Geography, teaching in Political Science and Global Affairs. He graduated with his Master’s degree in Political Science from UTSA in 2001. After years in the public sphere as a business leader with fortune 500 corporations, he was looking for a change. He now makes less money than he ever has, but the passion and energy he feels when he walks into a classroom is greater than the loss of income. His advice: Every day is the greatest day of your life! Live in the moment.  
  • Dr. Elaine Wong graduated with her PhD in English in 2013 and is originally from Hong Kong. She started working at Trinity University as an adjunct in 2014, teaching First-Year Composition and Linguistics. She became a visiting assistant professor in 2019, and was promoted to lecturer and director of the Linguistics Minor this fall. As she began to take on new courses that required knowledge outside of her field, an interdisciplinary nature of her job developed. After a lot of learning, trial-and-errors, and self-doubt, she has come to embrace flexibility and creativity as she crosses between disciplines, teaching practices, languages, and cultures. 
  • Professor Kalia Glover (she/her) is faculty in the UTSA Honors College, teaching subjects in U.S. history related to sexuality and gender, as well as medical research history. She graduated with her masters in History from UTSA in 2012. Professor Glover was a non-traditional student and is excited to support students who take a different path. Her first teaching job was over 10 years ago… and it was not the application that got her that job! The first advice she was offered? All you have to do is know more than the students do. 

 

4pm – 5:30pm: COLFA Networking Mixer 101: Tips and Tricks to Networking 

 

Thursday, October 17th 

12pm – 1pm: Maximizing Your Time At UTSA (Hybrid Panel Session) 

Alumni: 

  • ONLINE: Graham Foster (English) 
  • ONLINE: Mateja Nikolic (Global Affairs) 
  • ONLINE: Sofia Cavenaile (Politics and Law) 

Bios: 

  • Graham Foster (he/him) is a lawyer (bar admission pending) who graduated UTSA in 2020 with a B.A. in English and a concentration in professional writing. A first-generation college student, Graham was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and started school locally at Northeast Lakeview College where he earned an Associate of Arts in English before transferring to UTSA. At UTSA, Graham explored different aspects of writing through both literature and professional writing courses, and was awarded first place in the creative writing category at the 2019 COLFA Research Conference. Having discovered his love for research and writing, Graham continued his education at Cornell Law School, where he served as a publishing editor for the Cornell Law Review and earned his Juris Doctor in 2024. He now works as a law clerk in the New Lawyers Group at the Washington, D.C. office of Jones Day.
  • Sofi Cavenaile (she/her) graduated with her degree in Politics and Law in 2023. After college she started an MBA at St. Mary's University in January 2024 and recently started law school at St. Mary's School of Law. After completing law school and her MBA, Sofi plans on pursuing a career in environmental law. While at UTSA, Sofi held leadership positions in various student organizations and was deeply involved in the roadrunner community.  
  • Mateja Nikolic (he/himis a Senior Security Analyst and SOC Intel Lead at Accenture, with a focus on global intelligence, crisis management, and geopolitical risk assessment. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Global affairs from UTSA in 2019 before pursuing and completing a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy. His degree provided him with a deep understanding of global security dynamics and international policy. His career also includes time as a Legislative Analyst for the Texas House of Representatives, where he contributed to legislative initiatives on public safety. He looks forward to sharing how his liberal arts education, including his international experiences, has shaped his career in security, diplomacy, and intelligence.  

 

2pm – 3pm: Unexpected Careers: Keeping an Open Mind (Hybrid Panel Session) 

Alumni:  

  • ONLINE: Cristobal Lopez (History) 
  • IN-PERSON?ONLINE: Madison Cowles (Art) 
  • ONLINE: Graham Foster (English) 

Bios: 

  • Cristobal Lopez (he/him) is a Texas Field Representative with the National Parks Conservation Association and has a Masters in History from UTSA, graduating in 2022. Like many students, Cristobal was unsure of what career awaited him after graduation. However, his love for public history and national parks led him to the National Parks Conservation Association, where he has now been for over a year and a half. With NPCA, Cristobal helped establish the Blackwell School National Historic Site, Texas' newest National Park Site that preserves and tells the story of segregated Mexican American education.
  • Madison Cowles Serna (she/they) is an Assistant Director of Marketing and Communication and is a queer, non-binary marketing professional, internationally exhibited mixed-media artist, and author. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2013, before pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Kentucky. Originally from Wyoming, Cowles Serna has lived and worked in San Antonio, Texas, most of her life. She is passionate about creating safe spaces and developing her student staff into thriving creative professionals. With two degrees in Fine Art, their career path is a testament to the unexpected journeys a creative background can offer, embracing opportunities in Marketing and Communications for the past 18 years by being a multi-potential-ite.
  • Graham Foster (he/him) is a lawyer (bar admission pending) who graduated UTSA in 2020 with a B.A. in English and a concentration in professional writing. A first-generation college student, Graham was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and started school locally at Northeast Lakeview College where he earned an Associate of Arts in English before transferring to UTSA. At UTSA, Graham explored different aspects of writing through both literature and professional writing courses, and was awarded first place in the creative writing category at the 2019 COLFA Research Conference. Having discovered his love for research and writing, Graham continued his education at Cornell Law School, where he served as a publishing editor for the Cornell Law Review and earned his Juris Doctor in 2024. He now works as a law clerk in the New Lawyers Group at the Washington, D.C. office of Jones Day.