Trinity Community Investment with SAISD Graduates First Cohort

What began as a bold new initiative in 2020 is now a milestone moment for seven remarkable students. On May 17, the first cohort of the Trinity Community Investment (TCI) program will walk the graduation stage at Trinity University, marking a powerful moment in the evolving partnership between Trinity and the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD).

The TCI program was created to open doors for high-achieving SAISD students by providing them with enhanced financial and academic support needed to thrive at one of the nation’s top universities, right in their community. 

Since its launch in 2020, the momentum of the Trinity/SAISD partnership has only grown stronger: It is now enrolling nearly 20 TCI students each year, when historically, it enrolled between 0-2 students per year from the district. Beginning next fall, over 70 total SAISD alumni will be fully integrated into our community as Trinity students.

“It is incredible to witness the growth and success of the Trinity Community Investment on our campus since its inception in 2020,” says Justin Doty, dean of Admissions at Trinity. “This ongoing partnership with SAISD continues to promote our values by making Trinity more financially feasible for so many families from our immediate backyard.” 

Liz Ozuna, executive director for College Readiness and Postsecondary Initiatives at SAISD, reflects on the journey. “The partnership was designed to allow these students to excel academically and contribute as leaders at Trinity and in the greater San Antonio community,” she says. “We could not be more proud as our first cohort of SAISD alumni crosses the stage on May 17.”

The seven students graduating in the first TCI cohort are Kathryne Elizondo ’25, Fernanda Garza ’25, Madelyn Holveck ’25, Elijah Maestas ’24, Taylor Miner ’25, Steven Spill ’25, and Levolea Wallace ’25.  For many of these students, the TCI program has provided the rare opportunity to stay close to home while receiving a world-class education, empowering them to give back to their communities while pursuing their academic and personal goals.

“TCI allowed me to go to Trinity,” Miner says. “They made it affordable for my family and me, and I was ecstatic to be able to attend a local school. If you want a small, liberal arts school in a big city, I don't think there's a better option than Trinity.”

At Trinity, Miner majored in earth and environmental geosciences and minored in anthropology. She’s collected a tight-knit group of friends (one of whom is now her fiancé!) and made lasting connections with faculty members in and out of her major. Her favorite Trinity memory was being dunked in Miller Fountain on her birthday.

For Wallace, financial aid was a huge factor in her decision to commit to Trinity. Once she heard about her school’s partnership with Trinity, she decided to apply. In addition to receiving the Murchison Scholarship, Wallace competed for and won a full-tuition Trinity Tower Scholarship.

After receiving such support before her first year began, Wallace decided to make the most of all the resources available to her throughout her four years at Trinity.

“Trinity offers invaluable resources in areas like mental health, religious exploration, academic support, and more,” Wallace says. “Being in an environment that provides such refreshing energy is essential, especially during stressful college years. Trinity is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

And Wallace didn’t just engage with on-campus resources. One of her favorite experiences as a Tiger was studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last summer! 

As this first cohort prepares to graduate, they represent academic success and embody the future of collaboration, opportunity, and community transformation. 

“We are so proud of these graduating SAISD seniors, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make on the world around them,” Doty says.