Alumna wins Mujer Legendaria award for championing UTA students
University of Texas at Arlington alumna Sandra Esquivel is a champion for high school seniors aspiring to attain a higher education. She mentors any students who stops by her office seeking guidance through college life.
Her dedication to the success of Maverick students helped Esquivel earn recognition as one of the 2023 recipients of the Mujeres Legendarias Award presented by the Ford Motor Company. Mujeres Legendarias, or legendary women, is a national program honoring Hispanic women who improve their communities by embodying the four pillars of the Ford brand: leadership, environmental and human sustainability, community and innovation. Award recipients are leaders in education, business, volunteerism and art.
As UTA’s associate director of regional operations, partnerships and community outreach, Esquivel is the lead for admissions programs like UTA Promise Partnerships, GO Centers, and Bound for Success, among others. These programs are designed to ensure every student has an equal opportunity to be successful at UTA.
Esquivel received her bachelor’s degree in 2014, more than a decade after first starting her degree program. During that time, she became a mother, worked full-time jobs to support her family and was an unofficial academic advisor to students in her community needing help navigating applying to college.
“I do what I do not for awards or recognition, but because I don’t want another student to take 14 years to get a degree,” she said. “I don’t want another family to feel helpless because they don’t understand the college application process or what to do when students are finally here.”
Esquivel is an active member in her community, continuing her advocacy work for students seeking higher education. She serves as a volunteer education chair for the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas - Fort Worth Latinas in Progress, a mentoring program for high school senior girls that provides educational opportunities to better prepare them to navigate college and other opportunities after high school.
“I think it’s extremely important for any higher education institution to make sure they are connecting with their community and building those partnerships, because all that work is what helps our students be successful,” Esquivel said.
Esquivel joins a growing list of UTA leaders recognized by Ford’s Mujeres Legendarias program, including Maria Martinez-Cosio, interim senior vice provost for academic affairs; Minerva Cordero, interim vice provost for faculty affairs; Jessica Sanchez, assistant professor of practice in the School of Social Work; Rose Youngblood, associate vice president for development and university initiatives; Denise Hernandez, assistant professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation; and Elizabeth Couch, former assistant director for media relations.