Centurions Meeting Recaps

The Chancellor’s Centurions’ Spring 2025 meeting was held via Zoom at UT Tyler on Friday, March 28. A growing institution, UT Tyler merged with the UT Health Science Center at Tyler in 2021 to better serve the educational and health care needs of East Texas, including the establishment of the region’s first medical school. As with previous spring meetings and campus visits, this meeting focused on the institution’s efforts to support first-generation students.

The meeting began with a welcome from President Julie Philley, who invited Centurions to visit the campus in person. Provost Amir Mirmiran highlighted the impact of UT Tyler’s First-Generation Student program and spoke about UT Tyler’s overall mission and vision. 

Dr. Colleen Swain, associate provost for undergraduate education; Sarah Bowdin, associate vice president for academic success; Daniel Deslatte, chief business officer; and Sidney Wilson of the Academic Success team organized and led a panel of UT Tyler first-gen students to discuss the challenges of adapting to college life. Several students said they would not be on track to finish their degrees without the campus program and the strong sense of support provided. Students noted that the program gave them the tools and confidence required for academic success. 

UT Tyler’s first-gen program aims to decrease the retention gap between first-gen and other students. The efforts are making an impact—first-gen student retention is approaching the rate of non-first-gen students at UT Tyler. 

As part of their service to and support for UT institutions, the Centurions announced a $20,000 contribution in support of UT Tyler’s First-Generation Student program.

In late September, the Centurions gathered at Bauer House for their 2024 Fall Business Meeting, engaging with UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken and other leaders in Austin. The UT System’s organization for young alumni of UT institutions welcomed 23 new members — with 13 attending the meeting — extending the Centurions’ reach across all UT academic institutions and several health institutions.

Chancellor Milliken addressed the group, highlighting the UT System’s work to meet Texas’ growing educational and health care needs. As part of his conversation with the Centurions, the Chancellor provided news and updates from across the system in support of the System’s commitment to advancing education, research and health care, and engaged with members on issues critical to higher education and health policy.

Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. John Zerwas and Associate Vice Chancellor Zain Kazmi, who leads several UT health enterprise-wide, strategic initiatives and collaborations in areas of technology, provided updates on health policy advancements and digital health initiatives within the UT System, including the implementation of the UT Health Intelligence Platform – a system-wide data and AI program.

UTSA alumna Carla Juarez concluded her one-year term as chair, passing the gavel to Andrew Grabato, an alumnus of UT Austin while UTSA alumna Yvonne Addison was elected by the membership as chair-elect for 2025.