Your Journey. Our Mission. Meet Yasmin.

Your Impact

When you give to UIW, you help over 9,000 Cardinals enrolled across the globe thrive in their journey to become the next generation of educated and compassionate leaders.

From the classrooms to the athletic fields, our Cardinals are committed to the time and work needed to make the most of their UIW adventure.

Experience the impact of your gift with stories of these inspiring students throughout this holiday season.

Meet Yasmin

Yasmin Saaid, a Management Information Services major from San Antonio, is a proud member of the class of 2022. After completing her freshman and sophomore years at a local junior college two years ago, she thought she would finish her degree at a larger state school, but what she found was a situation she could not see herself committing to.

Yasmin worked hard to maintain her grades and participate in campus organizations through her first first two years in school. She also happily served the community. However, her outlook regarding mounting student loan debt began to worry her.

“I was looking at $32,000 of debt a year in a place with so many students that I did not seem to matter,” Yasmin explained about her experience prior to UIW. “It didn’t make sense for me to go into this kind of debt. I only made about $10,000 to $15,000 a year, but I needed to finish.”

Discouraged about the future, she was unsure what to do until she received a “random piece of mail from UIW.” She decided to look into the school, and she is happy she did. 

“I received scholarships and will get my degree and be debt free,” said a happy Yasmin. “I am getting a better education in a place where I feel comfortable, and my hard work is really recognized.” 

Yasmin is on the Dean’s List and is the recipient of the following scholarships: The William Randolph Hearst, Endowed Scholarship, the UIW Presidential Scholarship, the Dr. Henry Cuellar Endowed Scholarship and the John Smith McGoohan Endowed Scholarship. 

Commuting by bus from the Ingram Park area, Yasmin has a time-consuming trip to campus, but she does not regret a moment of it.

“Something I didn’t realize I needed, as a student and a person, is the personal attention and real-life experience UIW gives you,” said Yasmin. “Sometimes my professors will stay 30 minutes to an hour after class helping other students and me. They care.”

Yasmin says that Mr. Earl Harmsen and Dr. Ronald Washington, both of whom work in the H-E-B School of Business and Administration (HEBSBA), have given her priceless academic direction and influence.

Beyond the academics, Yasmin enjoys the UIW campus. Her favorite place is the Headwaters Sanctuary. “I go there to reflect and find calmness when things in my field get hectic.”

This year, Yasmin is participating in the Startup Challenge at the HEBSBA. The 13-week competition, held each fall semester, allows students to develop a business model from idea to actualization.

“This project is not hypothetical. It is a real project,” said Yasmin. “We get mentors and get to learn beyond a class. We get real feedback from people who are business professionals. I can’t get that in any textbook.”

Yasmin conveys her gratitude for her UIW journey with happy tears.

“I cannot express 'Thank You' enough. The fact that someone who doesn’t even know me thought I was worth enough to give me that money made me believe I really do have something. They helped me believe I can do it and to have faith in my abilities.” 

Yasmin Saaid is a shining example of how UIW can make dreams come true!