By Krystal Cantu-Cuate
Ask alumni about their first memories of UIW, and chances are they'll recall them with a smile. If you grew up in San Antonio, you probably remember driving by with your family on a cold December evening just to catch a glimpse of the Christmas lights. Watching in awe, you never imagined that one day you'd walk on these same grounds as a student, the very campus that lived in your childhood memories.
This shared memory belongs to both Gianna Melendez, BA '24 and Jacklyn Servin, BA ’25, two young adults who went from seeing the lights as children, to walking the halls as students, to ultimately sharing an accomplishment far beyond anything either could have imagined.
Melendez was raised in a family that encouraged pursuing dreams and passions. Every drawing and painting from childhood was kept and cherished by Mr. Melendez, a loving father who never downplayed the importance of art. Throughout middle school and high school, Melendez found art not only as a form of expression but also as a source of therapy. From theatre arts to cooking, creativity was explored in nearly every form.
It was during an art class that Melendez met a student teacher who gave a presentation about UIW and what life was like as a student. Inspired by the presentation and guided by cherished childhood memories of the University, Melendez began the application as a junior right then and there, filling it out while the rest of the class watched a film.
Servin never expected art to become a career path. It wasn't until senior year of high school, when Servin enrolled in an art elective, that a love for the organic creativity that came naturally began to emerge. Unsure of what this new spark meant, Servin chose to follow it gently, approaching growth as an artist with patience and giving space to discover what this new venture could become.
Like Melendez, Servin's memories of UIW, combined with encouragement from an aunt who is a UIW alumna, made the decision clear that UIW was where the journey should begin.
Getting accepted to UIW was a mix of elation and nostalgia for both Melendez and Servin. At the height of COVID, Melendez was diagnosed with a chronic illness that forced a pause on plans to attend UIW for nearly two years. When the timing finally felt right, Melendez moved into the dorms, hopeful for what the future might hold. Yet beneath that hope was the reality of being a first-generation student. With this status, there was the uncertainty of what the journey would demand and hesitant to dream too boldly, afraid that everything up to that moment could be taken away.
Transferring from San Antonio College to UIW mid-year was a whirlwind for Servin. Amid the change, Servin held tightly to a clear goal: to build a focused creative space free from distraction, a place to better understand what truly drove artistic choices. The goal was simple but ambitious, transitioning from student to practicing artist. The first year proved difficult, but Servin remained committed to the process, refusing to rush the journey of becoming the artist envisioned.
Melendez and Servin crossed paths in 2024 after accepting internships with local artist Diana Molina.
During that time, the two formed a friendship rooted in a shared love of the arts and the creative experiences each brought along the way. Though their journeys looked nothing alike, neither knew that this friendship would soon spark the biggest creative adventure of their lives.
Melendez graduated from UIW in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in Art Therapy. Drawn to the therapeutic relief that artistry can offer, Melendez worked with the University's Veterans Affairs Office, leading multiple classes that helped veterans use art as a form of healing. The experience broadened Melendez's understanding of how art can support the needs of a community.
In the spring of 2024, Melendez orchestrated a community convocation, a year-long project connected to an Honors Program induction and advanced religious studies coursework. With the support of UIW faculty, Melendez brought the event to life, creating a successful celebration of the arts and student organizations for the wider community.
Servin graduated from UIW in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in Marketing. Time at UIW allowed Servin to grow into that once imagined artist. Although confidence sometimes wavered when new ideas emerged, UIW faculty consistently offered guidance while giving Servin the space to develop those ideas independently. That balance of support and independence created the opportunity to fully explore creativity and build confidence throughout the process. Today, Servin rents a studio at Hausmann Millworks, an artisan village where artists of various disciplines work, paint, sculpt, teach and share their creations with the community.
Both Melendez and Servin went on to find part-time positions at Ruby City, a contemporary art space in Southtown that is free to the public and funded by the Linda Pace Foundation. During one shift, Melendez mentioned an open call for a mural at UIW's newest addition, Founders Hall. The opportunity specifically sought two alumni to submit creative concepts for the chance to have a mural featured in the new space.
Within a week, the duo had submitted an application and creative concept, never imagining a response would come. The response came, and today Melendez and Servin have painted a mural at Founders Hall, UIW's newest addition to the Broadway campus, an accomplishment and a memory that will last a lifetime. Two artists who once looked up at the campus lights as children are now helping shape a building that future students and dreamers may one day look upon as they imagine what their own futures could hold.