UTSA Athletics is a national leader in supporting first-generation student-athletes. Throughout the 2025-26 school year, GoUTSA.com will spotlight the department’s first-generation student-athletes, coaches, administrators and staff.
Ereauna Hardaway will be a senior on the UTSA Women’s Basketball team in 2025-26 after transferring from the University of North Texas. Hardaway is a first-generation college student from Jonesboro, Ark., majoring in public health in UT San Antonio’s College for Health, Community and Policy.
Q: Why is attending college and graduating important for you?
Ereauna Hardaway: “Because my parents didn’t do it. I’m my parents’ first kid together so being the first would be exciting for me and them. I know they will be happy to see me graduate. I have an older brother who graduated too, so he keeps me on my toes. If he graduated, I can graduate too. If he’s going to medical school, I want to try to get my master’s. I just want to be the best version of myself.”
Q: What does it mean to you to be a first-generation college student?
Ereauna Hardaway: “It means a lot. My parents didn’t complete college. Getting a degree means so much. I’ve been telling my parents that I can’t wait to graduate. That’s my goal. I can’t wait to get my diploma and hang it up.”
Q: How impactful is it to attend UTSA, where approximately 45 percent of students are first-generation, including more than one-third of student-athletes?
Ereauna Hardaway: “I think it’s cool. We can all learn from each other and understand each other a little bit more. It gives us motivation to graduate.”
Q: How important is competing in athletics to first-generation college students?
Ereauna Hardaway: “I think it’s really important. I feel like being around other first-generation students keeps you going, but competing in sports is important. You have your teammates to lean on and support from other people. It’s even more motivation because everybody believes in you and knows that you can do it.”
Q: What advice would you give to other first-generation college students?
Ereauna Hardaway: “You can do it. Nothing is ever too hard if you put your mind to it, find the time, and be proactive instead of reactive. You can do it.”