LAS VEGAS — The UTSA Athletics First Gen campaign received the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators (CSC) ChangeMaker Innovation Award this week at the organization’s annual convention.
UTSA was one of three schools to receive the award this year, joining Boise State and St. John’s.
The UTSA First Gen campaign highlighted the fact that the university was the first school in the nation to implement specially designed jersey patches on the uniforms and gear for first-generation college student-athletes. The campaign was submitted by Sean Cartell, former UTSA Chief of Staff and Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Initiatives and Brand Advancement.
UTSA Athletics has emerged as a national leader in championing first-generation students-athletes, turning a core institutional identity into a powerful storytelling platform. With nearly half of the student body and more than one-third of student-athletes identifying as first generation, “UTSA First Gen” was launched as a campaign that celebrates this community and provides meaningful resources.
The jersey patches were announced in July 2025 and received more than 65,000 impressions on UTSA Athletics social media accounts on the first day. This highly visible symbol sparked national attention from ESPN’s SportsCenter, major sports outlets and higher education media, elevating UTSA’s commitment to access and opportunity.
The campaign extends beyond branding. A dedicated website houses first-generation resources, personal stories and ongoing programming that highlights the experiences of student-athletes. By centering first-generation identity in such a public and celebratory way, UTSA set a new national standard for how athletics can advance institutional mission and student success.
The purpose of the ChangeMaker Innovation Awards is to recognize forward-thinkers who bring new ideas to life — and strengthen the position of CSC members and our work — with special content, a branding and messaging campaign, new storyteller packages, social media initiatives, a digital series, new event coverage, game management strategies and more. In its sixth year of the award, CSC has previously recognized 13 universities for their creative work.
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