05/13/2025
The UTSA Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in collaboration with the UTSA Alvarez College of Business, proudly announce the successful completion of the second cohort of the award-winning Stimulating Urban Renewal through Entrepreneurship (S.U.R.E.) program.
This innovative, award-winning, semester-long course brings together UTSA business students and small business owners recruited by the SBDC to foster economic development and entrepreneurial growth in the San Antonio community.
Held in the evenings at the UTSA Downtown Campus' Durango Building, the program provides a hands-on learning experience where UTSA students are trained to become business consultants, guiding small business owners through identifying target markets, crafting compelling elevator pitches, and developing actionable business plans.
Under the guidance of instructor Purnima Chawla, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship Education, The UTSA Alvarez College of Business, and Program Manager, Christa Luna, the student-business owner teams received valuable mentorship from experienced business professionals, enhancing both the learning experience of the students, and the strategic growth of the participating businesses.
SBDC Director Richard Sifuentes played a key role by helping recruit dedicated entrepreneurs for the program. The S.U.R.E. initiative not only empowers students with real-world consulting experience but also provides small business owners with personalized support and strategic insights that can help propel their ventures forward.
Following the success of this second cohort, the S.U.R.E. program is now recruiting small business owners for its Fall 2025 sessions.
If you are a business owner interested in accelerating your business’s growth or a professional eager to serve as a mentor, please email Christa Luna, SURE Program Manager, at [email protected] for more information.
Photo credit: Wendy Frost, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing at UTSA Carlos Alvarez College of Business
