Student Spotlight: Kaylah Rahman Q&A

Kaylah Rahman, current sophomore and recipient of the UIW Provost Academic Scholarship, loved the idea of continuing the family legacy at UIW.

Q: Tell us a little about your background and what brought you to UIW.

A: My junior year of high school was when I started going on campus tours to find the perfect fit for me. I had toured many different schools before UIW, including other campuses in San Antonio, but when I finally visited UIW it checked off so many boxes I was looking for in a university. My family had also previously mentioned how my great grandma went to UIW back when it was an all-girls college, so I loved the idea of being able to continue a family legacy. I knew UIW would be the best university for me because of the tight-knit community and home-away-from-home feeling I get while on campus.

Q: You are an accounting major and a UIW band clarinet section leader. Can you share how you balance your busy schedule?

A: Pursuing my accounting degree and wanting to participate in band does get very busy, but I feel I have executed balancing my schedule well. My first year on campus was very quiet and less busy since I came during the pandemic, but this year the pace has picked up. The easiest way for me to balance everything is keeping a planner and writing down everything I know I must do for the week. It does get challenging and stressful with the schoolwork and the responsibilities of being a leader for an organization, but I always manage to complete both my classwork and go to practice with some extra free time to do things I enjoy and spend time with friends.

Q: You’re a very busy woman! Are there any other activities or groups on campus that you are involved in?

A: Aside from being in the band, I also am a member of the Honors Program at UIW. The Honors Program is something I enjoy being a part of because I love the Honors-specific courses as they are always a great challenge, and I also love getting to meet people with the same goals and interests as me. I am also a member of the Business Club and the Accounting Society. Both organizations are a great way for me to make connections for my career path and meet others in my major.

Q: I understand you have a family connection to UIW. Can you share who attended, her major and graduation year?

A: My great grandmother, Frances Elizabeth Wagner, attended UIW in the 1930s. She majored in English and used her degree to become a teacher. She taught at La Encantada-Ranchito in El Calaboz, Texas. She taught for 50 years, and once retired, she continued to substitute teach into her 90s. Her love for education and literature was important to her.

Q: I heard you might still have a dissertation from your great grandmother. Would you be willing to share an excerpt?

A: My grandmother’s thesis was submitted to the faculty of the Department of English for partial fulfillment of the requirement for her Bachelor of Arts degree. Her thesis was entitled “The Technique of Physical Setting in the Modern Short Story.” Here is an excerpt from her thesis: “The modern short story is distinctive in its’ use of setting, that is of the physical appearances of the scenes in which the story action is set. A special technique in the use of this element of story has been developed in the work as a group, or type of modern writers of story. It is the purpose of this essay to show the part which physical setting plays in the organic effect of story, as well as in the succession of effects which contribute to the organic whole.”

Q: Do you have anything else you would like to share with the UIW Community?

A: Lastly, I would like to mention again how much UIW feels like home and how much I love that community involvement is such a big part of campus life here at UIW. Furthering my education at UIW is truly one of the best choices I have made for myself, and I am excited for many more years here!