Alayah Benavidez ’20
English
San Antonio, TX
Alayah is a proud San Antonio native. When it came time to further her education and transfer from Northwest Vista, choosing UTSA was an easy decision. All she needed was a great option that was close to home.
Alayah’s a junior and a proud Roadrunner who was crowned Miss Texas USA 2019 and will be representing Texas on the national Miss USA stage later this year.
Reading, writing, literature, poetry—Alayah is into it all. English is Alayah’s favorite subject and she’s always wanted to teach it. After she graduates with her B.A. in English, she plans on continuing her education at UTSA and earning both her M.A. and Ph.D. Alayah believes that teaching at the collegiate level is the best way for her to focus on the areas she truly loves.
“I love that the English program at UTSA provides the opportunity to be creative and the curriculum isn’t so straightforward,” said Alayah. “It’s open to discussion and you can talk to your professors from a different viewpoint and they are open to receive it.”
Studying English at UTSA has helped Alayah when it comes to written interviews and composing emails and other communications. She’s found that college has helped her immensely with time management and prioritizing important deadlines.
Alayah shared a strong relationship with her grandfather, who was always trying to teach her important life lessons. One that she remembers to this day is, “Don’t compare anything in your life to anyone else. It’s important to not discredit your own successes and to not compare yourself to others.”
Alayah’s advice to incoming freshmen is to meet with your advisor in person, early and often. “Don’t try to avoid it. Even if you think you can do it by yourself, it helps so much to be open and to talk to them. They can help you develop your perfect class schedule.”