Alicia Rogers, (BBA ’13 and UT Dallas MBA ’22) is currently the Senior Manager, Technology Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
As the daughter of educators, Alicia Rogers (BBA ’13 and UT Dallas MBA ’22) understood that she was going to pursue a degree, and The University of Texas at Austin provided the kind of culture and opportunity she was seeking. As a Black female on campus, however, Alicia found herself having to navigate the university differently. With the right strategy and focus, she says all students can thrive at McCombs.
“I joined the Gateway Scholars program for minority freshman when I first arrived on campus,” she said. “And I still didn’t necessarily feel like I fit in right away. But I worked at it and eventually found my space.”
Alicia became deeply involved in the Black Business Student Association (BBSA) at McCombs, seeking out leadership roles, first on committees and then, eventually, as the organization’s president. Through BBSA, she met a group of like-minded peers who created a sense of community and belonging.
Alicia has maintained her connection with BBSA and continues to mentor current student members and give back to the alumni. This past fall, with distinguished guest Peggy Drake Holland, the first African American student to graduate from the UT business school, in attendance Alicia and the current president hosted the organization’s first alumni event as part of Black Homecoming Weekend.
“The event gave me so much energy, and it was so rewarding to see our alumni engaged and building new connections with each other,” she said. “That kind of connection is so important.”
Connection, Alicia says, is what is critical when attending a university the size of The University of Texas at Austin, especially as a student of color.
“Connection is what supports you when you’re up against the demands of maintaining a high GPA and the level of student organization engagement that is expected at McCombs,” she said.
“McCombs is challenging. Everyone around you is intelligent and motivated, so it’s easy to feel intimidated. But the school has so many resources to help every student succeed.”
From a diverse offering of student organizations, to mentorship programs, to career success workshops, Alicia says success really comes down to initiative and persistence.
“As a student, you have to be intentional about building a community around you and advocating for yourself,” she said. “That’s how you make UT smaller. McCombs has all the tools, and they will teach you what you need to have in your tool kit.”
Sometimes, it’s attending an event that will open doors, she says, as long as you aren’t afraid to speak up and ask questions.
“It was at a BBSA event where I met a recruiter from my current company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). I asked if they had internship opportunities for Sophomores, and she said they did,” said Alicia, Senior Manager, Technology Consulting at PwC. “And I’ve been here for almost ten years now.”
Alicia recently took the helm as Chapter Leader for the San Antonio McCombs Alumni Chapter, where she will continue her efforts to connect and engage alumni and students.
“My goal is to foster meaningful relationships through a schedule of diverse events,“ she said. “I would like to see our chapter partner with Texas Exes more as well as other UT affiliated groups in the future to expand our reach and create more opportunities for alum to network.”
Looking back, even during that first semester when UT felt big, Alicia says she always knew McCombs was the right place for her. The university continues to provide opportunities and community to its students, and now, as an alumna, she is motivated to give her time as a mentor to students and a leader to her fellow alumni.
“As an alum, I have never felt like the door to McCombs closed,” she said. “The best thing about being a McCombs alum is the pride I feel for my school and not thinking twice about dedicating my time to pay forward a small part of the impact McCombs has made on my life.”
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