UT San Antonio unveiled a statue of Carlos Alvarez, a generous benefactor of UT San Antonio who passed away in his sleep on April 9, 2024. The statue was built in his honor in front of the Business Building on UT San Antonio’s Main Campus. Created by Armando Hinojosa — a renowned Laredo artist — the life-sized statue was funded by UT San Antonio philanthropist Harvey Najim. Alvarez’s family worked with Hinojosa to provide input on the design to properly honor Alvarez.
Alvarez and his wife, Malú Alvarez, have been benefactors and donors to the university for over 20 years. They have assisted thousands of students and supported multiple programs for the university, including the Carlos Alvarez Endowment for Graduate Fellowships in Science and Engineering. In 2021, the couple committed $20 million to UT San Antonio College of Business, which has since been named after C. Alvarez was the first college in the University of Texas System named after a Latino benefactor. The statue also became the first on UT San Antonio’s campuses to honor a donor of the university.
The bronze, life-sized statue stands beside the entrance of the Business Building on an inscribed podium. The inscription on the plaque is a quote from Carlos Alvarez, which reads, “Higher education will always be the most important spark for change.”.
The statue’s unveiling was attended by the Alvarez family, other university donors, university leaders, Alvarez College of Business students and the campus community. The college’s dean, Jonathon Halbesleben, stated at the unveiling, “This beautiful statue will serve as an enduring symbol of Carlos’ inspiration, value and impact for our students and as a visual reminder of someone they can aspire to emulate.”
Along with supporting the university, C. Alvarez supported the community of San Antonio, having served as a Leadership Advisory Council member for Haven for Hope. C. Alvarez was a philanthropist, benefactor and community member who supported students to reach higher education. His statue now serves as a reminder to students of the gifts he has given to the university.
