Posted on May 6, 2022 by Wendy Frost
Mufaro Chitakure seeks out solutions. It’s why the UTSA Honors College and Top Scholar student chose to major in actuarial science, a degree offered in the UTSA Carlos Alvarez College of Business that uses mathematical and statistical models to solve problems in insurance and finance.
His will to influence change also inspired him to join several student organizations at UTSA that address issues for students of color. In May, he will receive his Bachelor of Business Administration in actuarial science, and through his service at UTSA, will have provided future Roadrunners with more opportunities, better resources and bolder futures.
Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, Chitakure immigrated to San Antonio with his family as a child. He was familiar with UTSA because his older brother attended, but the Top Scholar program was new to him. He was invited to apply to the prestigious merit scholar program because of his high academic achievement and record of service, which included ranking second in his graduating class at East Central High School, being named an AP Scholar, and serving as president of the school’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter.
When he attended Top Scholar orientation events on campus and met the talented and passionate community of Roadrunners, his interest in attending UTSA deepened.
“I knew that as a freshman, being surrounded by upper classmen who are doing all these great things would inspire me to want to do more,” said Chitakure. “Through the program and through my peers, I’ve managed to solidify what I care about and what I’m involved in.”
Chitakure’s heart for giving was evident the moment he got to UTSA in 2018. He joined his fellow Roadrunners to connect with many community programs on and off-campus including Good Samaritan, Adopt-A-Spot, the San Antonio Food Bank, Pride SA, the San Antonio Children’s Hospital and RAICES.
Being part of the Honors College community, coupled with the experiential curriculum in the Alvarez College of Business, helped him fine-tune his service.
Chitakure became a member of the President’s Student Advisory Council, an elite group of undergraduate thought leaders who provide the university president with diverse insights into the student experience at UTSA.
He used this opportunity to advocate for the concerns of students of color. Through this membership, he was able to strengthen the Multicultural Advisory Council, an organization he helped found which provides funds for identity-based student organizations. He also helped facilitate implicit bias training for three major student organizations at UTSA.
In Spring 2021, Chitakure joined the UTSA Public Safety Committee to improve student and police relations on campus.
For his outstanding service to the Roadrunner community, Chitakure won the 2021 University Life Golden Feather Award. Reflecting on working closely with UTSA President Taylor Eighmy during his time on the President’s Student Advisory Council, and how the ideas he advocated were heard and acted upon, Chitakure realizes that his efforts to make the university a more welcoming, inclusive and safe space for students will make UTSA a better place for all future Roadrunners.
“Seeing that UTSA is not stuck in its ways, that there’s room for listening and reacting and being proactive about what students want. I think that’s what makes me really proud about being a Roadrunner,” he said. “I feel like I can be a part of that forward movement, and once I become an alumnus, I can look back and be proud of what the university has added for future generations.”
Through opportunities at UTSA, Chitakure said he made lasting changes for future students and a huge impact on his future career. He gained confidence in his choice of major, positioning himself as a competitive candidate after graduation.
“During my involvement in the Honors College, I was able to meet actuaries that helped me learn more about the career and that further solidified my decision to major in actuarial science,” he said. “This is a major that offers challenging analytical work with practical applications for complex calculus and statistics skills.”
These connections enhanced his workforce development opportunities as well.
Last summer, Chitakure served as an actuarial analyst intern at USAA—an opportunity made available to him as a result of UTSA’s Classroom to Career Initiative, which enables students to participate in experiential learning opportunities, including internships, to gain the hard and soft skills in demand by employers. These programs are particularly important in linking classroom success to life after graduation for historically underserved populations.
After he crosses the stage this month at UTSA Commencement, Chitakure will begin a full-time position at USAA as an actuarial analyst III. He aspires to become a manager and address challenges in the workplace, making it better for his employees.
“It’s easy to want to have an impact as a student because you’re surrounded by other people who are trying to have an impact. It takes someone who’s bold to carry it out past college when you’re alone and within an industry,” said Chitakure. “If you’re able to maintain the ideology of wanting to have some social impact and make the work you do positively affect society. I think that’s a bold future.”
— Wendy Frost
