Lauren Riojas-Fitzpatrick

Bio

I prefer to be addressed by my first name, Lauren, and use she/her pronouns. I’m honored and excited to be part of the Roadrunner Community!

I began working for AIS since the Spring of 2018 as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Once I earned my MFA, I was hired as a Lecturer, and most recently, have been promoted to Assistant Professor of Instruction. I am the Coordinator for the Arts and Humanities sections and contribute to the Exploratory sections. Additionally, during Summers, I collaborate with the UTSA LEAD program.

I earned my BFA in Painting from Texas State University and it took me over a decade of going to school on and off to earn that degree. It wasn’t until several years after leaving school I reapplied to Texas State. I decided to pursue an art degree, funnily though, I hadn’t had much experience in art beyond a few community classes and public art collaborations, and it really was a leap into the unknown. As soon as I sat in my first art class (an Intro to Fine Arts class that I remember vividly), the world seemed to finally make sense. While on campus, I paid a visit to the Student Health Center for a minor checkup, only to leave the clinic with a referral for a neck ultrasound. The clinician felt a large lump in my neck and wanted to make sure it was nothing (in most cases it’s just a nodule). But after many weeks of being poked and prodded, I was diagnosed with cancer – yup “the big C”. It was at that point I really faced my future head-on and saw that I needed to leave toxic relationships behind, stop accepting the status quo, and continue with my master’s degree. I applied to UTSA’s wonderful MFA program and was not only accepted but awarded a prestigious scholarship! I worked very hard and eventually earned an MFA in Painting/Drawing (an MFA is considered a Terminal Degree).

Personally, I am a native of Austin, Texas, but have lived in many different places in the United States and abroad (including the Atlantic coast of Florida, Italy, and the Cayman Islands). I currently live in San Antonio, Texas with my incredible husband, Tommy Fitzpatrick. We share our brilliant and handsome son, Finn, who was born in 2021 and is growing a learning every day – it’s a marvel to see his growth and how much it relates to the growth we experience in adulthood. I love to cook, travel, garden, go on long walks/hikes (like 5+ miles), and spend time with my family (usually playing on the floor with my son, Finn).