Posted on September 27, 2022 by College of Sciences
#StaffSpotlight
Gregory Frieden, Business Service Center Specialist I, COS Business Service Center
I am Gregory Frieden, a Roadrunner through and through. I am a Business Service Specialist with the College of Sciences Business Service Center. I tell folks I bleed blue and orange. I earned a BA in Communication in 2007 from UTSA with concentrations in Public Relations and Technical Communication. I followed this with my MA in Communication in 2011, also from UTSA. I have held five different roles with UTSA with 9-1/2 years of service.
I was a Student Assistant in the Office of Student Activities. From there I worked with the Inclusion and Community Engagement Center, now the Multicultural Student Center for Equity and Justice. After 2-1/2 years there, I joined the University Career Center until the summer of 2013. I returned to UTSA and the Downtown Campus with the Institute for P-20 Initiatives in the summer of 2015 where I remained until early 2017. In February 2020, I was ecstatic to return to UTSA as a Business Service Specialist with the College of Sciences Business Service Center with a really great group of individuals that are like family.
I have previously served in several roles on the then UTSA Staff Council, now UTSA Staff Senate, to include the Parliamentarian, Vice Chair for the 2011-12 Fiscal year, and Chair for the 2012-13 Fiscal Year. I also served in some capacity with one of my favorite activities, the UTSA State Employee Charitable Campaign every year during my employment.
What did your journey to UTSA look like?
I was a non-traditional student studying journalism at San Antonio College and determined my best route would be to transfer to UTSA and major in Communication, concentrating in Public Relations and Technical Communication. I fell into my first role with Student Activities by accident. As the President of the UTSA Chapter Public Relations Student Society of America, I was always in Student Activities when I was not in classes and doing PRSSA activities. I got to know all of the staff and at one point Lyndsey Battles stated "you are always here, why don't work for us and get paid?" That started it my fabulous journey as a staff member with UTSA.
How would you describe your role at UTSA in 10 words or less?
Providing excellent customer service with emphasis on all things purchasing.
What is your proudest moment with the College of Sciences?
I do not have one single solitary proudest moment. I have many. Every time I hear, or read in an email, one of our research Faculty or their laboratory staff tell me THANK YOU for all I do! Those are my proudest moments.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Knowing that no matter what role I am in or what tasks I do, I contribute to the most important constituent of them all, OUR STUDENTS! Along with that, having the wonderful relationships that I have maintained over the years with individuals in so many of the departments that I work hand in hand with.
What does your ideal Saturday look like?
That depends. If we are talking during UTSA Football season, on home game days you will find me volunteering with some of my favorite folks at the UTSA Alumni Roadrunner Nation Tailgate before going to the game. Other Saturdays, I have a side gig with Favor or GrubHub in the mornings, naps in the afternoon or yard therapy. I love hanging out with my husband of 21-1/2 years and our six dogs that love me unconditionally. I also love to cook on the weekends when it isn't so hot.
— College of Sciences
