A Legacy That Inspires

For nearly six decades, attorney and civic leader Jane Macon has been breaking barriers, advancing education, and shaping San Antonio’s civic landscape. As Texas A&M University–San Antonio’s 2025 Dream Maker honoree, she was recently recognized for her pioneering legal career and for helping lay the groundwork for the University itself. 

A Kingsville native raised by educator parents, Macon shared, “education is in my DNA.” That foundation fueled a career defined by public service, determination, and strategic relationship-building. After becoming San Antonio’s first female city attorney in 1977, she quickly became known as a leader able to navigate legal, political, and civic circles with ease. 

At the same time, San Antonio leaders—including State Senator Frank L. Madla Jr.—were pushing for a public university on the South Side. Macon became a key figure in rallying support. Alongside her close friend and business leader Rosemary Kowalski, she worked with the A&M System to identify land for the new campus. A scouting trip through undeveloped ranchland led to the selection of the site anchored by a single mesquite tree. Soon after, the Verano Land Group donated 694 acres, paving the way for A&M–San Antonio’s permanent campus. 

"A&M-San Antonio is changing lives every day. My greatest hope is that there will never be a child on the South Side without an opportunity."

~ Jane Macon

“Seeing that land become the beautiful A&M–San Antonio campus it is today has been a wonderful experience,” Macon said. 

Her influence extends far beyond the University. After earning degrees from The University of Texas at Austin and UT Law, Macon worked in Atlanta on rural education and economic development before returning home to join the San Antonio City Attorney’s Office in 1972. As city attorney, she helped advance major urban projects, including groundwork for the Shops at Rivercenter and the UTSA Downtown Campus. She later served as a partner at Fulbright & Jaworski and currently practices with Bracewell LLP, specializing in energy, infrastructure, finance, and technology law. 

A dedicated civic leader, Macon has served with organizations including the International Women’s Forum, Women Lawyers of Texas, and the National Women’s Political Caucus. She supports numerous nonprofits and divides her time between San Antonio and her ranch near Blanco, where she breeds miniature horses. 

“A&M–San Antonio is changing lives every day,” she said. “My greatest hope is that there will never be a child on the South Side without an opportunity.” 

One of those opportunities belongs to Alberto Hernandez-Ontiveros, a first-generation biology major and recipient of a Dream Maker Scholarship. A member of the Honors Program and President’s Leadership Class, Hernandez-Ontiveros also serves as vice president of the Honors Student Association and president of the American Society of Microbiology chapter on campus. 

Growing up in El Paso, he watched his immigrant parents work multiple jobs to support their family. Affordability shaped his college decision, and A&M–San Antonio’s scholarships—including the Honors Program Scholarship, President’s Leadership Class Scholarship, and Achiever Promise—made attending possible. 

His interest in medicine began in a high school medical magnet program and deepened through undergraduate research on health disparities. Hernandez-Ontiveros plans to attend medical school after graduating in 2026, with aspirations in general and reconstructive surgery. “Everything I’m doing is for my parents and for people like them,” he said. “Now it’s my turn to pay it forward.”