Rosa Garcia was set to enter UT-Austin as a transferring junior in the fall of 1966 but had no place to live on campus. After the UT Tower shooting happened, dorm space opened up immediately – apparently from vacancies that fall from students who no longer felt safe attending UT.
Garcia was in Florida the day of the shooting for her brother’s wedding.
“When the information came on about the shooting I remember my parents being like, ‘Whoa, are you sure that’s what you want to do is go to Austin where these terrible things might happen,'” Garcia says.
Garcia did end up attending UT that fall. In fact, she was originally a chemistry major but ended up switching to pharmacy because of her dorm placement. She credits the shooting with setting her on her chosen career path. She says sometimes good things can come out of tragic events.