May 2014 – Page 3 – Lake Weekly

First cohort finishes Staff Leadership Academy

The inaugural cohort of the Staff Leadership Academy completed a semester-long program on May 9. The Staff Leadership Academy was created as part of the “To Lead” initiative under the strategic plan. Participants included:

Richard Keilholz – Clinical Counselor
Carmen Ramirez – Director of the Student Business Office
Anne Gomez – Director of Marketing and Communications
Moses Porras – Housekeeping Supervisor
Betty Galvan – Registrar
John Sanchez – Director of Advancement Services and Annual Giving
Veronica Reyna – Director of Graduate Admissions
Kimberly Gibson – Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs in Online Learning
Esme Flores – Director of Financial Aid

A new cohort is scheduled to begin fall 2014.

Softball will play in Mississippi in NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round

Opening Round Brackets – – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) officially released the seeds and brackets for the 2014 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. OLLU is featured in the William Carey Bracket as the No. 3 seed. The Saints (39-10-1) will play their first round in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and will be matched up against No. 2 seed Oklahoma Baptist University (43-15) today at 4 p.m. CDT, while No. 1 seed William Carey (44-10) will play Ottawa University (Kansas) (26-21) at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Tomorrow, the winner of game one will play the winner of game two at 1:30 p.m. CDT, and the loser of game one will play the loser of game two at 4 p.m. CDT. The final game of the day will be between the loser of game three and the winner of game four at 6:30 p.m. CDT. On Wednesday, the winner of game three will play the winner of the fifth game at 11 a.m. CDT. If necessary, the winner of game six will play the loser of game six. The 10 Opening Round champions will punch their ticket for the 34th annual NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Ga., from May 23 – 29. For more information on the 2014 NAIA Softball National Championship, click here. Read full article online.

Freddy Rodriguez is new head coach for OLLU’s inaugural men’s baseball team

OLLU has hired Freddy Rodriguez as the head coach for the inaugural 2014-2015 men’s baseball team. The Saints will begin competing in spring 2015 through the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as part of the Red River Athletic Conference. Rodriguez comes to OLLU from NAIA/Red River opponent Texas College, where he has been the head baseball coach since 2006 and the athletic director since 2013. He will start his position at OLLU on June 1. The Saints held two tryouts during the spring at the Missions Baseball Academy, where they will hold their practices and games. The complex is located at 5707 State Highway 151 (Callaghan Rd. exit), in San Antonio – about three miles from the OLLU campus. Those interested in trying out for the team should fill out the recruiting form located on the baseball home page of the Saints web site. Read full article online.

OLLU names Ryan Wall as head men’s basketball coach

OLLU has named Ryan Wall head men’s basketball coach. Wall took over as head coach of the Saints in November 2013 on an interim basis after the resignation of Russell Vanlandingham. Vanlandingham was the first coach of the men’s basketball team when it returned to competition in 2009 – he coached the team for four years. Wall joined the Saints in the 2012-2013 season as assistant coach. Wall came to OLLU from Ranger College, where he was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Under head coach, Larry Brown, Ranger College won the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference his last season – the first time in more than 40 years. Prior to Ranger, Wall was the graduate assistant for the University of South Alabama men’s basketball team. While here, he met and mentored future OLLU standout Xavier Roberson, who became only the second Saint to earn NAIA All-American honors. Roberson became the Saints’ all-time leading scorer and was the runner-up in the NAIA’s 3-Point Shooting Contest and a member of the winning inaugural all-star team. Read full article online.

OLLU volleyball announces the signing of Jackie Bautista from Odessa College

OLLU has announced the signing of transfer student Jaclyn “Jackie” Bautista to the 2014 Saints Volleyball Team that will begin competing in August 2014. Bautista attended Odessa College. She is a graduate of Austin High School in El Paso, Texas. Bautista is a 5’10” middle blocker. While at Odessa College, a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association, she earned All-Conference. The Saints ended their 2013 season as the No. 4 seed in the Red River Athletic Conference tournament semifinals. Their conference record was 9-4 and 15-12 overall. Read full article online.

Cross-country/track & field signs four student-athletes from McAllen’s Nikki Rowe High School

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Gabby and Val Guerrero sign with OLLU.

OLLU has announced the signing of four student-athletes to the cross-country and track & field teams. All four student-athletes are from Nikki Rowe High School in McAllen, Texas. They include Gabby and Val Guerrero, Francisco Rodriguez and Sammy Bonilla. Head coach Stephen Sherman said,

“Any time you get an athlete to sign with you, it’s a special thing, but when you get four athletes from the same high school to sign with you, it’s an incredible thing. In fact, I have never signed more than two from one high school (Erica Ramos and Bonnie Perez from El Paso El Dorado High School) before, so this is very unique. We could not be more happy to be getting all of them as they are all solid runners, good students and great people.” Read full article online.

Volleyball announces dates for summer camp

The OLLU volleyball team will hold its annual summer camp for beginners and intermediate players. Dates for the two separate sessions are June 16-20 and July 28-Aug. 1. The camp on Monday-Thursday will be from 9-11 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m.-noon and again from 12-2 p.m. On Friday, the camp will run from 9-11:30 a.m. Admission is $160, or $140 if the camper brings a friend, sibling or teammate. For additional information, visit http://www.ollusaintsathletics.com/f/Summer_Volleyball_Camp.php

OLLU celebrates commencement

More than 300 graduates and their families gathered Friday and Saturday for commencement exercises. Festivities kicked off Friday with the Ring Blessing Ceremony followed by the Graduation Liturgy.

Saturday, more than 3,000 people gathered at Freeman Coliseum for the commencement ceremony. The Most Rev. John Edward McCarthy, retired Bishop of the Austin Diocese, gave the commencement address. After his speech, OLLU President Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, PhD, presented Bishop McCarthy with an honorary doctorate of humane letters for his social justice advocacy.

Members of the graduating class presented a check for more than $11,000 to OLLU for the Lake Fund.

Check out the spring commencement video produced by OLLU student and Institutional Advancement intern, Priscilla Correra, set to “Happy” by Pharell Williams.

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Kimberly Gibson named to new position

Kimberly Barnett Gibson, PhD, former director of the Center for Women in Church and Society, began her new position as the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs in Online Learning last week. In this position, she will be working closely with Corey Davis, director of Online Learning, as the University strategically moves OLLU’s online portfolio of academic programs forward.

Gibson earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from Bowling Green State University and a PhD in Communication Studies from Ohio State University. Immediately after finishing her degree, she became the director of the undergraduate program in Speech Communication at St. Mary’s University. She came to OLLU in 2002 as the instructional designer in the Teaching Learning Technology Center (TLTC), and later was promoted to coordinator of Teaching and Learning with Technology.

While a member of the faculty, she served on multiple university and Faculty Assembly committees, including Enrollment Management and Academic Affairs, and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in the Education and Communication Arts departments.

In August 2011, she was named as director of the Center for Women in Church and Society, and has been serving in this role since that time. She is an Associate of the Congregation of Divine Providence and serves on the Board of Directors for Providence Catholic School and Merced Housing.

OLLU’s Flambeau Parade float wins first place in its category

The OLLU float for the Fiesta® Flambeau® Night Parade won first place in the “community category.” The float was designed and built by Jesse Arenas, Thiry Auditorium Manager, and Liz Longoria, OLLU Special Events Manager. This year’s theme, “A Time to Remember,” featured students dressed up as 80s characters.

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