Month: June 2015

OLLU receives $1 million gift to create the Verónica Salazar Media Center

Verónica Salazar Escobedo and her husband, Rubén Escobedo, have given Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) a $1 million gift to establish the Verónica Salazar Media Center.

The gift will be used to enhance and grow the Mass Communication Program at OLLU. New equipment will be purchased for the television studio, the Lake Front Student Newspaper and computer labs used in the development of new media and film projects. In addition, an endowment will be established to ensure continued growth in the department.

“I owe a lot to the Congregation of Divine Providence (the Sisters who founded OLLU),” said Salazar Escobedo, a 1965 graduate of Our Lady of the Lake. “They took care of me, protected me and prepared me for a career in media. I want to ensure that OLLU continues to do this for upcoming students.”

Salazar Escobedo began her newspaper career at a time when females and Hispanics were a rarity in the business. Through tenacity and hard work, she moved up and expanded her role. During her 35-year career at the San Antonio Express-News, Salazar Escobedo served as a columnist, ecruiter, community relations director and ultimately as vice president. During her tenure, she was known professionally by her maiden name of Salazar.

“That is her professional name and how people know her,” said her husband. “We are very proud of her accomplishments. It is only fitting that the media center bears her professional name.”

Michael Laney, dean of the OLLU College of Arts and Sciences, said, “We are deeply humbled and grateful to the Escobedos for this recognition of our academic program and our students. Their partnership with Our Lady of the Lake University, particularly as we seek to prepare Latinos and minorities for this century’s global information market, represents a significant investment that will expand opportunities.”

Salazar Escobedo is a long-time supporter of OLLU. She has served as a trustee. She and her husband provided a generous gift for the reconstruction of Main Building following the 2008 fire, and she served as chair of the Sister Elizabeth Anne Sueltenfuss Gala in June 2008 and the Sister Jane Ann Slater Tribute Dinner on June 16, 2015.

“Verónica is a true inspiration for the students in our Mass Communication Program,” said OLLU President Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, PhD. “She stands as an example to all our students of what they can accomplish through study, hard work and perseverance.”

OLLU’s Mass Communication Program has produced many successful journalists and practitioners throughout the years. Alumni hold positions as anchors, producers, reporters, hosts, filmmakers and photographers, as well as many other positions in communications across Texas and the United States.

“The Escobedos’ gift will create exceptional hands-on student preparation with state-of-the art equipment in a converged media environment, while building professional portfolios and résumés long before they graduate, impacting generations of OLLU students to come. We plan to repay their generosity by graduating highly trained, future leaders in the media industry,” said Professor Antoinette Winstead, head of the Mass Communication Program.

Several alumni have won regional Emmy Awards, including television photographer Juan Renteria (’96), who has won eight; Patricio Espinoza (’13), special assignments reporter for WOAI-News 4, who has won six; Arantxa Loizaga (’12), former KWEX-41 news anchor and current Univision network weekend newscast co-anchor, who has won two; and Eileen Teves (’12), Great Day SA! Reporter and co-host, who has won one. Other notable alumni include Karen Grace (’00), weekend anchor and reporter for KENS 5; and Ann Hutyra (‘02), evening news anchor for KGNS-TV in Laredo.

The gift was presented during the Sister Jane Ann Slater Tribute Dinner held at the Omni Hotel on June 16. As chair of the dinner, Salazar Escobedo also helped raise more than $170,000 toward an endowment in the name of Sister Slater, who will be stepping down as president next month to become the chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

“We felt this was the right time to present the gift for the media center,” said Salazar Escobedo, “to honor Sister and her efforts as she departs from the University.”

OLLU receives $250,000 to continue first-generation and Hispanic student initiatives

Carlos Alvarez has pledged $250,000 to provide continued funding for programs that serve first-generation and Hispanic university students through OLLU’s Higher Education for a New America (HENA) initiative.

Through this initiative OLLU seeks to become a national model by building on its strengths as a Hispanic-serving institution through special attention to the recruitment, retention and ultimate graduation of all the students it serves. Special programs funded through HENA include OLLU’s Center for Mexican American Studies and Research (CMASR) and the revitalized Comparative Mexican American Studies Program.

This is the second gift Mr. Alvarez has provided for the HENA initiative through his Impetus Foundation. His first gift, also $250,000, was donated in 2010 to launch HENA.

In a letter to OLLU President Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, PhD, announcing the gift, Alvarez stated he was doing so to “honor your service and dedication during your presidency.”

“This generous gift will support student, faculty, and staff involvement in curricular and extracurricular cultural programming, international and bilingual programs, as well as research and community engagement,” said Dr. Ezequiel Peña, director of the CMASR.

The gift was presented during the Sister Jane Ann Slater Tribute Dinner held at the Omni Hotel on June 16. The event helped raise more than $170,000 toward an endowment in the name of Sister Slater, who will be stepping down as president next month to become the chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

Spanish version of the sexual misconduct training tomorrow

The Spanish version of the “Sexual Misconduct Policy and Grievance Procedure” training session will be held tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in Main Building, Room 211. The hour-long session will review OLLU’s “Sexual Misconduct Policy and Grievance Procedure.” There is no need to register.

The online training session offered for adjunct faculty and employees at the Houston and Rio Grande Valley campuses will be available in late June. Details on the online workshop will be shared via email in the following weeks.

The “Sexual Misconduct Policy and Grievance Procedure” can be found at http://www.ollusa.edu/sexualmisconductpolicy.

Annual Soccer Summer League under way

The annual Soccer Summer League is under way through August featuring high schoolers participating in 8v8 and 7v7 games throughout the week. Participants are from Burbank, Brackenridge, Brennan, East Central, Edison, Harlandale, Holmes, Medina Valley, Memorial, Pleasanton, South San, Southwest and Warren High Schools. The boys will play 7v7 on Tuesdays through Aug. 4, while the girls will play 8v8 on Mondays and Wednesdays through Aug. 12. All competitions will take place at the field by St. Martin Hall.

Register now for OLLU’s 2015 Summer Volleyball Camp


campforwebOLLU will hold the 2014 Summer Volleyball Camp from July 14-16 in Mabee Gymnasium. The camp is designed for children in grades 4-12. The camp for those in grades 4-8 will take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and for those in grades 9-12, the session will take place from 1-3:30 p.m. Cost for the three-day camp is $125 per person. A $25 discount will be given to children of OLLU alumni, staff and faculty. Siblings will also receive a $25 discount. There will be a maximum of 8-1 in camper-to-coach ratio. Head Coach Jeremiah Tiffin and Assistant Coach Lance Pulliam will conduct the camp with the assistance of members of the OLLU Saints Volleyball Team. All campers will receive a free t-shirt. For additional information on the camp and to register, visit the link here.

OLLU to hold Ryan Wall Basketball Camp

RyanWallCampOLLU will hold the 2015 Ryan Wall Basketball Camp from July 27-31 in Mabee Gymnasium. The camp is designed for boys and girls in grades 4-12. The camp will be directed by OLLU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Ryan Wall and is designed to develop individual skill through a variety of basketball-specific drills as well as 5 v 5 games. Camp will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost for the five-day camp will be $75 per person. Former NBA player, Robert Reid, will be the guest speaker.  Read full article here.

OLLU to host South Texas Boys’ Soccer College ID Camp


2015SoccerCamp2OLLU will host the South Texas Boys’ Soccer College ID Camp on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, from 1-5 p.m. The camp is open for current juniors and seniors in high school for fall 2015. The ID Camp will have registration capped at 60 participants, and campers will be trained in groups of 15. Universities that will join OLLU at the camp will be NAIA University of Houston at Victoria, NCAA DII St. Mary’s University, NCAA DIII Texas Lutheran University and NCAA DIII Schreiner University. Click on the flyer for additional information. The camp will be managed by OLLU Head Men’s Soccer Coach Shane Hurley. Campers must register by July 18, and a payment of $50 is required to finalize registration. To register, click here.