Month: June 2019

Sembradores donates $7,500 for scholarships

The Sembradores of San Antonio Educational Foundation donated $7,500 to OLLU for student scholarships during a reception in Main Building last week.

Sembradores member Elma Garza presented the check to President Diane Melby, EdD,

“This is my favorite day of the year,” President Melby said. “We appreciate the commitment of Sembradores to supporting our students.”

Accompanying Elma Garza were Nick Flores, chair of the Sembradores Membership Committee, and Joe Nick Garza, a retired Sembradores member and an alumnus (MEd 1968). 

OLLU hosts STEAM summer camp

OLLU’s Provost’s Office and Academic Center for Excellence hosted its first Habitable World STEAM Summer Camp June 10-14. The focus for this middle school STEAM camp was “Water—where there is water, there is life.”

Fifteen students participated in activities that included studying the water cycle, testing water quality, building an aquifer, creating art from nature and recycled materials, and writing about science in rhetorical forms as varied as public service announcements, essays and poetry.

Dr. Rosa Rivera-Hainaj created and taught the science curriculum. Dr. Kirsten Komara and Sabrina Zertuche created writing projects that integrated students’ water discoveries. The students who participated attend middle schools from around the San Antonio area. The STEAM Camp held an exposition of their work on the final day of camp. 

Employee comings and goings – June 24, 2019

The following employees have recently joined the OLLU community:

  • Helen Pulido – Administrative Assistant-Leadership Studies
  • Lora Pena- Custodian
  • Natalie Carrera- Administrative Clerk
  • Javier Reyna- PC Support Technician
  • Vickie Vasquez- Accounting Assistant
  • Caitlin Solis-Grant Development Officer

Thank you to the following for their service to OLLU:

  • Vanessa Reyes- Exam Assistant
  • Ariel Ruiz- Human Resources Assistant
  • Shannon Tijerina- Assistant Director of Traditional Undergraduate Admissions
  • Alejandro Ruiz- Residence Life Coordinator
  • Demetril Mitchell-Hebert- Assistant Director of the Center for Career Development and Testing
  • Raymond Herman- Assistant Systems Administrator
  • Adrienne Rodriguez- Senior Women’s Athletic Administrator
  • Christopher Minner- Women’s Basketball Head Coach
  • Aeriel Franklin- Exam Assistant
  • Emmanuel Martinez- Undergraduate Admissions Counselor

Spanish professor Nina Patrizio Quiñones has retired after distinguished tenure

After 23 years of dedicated service to OLLU, Nina Patrizio Quiñones, associate professor of Spanish and Director for the Biliterate Certificate Program (BCP) officially retired in December 2018. Professor Patrizio Quiñones taught two classes this past spring and completed her service as director for the BCP on half-time professor status in May. Her outstanding service and contributions to students, the OLLU community and foreign language instruction will be missed. 

As a grant-writer, Professor Patrizio Quiñones co-authored the FIPSE (Funding for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education) grant proposal, which funded the Biliterate Studies Program at OLLU. She served as director of Curriculum Development for the Biliterate Program in those early stages of the program when it focused on the fields of psychology, social work, communications arts, speech pathology and business. After the grant ended, the program was permanently adopted by OLLU and Professor Patrizio Quiñones continued to serve as its director and expanded it to all undergraduate majors.  

Professor Patrizio Quiñones also designed and taught the first graduate Psychology course in Spanish for OLLU’s Psychology Program in spring 2000. Between 2000 and 2004, she co-directed the Project Latin America Program (PLA) at OLLU, which was another grant program, in conjunction with the University of the Incarnate Word and St. Edward’s University, to provide opportunities for students to travel to Brazil or Mexico to gain first-hand experience as interns in different agencies. She supervised students’ experiences and service as interns in different professional agencies in Querétaro, Mexico.

 In addition to service referenced above, Professor Patrizio Quiñones also served OLLU and its students as director of the former Kliesen International Center, (between 2007 and 2009-2010). As an associate professor of Spanish at OLLU, Professor Patrizio Quiñones was a dedicated instructor. In the classroom, she consistently ensured that students achieved an awareness of their abilities, at times hidden abilities, to learn and/or strengthen their proficiency in Spanish.  At the advanced level, Nina encouraged students to learn, apply, and share their enthusiasm of Spanish grammar and literature and culture of Spain and Latin America. 

Finally, Professor Patrizio Quiñones’ work continues to impact the OLLU’s academic disciplines mainly through work and service she carried out on the Undergraduate Program Review Committee and the BCP Task Force just before she officially retired last December.  

OLLU to host summer program for youth with communication disorders

OLLU will host its third annual Be AACtive Communicators summer program at the Harry Jersig Center this week for children with Complex Communication Needs (CCN).

The intensive, eight-day program is free and will be held Tuesday through Thursday and June 20-24.

The goal for the camp is to help children learn how to communicate through hand-held devices that resemble an iPad, replete with icons.

“These devices have core vocabulary, which refers to the small number of words that make up 70 to 90 percent of what we say on a daily basis,” said program co-founder Jacqueline Trevino, adjunct clinical professor in the Woolfolk School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

“These words are relevant across contexts and can have many meanings, as well as, pre-stored phrases. So it only takes one icon to activate a message, such as ‘awesome,’ or ‘how are you?’ Many of these devices have built in keyboards for spelling. They are Bluetooth- or infrared-enabled so they can be hooked up to turn on a TV, send a message to a printer or compose a letter. Most participants use their finger to activate the device. We have one that uses the eyes to activate the device.”

The summer program will help graduate students in the Woolfolk School of Communication Sciences and Disorders to acquire clinical skills to evaluate and treat individuals with CCN. The program also allows young adult clients with social communication needs the opportunity to participate as volunteers and practice vocational skills.

OLLU students named Charles Butt Scholars

Twelve students and aspiring teachers have been named Charles Butt Scholars and will receive a combined $96,000 in scholarships from the Raise Your Hand Foundation.

Eight recipients are seeking elementary teacher certification: freshman Carla Velarde; sophomores Julieanna Lunam and Rebekah Wynn; juniors Shemetra McGee and Jose Neri; and seniors Brandon Abbate, Julia Lewis and Rosalinda Balderas.

Three recipients are seeking secondary certification: seniors Jacqueline Ojeda, Steven Kramm and Stephanie Esparza. Freshman Lindsey Broussard is pursuing all level art certification.

The students are committed to teaching in Title I Texas public schools or in hard-to-fill subject areas. Each will receive an $8,000 scholarship along with training, mentorship and networking opportunities through the foundation.

“Our scholarship winners completed a rigorous application and interview process,” said Alycia Maurer, PhD, assistant professor of Education and Education Department Chair. “They were selected based on their leadership, collaboration, teaching demonstration and a profound commitment to working with diverse learners in diverse schools.”

Last year, seven OLLU students received the Charles Butt Scholarship. Now in its second year, the financial award is part of the Raising Texas Teachers initiative, a 10-year, $50 million project designed to support university-based teacher preparation programs and inspire top students to pursue teaching.

Of the 10 participating schools in the program, six were public, four were private. OLLU had the most scholarship recipients among private schools — and the most of any school in San Antonio.

OLLU volleyball recruit camp set for July 18-20

The OLLU volleyball team will host the OLLU Volleyball Recruit Camp from July 18 at 6 p.m. through noon on July 20 in Mabee Gymnasium. The camp is specially designed for varsity-level high school players with a desire and the ability to potentially play at the collegiate level.

For campers wishing to stay on campus for a two-night stay, the cost is $150, and for those wishing to commute, the cost is $100.

Residential registrations must be completed by midnight on July 14; commuter registration will remain open until the camp starts.

For additional information, including registration, medical release form and payment for the camp, visit the camp website here.

OLLU hosting Mexican American Studies education summit Saturday

OLLU is hosting the 4th Annual Statewide Summit on Mexican American Studies for Texas Schools on Saturday from 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

The one-day event is open to educators, administrators, students and community members interested in establishing Mexican American Studies (MAS) programs and courses in grades Pre-K-12 in schools throughout Texas.

This year’s summit will provide a detailed guide for how to establish MAS courses in Pre-K-12 schools with a focus on the different options, along with workshops focused on best practices for course adoption and curriculum development facilitated by educators who are currently teaching MAS at different grade levels. The summit also features a new bilingual education session centered on integrating MAS content for elementary and middle school students. Additionally, an ethnic studies working group session focused on creating innovative courses and curriculum for Native American Studies, African American Studies and Latinx Studies has been included.

Texas educators can receive up to six hours of Continuing Professional Development Education credits for full-day participation. 

Registration is $10 and includes breakfast and lunch. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.ollusa.edu/MASSummit.

The summit is organized by the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Tejas Foco Committee on Mexican American Studies Pre-K–12, and Somos MAS/Mexican American Studies San Antonio, Tejas, and is co-sponsored by Our Lady of the Lake University’s Center for Mexican American Studies and Research, Comparative Mexican American Studies Program and Center for Women in Church and Society. Additional sponsors include the Mexican American Studies Programs at the University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio College and Palo Alto College. 

McNair Scholars Program kicks off summer research

The McNair Scholars Summer Research Institute kicked off last week. During the summer, undergraduate scholars from diverse disciplines immerse themselves in academic discourse, research and graduate school prep. At the end of the eight-week program, scholars will share their work at various undergraduate research conferences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Buffalo.