Month: June 2022

OLLU to host San Antonio Spurs Youth Basketball Tournament

OLLU will be the host site for the San Antonio Spurs Youth Basketball Tournament on Friday through Sunday at the UWAC.

The event, which is not a camp, will bring parents and their children to OLLU for three days of exciting basketball, run by the Spurs. Visitors will have access only to the gym and restrooms.

OLLU men’s basketball Assistant Coach Marcus Thompson will be the primary point of contact if there are any issues. He can be reached at: mdthompson@ollusa.edu or on his office phone at: 210-431-3975.

Graduate Business Admission Instant Decision Night coming Thursday

The graduate admission staff and department faculty are holding a Graduate Business Admission Instant Decision Night on Thursday at 6 p.m. Students will be directed to the Renaissance Parlor rooms for the one-hour event. Programs include the MBA, MS Accounting, MS in Business Analytics and MS Financial in Analysis.

In the News

On June 20, a story in USEducation about alumna Asia Ciaravino becoming CEO of The Children’s Shelter: 

https://useducationservice.com/san-antonio-childrens-shelter-announces-new-president/

On June 14, a story in the San Antonio Report about alumna Asia Ciaravino assuming the role of CEO of The Children’s Shelter: 

New Children’s Shelter CEO Asia Ciaravino: ‘We’re rebuilding right now’

On June 13, a story on KMA Land radio about Iowa Western hiring Tommy Turgeon, former OLLU women’s basketball assistant coach: 

https://www.kmaland.com/sports/iowa-western-hires-turgeon-as-womens-assistant/article_e92e0b02-eb4c-11ec-be40-1b2259de9296.html

Hurley named Red River Athletic Conference Athletic Director of Year

As the leader of the most active and the most successful athletic department in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC), Shane Hurley has plenty on his plate. That was never more true than this year when OLLU athletics grew to 17 intercollegiate sports, seven Saints teams made national tournament appearances, and the school won its eighth RRAC All-Sports Award. 

Hurley’s efforts were recognized by his peers, who selected him as the 2021-2022 RRAC Athletic Director of the Year. 

The RRAC Athletic Director of the Year award recognizes the leader who had the best year in overall program performance, facility development, game administration, NAIA Champions of Character commitment, ability to hire and keep quality coaches, program growth in sports and revenue opportunities, contributions at the conference and national levels and student-athlete development. The award is decided through a vote by all RRAC athletic directors. 

In addition to the normal day-to-day challenges of managing the athletic program, Hurley and his staff hosted RRAC championships in men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball, men’s and women’s track and field and softball during the last year. They also were faced with the loss of a close friend and longtime Saints broadcaster, Michael Thompson, near the end of the basketball season.  

Through it all, Hurley was the capable leader of all things OLLU.

“Shane has done a great job keeping OLLU at the top of the conference,” says LSU Shreveport Athletic Director Lucas Morgan. “They are competitive in every sport while also doing things the right way. He is a committed leader and very deserving of this recognition.” 

Hurley is a true blue Saint. He has been at OLLU since the school joined the NAIA in 2007, first serving as the men’s soccer coach and then doubling up as the women’s soccer coach from 2008-to 2012. In 2018, he was called on to serve as the interim athletic director, stepping into the official role in 2019 and shedding his soccer duties to focus solely on the athletic director role in 2020. 

“I’m proud to extend congratulations to Shane Hurley,” says RRAC Commissioner Tony Stigliano. “This award recognizes his hard work and commitment to OLLU, the RRAC, and our other athletic directors. We’re fortunate to have leaders like Shane in our conference.”

Taking over a program that was already a perennial conference power, Hurley has added to that excellence. In addition to the All-Sports Awards, OLLU also was recognized as last year’s RRAC GPA Award winner with the best academic results in the conference. He also spearheaded four new sports, thoroughly researching the feasibility of adding women’s golf, women’s tennis, competitive cheer and competitive dance by consulting with local, state and national universities with similar programs. He put together a comprehensive report to include demographics, geographical competition, interest from recruiting areas, plus a practicable budget that would allow the university to approve the plan.

After much deliberation, the university’s Board of Trustees approved Hurley’s plan to increase the intercollegiate program from 13 to 17 teams, adding competitive cheer, competitive dance, women’s golf and women’s tennis.

With the establishment of the four teams, Hurley aggressively pursued hiring head and assistant coaches for all four teams. The new coaches were able to search for viable student-athletes – academically and athletically qualified – to recruit for their programs. All coaches have been able to put together teams that would be competitive immediately.

His projections rang true. After just one season, the women’s golf team excelled beyond expectations, winning two tournaments and successfully competing throughout the year. The dance team also excelled and made history with a second-place finish at nationals, and the women’s tennis team qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2014. OLLU now boasts more than 400 student-athletes. 

OLLU attends Seventh Annual Archbishop’s Prayer Breakfast 

Representatives from Our Lady of the Lake University, Providence High School and the Sisters of Divine Providence attended the Seventh Annual Archbishop’s Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, May 26. 

Dr. Jacob Friesenhahn, Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, and Elizabeth (Maria) Tobin, Adjunct Instructor of Theology and Spiritual Action, were in attendance. Professors Friesenhahn and Tobin were hosted by the local chapter of Pax Christi, an international peace organization. Many community leaders, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, were present for the annual event. 

The Archbishop’s Prayer Breakfast is a fundraiser for Catholic Charities. This year the proceeds from the event went to the Uvalde, Texas, community. Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller spoke of his trip to Uvalde and his ministry to the community after the school shooting of May 24, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.

The archbishop’s remarks were deeply moving and reminded all in the San Antonio Archdiocese to minister in every way possible to our neighbors in Uvalde. Michael Belz served as the master of ceremonies.

Dr. Isaiah “Ike” McKinnon was the keynote speaker. Dr. McKinnon spoke of his life, his experiences in law enforcement and his time as Chief of Police for the city of Detroit.

Dr. Quintanilla awarded scholarship

Octavio Quintanilla, PhD, Associate Professor of English, has been awarded the Nebrija Creadores Scholarship, which will allow him a summer residency to research and create at the Franklin Institute of the University of Alcalá in Spain.

The Franklin-UAH Institute awarded the scholarship to Dr. Quintanilla for his literary and academic accomplishments, as well as the artistic and cultural relevance of his work within the framework of Hispanic literature. 

From June 14 through July 14, Dr. Quintanilla will be working on Frontextos and researching Spanish visual poetics. Creative work completed during his stay will be published in the journal, “Camino Real.”

The Nebrija Creadores Scholarship is designed to promote the creation of new literary pieces in the framework of Chicano Literature in the United States. This scholarship is granted by HISPAUSA Association and the Instituto Franklin of the University of Alcalá. 

Dr. Villarreal nominated to federal committee 

Aimee Villarreal, PhD, Associate Professor of Comparative Mexican American Studies, has been nominated to serve on the Advisory Committee for Reconciliation in Place Names. 

The committee nomination is for a federally appointed position to review the names of national parks to ensure they are not offensive to Indigenous people and to change those that are in collaboration with local communities.

Nominated by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Dr. Villarreal is completing background checks before her appointment can be confirmed later this month.

“I am thrilled to be nominated to serve on the Advisory Committee for Reconciliation in Place Names and to work with one of my heroes, Secretary Deb Halaand, the first Native American Secretary of the Interior,” Dr. Villarreal said. “I have a personal connection to wilderness areas as well as historic monuments and archeological sites. 

“My father was the Deputy Director of the New Mexico State Parks for 23 years, and I was raised with a deep appreciation for the natural environment and the preservation of cultural heritage. I think I became an anthropologist for this reason.” 

Dr. Bobele co-authors article in academic journal

Monte Bobele, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Psychology, co-authored, “Therapeutic Spaces in Public Places: Reflections on Storytelling and Antipropaganda Dialogue in Mexico,” an article that was recently published in International Perspectives in PsychologyOLLY

The article, co-written with Jason Platt, PhD, describes an approach aimed at reducing barriers to mental health care for marginalized communities, living below the poverty line, in a culturally syntonic way.