The RRAC announces Texas A&M-Victoria’s Alyssa Carter as Softball Player of the Week and ninth-ranked Our Lady of the Lake’s (Texas) Annika Litterio as Pitcher of the Week for the dates of March 2-8. This is the sixth set of weekly awards.Senior right-handed pitcher Annika Litterio pitched in all four of the Saints’ games last week. She secured two wins – Freed-Hardeman, 9-8, and (22) William Carey, 4-2. She suffered one loss against (20) Mobile (Ala.), 2-1, and one no-decision to (10) Southeastern (Fla.), 1-0. Litterio pitched 18.1 innings, allowing three unearned runs, while striking out 14. Her ERA for the week is 1.15. She also added three assists..
Litterio has 11 wins and two losses, plus one save. She pitched in a total of 68 innings and struck out 83. She is second in the RRAC with a 1.34 ERA, and first in wins and in strikeouts. This is Litterio’s third Pitcher of the Week award.
OLLU is first in the conference with a 6-0 record and 16-3 overall. The Saints are ranked ninth in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches Top 25 Poll.
The celebration begins with a first look at the 2026 OLLU Fiesta Medal—a bold, colorful tribute to Our Lady of the Lake University and Fiesta tradition. This year’s medal proudly represents OLLU spirit and will be featured as part of the official Fiesta 5K Confetti Run.
Get ready to celebrate, run, and shine with OLLU pride. Pricing is still being finalized, and more details on how to purchase are coming soon.
Show your OLLU pride. Show your Fiesta spirit. ✨ More to come! ✨
Order through the Grubhub app between March 16–31 for your chance to win a Nintendo Switch with Gray Joy-Con. Simply select the $0.00 purchase option in the app to enter.
Game on, Saints — your next order could score you the ultimate gaming console! 🎮
Over the past several weeks, our campus community, including Cabinet, the Board of Trustees, faculty, and staff, have been engaged in an important conversation about Focused Differentiation and the future of our university. This work extends well beyond strategy. It is rooted in discernment.
As a Catholic university rooted in Providence and entrusted to the charism of the Sisters of Divine Providence, we are called to read the signs of our time and respond with courage, clarity, and faith. Focused Differentiation is our strategic expression of that calling, ensuring that our mission continues to transform the lives of students and communities for generations to come.
As I reflect on our conversations, several of you reminded me of something important in our university data.
In Spring 2026, approximately 80% of our undergraduate semester credit hours (SCH) are concentrated in just 31% of our academic programs. At the graduate level, 80% of SCH are concentrated in just 19% of programs.
Several of you also noted that our students may already be telling us something, perhaps signaling where demand is strongest and where OLLU’s strengths resonate most clearly.
These insights reinforce that excellence inspires. Excellence leads. And excellence transforms lives. In today’s shifting higher education landscape, every university faces a choice: drift toward sameness or become distinctive in the areas where mission and institutional strengths intersect most powerfully. Focused Differentiation is how we will make that choice.
Institutions that thrive are clear about who they serve and what makes them unmistakably valuable. Becoming distinctive requires discipline, focus, and the courage to concentrate our efforts where we can make the greatest difference. Doing so will require disciplined choices about where we invest our energy—and where we do not.
I recently read that excellence is not an aspiration; excellence is a discipline. Our clarity, focus, and courage to concentrate our efforts where we can make the greatest difference is how we honor our institutional legacy.
The Lenten season reminds us that growth often requires refinement so that we may focus more fully on what matters most. The Sisters of Divine Providence modeled this discipline in their ministries, responding to the needs of their time with courage rooted in trust in God’s providence.
Two weeks ago, I wrote that we will not hide from change; rather, we will pursue it and shape it. Institutions of higher learning that thrive do not treat change as temporary; they build the capacity to innovate continuously in response to the needs of their time.
The insights from the survey I shared with you two weeks back will be shared this week, and they represent another important step as we refine our narrow target market and clarify the distinctive differentiators that will define OLLU’s future.
The work before us, which we will do together, is clear. Focused Differentiation will require disciplined choices and a shared commitment to excellence.
Together, as stewards of our institutional legacy, we will shape the next chapter of our university.
Did you graduate from OLLU in the summer or Fall of 2025? Are you looking forward to graduating this Spring or Summer 2026? Join us at Grad Fest on March 19 between 12 and 2 pm or March 23 between 4 and 6 pm in the Mall and Bookstore to get your graduation products and questions answered. Visit with representatives from the Bookstore, Jostens, Registrar’s Office, Student Affairs, Career Services, Financial Aid, and Alumni Association. See flyer for more information.
Stop by, get your questions answered, and take the next step toward celebrating your OLLU achievement. This is your moment—let’s make it official.
By Teresa Niño (VP for Marketing, Communications, and Engagement)
Earlier this month, in the March 3rd issue of Lake Weekly, President Chávez shared a vision of what Our Lady of the Lake can be. An attainable vision. He also provided a link to a survey that asked seven questions. That same survey was also presented to Cabinet and the Board of Trustees.
Below are the results of the combined surveys. As you read through them, ask yourself, “what do these results mean?” “What do the results say as to where we are today and where we want to be?” and “what will be my role?”
In the next few weeks, whether in a State of the Lake Forum, a Leadership Team meeting, a Faculty and/or Staff leadership meeting, or an email from me, we will learn the answers to these questions together and continue to carve out our path. In the next few weeks, you’ll hear phrases such as “change management,” “models for small, private, catholic universities,” and a lot of “Focus and Differentiation” as well as “Focused Differentiation.” Don’t be alarmed. We will stay in touch and would love to hear from you. This process requires active engagement.
At your end, please attend those meetings or get notes from someone that attended; read Lake Weekly stories that address the status and/or progress that’s being made. Stay tuned in.
Here are the top three responses we heard from the combined surveys:
In your view, which primary student populations should OLLU intentionally prioritize over the next 5–7 years? Please rank the following options from highest strategic
39% First-generation Hispanic undergraduates from South Texas
21% A combination of multiple segments
19% Catholic Hispanic students seeking faith-integrated education.
Follow-up to Question 1: If there is a student population not reflected above that you believe should be prioritized, please describe. [This open-ended question prompted numerous varied responses. Below are the ‘top’ responses – those that were mentioned more than twice but less than five times.
Catholic, service-oriented students
Working professionals
Veterans/Military
Should OLLU intentionally narrow its recruitment geography?
39% Yes – Texas Statewide
26% No – Maintain broad geographic reach
23% Yes – Primarily South Texas
Should OLLU deliberately deprioritize certain student segments to strengthen focus?
48% Yes – Trade-offs are necessary
45% Maybe – With data review
6% No – We should remain broad
Which attributes could realistically differentiate OLLU in a meaningful and defensible way? (Select up to three)
Which of the following do you believe is most critical to long-term sustainability?
31% Target market clarity
27% Operational excellence and cost discipline
23% Academic program specialization
Are we currently disciplined enough to execute a focused strategy?
58% Not Yet
24% Uncertain
18% Yes
We hope to see you at tomorrow’s State of the Lake Forum where Interim Head of Enrollment Shirley Caldera will share data on our enrollment trends and our rate of persistence. Why is this important? Because as we proceed to carve out our vision, it is important to know what the market demands. In this case, our market is our students. They vote with their feet and their tuition dollars. What classes, programs and/or degrees are they pursuing? What is it about them or about us that could differentiates us?
Looking forward to it and BYOM … Bring your open mind!
Dr. D. Anthony Miles, OLLU alumnus and managing editor, statistician, and marketing expert, has a new book coming out this month. “Confessions of a PhD: Real Stories from Doctoral Students-Volume 2” is finally out!
The book is published with Routledge Publishing, a subsidiary under Taylor & Frances. Routledge is a British multinational publisher. Routledge specializes in providing academic books, journals and online resources. Taylor & Francis Group is an international publishing company originating in England that publishes books and academic journals. Taylor & Francis Group is one of the top five major book publishers in the world.
“Confessions of a PhD: Real Stories from Doctoral Students-Volumes 2” will be released on March 20, 2026. This anthology features authentic stories that illuminate the mental and emotional hurdles faced during the PhD process, providing readers with a platform to share and reflect on their experiences. Through a blend of humor and heartfelt storytelling, this book fosters a sense of community among doctoral candidates, allowing them to realize they are not alone in their struggles.
Dr. Miles is the managing editor(s) and his new editorial board team with Routledge are: Dr. Philip Adu, Dr. Wanda Corner, Dr. Jacqueline Dansby, Dr. Michael Laney, Dr. Rhondra Willis-Brown, Dr. Robin Shedrick and Dr. Nadine Wheat. Each of the editorial board member brings a stellar and robust wealth of expertise to the publication of this book.
A new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing finds that the introduction of Uber in Texas markets increased on-premise alcohol sales across the state by 10.1% while reducing daily drunk-driving arrests in Bexar County by about 5%.
The research, conducted by Samantha Galvan, Yongseok Kim, and Richard T. Gretz, suggests that ridesharing services can simultaneously support economic activity in the hospitality sector and improve public safety outcomes. Using statewide alcohol sales data and arrest records from San Antonio, the study highlights how expanded transportation options may reduce impaired driving while enabling safer participation in nightlife and dining economies.
Wendi Williams, President of the American Psychological Association, will visit Our Lady of the Lake University for a special campus conversation with students, psychologists, and community members.
Join us for an engaging discussion on the intersection of psychology, leadership, and equity. A nationally recognized psychologist, scholar, and educator, Dr. Williams brings more than two decades of experience exploring leadership, culturally responsive psychological practice, and the inner lives of Black women and girls. Her work integrates liberation psychology and intersectional feminist frameworks to advance transformative leadership and organizational change.
Dr. Williams currently serves as President of the American Psychological Association and has held academic leadership roles at institutions including Fielding Graduate University, Bank Street College of Education, and Mills College School of Education. She is also the editor of several influential books, including Black Women at Work: On Refusal and Recovery.
This event offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from one of the leading voices in psychology today and engage in dialogue about leadership, scholarship, and equity-centered practice.
Event Details
Speaker: Wendi Williams, President, American Psychological Association Host: Our Lady of the Lake University Date: Tuesday, April 7 Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Location: Main Building, Room 311 Refreshments: Light refreshments will be provided.
Students, faculty, psychologists, and community members across the region are warmly invited to attend this special conversation. Come be part of an inspiring dialogue on the future of psychology, leadership, and equity-centered change.
This week is Catholic Sisters Week, a national celebration recognizing the mission, spirituality, and Gospel witness of women religious orders. For our university, this week is our opportunity to pause with gratitude for the women whose faith, courage, and trust in God’s providence have made Our Lady of the Lake University possible.
More than a century ago, the Sisters of Divine Providence arrived with a clear conviction: that God’s providence is active all around us in the world, and that education equalizes and transforms lives. Guided by that conviction, the Sisters of Divine Providence committed themselves to serving those often overlooked. They have built schools, cared for the sick, stood with the poor, and believed deeply in the dignity and potential of every person. No question.
Our university stands today because of their witness.
Across the country, week after week, Catholic sisters love, teach, accompany, advocate, model human dignity, and strengthen communities. Their ministries have shaped the landscape of our country, and they continue to respond with courage and compassion to the needs of our time.
This year’s theme, “Stories of Hope and Heart,” reminds us that the impact of women religious orders is far-reaching. Their lives and their legacies are testimonies of daily service oriented action. At OLLU, our Sisters’ charism of trust in Divine Providence continues to shape our identity, present and future, as we respond to the needs of our time. We carry forward their work by educating students who will serve the world with competence, compassion, and integrity. We honor their legacy by ensuring education remains a pathway to opportunity, dignity, and hope for our communities.
Catholic Sisters Week invites us to follow in their steps and live the values they model. As such, this week, especially, I invite our campus community to take three simple actions:
First, learn a story.
Take time to learn about the life and ministry of a Sister of Divine Providence or another woman religious order whose witness has shaped the Church and the world.
Second, share gratitude.
Reach out and thank a sister whose ministry has touched your life, your family, or your becoming. A simple note of gratitude carries great meaning.
Third, live the charism.
In our classrooms, offices, and campus, recommit to the values that shape our university: trust in God’s providence, service to those in need, and belief in the transformative power of education.
Beyond founding our university, the Sisters of Divine Providence called into being a community dedicated to faith, service, and justice.
Their story continues and endures through each of us.
