President Abel A. Chávez conceived bold new phrase celebrating the university’s Hispanic heritage, history and impact on San Antonio
Three words. Two languages. One unmistakably San Antonio identity.
Somos San-Anto Saints.
The phrase developed by Our Lady of the Lake University President Abel A. Chávez, MBA, Ph.D., is more than a tagline. It is a declaration of who OLLU is, where it comes from and the role generations of Saints have played in shaping San Antonio and South Texas.
For Chávez, the words came together naturally.
“My brain thinks in rhythms, almost poetically,” Chávez said. “It is who we are as an institution.”
OLLU has long been grounded in the mission of the Congregation of Divine Providence and has a history filled with groundbreaking achievements. The university was an early leader in bilingual education, established the first school of social work in South Texas and was the birthplace of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
Yet Chávez believed OLLU needed a fresh way to communicate that history and identity: something distinctive, energetic and unapologetically connected to the community it calls home.
“We have so many firsts and such an incredible history, but I felt we were missing some edginess, that punch,” Chávez said. “Institutions that don’t have that strong identity can struggle in a crowded higher education landscape.”
That thinking led to Somos San Anto Saints.
“Somos,” Spanish for “we are,” reflects OLLU’s identity as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and its multicultural and multilingual community. “Saints” proudly represents the OLLU community. And “San Anto” brings a distinctly local voice to the phrase.
For Chávez, who grew up in Colorado, “San Anto” has a personal connection dating back decades.
His father restored old cars purchased at auction, and one vehicle still had a cassette tape inside with recordings from San Antonio radio. On the tape was legendary Tejano radio personality Johnny Ramirez broadcasting on the former 107.5 FM and greeting listeners with phrases such as, “¿Qué onda, San Anto?” and “¿Q-Vo, San Anto?”
The phrase stayed with Chávez as an authentic expression of San Antonio’s Tejano and Hispanic culture.
Years later, as president of a university deeply rooted in San Antonio’s West Side, the words took on new meaning.
“We are San Anto,” Chávez said. “Through our alumni, our university has helped shape this city and this region. We have impacted culture, economy and the lives of generations of families. We are San Anto, and we are Saints.”
The response has demonstrated the power of connecting institutional history with a contemporary sense of pride and belonging.
Now, Chávez hopes Somos San Anto Saints becomes part of the visual and cultural fabric of OLLU, appearing on banners, shirts, stickers, bumper stickers, athletic facilities and other merchandise. He has even imagined hearing the phrase recorded by legendary Tejano musician Little Joe.
The possibilities are part of what Chávez sees as creating excitement and a movement around the university’s identity.
“It celebrates the cool things about us and gives that identity a fresh feel,” Chávez said. “For people who have that affinity for OLLU, I want them to be excited about it.”
At its heart, however, Chávez said the message comes down to one word: pride.
Pride in OLLU’s history. Pride in its Hispanic heritage. Pride in its West Side roots. Pride in the alumni who have helped shape San Antonio and communities across the region.
And pride in being bold about what comes next.
“We’ve got to be bold,” Chávez said. “We have to claim our role in this world, and that starts in our own backyard by saying, ‘Somos San Anto Saints.’”
Get your limited-edition “Somos San Anto Saints” T-shirt and other OLLU gear at the University Bookstore, open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Take advantage of Fall Student Appreciation Days this Sept. 23-24, with 25% off clothing and gifts. Some exclusions apply.
