Last Friday, the OLLU community had the honor of celebrating Dr. Octavio Quintanilla, 2025 Texas Poet Laureate and OLLU faculty member, during an evening filled with poetry, reflection, and inspiration.
Dr. Quintanilla read and shared moving selections from his acclaimed collection, The Book of the Wounded Sparrows, offering profound insight into the beauty and resilience found within the written and spoken word. His words reminded us of poetry’s power to connect hearts, challenge minds, and illuminate the human experience. 📚✨
Dr. Octavio Quintanilla, 2025 Texas Poet Laureate, is the author of If I Go Missing, The Book of Wounded Sparrows—longlisted for the National Book Award—and Las Horas Imposibles / The Impossible Hours, winner of the 2024 Ambroggio Prize from the Academy of American Poets. He is also the founder of the VersoFrontera literature and arts festival, publisher of Alabrava Press, and a former Poet Laureate of San Antonio. His visual poems, known as Frontextos, have been exhibited widely across Texas and beyond.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Quintanilla for sharing his voice, creativity, and presence with the OLLU family. His passion for language and storytelling continues to inspire our students, faculty, and the broader community. 💙🖋️
Our Lady of the Lake University President Dr. Abel Chávez recently sat down with KLRN’s Randy Beamer to discuss the university’s recent academic restructuring, including the reduction of select degree programs and the challenges of declining enrollment faced across higher education.
In the interview, Dr. Chávez shared how these difficult but necessary decisions are part of OLLU’s commitment to “getting back to the basics” — refocusing on the university’s founding mission of service, access, and transformational education. He emphasized that this renewed direction will strengthen OLLU’s ability to prepare students for meaningful careers while remaining rooted in its Catholic values and community-centered purpose.
The full interview is available now on the KLRN website.
On a vibrant afternoon at the OLLU soccer field, the women’s soccer team played to a 0-0 draw against Xavier University of Louisiana. The match was more than just a game; it was a celebration of community, youth, and a cause that’s close to many hearts, breast cancer awareness. The day was marked as Youth Pinkout Day, where the stands were an array of pink in honor of those affected by breast cancer, and the young fans were treated to a memorable event both on and off the field.
From the opening whistle, the Saints dominated possession and controlled the pace of play. Despite creating several quality chances, they were unable to find the back of the net. The Saints registered 10 shots on the day, 3 of which were on target. Eleonora Diversi was particularly active in the attack, firing 3 shots with one on goal, while Monica Sanchez also had a productive day with 4 shots and one on target. Anisia Serrano added a shot that was also on goal, as OLLU continued to press forward and put pressure on Xavier’s defense.
However, it was the Gold Nuggets defense, along with some crucial saves from their goalkeeper, that kept the game level throughout. Xavier’s offense was stifled, managing only 5 shots, with none of them finding the target. OLLU goalkeeper London Suarez, who played all 90 minutes in goal, was solid between the posts, making sure to keep her team in the game with consistent and composed play.
Adding to the fun of the day, Youth Pinkout Day featured a special halftime event—a race for the young fans in attendance. Children from the community raced the field, creating a lively atmosphere. After the match, the team’s dedication to the youth continued as they stayed on the field to sign autographs for the kids and fans, making sure the young supporters felt valued and appreciated. The day was truly a reminder of the close connection between the OLLU soccer team and their community.
While the game ended in a goalless draw, it was a reminder of the strength, passion, and unity that OLLU soccer embodies. Their commitment to the breast cancer awareness cause was clear, with pink shirts and ribbons spread throughout the stadium. The day was a celebration of both the game of soccer and a cause that touches so many lives, underscoring the importance of supporting each other and raising awareness for a fight that continues to affect families across the world.
As the final whistle blew, OLLU may have walked away with a tie, but the true victory was the incredible atmosphere, the engagement with the youth, and the collective effort to raise awareness for breast cancer.
It was a great week for Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) athletics as both cross country and volleyball brought home top honors in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) weekly awards.
Isai Moran and Kristen Torres, who were named RRAC Cross Country Runners of the Week after stellar performances at the OLLU Invitational, hosted on the Saints home course.
Moran continued his dominant season, winning the men’s race outright and leading the Saints to a first-place team finish in front of their home crowd. His strong pacing and closing kick separated him from the pack and proved crucial in OLLU’s team title.
On the women’s side, Torres delivered a breakout performance by recording the top individual finish in the women’s race. Her efforts at the front of the pack set the tone for the team, helping the Saints secure the top women’s team finish at the meet.
Meanwhile, OLLU volleyball completed a clean sweep of the RRAC weekly awards after a dominant weekend series, defeating Louisiana Christian University 3-0 on both Friday and Saturday.
Mia Francis earned Attacker of the Week honors, consistently overpowering the Wildcats defense with efficient and timely kills throughout the two matches.
Lauren Reynard was named Setter of the Week, orchestrating the Saints offense with precision and distributing the ball effectively to keep Louisiana Christian on its heels.
Chanisty Villarreal Bermea locked down the backcourt and earned Defender of the Week, showcasing her defensive instincts and relentless effort to keep plays alive.
The Saints perfect weekend in both cross country and volleyball reflects the growing momentum across OLLU Athletics this fall. OLLU continues to be a competitive force at the conference, regional and national scale.
The Our Lady of the Lake University men’s soccer team showed determination despite falling 3–0 on the road to LSU Shreveport on Thursday evening. The scoreline didn’t reflect the resilience displayed by the Saints, who battled through constant pressure from the Pilots and relied on a standout performance from goalkeeper Zak Averns to keep the match competitive deep into the second half.
The Pilots found their breakthrough at the 32:43 mark, capitalizing on one of their many attacking chances. The Saints held firm for the remainder of the first half, weathering repeated attacks and showing defensive discipline against a high-powered LSUS offense. Averns was sensational between the posts, recording 12 saves, tying for second-most in OLLU history for a single match. Two saves away from breaking the all-time record. His efforts kept the Saints within reach and frustrated the Pilots for much of the game.
After halftime, LSU Shreveport added two quick goals at 59:47 and 60:45 to extend their lead. Averns incredible 60 minutes and 45 seconds in goal came to an end shortly after, with Carson Burkhalter taking over for the final 19 minutes and 15 seconds of play. Despite the scoreline, the Saints defensive unit continued to battle, absorbing wave after wave of pressure from an LSUS attack that tallied 16 total shots and nine corners.
Offensively, OLLU managed two shots but worked tirelessly to generate opportunities on the counterattack, never backing down even as time wound down.
The Saints will look to regroup and be ready for their next matchup, a road contest against Louisiana Christian on Saturday, where they’ll aim to turn their play into a winning result.
Throughout October, OLLU’s Title IX Office, in collaboration with Counseling & Wellness Services, Mission & Ministry, and other campus partners, will host events to raise awareness about domestic violence and share resources available on campus and in the community.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time to unite the community in breaking the silence and standing with survivors. Events will be held across campus all month long, including Purple Night — an evening of reflection and solidarity on Wednesday, October 16, from 6–8 p.m. at the Library Circle.
Our Lady of the Lake University’s Visual & Mew Media Arts Program invites all eligible students to submit their creative work for consideration in the All-Student Juried Exhibition. This is a prestigious opportunity to have your artwork reviewed by a distinguished juror and displayed for the OLLU community.
Key Details:
Eligibility: Open to all current OLLU San Antonio students.
Submission Deadline: October 29th, 2025
Special Guest Juror: Dean of Academics, Dr. Candace Zepeda
Submission Instructions: All interested students must submit their artwork digitally through the official submission portal.
Prepare high-quality documentation (images) of your artwork.
Complete the required form, including artist statement and artwork details, and upload your image files before the deadline.
We encourage artists of all disciplines—including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, digital art, and mixed media—to participate! Contact for Information For more information contact Professor Gonzalez at sbgonzalez@ollusa.edu.
October 20-26 is Make a Difference Week and OLLU will be having daily opportunities for our community to give back and make a difference here on campus and in our neighborhood. Every day, we’ll have an activity every day for you to sign up for to help make a positive impact in our community. These range from two Halloween parties with kids, to a pollinator count with the state Parks and Wildlife, to hygiene kit making.
We are encouraging everyone to participate in The Big Event (Saturday, Oct 25), where we’ll be helping our neighbors at Building Hope Together (2802 W Salinas St, San Antonio, TX 78207, United States) in restoring and upgrading their workspace and events area. Building Hope is an amazing organization that works with low-income senior citizens in our neighborhood, seeking to create solutions that allow them to age in place in their homes and pass them on to their descendants. Our project will help increase their capacity to create new and innovative programming.
The other events include:
Monday, October 20th Chalking Kickoff with KDChi/VUC 7:30 am in front of Main
Tuesday, October 21st Pollinator BioBlitz with Pollinator BioBlitz 12:30pm – 1:30 pm in front of Metz Hall
Wednesday, October 22nd Book and Clothing Swap with Res Life 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm in the Mall by the Cafeteria
Thursday, October 23rd Muertitos Fest @ Rodriguez Elementary 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm at Rodriguez Montessori Elementary
Friday, October 24th Hygiene Kit Making with DXN & VUC 12:30pm – 1:30 pm in the Ren Parlor
Saturday, October 25th The Big Event @ Building Hope Together 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm at Building Hope Together
Sunday, October 26th HalloEast with SAGE 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm at SAGE
The Wednesday Book, Clothing Swap, and Friday Hygiene Kit Making, both during Community Hours, do not require registration. Just drop in! For all others, register online on Saints Serve (login with your OLLU ID)
As we close Hispanic Heritage Month, I am reminded of especially one guiding principle. In a 1960 speech at Spellman College, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If you cannot fly, then run; if you cannot run, then walk; if you cannot walk, then crawl—but whatever you do, you must keep moving forward.” These words come to life in the example of our very own OLLU alumnus, Colonel Gil Coronado (BA ’75), who worked with President Ronald Reagan to champion Public Law 100-402, establishing National Hispanic Heritage Month. Col Coronado’s persistence reminds us that progress, even through challenge, must honor God, community, and each other. May we, too, keep moving—doing good, grounded in faith, and committed to our students, legacies, and mission we get to serve.
