As we work together to make Fall 2026 as successful as possible, we want to celebrate our shared progress and keep moving forward with purpose. Our current enrollment number is 953, and this reflects the incredible effort of our entire OLLU community.
Enrollment is a shared responsibility, and every interaction with students matters. Together, we can continue to build momentum by:
Recruiting future students by sharing your OLLU experience.
Retaining the amazing OLLU students who are already here.
Engaging and collaborating across campus with everyone you encounter.
Each registration strengthens our mission and brings us closer to our goal of 1,800 students for Fall 2026. You will continue to see the enrollment thermometer displayed across campus as we track our progress together. With unity, focus, and urgency, we can create a vibrant, welcoming environment where students thrive and our community succeeds.
Our Lady of the Lake University is opening a new door for student success with its No-Cost Master’s Program. This five-year pathway allows first-time incoming freshman students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree with little to no graduate tuition. The initiative is designed to reduce financial barriers, speed up degree completion, and help students transition into the workforce with advanced credentials.
The program will begin with five participating master’s degrees: business administration, cybersecurity, cybersecurity management, nonprofit management, and social work. OLLU says the effort is part of its broader commitment to making graduate education more accessible for students who demonstrate academic readiness and financial need.
The pilot will launch with 30 available seats for first-time incoming freshman students. To participate, students must complete one of the approved undergraduate degrees within four years, maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, and meet additional eligibility requirements. While students will still be responsible for books and some fees, the university is covering the bulk of graduate tuition through institutional support.
OLLU leaders say the program reflects the university’s mission to create opportunity, support student achievement, and prepare graduates for meaningful careers. By offering a streamlined and more affordable path to a master’s degree, the university hopes to open new possibilities for students and strengthen the future of the OLLU community.
Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) celebrated Undergraduate Research Week last week, highlighting the scholarly work and academic aspirations of undergraduate students across campus. As part of the week’s events, OLLU welcomed State Senator José Menéndez (TX-26), the university’s representative, to attend the McNair Scholars Research Proposal presentations.
Senator Menéndez, a first-generation college graduate and the son of immigrants, joined the students to offer encouragement and reflect on the importance of higher education and research opportunities. His visit provided McNair Scholars with a meaningful opportunity to engage directly with a state leader who has long advocated for expanded educational access across Texas.
During the discussion, students shared questions and concerns related to proposing original research and receiving constructive feedback. In response to a question about imposter syndrome, Senator Menéndez affirmed students’ places in academic and professional spaces, stating, “You belong just as much as they do.” He encouraged students to continue pursuing research and to use their work as a tool for positive change.
The visit concluded with a reminder of the broader impact of their efforts. “You all are the role models for a lot of kids,” Senator Menéndez shared. “Don’t forget that many will see a future for themselves because of what y’all are doing.”
The visit served as a highlight of Undergraduate Research Week, reinforcing OLLU’s commitment to student development, mentorship, and community engagement.
Faculty interested in facilitating classroom conversations with elected officials are encouraged to coordinate with Clarissa Vega, Director of Special Initiative and Government Relations, at cvega@ollusa.edu.
Our Lady of the Lake University’s 5K Confetti Run/Walk was a vibrant success, bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters in a joyful celebration of Fiesta spirit and OLLU pride. The event raised a remarkable $27,369 in profit for scholarships, helping open more doors for students while strengthening the university community.
This year’s turnout showed exciting growth, with 85 more registrants than last year. That increase reflects the energy, enthusiasm, and commitment of the OLLU family, whose support continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students. From the start of the race to the final confetti-filled moments, the event was filled with excitement, unity, and a shared purpose. See pictures of this fun-filled event here.
The spirit of OLLU was on full display throughout the day. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni came together not only to run or walk, but to celebrate one another and the university’s mission. The Fiesta atmosphere added to the joy of the event, creating a memorable experience that highlighted the strong sense of community that defines OLLU.
Thank you to all who volunteered and attended this special event!
Our Lady of the Lake University was honored by Northside Independent School District at its Annual Partnership Awards on April 15, 2026, in recognition of a partnership that has made a lasting difference for children and families. Since 2015, OLLU’s Psychology Department has worked with NISD to operate a Family Therapy Clinic at Driggers Elementary School, providing free services to NISD families every Wednesday evening during the fall and spring semesters.
The clinic was established by Dr. Deborah Healy following her retirement from NISD, where she served as Director of Guidance and Counseling Services. With Dr. Bernadette Solorzano and OLLU Marriage and Family Therapy graduate students offering direct support on site, the program has continued for 11 years and has served hundreds of families across the district.
This recognition highlights the strength of the OLLU-NISD partnership and the university’s commitment to community care, student training, and accessible mental health support. Through this enduring collaboration, OLLU continues to live out its mission by serving families and strengthening the well-being of the broader San Antonio community.
Northside Independent School DistrictDr. John M. Craft; Dr. Deborah Healy
We are delighted to recognize our graduating López Scholars: Annika Litterio, who earned a B.A. in Psychology (Pre-Counseling); Adeliy Vargas, who earned a B.S.W. in Social Work; and Alessandra, a Criminal Justice major with a minor in Psychology. As the first graduates of the Hector and Gloria Lopez Scholars Cohort, they have helped mark a meaningful milestone for a program made possible by the generous Hector and Gloria López Foundation gift to Our Lady of the Lake University in 2024.
Through their hard work, leadership, and commitment to excellence, these scholars have made a lasting impact. Alessandra proudly represents El Paso, TX, while Adeliy and Annika continue to represent San Antonio with pride.
We celebrate their achievements and the bright futures ahead of them.
This past Saturday, April 25, saw the fruition of a year-long collaborative project. On a patch of land between the softball field and Elmendorf Lake, OLLU students and employees, along with community partners, erected a 16-foot-tall chimney swift tower. Chimney swifts are for birds whose numbers are in severe decline in San Antonio due to a lack of nesting sites. Traditionally, birds nest within chimneys, but with more metal chimneys these days, birds can’t find safe places to roost. The chimney swift towers are essentially tall, wooden boxes with textured perches built inside to satisfy the birds’ needs.
OLLU’s new campus chimney swift tower was born out of a collaboration with the Bexar County Audubon Society. Last Fall, the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism partnered with faculty from the Department of Mathematics and Sciences to write an Audubon community mini-grant to fund birdhouses and educational materials on campus.
The grant request included the tower on our campus and also traditional nestboxes for OLLU and our neighbors’ campuses: Rodriguez Montessori Elementary School, Little Flower School, and the Las Palmas public library. In addition, the grant allowed for binoculars and educational materials developed in our biology laboratory classes for the children and the public. The new OLLU Audubon student club was involved with the planning and logistics of this project every step of the way.
The construction of the tower took many hands as lots of partners lined up for the project. The cutting of the wood and pre-assembly of different tower modules was completed at Sidney Lanier High School by students in the Career and Technical Education program with their teacher, Mr. Benjamin Rodrigues. The outer skin of the tower was then painted with a colorful mural depicting a rosary, chimney swifts, flowers and the word “OLLU” in a collaborative event last week by students in the Art Ink and Alliance clubs along with faculty from the Visual & New Media Arts program. Also last week, students from the TExAS FAST Scholars program stepped up to help lay the foundation in time for it to properly cure for Saturday.
All of this came together with the final assembly of the tower this past weekend which included OLLU students involved in the vOLLUnteer Unity Council, faculty from Environmental Science and Sustainability, and high school students. All of it came together not just physically but on a deeper level when the participants were joined by Sisters Rose and Anita from the Congregation of Divine Providence who helped bless the tower and recognize its importance as a tool for rebuilding and caring for fragile landscapes.
Everyone is invited to walk down the path on Elmendorf Lake Park or cross 24th Street across from the Chapel and stroll down the road to take a look at how OLLU is helping the environment.
Fort Worth, Texas- The OLLU women’s golf team entered the Spring Invite with a clear sense of purpose, competing against a deep and experienced field that included strong performances from Blinn, Texas Wesleyan, and Weatherford. Across three rounds, the tournament tested consistency, resilience, and composure, and OLLU’s individuals embraced that challenge from start to finish.
Samantha Garcia led the way for OLLU, finishing 19th overall at +25. Her rounds of 8-over, 9-over, and 8-over reflected steady determination on a course that proved difficult for much of the field. Garcia maintained composure throughout the event, limiting large mistakes and continuing to battle through each round, a performance that underscored her competitiveness against higher-ranked opponents.
Close behind, Grayson Weiler placed 20th at +27. After a challenging opening round of 14-over, Weiler responded with improved play, posting rounds of 8-over and 5-over to close the tournament. Her ability to adjust and finish stronger highlighted both resilience and growth as the tournament progressed.
Samantha Ziegler rounded out the OLLU representatives, finishing 35th at +78. Despite a difficult event, she continued to compete through all three rounds, demonstrating persistence and commitment. Each round presented learning opportunities, and her effort contributed to the team’s overall presence in the field.
At the top of the leaderboard, Blinn’s Daniah Syed claimed medalist honors at 5-under, one of the few players to finish under par. Texas Wesleyan’s Makena Junkin and Natalie Miksovska followed, while consistent team showings from Blinn and Weatherford kept the competition tight throughout the event.
For OLLU, the Spring Invite served as both a measuring stick and a building block. Competing against a strong field provided valuable experience, and the individual efforts of Garcia, Weiler, and Ziegler reflected a team continuing to develop its competitive edge. As the season progresses, the lessons learned from this tournament are likely to shape stronger performances ahead.
San Antonio, Texas- Our Lady of the Lake baseball closed out a three-game Red River Athletic Conference series against Louisiana State University–Alexandria with a mix of resilience, offensive flashes, and hard-fought moments, ultimately dropping two of the three contests to the Generals.
The Saints opened the series with one of their strongest performances, rallying for a 5–3 victory behind a composed outing from Donovan Gamez. After LSU-A struck early with a three-run second inning, OLLU responded with poise rather than urgency. Diego Zuniga delivered a key two-RBI single in the third, capitalizing on defensive miscues to cut the deficit. The Saints continued to apply pressure in the middle innings, tying the game in the fifth on Jacob Cueva‘s RBI single before taking the lead on an aggressive sequence that saw Alex Rodriguez steal home. Brett Atkinson added insurance in the sixth, and Gamez closed the door, scattering six hits across seven innings to secure the win.
LSU-A answered in Game 2 with an offensive surge that proved difficult to contain. The Generals plated seven runs in the first three innings, taking advantage of early opportunities and consistent contact at the plate. Despite the deficit, OLLU showed persistence offensively, matching LSU-A with 10 hits. Jack Kalisky led the way with three hits and an RBI, while Juan Garcia added a run-scoring double. Aiden Gonzalez and Christian Martinez also contributed multi-hit efforts, but the early gap proved too much to overcome in an 8–2 loss.
The series finale offered a competitive back-and-forth battle that remained within reach into the late innings. OLLU generated timely offense, including extra-base hits from Drew Saucedo and Christian Martinez, while Aiden Gonzalez added a triple to spark scoring opportunities. The Saints built momentum early, but LSU-A responded with steady production and patience at the plate, drawing key walks and capitalizing on scoring chances. Entering the final innings, the game remained tight before the Generals edged ahead, ultimately handing OLLU a 7–5 defeat.
Across the series, OLLU demonstrated its ability to compete offensively, recording double-digit hits in two of the three games and consistently finding ways to respond under pressure. Kalisky highlighted the weekend by becoming the all-time Our Lady Of The Lake University Baseball Hits leader. The Saints Game 1 comeback highlighted their composure and opportunistic play, while the final game underscored their competitiveness against a conference opponent capable of sustaining offensive pressure.
Though the series ended in a 1–2 result, OLLU’s performance reflected a team that continued to battle across all nine innings, showing depth in the lineup and determination on the mound against one of the conference’s top contenders.
New Orleans, LA- Our Lady of the Lake University’s women’s tennis team entered the matchup against Louisiana State University–Alexandria with determination, knowing they would be tested by one of the Red River Athletic Conference’s strongest programs. Despite the final 4–0 scoreline favoring LSU-A, the contest reflected moments of resilience and competitiveness from OLLU that went beyond the numbers.
In doubles play, OLLU showed early signs of cohesion, particularly from the pairing of Muller and Guerrero at the No. 2 position, where they were locked in a tight unfinished battle at 3–5 before play was halted. The No. 3 team of Laure and Peters also kept pressure on their opponents, battling through long rallies before falling 6–4. At the top spot, Pisar and Chambon faced a tough challenge against a disciplined LSU-A duo, ultimately dropping the match 6–2. While the doubles point slipped away, the effort across courts demonstrated OLLU’s willingness to compete point-for-point.
Singles play proved equally demanding. Guerrero at No. 1 and Pisar at No. 2 encountered opponents who capitalized on consistency and depth, but both OLLU players continued to fight through extended exchanges and difficult service games. At No. 3, Peters was engaged in one of the more competitive matchups of the day before it went unfinished, showing flashes of aggressive baseline play that kept the outcome uncertain. Laure and Muller also found themselves in unfinished contests, each pushing their matches into competitive stretches that reflected OLLU’s persistence even as the team result moved out of reach.
Although LSU-A ultimately secured the sweep, the match offered valuable experience for OLLU. Several courts featured tightly contested games and unfinished sets that suggested the scoreline did not fully capture the level of competition. For OLLU, the performance highlighted areas for growth while reinforcing the team’s ability to stay composed and engaged against a high-level conference opponent.
The Saints finish the season 10-5 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
