Author: OLLUNewsletter

Spirit Day Mass set for Sept. 12

OLLU will celebrate the new academic year with the annual Spirit Day Mass on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel. During the celebration, OLLU’s National Championship softball team will be recognized.

During Spirit Day, OLLU joins more than 200 Catholic universities across the nation in celebrating the tradition of calling on the Holy Spirit to bless the academic year. In addition, faculty and staff who are celebrating 10+ years of service to the university will be recognized. They have contributed a collective 445 years of service to OLLU and its students.

Classes are dismissed from 10:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m. on Spirit Day to allow the community to attend this celebration.

Following the Mass, there will be a community lunch in the Saints Café. A homestyle lunch of lemon parmesan chicken, roasted zucchini, cavatappi pasta, breadstick and a fountain drink will be available for $7.99.

Reminder: Qualtrics will be unavailable Sunday from 1-2:30 a.m.

The Qualtrics system, used by a number of OLLU students, faculty and staff, will be unavailable on Sunday, Sept. 8 from 1-2:30 a.m. Qualtrics will be performing a data migration on that day. Qualtrics is migrating the dashboards, results reports, and printed reports layout database to a cloud-managed database.

During the migration, dashboard editorswill not be able to create, modify, or delete dashboards, results reports, or printed reports. Editors should not make changes to dashboards, results reports, or printed reports during the affected time. Surveys will not be affected in any way. The migration will not impact the viewing experience of the dashboards, result reports, or printed reports.

Questions about the migration should be directed to the Qualtrics Customer Success Hub.

Hispanas Unidas to hold 40th Anniversary Conference at OLLU

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in the upcoming Hispanas Unidas Conference which will take place on campus Sept. 13-14. Special pricing and scholarships are available.

Forty years ago, a group of trailblazing women gathered at OLLU for the very first Hispanas Unidas Conference. The 40th anniversary reunion and conference is titled, “Raising Our Voice – Alzando Nuerstra Voz.” It will honor and celebrate the women who planned the first conference and the vibrant leaders who have carried the torch forward.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage with thought leaders, policymakers, activists, and fellow community members through a series of insightful sessions, workshops, and panel discussions. From exploring the impact of policy on individual lives to celebrating the rich cultural contributions of Latinas in the arts and focusing on integrating self-care for balance in daily life, the conference promises to be a dynamic and enriching experience.

To learn more or to register, please visit the conference website.

HU-Poster-4Download

MSW student receives prestigious scholarship

OLLU Master of Social Work student Cristina Faz has been awarded the prestigious Ima Hogg Scholarship. Faz is one of only 19 students in the state to receive the scholarship.

Each year, the Hogg Foundation awards Ima Hogg Scholarships to social work graduate students who have committed to joining the mental health workforce in Texas. The foundation supports the career goals of social work students as a sound investment in the quality and quantity of mental health services across the state.

“My goal of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker is rooted in a desire to make a difference in the lives of others and contribute to making changes at the individual and systematic levels,” said Faz.

OLLU congratulates Faz on this prestigious honor.

To learn more about the Ima Hogg Scholarships, please visit https://hogg.utexas.edu/ima-hogg-scholarship-recipients-2024.

Students invited to take part in Platicás series

A Platicás Series surrounding the first-generation college student experience will be hosted by the Promoting Post-baccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program (PPOHA), McNair Scholars Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program, First-Generation Student Organization and Tri-Alpha Honor Society. All students on the San Antonio campus are invited to join for food and conversation. Sessions will take place the first Wednesday of the month starting this Wednesday, Sept. 4, in the Library Community Room. Session topics include, Nuestros testimonios: Reclaiming our stories through Platicás, Quien soy? Self-discovery through platicás, Perpetual foreign hood: Do I belong here?, and Asserting your worth through self-love. Food will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 5 p.m. with the Platicá starting promptly at 5:30 p.m.

Questions? Please email lvgomez@ollusa.edu or jmquintero@ollusa.edu.

Chartwells presents loyalty card for faculty and staff

Faculty and staff who purchase five lunch meals in the Saint’s Café can receive a sixth meal free through a new 2024 Loyalty Card program. The card is available in the Executive Vice President/Chief of Staff’s Office in Moye Hall, Room 110. Additional cards are available if you complete a card.

Several employees have asked if they can donate their free meal to a student once they have completed a card. Faculty and staff can donate the free meal either by giving their completed card to a student of their choice or by turning it into the Student Affairs Office in Moye Hall, Room 103.

Review list of Employee Service Award honorees

The listing below includes names and years of service of full-time employees whom Human Resources records show as being eligible to receive the 2024 Service Awards. Honorees will be recognized during the 11 a.m. Mass of the Holy Spirit on Sept. 12 in Sacred Heart Chapel. Employees must have completed full-time service in increments of five years beginning with the 10-year mark and continuing in 2024 to be eligible to receive the Service Award. Faculty and Staff Honorees will be recognized immediately following the Mass.

Faculty and staff employees who believe they are eligible to receive a Service Award for full-time service years at OLLU, but do not see their name on the list, should contact Human Resources as soon as possible via email at mbecerra15@ollusa.edu.

Eligible Service Award recipients for 2024

Employee NameTITLEService Years
Murtha, Paul M.General Maintenance Technician35
Gonzalez, MateoGrounds/General Maintenance Supervisor35
   
Green, Mark T.Professor of Leadership Studies30
   
Garcia, Evelyn A.Accounts Payable Assistant25
   
Glasscock, Darrell R.Director of Facilities20
Garza, Carmen C.Academic Advising Counselor20
Flores, Esmeralda M.Director of Financial Aid20
Findley, Teresa E.Payroll Assistant20
   
Winney, Kathryn M.Associate Professor of Accounting15
O’Donnell, Kristin L.Professor of Psychology15
Munguia, TeresitaAssociate Provost15
Lozano, Yvette M.Clinical Professor15
Kubena, Jiletta L.Department Chair/Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice15
Dinh-Camarillo, Linda T.Library Operations Manager15
   
Watts, John H.Professor, Business Administration10
Rodriguez, MariaHousekeeper10
Quinones, Michael V.Network Manager – Engineer10
Munoz, RobertPolice Lieutenant10
Maurer, Alycia D.Associate Dean/Department Chair & Associate Professor of Education10
Martinez, Guadalupe M.Housekeeper10
Komara, KirstenAcademic Center for Excellence Director10
Hernandez, Reyna R.Custodian10
Healy, Deborah A.Department Chair/Professor of Psychology10
Garza, Gina M.Senior Processing Specialist- CRM Operations10
Deperez, ClaudiaHousekeeper10
Cuevas, Maureen C.Professor of Social Work10
Clark, Vanessa G.Associate Dean/Department Chair & Professor, CISS10
Allen, JeffreyDirector of Infrastructure Services10
Aguilar, AntonioGeneral Maintenance Worker10

Volleyball sweeps Kansas Wesleyan to end San Antonio ShinDig

The first matchup between powerhouse Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) and OLLU volleyball proved victorious for the Saints. The women battled throughout the match to sweep the Coyotes 3-0, moving to 6-6, while KWU is now 5-2.

The Saints powered through the first set with Chanisty Villarreal Bermea leading the way with her serves. Mia Francis’ strength was on display, with her five kills proving unhittable by the Coyote’s defenders. Victoria Urbanczyk and Camila Ramirez also slammed the ball over the net for three kills each. All in all, the Saints’ 25-16 win included 17 kills on a .441 hitting percentage while the Coyotes were relegated to just seven kills and a .032 hitting percentage.

The Coyotes started the second set determined to keep the game in control. With a score of 6-3 for the Saints, KWU returned to tie at nine. OLLU put up nine points and kept the Coyotes to three to increase to 18-12. The Coyotes threatened late in the set to come within five, but Dorsey’s kill ended the period with the 25-20 win.

For the first time in the match, KWU took the lead to start the third set, going up 5-2. Julia Anguiano’s serves, fueled by three consecutive kills, returned the lead to the Saints at 8-7. The teams tied seven more times in a thrilling back-and-forth before attacking errors from the Coyotes sent the momentum back to the Saints. With the 22-21 lead, kills from Dorsey and Francis sealed the 25-22 set and match win.

The full results of the San Antonio ShinDig are as follows:
Kansas Wesleyan University: 3 wins-1 loss
Our Lady of the Lake University: 3 wins-1 loss
Ottawa University: 2 wins-1 loss
Rocky Mountain College: 2 wins-2 losses
Huston-Tillotson University: 1 loss
John Brown University: 4 losses

What’s next
The Saints will travel next to Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, for a nonconference match on Sept. 13. The Saints hold the all-time record against the Mountaineers with 16 wins and three losses. This match is anticipated to be a tough but exciting one, and the team is looking forward to it.

Women’s soccer draws against USAO

The women’s soccer team ended their contest in a 1-1 tie against the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) on Aug. 31. The Saints move to 0-1-1 while the Drovers are now 3-0-1.

Head Coach Lee Williams, commented, “We made it very uncomfortable for a team being recognized on the national stage with some exceptional individuals. Conceding the goal in the last minutes after everything we had done to manage the game, I feel for everyone that worked so hard. We are really coming together every game. Some of the soccer we played in moments was composed and had real purpose. The team has bought into everything we are trying to implement, and I love this team. We talk constantly about what it takes to be a Saint. I’m proud and happy with the way everyone represented themselves and the program today. We are excited to see what this group can do in the future. The future of OLLU soccer is going to be fun!”

The first half was scoreless. The Drovers recorded nine shots in the half while the Saints took four. Samantha Valadez made two shots and the Saints didn’t take a corner kick. The Drovers first two shots were within the first ten minutes. Chiara Schillinger was shown a yellow card in the 13th minute, just prior to the Saints first shot by Ez Valles. The Drovers took three of the next four shots. Vivianna Gutierrez picked up a yellow card at the 38th minute. The Drovers took a shot two minutes before the half ended.

The Saints struck first in the second half. Freshman Angela Garcia scored at the 54th minute to put the Saints on top. The Saints continued to pressure with multiple corner kicks in the following minutes. The teams continued to trade corner kicks throughout the last minutes. The Drovers scored a late goal at the 88th minute to tie the game. The Saints had a shot on goal and also a header that missed in the final minute. The game ended in a draw with six different Saints players recording at least one shot.

GAME LEADERS
Kaitlyn Olivas and Eleonora Diversi– 3 shots
Angela Garcia – goal
Samantha Valadez – 5 saves

TEAM STATS
OLLU 12 shots/USAO 15
OLLU 3 SOG/USAO 6
OLLU 5 corners/USAO 9
OLLU 11 fouls/USAO 11

What’s next
The Saints play an exhibition at home against University of Texas Permian-Basin on Thursday.