OLLUNewsletter

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 Name	TITLE	Service Years
Murtha, Paul M.	General Maintenance Technician	35
Gonzalez, Mateo	Grounds/General Maintenance Supervisor	35

Green, Mark T.	Professor of Leadership Studies	30

Garcia, Evelyn A.	Accounts Payable Assistant	25

Glasscock, Darrell R.	Director of Facilities	20
Garza, Carmen C.	Academic Advising Counselor	20
Flores, Esmeralda M.	Director of Financial Aid	20
Findley, Teresa E.	Payroll Assistant	20

Winney, Kathryn M.	Associate Professor of Accounting	15
O’Donnell, Kristin L.	Professor of Psychology	15
Munguia, Teresita	Associate Provost	15
Lozano, Yvette M.	Clinical Professor	15
Kubena, Jiletta L.	Department Chair/Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice	15
Dinh-Camarillo, Linda T.	Library Operations Manager	15

Watts, John H.	Professor, Business Administration	10
Rodriguez, Maria	Housekeeper	10
Quinones, Michael V.	Network Manager – Engineer	10
Munoz, Robert	Police Lieutenant	10
Maurer, Alycia D.	Associate Dean/Department Chair & Associate Professor of Education	10
Martinez, Guadalupe M.	Housekeeper	10
Komara, Kirsten	Academic Center for Excellence Director	10
Hernandez, Reyna R.	Custodian	10
Healy, Deborah A.	Department Chair/Professor of Psychology	10
Garza, Gina M.	Senior Processing Specialist- CRM Operations	10
Deperez, Claudia	Housekeeper	10
Cuevas, Maureen C.	Professor of Social Work	10
Clark, Vanessa G.	Associate Dean/Department Chair & Professor, CISS	10
Allen, Jeffrey	Director of Infrastructure Services	10
Aguilar, Antonio	General Maintenance Worker	10

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.

OLLU closed for Labor Day

OLLU offices will be closed and there will be no classes on Monday, Sept. 2, in honor of Labor Day.

The next Lake Weekly will be published on Sept. 3.

TExAS FAST scholars participate in career-building and nature activities

For more than two weeks this summer, students in OLLU’s Environmental Science and Sustainability program were immersed in career-building activities thanks to an ongoing grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The $5 million grant, received last summer, funds the university’s TExAS FAST (Texas Experiential Learning and Scholarship program for Food and Agricultural Science Training) Scholars Program.

The scholars were able to move into the residence halls early and explore new career pathways through hands-on events and networking opportunities. They participated in resume writing and interviewing workshops, set up LinkedIn profiles, and had professional headshots taken. In addition, USDA conservationists spoke to students about potential internships.

Scholars also had the opportunity to tour the San Antonio Office of Sustainability, meet with the leaders from San Antonio College’s Eco Centro, and visit the San Antonio River Authority’s water treatment facilities. Field trips were arranged for the students. They saw dinosaur tracks and hunted for fossilized ocean creatures on a tour of the Canyon Lake River Gorge. They learned what land stewardship can look like on a guided trip through Bamberger Ranch, where they also got to see an endangered species of African antelope and a cave home to 200,000 Mexican Freetail Bats. They visited the Witte Museum and also bird-watched, tasted edible flora, and swam in the river at Guadalupe River State Park.

The TExAS FAST Scholars spent some time giving back to the community, as well. They prepared the Garcia Street Urban Farm’s fields for fall planting and packaged over 18,000 meals with the San Antonio Food Bank.

In addition to an amazing summer career-building experience, the TExAS FAST Programs provides scholars with two years of free room and board on campus and a $1,000 monthly stipend for 24 months. For more information, visit the TExAS FAST web page and check out the program’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ollu_texasfast/

Kinesiology’s SOAR program completes first year

SOAR, created by the Kinesiology Program with the support of a $3 million Title V grant, wrapped up its first year with a four-day program for incoming freshmen right before the start of classes.

The program, which ran Aug.11-14, supports incoming freshmen in their transition to college by fostering friendships, clarifying new expectations, and helping them feel like a part of the OLLU family. With guidance from mentors and faculty, students are equipped and excited to SOAR from day one.

Freshmen in the program engaged in collaborative games, played pickleball and other activities, created vision boards, discussed concerns and questions about the Kinesiology program, and went on a mural tour of San Antonio’s Westside

Throughout the academic year, the students will meet with their mentors every week and will meet monthly as a team.

SOAR was made possible through a U.S. Department of Education Title V grant received last year. The project, “Transforming STEM Identity at OLLU: Advancing Kinesiology,” is designed to improve student performance and graduation rates.

Students, faculty and staff who use Qualtrics should make note of down time scheduled for Sept. 8

The Qualtrics system, used by a number of OLLU students, faculty and staff, will be unavailable on 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.