The Sueltenfuss Library is celebrating ‘Banned Book Week” today through Saturday. Students are invited to stop by the library lobby and take a “mugshot” with a banned book. Students who post a photo on Instagram and tag the library will be entered into a drawing for a gift card. Tag the library at #sueltenfusslibrary, #bannedbooks and #imwiththebanned.
Dr. Octavio Quintanilla’s newly released book, titled “The Book of Wounded Sparrows,” has made the 2024 National Book Awards Longlist.
This extraordinary achievement is made even more noteworthy by the fact that the book has only had a soft launch at this point. The official launch will take place Oct. 3 on campus.
“It’s kind of weird, kind of surreal, but for them to say, ‘You know what? This book from this press is good enough to be in the top 10,’ what else can you ask for,” said Dr. Quintanilla, OLLU Professor of English.
The former Poet Laureate of San Antonio, Dr. Quintanilla is an internationally renowned poet and writer. His book, “Las Horas Imposibles / The Impossible Hours” has received the 2024 Ambroggio Prize given by the Academy of American Poets. It will be released by University of Arizona Press next year. He is also the author of “If I Go Missing” (Slough Press, 2014). In addition, Dr. Quintanilla is the founder and director of the literature and arts festival, VersoFrontera, and publisher of Alabrava Press. His Frontextos (visual poems) have been published and exhibited widely.
“This is incredible, national recognition for one of our faculty members,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Alan Silva, PhD. “Big universities periodically receive this type of recognition, but it’s rare even for those institutions. For this to happen at OLLU puts us on the map in a whole new way.”
Finalists for the National Book Awards will be announced Oct. 1. OLLU will celebrate the official launch of Dr. Quintanilla’s book two days later. The celebration will take place:
Thursday, Oct. 3
6:30 p.m.
Main Building, Room 311
The university will test its Emergency Alert Communication System on Wednesday morning. The system uses text, recorded calls, emails, desktop speaker phones and a new app to send messages. All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to download the InformaCast app before Wednesday to ensure it is part of the test.
To download the app, scan the QR code below or search for InformaCast in the App Store on iPhone or Google Play on Android. Use your university email address and password to log in.
The phone number that students, faculty and staff use for multi-factor authentication is the number that has been preloaded into the Emergency Alert System. You can add additional phone numbers and email addresses through the InformaCast app.
If you do not use a cell phone number for multi-factor authentication, you can download the app to add your cell phone number to the alert system. If you choose not to do so, you will still receive emergency messages through your university email address. Issues with the App
If users have issues downloading or using the InformaCast app, they should contact the university Help Desk at helpdesk@ollusa.edu, call 210-431-3908 or visit the Help Desk on the second floor of the Walter Student Service Center on the San Antonio campus.
Follett, the company that runs OLLU’s Bookstore, is sending out a survey today to undergraduate students and faculty who are part of the All-Access Textbook Program. This is the program that provides OLLU undergraduate students free textbook rentals.
Participants are asked to check their OLLU email for a survey link or scan the appropriate QR code below to complete the survey. Your feedback will help improve the program.
The Sueltenfuss Library will host the League of Women Voters on Sept. 30 for a “Get Out The Vote” event. It will take place from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Library Lobby.
Participants will have the opportunity to register to vote, verify their registration, cast a test ballot in a voting machine. There will be free snacks, voting buttons and books on voting rights.
OLLU’s Spotlight Productions will host a Skit/Improv Night on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. in Griffith Fine Arts Building, Room 200.
Students, faculty and staff are invited to take part in a skit or participate as an audience member.
Need more information? Please email earodriguez20sp@ollusa.edu.
Students are invited to take part in a Study Abroad Program to Costa Rica in spring 2025. The study tour, sponsored by OLLU’s Business Programs Department, will take place March 27-April 6, 2025, and will explore Costa Rica’s culture and agriculture. It includes a river safari, visits to sustainable farms, beach visits and a tour of the country’s coffee and chocolate manufacturing.
The cost is $4039.70 (double occupancy) and includes airfare, transportation, hotel, meals, expert guides, cultural excursions and travel insurance. There are limited spots on the tour. If interested, email Professor John Phelps at jcphelps@ollusa.edu.
Students planning to graduate in the spring or summer 2025 semester have until Jan. 3, 2025, to submit the graduation application. Apply online through the “Graduation” tile in Saints Connect.
If you have any questions, email graduate@ollusa.edu.
The men’s cross-country teams won the 8000m Sept. 20 at the Sixth Annual Saints Cross-Country Invite.The Saints recorded 28 points, followed by NCAA D2 Texas A&M University – Kingsville with 48 points, NCAA D3 Texas Lutheran University with 58 points and NAIA Nelson University with 112 points.
OLLU’s Jayden Turrubiates placed third overall with a time of 27:00.1. Isai Moran came in fourth place with a time of 27:17.1 Joseph Gonzalez placed sixth with a time of 27:27.7, followed by Sabastian Moreno in seventh with a time of 27:47.7 and JoseCarlos Hernandez in ninth place with a time of 27:56.8.
Other finishers were Ryan Aldana – 28:05.4, Jose Perez – 29:19.4, Robert Rios – 29:23.9, Sigifredo Salinas – 32:31.6 and Marc Castro – 34:15.3.
The women’s cross-country team placed second out of four teams at the Sixth Annual Saints Cross-Country Invite Sept. 20 at the Windcrest Golf Course.
Winning the 6000m was NCAA D2 University of Texas-Kingsville with 22 points. Four of the Javelinas placed 1-4. Following OLLU with 45 points was NCAA D3 Texas Lutheran University with 57 points and NAIA Nelson University with 96 points.
Finishing in fifth place overall was OLLU’s Leilani Leza, who marked 24:14.7. She was followed by Valeria Pena, who marked a 24:30.5 time for seventh, Victoria Bartlett at 24:58.8 for eighth place and Liliana Hernandez at 25:08.7 for ninth place.
Other OLLU finishers were Claudia Lopez with a time of 26:07.5, Daylah Vega – 27:14.5 and Jasmine Hernandez – 27:19.4.
