Category: Events News

Our Lady of the Lake University welcomed more than 500 visitors to campus for the San Anto Zine Fest, a celebration of independent self-publishing, creativity and community.

Hosted by OLLU’s Visual and New Media Arts program, the event brought together artists, zinesters and supporters from San Antonio and beyond. Participating creators traveled from across Texas as well as California, Chicago, Indianapolis and Massachusetts to share their work, connect with fellow artists and celebrate the power of independently produced art and storytelling.

Throughout the event, attendees explored a wide range of zines, publications and creative works that reflected diverse perspectives, artistic styles and personal narratives. The festival created a welcoming space for artists and community members to exchange ideas, discover new voices and support independent makers.

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The success of San Anto Zine Fest reflects the dedication of the Visual and New Media Arts program, event organizers, OLLU staff and the many student and community volunteers who helped make the day possible.

Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, talent and energy to bringing this vibrant event to the OLLU campus—and to the more than 500 visitors who joined us in supporting independent artists and self-publishing.

• Monday, Sept. 28 – Friday, October 2

Midterms

• Tuesday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

DeStress Fest on the front walk between Main and Moye. Cohosted by Counseling and Wellness Services and the Center for Student Involvement.

• Wednesday, Sept 30, 2-3 p.m. and Thursday, Oct 1, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, Sept 30, 11:00 a.m.

Wing Wednesday! Come by Chef’s Table and order your favorite flavors! Supplies are limited so make sure to order ahead on Grubhub!

• Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, 8:30 a.m.

Purple Run 5K, hosted by Family Violence Prevention Services and the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter of Bexar County in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For complete event details and registration, visit the Purple Run website. Purple Run registration and information

• Monday, Oct. 5, 2026

Last Day to Register to Vote: Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism will have a table in the Mall from 12-2 p.m. to collect last registration forms.  This is also the last day to check  registration status and correct any errors.

• Tuesday, October 6

Kappa Delta Chi will be hosting activities in CRAVE in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

• Thursday, Oct. 8, noon – 1:30 p.m.

Elmendorf Lake Cleanup with the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism. Kick off the clean-up with a performance celebrating water with the Mazayolotli Danza organization, followed by the clean-up. Participants should come prepared to do light work outdoors, but all necessary supplies will be provided, including gloves, tools, trash bags, etc. The event concludes with a second dance performance at the Fountain in the Mall. 

• Thursday, October 8 from 6-8 p.m.

SPB Latin Night in the Library Community Room. Saints Programming Board will have snacks, music, and activities celebrating Hispanic Heritage, and opportunities to win prizes.

• Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

OLLU Fall Open House. If you see students and their families on campus, please take a moment to say hello and help give them a warm OLLU welcome.

• Sunday, Oct. 11, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Heritage Day; see Lake Weekly article for more information

• Tuesday, Oct. 13, all day

Saints Step Up Day, in the Library Commons. The day focuses on advising, academic planning, and preparing for Spring 2027.

• Wednesday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

They Want Your Blood (Drive) annual Halloween-themed blood drive will be located inthe Front Walk in front of Moye Hall. Preregistration is encouraged but some walk-in space is available.

• Thursday, Oct. 15–Saturday, Oct. 17.

Third Annual Hip Hop Summit: This free, three-day event features San Antonio and Houston artists and educators, with hands-on learning about the elements of Hip Hop and an exploration of Knowledge of Self. Artist educators include Vocab, MexStep, Joaquin, Limon, VoodooChild, Laura Rios-Ramirez, and DJ MrG.

• October 19–23

Make a Difference Week, sponsored by the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism, will be coordinated with various student organizations and campus offices to have a service event every day this week. More details will be announced.

• Tuesday, Oct. 20, noon – 2 p.m.

Fall Fest on the Mall, will feature games and prizes, food trucks, exotic animals, and more.

• Friday, October 23 

SPB Movie & Craft Night with a screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas along with a craft activity and popcorn. Location is still being finalized.

• Saturday, Oct. 24

Make a Difference Day, sponsored by the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism., will be planting the St. Francis pollinator garden in the area behind the Softball Fields.  More details to be announced.

• Wednesday, Oct. 28, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

President’s Walk and Exercise is Medicine Month Competition.  See Lake Weekly article for more information.

• Wednesday, Sept. 23, 20206

Welcome OLLU’s Fall 2026 Artist in Residence, Dr. G. Beatriz “Triz” Rodríguez

The OLLU community is invited to welcome Dr. G. Beatriz “Triz” Rodríguez, the university’s Fall 2026 Artist in Residence, during a special event from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 23, in the MARC Ballroom, second floor. The event is free and open to the public. A San Antonio-raised educator, scholar and Hip Hop practitioner, Rodríguez has nearly 30 years of experience working in public schools and community spaces across the United States. Her doctoral research led to the development of a “True” Hip Hop Education model, which she later implemented in her own classroom to promote student engagement, empowerment, excellence, empathy and equality.

Rodríguez also co-founded Universal Style School in San Antonio and is a leader in advancing Hip Hop pedagogy as a transformative, justice-centered approach to education. Her aerosol artwork, created to uplift and celebrate community, can be seen throughout San Antonio, across the United States and in Mexico.

The first-floor elevator for the MARC building is located outside at the rear of the building.

• Friday, Sept. 25, 2026

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Volleyball Game

Come out and cheer on OLLU Saints Volleyball as the Saints take on the University of the Southwest Mustangs at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at Mabee Gymnasium. OLLU enters the matchup with a 7-9 overall record and a 3-1 mark in Red River Athletic Conference play. 

The evening is also Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night. The volleyball team will recognize five faculty members before the match, and all faculty and staff who attend and complete a short survey will be entered into a drawing for a $125 wine and cheese basket from Otto’s Cheese Shop in New Braunfels.

It’s also Hawaiian Theme Night, so wear your best island attire, arrive early and get ready to cheer the Saints on to victory. #WINGSUP!

• Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026

Step Up for San Antonio’s West Side at the Casita del Barrio 5K

Lace up your running shoes and support a great cause at the 4th Annual Casita del Barrio Steps to Brighter Tomorrows 5K/1K, benefiting House of Neighborly Service, which provides vital community services to families and residents of San Antonio’s historic West Side.

The walk/run will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, at Our Lady of the Lake University, 411 S.W. 24th St. Registration begins at 8 a.m., with the race starting at 8:30 a.m.

Registration is currently $40, but members of the OLLU community can receive 25% off by entering promo code OLLU25 at checkout at HNS 4th Annual Steps to Brighter Tomorrow Walk/Run | Athlete Guild Productions. Participants may register through the morning of the race, although late registrants are not guaranteed a T-shirt or other race materials.

Please come out and help House of Neighborly Service continue making a difference for our West Side neighbors.

• Saturday, Oct. 2, 2026

The OLLU community is invited to run, walk or roll for a cause at the 14th Annual Purple Run 5K, Saturday, Oct. 3, at Our Lady of the Lake University, 411 S.W. 24th St. Hosted by Family Violence Prevention Services and the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter of Bexar County, the family-friendly event honors domestic violence survivors, remembers those who have lost their lives and raises awareness during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Even family dogs are welcome. 

The issue has particular significance locally. Event organizers note that one in three Texas women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and that Bexar County has one of the highest reported rates of domestic violence in the state.

Race-day activities begin at 6:30 a.m., with an opening ceremony at 7:50 a.m., a free Kids Fun Run at 8:15 a.m. and the 5K beginning at 8:30 a.m. Participants can choose a timed or non-timed 5K. Registration is $40 beginning Sept. 22; teams of five or more can register for $30 per person. 

For complete event details and registration, visit the Purple Run website. Purple Run registration and information.

Our Lady of the Lake University, in collaboration with The Art of Four Art Initiative, will present “SOMOS: A Tapestry of Heritage,” a Hispanic Heritage Month art exhibition celebrating the histories, identities and lived experiences that shape Hispanic and Latino culture.

The free exhibition opens Thursday, Sept. 17, and will remain on display through Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, in the Main Building third-floor common hallway. It will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“SOMOS” features established and emerging artists of Mexican, Cuban, Honduran and Puerto Rican heritage, alongside students from OLLU’s art program. The intergenerational exhibition includes a father and daughter exhibiting their work, highlighting how culture, storytelling and artistic expression can be shared across generations.

Through a range of media, the works explore culture, identity, resilience, memory and belonging. Curated by Maria M. Williams, founder and cultural strategist of The Art of Four Art Initiative, the exhibition creates space for artists to share their cultures authentically and on their own terms.

“Our stories matter, and the way we choose to tell those stories matters,” Williams said. “Every artist brings a different experience, a different history, and a different perspective, and all of those stories belong in the tapestry of our heritage.”

The International Folk Culture Center (IFCC) welcomes Dr. G. Beatriz “Triz” Rodríguez as its Artist in Residence for Fall 2026.

The residency will kick off with a Welcome Reception featuring a Cuban merienda prepared by Dr. “Triz,” along with interactive opportunities to learn more about her creative work.

During her residency, Rodríguez will create a participatory, interactive installation in the IFCC Glass Gallery, exploring hip-hop culture, writing, community and artistic expression. My Hip Hop Lit Review will feature cultural texts, Old School artifacts, aerosol works and “The Writer’s Bench,” inspired by the tradition of writers gathering to exchange names, build relationships and develop their unique styles.

With more than 30 years of experience in pedagogy, classroom action, street-based education and aerosol pen Style Writing, Rodríguez brings a dynamic creative and educational practice to OLLU.

Throughout the semester, she will collaborate with the OLLU Education Department, Visual and New Media Arts Department, Center for Student Involvement and Catholic Imaginations course through guest teaching, workshops, community events and office hours.

Join us in welcoming Dr. “Triz” Rodríguez to OLLU!

RSVP for the Welcome Reception: RSVP Here

Professor Gonzalez and OLLU’s Visual & New Media Arts Program are excited to welcome San Anto Zine Fest to campus this year. Since 2017, San Anto Zine Fest has created a space for self-published artists and writers to share their work and connect with the community.

Save the date for San Anto Zine Fest at the UWAC on September 19, 2026. The open call for zine exhibitors and workshop or panel talk proposals is now live at bit.ly/SAZF26App, and applications are due July 20.

For more information, visit sanantozinefest.com or contact Professor Gonzalez at sbgonzalez@ollusa.edu.

The Visual and New Media Art program is presenting the Visual Art Spring Showcase, featuring new work by students in Painting, Self-Portraiture and New Media Art, and Barrio Art and Popular Culture classes.

This semester’s final group show offers a look at the range of student creativity on display, from plein-air landscapes and stained-glass painting to digital animation.

The exhibition will remain on view through April 27, 2026, in the Main 3rd Floor Gallery.

For more information, email Professor Gonzalez at sbgonzalez@ollusa.edu

The OLLU Visual and New Media Arts program will present “Pain & Comfort,” a senior exhibition and capstone presentation by Dayanara Torres, also known as Dreamy Dulce.

In this new body of work, Torres explores personal experiences and pain through a multidisciplinary artistic approach while reflecting on the coping mechanisms that have shaped her journey.

The opening reception will be held on April 30 from 6-8 p.m. in the Library Community Room. Guests are invited to attend and experience this special presentation of Torres’ work. For more information, contact dtorres21sp61@ollusa.edu.