Category: News

APA President Dr. Wendi Williams to Speak at Our Lady of the Lake University on Leadership, Equity, and the Future of Psychology

Wendi Williams, President of the American Psychological Association, will visit Our Lady of the Lake University for a special campus conversation with students, psychologists, and community members.

Join us for an engaging discussion on the intersection of psychology, leadership, and equity. A nationally recognized psychologist, scholar, and educator, Dr. Williams brings more than two decades of experience exploring leadership, culturally responsive psychological practice, and the inner lives of Black women and girls. Her work integrates liberation psychology and intersectional feminist frameworks to advance transformative leadership and organizational change.

Dr. Williams currently serves as President of the American Psychological Association and has held academic leadership roles at institutions including Fielding Graduate University, Bank Street College of Education, and Mills College School of Education. She is also the editor of several influential books, including Black Women at Work: On Refusal and Recovery.

This event offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from one of the leading voices in psychology today and engage in dialogue about leadership, scholarship, and equity-centered practice.

Event Details

Speaker: Wendi Williams, President, American Psychological Association
Host: Our Lady of the Lake University
Date: Tuesday, April 7
Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: Main Building, Room 311
Refreshments: Light refreshments will be provided.

Students, faculty, psychologists, and community members across the region are warmly invited to attend this special conversation. Come be part of an inspiring dialogue on the future of psychology, leadership, and equity-centered change.

RSVP information coming soon.

A Conversation with APA President Dr-2Download

Unveiling the 2026 OLLU Fiesta Medal!

The celebration begins with a first look at the 2026 OLLU Fiesta Medal—a bold, colorful tribute to Our Lady of the Lake University and Fiesta tradition. This year’s medal proudly represents OLLU spirit and will be featured as part of the official Fiesta 5K Confetti Run.

Get ready to celebrate, run, and shine with OLLU pride. Pricing is still being finalized, and more details on how to purchase are coming soon.

Show your OLLU pride.
Show your Fiesta spirit.
✨ More to come! ✨

Message from the President- OLLU As the Distinctive Program Model

March 16, 2026

Dear OLLU Community,

Over the past several weeks, our campus community, including Cabinet, the Board of Trustees, faculty, and staff, have been engaged in an important conversation about Focused Differentiation and the future of our university. This work extends well beyond strategy. It is rooted in discernment.

As a Catholic university rooted in Providence and entrusted to the charism of the Sisters of Divine Providence, we are called to read the signs of our time and respond with courage, clarity, and faith. Focused Differentiation is our strategic expression of that calling, ensuring that our mission continues to transform the lives of students and communities for generations to come.

As I reflect on our conversations, several of you reminded me of something important in our university data.

In Spring 2026, approximately 80% of our undergraduate semester credit hours (SCH) are concentrated in just 31% of our academic programs. At the graduate level, 80% of SCH are concentrated in just 19% of programs.

Several of you also noted that our students may already be telling us something, perhaps signaling where demand is strongest and where OLLU’s strengths resonate most clearly.

These insights reinforce that excellence inspires. Excellence leads. And excellence transforms lives. In today’s shifting higher education landscape, every university faces a choice: drift toward sameness or become distinctive in the areas where mission and institutional strengths intersect most powerfully. Focused Differentiation is how we will make that choice.

Institutions that thrive are clear about who they serve and what makes them unmistakably valuable. Becoming distinctive requires discipline, focus, and the courage to concentrate our efforts where we can make the greatest difference. Doing so will require disciplined choices about where we invest our energy—and where we do not.

I recently read that excellence is not an aspiration; excellence is a discipline. Our clarity, focus, and courage to concentrate our efforts where we can make the greatest difference is how we honor our institutional legacy.

The Lenten season reminds us that growth often requires refinement so that we may focus more fully on what matters most. The Sisters of Divine Providence modeled this discipline in their ministries, responding to the needs of their time with courage rooted in trust in God’s providence.

Two weeks ago, I wrote that we will not hide from change; rather, we will pursue it and shape it. Institutions of higher learning that thrive do not treat change as temporary; they build the capacity to innovate continuously in response to the needs of their time.

The insights from the survey I shared with you two weeks back will be shared this week, and they represent another important step as we refine our narrow target market and clarify the distinctive differentiators that will define OLLU’s future.

The work before us, which we will do together, is clear. Focused Differentiation will require disciplined choices and a shared commitment to excellence.

Together, as stewards of our institutional legacy, we will shape the next chapter of our university.

With prayer and gratitude,

Abel A. Chávez, MBA, Ph.D.

Survey Results: A Quick Check-In

By Teresa Niño (VP for Marketing, Communications, and Engagement)

Earlier this month, in the March 3rd issue of Lake Weekly, President Chávez shared a vision of what Our Lady of the Lake can be.  An attainable vision.  He also provided a link to a survey that asked seven questions.  That same survey was also presented to Cabinet and the Board of Trustees.

Below are the results of the combined surveys.  As you read through them, ask yourself, “what do these results mean?”  “What do the results say as to where we are today and where we want to be?” and “what will be my role?”  

In the next few weeks, whether in a State of the Lake Forum, a Leadership Team meeting, a Faculty and/or Staff leadership meeting, or an email from me, we will learn the answers to these questions together and continue to carve out our path.  In the next few weeks, you’ll hear phrases such as “change management,” “models for small, private, catholic universities,” and a lot of “Focus and Differentiation” as well as “Focused Differentiation.”  Don’t be alarmed.  We will stay in touch and would love to hear from you.  This process requires active engagement.

At your end, please attend those meetings or get notes from someone that attended; read Lake Weekly stories that address the status and/or progress that’s being made.  Stay tuned in.

Here are the top three responses we heard from the combined surveys:

  1. In your view, which primary student populations should OLLU intentionally prioritize over the next 5–7 years? Please rank the following options from highest strategic
    • 39% First-generation Hispanic undergraduates from South Texas
    • 21% A combination of multiple segments
    • 19% Catholic Hispanic students seeking faith-integrated education.
  2. Follow-up to Question 1: If there is a student population not reflected above that you believe should be prioritized, please describe. [This open-ended question prompted numerous varied responses.  Below are the ‘top’ responses – those that were mentioned more than twice but less than five times.
    • Catholic, service-oriented students
    • Working professionals
    • Veterans/Military
  3. Should OLLU intentionally narrow its recruitment geography?
    • 39%  Yes – Texas Statewide
    • 26%  No – Maintain broad geographic reach
    • 23%  Yes – Primarily South Texas
  4. Should OLLU deliberately deprioritize certain student segments to strengthen focus?
    • 48% Yes – Trade-offs are necessary
    • 45%  Maybe – With data review
    • 6%     No – We should remain broad
  5. Which attributes could realistically differentiate OLLU in a meaningful and defensible way? (Select up to three)
    • 17%  Strong career pipelines in select industries
    • 17%  Accelerated pathways (3-year degrees, flexible scheduling)
    • 11%  Personalized, high-touch advising model
    • 11%  Small-class, faculty-mentored environment
  6. Which of the following do you believe is most critical to long-term sustainability?
    • 31%  Target market clarity
    • 27%  Operational excellence and cost discipline
    • 23%  Academic program specialization
  7. Are we currently disciplined enough to execute a focused strategy?
    • 58%  Not Yet
    • 24%  Uncertain
    • 18%  Yes

We hope to see you at tomorrow’s State of the Lake Forum where Interim Head of Enrollment Shirley Caldera will share data on our enrollment trends and our rate of persistence.  Why is this important?  Because as we proceed to carve out our vision, it is important to know what the market demands.  In this case, our market is our students.  They vote with their feet and their tuition dollars.  What classes, programs and/or degrees are they pursuing?  What is it about them or about us that could differentiates us? 

Looking forward to it and BYOM … Bring your open mind!

Message From the President

Dear OLLU Community,

This week is Catholic Sisters Week, a national celebration recognizing the mission, spirituality, and Gospel witness of women religious orders. For our university, this week is our opportunity to pause with gratitude for the women whose faith, courage, and trust in God’s providence have made Our Lady of the Lake University possible.

More than a century ago, the Sisters of Divine Providence arrived with a clear conviction: that God’s providence is active all around us in the world, and that education equalizes and transforms lives. Guided by that conviction, the Sisters of Divine Providence committed themselves to serving those often overlooked. They have built schools, cared for the sick, stood with the poor, and believed deeply in the dignity and potential of every person. No question.

Our university stands today because of their witness.

Across the country, week after week, Catholic sisters love, teach, accompany, advocate, model human dignity, and strengthen communities. Their ministries have shaped the landscape of our country, and they continue to respond with courage and compassion to the needs of our time.

This year’s theme, “Stories of Hope and Heart,” reminds us that the impact of women religious orders is far-reaching. Their lives and their legacies are testimonies of daily service oriented action. At OLLU, our Sisters’ charism of trust in Divine Providence continues to shape our identity, present and future, as we respond to the needs of our time. We carry forward their work by educating students who will serve the world with competence, compassion, and integrity. We honor their legacy by ensuring education remains a pathway to opportunity, dignity, and hope for our communities.

Catholic Sisters Week invites us to follow in their steps and live the values they model. As such, this week, especially, I invite our campus community to take three simple actions:

First, learn a story.

Take time to learn about the life and ministry of a Sister of Divine Providence or another woman religious order whose witness has shaped the Church and the world.

Second, share gratitude.

Reach out and thank a sister whose ministry has touched your life, your family, or your becoming. A simple note of gratitude carries great meaning.

Third, live the charism.

In our classrooms, offices, and campus, recommit to the values that shape our university: trust in God’s providence, service to those in need, and belief in the transformative power of education.

Beyond founding our university, the Sisters of Divine Providence called into being a community dedicated to faith, service, and justice.

Their story continues and endures through each of us.

With prayer and gratitude,

OLLU Posts Top-Three Finish at Schreiner Shootout

The Our Lady of the Lake University Saints earned a share of third place at the Schreiner Shootout, finishing in a tie in a competitive seven-team field.

The Saints posted a two-round total of 46-over par, opening with a 16-over performance before carding a 30-over round on day two. Their consistent presence near the top half of the standings reflected a balanced lineup and multiple individual finishes inside the top 25.

University of the Southwest Mustangs claimed the team title at 23-over par, shooting rounds of 10-over and 13-over. Concordia Texas Tornados finished second at 30-over, highlighted by a strong 6-over opening round. OLLU tied for third with University of St. Thomas Celts, which rebounded from a 27-over first round to post a 19-over team score in the final round.

Schreiner Mountaineers placed fifth at 49-over, followed closely by McMurry War Hawks at 50-over. Dallas Crusaders rounded out the standings at 57-over.

Individually, OLLU was led by Alex Marshall, who tied for 14th at 11-over par. Victor Pena-Cortes and Niall Langley-Brook each tied for 17th at 12-over, while Juan Limon and Ozil Trey Salinas added top-25 finishes to strengthen the team total. The Saints also received contributions from their individual competitors, who gained valuable tournament experience against a deep regional field.

The tie for third place positions OLLU well as the team continues to build rhythm early in the season. Competing closely with several established programs, the Saints demonstrated depth and the potential to contend as the season progresses.

OLLU Women’s Golf Finishes Runner-Up at Schreiner Shootout

The Our Lady of the Lake University Saints delivered a competitive performance at the Schreiner Shootout, earning a runner-up team finish against a challenging field.

The Saints posted a two-round total of 81-over par, improving by five strokes from the opening round. After carding a 43-over team score on day one, OLLU responded with a 38-over performance in the second round, highlighting the team’s ability to make adjustments and close the tournament with momentum.

Odessa College Wranglers claimed the team title with an impressive 18-over total, shooting consistent rounds of 9-over in both rounds. University of St. Thomas Celts finished third at 120-over, followed by University of the Southwest Mustangs at 124-over. Schreiner Mountaineers placed fifth with a 141-over total, and Dallas Crusaders rounded out the standings at 235-over.

Individually, Samantha Garcia led OLLU with a fifth-place finish at 12-over par, setting the tone for the Saints effort. Kendall Ward showed continued improvement between rounds to finish inside the top 10, while Grayson Weiler and Sophia Young each contributed steady scores that factored into the team total. Samantha Ziegler rounded out the teams performance.

The runner-up finish reflects continued progress for OLLU as the team builds consistency early in the season. The Saints were coming off a big week the previous week as they took first place and look to continue to build the momentum going forward.

OLLU’s Ward earns RRAC Women’s Golfer of the Week

Our Lady of the Lake’s (Texas) Kendall Ward‘s outstanding performance has earned her the RRAC Women’s Golfer of the Week for the dates of Feb. 23-March 1. This is the second set of the weekly awards.

RRAC Women’s Golfer of the Week – Kendall Ward – Our Lady of the Lake

At Hackberry Creek Country Club in Irving, Texas, the women of OLLU, led by junior Kendall Ward, captured the team title at the Crusaders Cup. Over 36 holes, OLLU finished at +111, posting rounds of +40 and +71 to secure first place ahead of eight other institutions. Ward earned a runner-up finish at +23, tying for second among a slate of 47 golfers. After an impressive +3 opening round, she battled through a tougher second day (+20) and still held her position among the tournament’s elite.

Ward is a native of Spring, Texas.

Saints Softball Climbs to No. 9 in NAIA Coaches Poll

The Our Lady of the Lake Saints softball team has earned national recognition in the latest NAIA Softball Coaches Top 25 Poll, continuing a strong start to the 2026 season. The Saints checked in at No. 9 in the first regular-season poll, receiving one first-place vote after compiling an impressive 14-1 record.

The poll, released by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, is led by Southern Oregon, which maintained the top position with 11 first-place votes and a 16-6 record. Eastern Oregon moved up to No. 2 with one first-place vote, while Oklahoma City sits at No. 3 after collecting three first-place selections. Oregon Tech climbed to No. 4 with two first-place votes, and Science and Arts of Oklahoma rounds out the top five.

Our Lady of the Lake’s rise to ninth place marks a notable jump from its previous ranking of No. 12, reflecting the program’s early-season success and consistency on the field. The Saints lone first-place vote highlights the respect the program has gained nationally as it continues to build momentum against a competitive schedule.

The Saints are one of two programs from Texas ranked in the poll, joining Texas A&M–Texarkana, which sits at No. 23 with a 12-4 record. Their presence in the Top 10 underscores the continued growth and competitiveness of the program within the NAIA landscape.

As the season progresses, Our Lady of the Lake will look to maintain its strong form and continue climbing in the national rankings. With a 14-1 record and early national recognition, the Saints have positioned themselves as one of the top contenders in NAIA softball this season. The Saints will look to add to their resume as they compete in Gulf Shores this weekend against elite NAIA Softball competition.