Category: News

Resiliencia Student Exhibition Opens This Week

Visual & New Media Arts is proud to present Resiliencia, a group exhibition by the Barrio Art & Popular Culture class commemorating Segundo de Febrero.

Students enrolled in Barrio Art & Popular Culture were tasked with creating a 2-D work of art that answers the question, “What does resilience look like?”

They studied the history of Segundo de Febrero events and read pamphlets from the OLLU archives from early organizing efforts in the 1980s. They found the original intentions behind the commemoration of Segundo de Febrero to still be relevant today.

While creating their projects, students considered themes of resilience in the face of adversity, the birth of the Chicano, La Candelaria, Indigenous Blessings of the Seeds, and living in the Borderlands.

Each student approached their work in a distinct manner, and incorporated materials that would best get their point across.

This semester, Barrio Art & Popular Culture is working with the Service-Learning Department to help restore the historic mural, The Treaty, at Cassiano Homes with the original artists that painted it in 1980, Anastacio (Tachi) Torres and Juan Hernandez. They are looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with our Westside community and getting hands-on experience with mural painting.

We invite you to the opening on Wednesday, February 4th at 5pm in the Sueltenfuss Library Community Room. For more information, please contact Professor Gonzalez at sbgonzalez@ollusa.edu.

New Next Level Prime Healthcare Benefits for OLLU Group Medical Plan

OLLU employees who are currently enrolled in the OLLU Group Medical Plan now have access to Next Level Prime, an added set of benefits designed to make healthcare more convenient, accessible, and personalized.

Through Next Level Prime, members now have access to:

  • 45+ Next Level clinic locations with care available 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Primary, preventive, chronic, and urgent care, including annual physicals, sick visits, labs, X-rays for acute injuries, and more
  • 24/7 telemedicine and care navigation, even outside clinic hours
  • Health and wellness coaching focused on nutrition, exercise, and long-term healthy habits
  • Emotional wellness counseling, with support for stress, anxiety, depression, work-life challenges, and more
  • Weight loss solutions, including access to GLP-1 medications for qualifying members

The easiest way to get started is by downloading the Next Level mobile app, where employees can schedule appointments, connect with care navigators, and access virtual services.

For a full overview of services and how to take advantage of this benefit, employees are encouraged to review the attached Next Level Prime Overview.

Welcome_to_Next_Level_Prime_2025Download

Spreading the Love: OLLU Peanut Butter Drive Delivers Big for the Salud Center

In celebration of National Peanut Butter Day on January 24, Our Lady of the Lake University came together to make a meaningful impact—one jar at a time. The Campus Peanut Butter Drive, held January 20–23, was a tremendous success, resulting in the grand collection of three pallets of peanut butter—4,320 jars total—donated to the Salud Center.

This generous donation will support the Salud Center’s mission of providing emergency food assistance to members of the OLLU community and our neighbors on the Westside, helping ensure access to one of the most essential and in-demand pantry staples.

Sponsored by the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism and the Salud Center, the drive was strengthened through daily tabling during Community Hour and widespread campus participation. The initiative was further amplified by the generous support of our partners—the National Peanut Board, Texas Peanut Producers’ Board, and Wilco Peanut—whose contributions and matching donations helped multiply the impact.

Together, this effort reflects OLLU’s commitment to service and giving back, directly supporting Saints and strengthening our community through collective generosity.

Elevating Our Brand—One Background at a Time

Every interaction is an opportunity to reflect on who we are as a university. To support OLLU’s priority of elevating our brand—both internally and externally—we’re introducing new and updated branded virtual backgrounds for the OLLU community.

These backgrounds, now available in our Brand Guide and Identity SharePoint site, are designed to create a consistent, professional, and recognizable OLLU presence across virtual meetings and external engagements. Whether you’re connecting with colleagues, students, partners, or prospective Saints, these visuals reinforce our shared identity and commitment to excellence.

As we continue to represent Our Lady of the Lake University in digital spaces, we encourage everyone using virtual backgrounds in Microsoft Teams to make the switch to the new branded options. Small changes like this help tell a unified story about who we are and strengthen the impact of our brand—one meeting at a time.

Download your backgrounds today and help us show up as OLLU, wherever we connect.

Virtual backgrounds

Woolfolk School to Host Lecture Series and Speech Therapy Career Fair on January 31

The Woolfolk School of Communication Sciences & Disorders at Our Lady of the Lake University will host a full day of learning and career connection on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

The morning will feature the biennial Woolfolk Lecture Series, highlighting doctoral student research in key areas of speech-language pathology, including early intervention, feeding and swallowing, autism spectrum disorder, and augmentative and alternative communication. Continuing Education credits for SLPs and SLPAs will be available.

In the afternoon, the Woolfolk School will host its Speech Therapy Career Fair, welcoming employers from a variety of settings who are seeking SLP-Assistants, Clinical Fellows/Interns, and fully certified SLPs. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with employers and explore job openings.

Both events will take place on campus. For full schedules, locations, and registration details, please see the event flyer.

Woolfolk_Lecture_Career_Fair_combinedflyer_1.21.26Download


OLLU Returns Experience and Leadership Ahead of RRAC Campaign

While the spotlight of the 2026 RRAC Baseball Preseason Poll shines squarely on defending national champion LSU Shreveport, the poll also underscores a growing sense of opportunity for programs positioned just behind the Pilots, particularly Our Lady of the Lake. Picked fourth in the preseason rankings, the Saints enter the new season with momentum, experience, and a roster capable of closing the gap in a conference long dominated by LSUS.

Our Lady of the Lake is coming off a solid 2025 campaign in which it posted a 30-23 overall record and finished 20-10 in conference play. As the fourth seed in the RRAC postseason, the Saints proved competitive by winning two of four tournament games, a performance that reflected both resilience and depth. Under Head Coach Matt Piker, now entering his fifth season, OLLU has established consistency and stability. Piker owns a 120-91 overall record and a 79-44 mark in RRAC play, numbers that place the Saints firmly among the league’s most reliable programs.

A major reason for optimism in San Antonio is the return of Jack Kalisky, an RRAC All-Conference utility player who has already earned national recognition as a 2026 NAIA Baseball Preseason All-American. Kalisky’s versatility and leadership provide OLLU with a cornerstone piece on both sides of the ball, and his presence sets the tone for a veteran roster that understands the demands of conference contention. With returning talent and a proven coaching staff, the Saints are positioned to be more than just a dark horse in 2026.

LSU Shreveport’s unprecedented 59-0 season and unanimous selection atop the poll present a formidable challenge for every RRAC program. However, preseason rankings often reflect past results more than future potential. For Our Lady of the Lake, the fourth-place projection serves less as a limitation and more as motivation. As the Saints open the season, they do so with a clear path forward, aiming to turn steady progress into postseason success and reassert themselves as a legitimate threat in one of the NAIA’s most competitive Baseball conferences.

Cynthia Rocha Appointed Acting Executive Director for Advancement

Cynthia Rocha has been appointed Acting Executive Director for Advancement at Our Lady of the Lake University, serving in this role through June 2026, while continuing her responsibilities as Director of Alumni Relations.

In this expanded capacity, Cynthia will provide leadership and continuity for Advancement initiatives, supporting alumni engagement, fundraising efforts, and donor relations aligned with the University’s mission. Her deep institutional knowledge, strong relationships with alumni and supporters, and proven leadership make her well-positioned to guide Advancement during this transitional period.

El Segundo de Febrero Community Conference Kickoff on February 2

Our Lady of the Lake University will host the El Segundo de Febrero Community Conference: Stories of Resilience Since the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 2026, beginning at 9:00 a.m. with a Blessing of the Throat mass and a Blessing of the Seeds Ceremony with a dance performance by Grupo Xinatli Danza Azteca in St. Anne’s Courtyard. The program will run through Friday, February 6.

The conference marks the return of the Segundo de Febrero observance to OLLU, where the tradition originated in the late 1970s as part of campus-based social justice initiatives. The event explores the lasting cultural, linguistic, and social impact of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) through scholarly presentations, community dialogue, cultural performances, and archival exhibits.

Highlights include discussions on language and identity, panels featuring Mexican American Studies scholars, an exhibit of original Segundo de Febrero materials from the OLLU Archives, and a community mural restoration project in collaboration with local partners.

The event is open to the public and invites students, faculty, and community members to engage with this living history and its continued relevance today.

View the schedule & Register for free

Saints Push UNT Dallas Wire to Wire in Hard-Fought Matchup

Our Lady of the Lake men’s basketball battled with resilience and effort but came up short in a 72–67 loss to UNT Dallas in a competitive contest that remained within reach throughout. Despite the final score, OLLU showed balance, toughness, and strong individual performances that reflected the team’s growth and composure.

The Saints were led offensively by Santiago Ochoa, who delivered an efficient and assertive performance. Ochoa finished with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, knocked down both of his three-point attempts, and pulled down nine rebounds, anchoring OLLU on both ends of the floor. His consistency kept the Saints in striking distance and set the tone for much of the game.

Barack Holland provided a strong spark off the bench, contributing 12 points in 17 minutes while shooting 5-of-8 from the field. Kenyon Elliott added 10 points and five rebounds, while Jermey Irwin chipped in eight points, seven rebounds, and two steals, showcasing OLLU’s effort on the glass and in transition. As a team, the Saints shot 43.3 percent from the field and were perfect at the free-throw line, converting all nine attempts.

Defensively, OLLU stayed active, recording seven steals and four blocks, with multiple players contributing to pressure and rim protection. While turnovers proved costly at key moments, the Saints continued to compete, matching UNT Dallas physicality and responding to scoring runs with poise.

Though the result did not fall in their favor, Our Lady of the Lake displayed discipline, depth, and strong execution against a tough opponent. The performance highlighted the Saints’ ability to compete at a high level and sets a solid foundation moving forward as they continue to build momentum throughout the season. The Saints will be back in action Thursday against Texas College at 7:30 PM CDT.

2025 W‑2 Forms – Availability and Access

W‑2 forms for calendar year 2025 will be available digitally through Employee Self-Service via Saints Connect beginning Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

Digital W‑2s (Electronic Consent Given)

Employees who have previously provided electronic consent will be able to access and download their W‑2s directly from Employee Self-Service on January 28.

Please note: OLLU will not mail W‑2s to current employees who have given electronic consent. Employees must print their W‑2s from Employee Self-Service.

Mailed W‑2s (No Electronic Consent)

Employees who have not given electronic consent will receive their W‑2s via U.S. mail at the address on file with Human Resources.

  • W‑2 forms were mailed and postmarked on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
  • W‑2s cannot be picked up in person by current or former employees.
Re‑Mail Requests

Payroll will begin processing requests to re‑mail W‑2s after February 6, 2026.

If you have not received your mailed W‑2 after that date, please email payroll@ollusa.edu.

Important Update: New Information on Your 2025 W‑2 Form

Starting with your 2025 Form W‑2, a few employees may notice a new entry in Box 14 labeled “Qual OT.”
This entry will appear only for employees who received Qualified Overtime in 2025 under federal overtime rules.

This amount represents the premium portion of your overtime pay (the extra half‑time required under federal law) and is being provided to help you take advantage of a potential tax benefit created by recent federal legislation.

Key Points to Know

  • Not all employees will see this entry.
Salaried employees who are exempt from overtime and hourly employees who did not earn any Qualified Overtime in 2025 will not have a “Qual OT” amount on their W‑2.
  • This amount does not affect your taxable wages or your paycheck.
  • It is provided for informational purposes only to assist you when filing your 2025 federal tax return.
  • You may use this figure when determining eligibility for the new overtime deduction on your federal return.

If you have questions about how this information may affect your tax filing, please consult a qualified tax professional or visit IRS.gov for more details.

Thank you for reviewing this update. We are committed to keeping you informed about changes that may benefit you.

Questions

For any questions regarding your W‑2, please contact the Payroll Office at:
payroll@ollusa.edu

How to Access Your W‑2 Online or Give Electronic Consent

Access to Employee Self-Service is available through the Saints Connect dashboard:

https://experience.elluciancloud.com/olotlu

Once logged in:

  1. Go to the Employee Self-Service card.
  2. Select Tax Info to view your W‑2 or update your consent preferences.