Category: News

The Best Valentine’s Present? Campanas de America’s St. Valentine’s Day Serenata

When Belle Ortiz (Class of 1971), known as the Godmother of Mariachi, returned to Our Lady of the Lake University over two decades ago, she contributed a gift that has since become a tradition.

Belle had a passion for educating young people on their culture and traditions.  In 1970, she started the first high school mariachi program at Jefferson High School and after graduating from OLLU with a B.A. in Performance and Music Education, she extended her talents to other west side high schools, including her alma mater Lanier.  Now, over 2,500 school districts, colleges and universities throughout the world offer their students mariachi education. 

Belle San Miguel Ortiz of Mariachi Campanas de America accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Awards. Credit: Kathryn Boyd-Batstone / San Antonio Report

In 1978, she and co-founder Juan Ortiz renamed their mariachi group to Campanas de America.  It was an act of love.  Their name “Campanas” being a translation of Belle’s name.  They married four years later.

Over twenty years ago, Belle brought the Campanas de America Valentine’s Day serenata to OLLU to help raise funds for scholarships.  That tradition continues.

This year, Campanas de America will perform their Valentine’s Day Serenata on Saturday, February 7 at Thiry Auditorium.  Tickets range from $25 to $35.  Keeping it affordable so that people of all ages can share in Belle’s passion and commitment to education.

You can purchase your ticket online through this link while they still last.  Bring all your loved ones to this beautiful performance.

OLLU Pulls Away Late to Defeat Texas College

Our Lady of the Lake women’s basketball earned a hard-fought victory over Texas College, closing the game with a 59–50 win built on defensive pressure, timely shooting, and composure at the free-throw line.

The Saints set the tone early with active defense, forcing Texas College into turnovers and contested looks throughout the night. OLLU finished with 10 steals and limited Texas College to 34.4 percent shooting from the field and scoreless shooting from beyond the arc. Those defensive stops proved crucial in maintaining momentum during key stretches of the game.

Shayla Dede led the way for OLLU with a team-high 17 points, knocking down three three-pointers and adding four steals on the defensive end. Alexandra Westerdijk Martin delivered a strong all-around performance with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Isabella Jaramillo provided an efficient nine points, hitting two three-pointers and helping space the floor. Macie Moss controlled the glass with a game-high 11 rebounds, giving the Saints second-chance opportunities despite a challenging shooting night.

OLLU’s bench played a valuable role, particularly Zariah Todd, who contributed six points, four rebounds, and three assists while bringing energy on both ends of the floor. The Saints also capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 19 of 25 attempts, a decisive advantage in a tightly contested matchup.

Texas College was led by Jakairi Blacknell, who scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Taryanna McNary added 12 points on efficient shooting. Codee Roland recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, but Texas College struggled to overcome 29 turnovers, which repeatedly halted offensive rhythm.

With disciplined defense, balanced scoring, and poise in late-game situations, Our Lady of the Lake secured the victory against the Steers. The Saints will be back in action Saturday against Jarvis Christian at 1:00 PM CDT.

Super Bowl Sunday Mass Update

In observance of Super Bowl Sunday, Mass at Our Lady of the Lake University will be celebrated at 3:00pm in order to allow members of our community to attend both Mass and Super Bowl gatherings.

Updated Mass Details:
  • Date: Sunday, February 8
  • Time: 3:00 p.m.
  • Location: Sacred Heart Chapel

All students, faculty, staff, and community members are warmly invited to join us for this special afternoon Mass. We look forward to celebrating together before the evening’s festivities begin.

For questions or additional information, please contact University Ministry at ministry@ollusa.edu.

We can’t wait to see you there!

OLLU’s First Dental Day of 2026

Attention OLLU Students! Counseling & Wellness Services will host the first Dental Day of the year on Friday, February 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the University Wellness and Activities Center. Students can receive a free teeth cleaning with no out-of-pocket cost for those insured through Wellfleet Student Insurance.

Students should check their @ollusa.edu email for a survey link from counselingandwellness@ollusa.edu to schedule an appointment. Appointments are required, and space is limited.

If you have questions or need to join the waitlist, don’t hesitate to contact Counseling & Wellness Services at counselingandwellness@ollusa.edu.

Important Update for OLLU Employees Receiving Overtime: New Information on Your 2025 W‑2 Form

An important reminder for all OLLU employees who may have earned overtime pay in 2025 from the payroll department:

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.

Campus Important Numbers and Staff Faculty Directory Rebuild Completed

IT and HR have completed the rebuild of the university’s Campus Important Numbers and staff faculty directory. The helpful numbers are publicly accessible on the university webpage and ensure the best communication path when contacting the university.

The staff and faculty directory is located on the Saints Connect portal and on HR’s internal SharePoint site. This information is accessible only when logged into the OLLU network, as a measure to protect it from misuse. A Departmental Directory is also available on a separate tab next to the University Directory, allowing you to easily find direct departmental front desk numbers when needed.

Directory updates are made automatically as individuals are onboarded or offboarded. If you need to request changes to your personal information or departmental listing, please submit a Help Desk ticket to HR so updates can be made in Colleague or Dialpad, as appropriate.

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

OLLU Celebrates $2 Million Raised and Launches Community Matching Challenge

Our Lady of the Lake University proudly celebrated a major milestone last Thursday, January 22, recognizing the successful completion of a $2 million fundraising goal achieved in 2025. The celebration brought together members of the OLLU community to reflect on the impact of collective generosity and to look ahead toward an ambitious new challenge.

During the event, the University President acknowledged the dedication and support of donors, alumni, faculty, staff, students, and community partners who made this achievement possible. Building on that momentum, the President issued a call to action for the OLLU community to match the $2 million raised by the end of 2026—doubling the impact and further strengthening the University’s mission.

The celebration also featured remarks from OLLU student-athlete Katherine Delgadillo, who shared her perspective on how donor support directly impacts students and their experiences at the Lake.

“Your support places keys into students’ hands, keys that unlock opportunity, purpose, and hope…thank you for believing in students like me…” – Katherine Delgadillo

As the University looks ahead to 2026, this matching challenge serves as an invitation for the entire OLLU community to continue investing in the future of the Lake. Together, we can build on this momentum and create even greater opportunities for current and future Saints.

Make A Donation

Read the full story here.

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.