Category: News

OLLU announces hiring of 10th president

Our Lady of the Lake University’s 10th president will be Abel Antonio Chávez, PhD, a successful leader with a unique blend of higher education, business, engineering and global research experience. 

He will begin his work at OLLU on July 16, following eight years at Western Colorado University where he is currently serving as Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success and previously serving as Dean of Graduate Studies.

Dr. Chávez possesses a wealth of experience in higher education and business. An Associate Professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability, he has served Western Colorado as Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. Before entering academia, Dr. Chávez founded a consulting company in Denver and worked as an engineer in a Denver suburb. 

He is no stranger to Texas. In the early 2000s, Dr. Chávez served as a project manager for Anheuser-Busch in Houston and Dow Chemical in Freeport. He also served an international business residency in Beijing and Singapore before transitioning to the higher education field.

“Dr. Chávez brings a record of outstanding leadership in higher education to Our Lady of the Lake University,” said Paul Olivier, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “He also brings strong business skills and great experience. He is the right person to move OLLU forward.” 

WSWO and CWCS to present screening of ‘Sold in America’ tonight

The Worden Social Work Organization and the Center for Women in Church and Society will present a virtual screening tonight at 6:30 p.m of the news documentary, “Sold in America.” 

The film, which will be shown via Zoom, will be the first installment of a Human Trafficking Awareness Series. The purpose is to raise awareness about human trafficking and to educate and prepare OLLU students to identify and prevent these horrible crimes.

Kimberly Gallegos, PhD, Assistant Professor of Social Work, will moderate a discussion after the one-hour film. To join the Zoom call, click here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4275615068#success

For more information, contact Stephanie Garcia at WSWO@ollusa.edu.

Policy updates to UWAC weight room 

Starting today, Jan. 31, Campus Recreation staff will be checking for valid OLLU IDs for access to the weight room in the UWAC. Students, staff and faculty must bring their OLLU ID to access the weight room.

Additionally, Campus Recreation would like to remind everyone that current access to the weight room and other fitness facilities in the UWAC is limited to current students, staff and faculty only. Alumni are not allowed to access the fitness facilities such as the weight room.

CMASR to celebrate Afro-Latinidad on Thursday

Lee Rios of Semenaya Dance Studio will lead the event, “Celebrating Afro-Latinidad,” on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in the Mall Area. Sponsored by the Center for Mexican American Studies and Research, the celebration will include Afro Caribbean dance and music. All are invited to come and learn basic Salsa steps and see Merengue, Bachatá and Kizomba. 

Free Puerto Rican food will be available from El Coqui.

If the weather is too cold, the event will be held in the Multicultural Activities and Recreation Center (MARC), formerly known as the International Folk Culture Center (IFCC).

For a complete calendar of CMASR events this spring, look here:

Moye di Gras benefit for Sisters of Divine Providence to be held Feb. 26 

Moye di Gras 2022 will be held at the Braden Keller Center in Castroville on Feb. 26 from 6:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. The event, which benefits the Sisters of Divine Providence and the Moye Retreat Center, will feature dinner, beer, wine, margaritas, dancing, a live auction, a bucket raffle and door prizes.

Tickets are $50 each. Free bus transportation will be provided. The bus will leave Our Lady of the Lake Convent at 6 p.m. and return no later than 11 p.m.

RSVP to dbippert@cdptexas.org or mbordelon@cdptexas.org. For more information, contact the Moye Retreat Center at 830-931-2233. Or write to dbippert@cdptexas.org.

Ten students inducted into National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society

The Academic Program and the faculty of Spanish announced that the following 10 students were inducted into Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society (La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispa֕́nica) on Dec. 7:

Giselle A. Ayala, Sacnite A. Blanco, Alejandra A. Galaviz, Rosa Hernández-Lora, Orianna C. Isidro, Laura Miguel, Mariely E. Soria, Andrea García, Valeria López-Sánchez and Sheccid Rosales were honored during the fall official Induction Ceremony held in the Sister Elizabeth Anne Sueltenfuss Library Community Room.  

Friends, family, faculty and Provost Lourdes Alvarez, PhD, celebrated the students’ academic excellence, bilingualism and biliteracy. 

Sigma Delta Pi was founded in 1919 at the University of California at Berkeley. OLLU’s Chapter Xi Upsilon has been active for more than 40 years. 

Mission and Ministry seeking Encuentro Mentor applicants for Summer Institute

The Division of Mission and Ministry is seeking 15 college students to serve as mentors for the Encuentro High School Youth Theology Institute for summer 2022. This is the sixth year that OLLU will host this program. It is designed for high school students to participate in workshops, activities, service and discussions, which will help deepen their faith while also giving them an opportunity to experience life in a university setting. 

Fifteen selected college mentors will help facilitate planned activities, provide logistical support throughout the program and obtain opportunities to develop their leadership and facilitation skills while also creating life-long friendships. On-campus housing and food are provided during the event. Mentors will receive a $1,600 stipend upon successful completion.

Interested students may submit their applications to Roxanna Chavez in Elliott House Room 204 or online via the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/jLuDE99i50. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m.  

For more information, contact missionandministry@ollusa.edu.

1098-T Statements will be available first week of February

The OLLU 1098-T statements will be available online the first week of February. The 1098-T statement is an Internal Revenue Service form that taxpayers use to determine eligibility for claiming Education Tax Credits.

OLLU partners with Heartland ESCI to electronically distribute 1098-T statements to students.

Forms will not be mailed out. To access, view and/or print the form, or if more information is needed, visit the Heartland ECSI website. The following information will be required to gain access to the website:

  • First and last name
  • Social security number
  • Zip code that appears on the 1098-T form

For questions, contact the Student Business Office at ollu1098T@ollusa.edu or call 210-431-3944. Information and FAQs also are available at www.ollusa.edu/1098T.

Professor Benavides awarded a grant from prestigious school of journalism

Yvette Benavides, Professor of English, and her husband, Texas Public Radio journalist David Martin Davies, have been awarded a grant from the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.

Benavides and Davies will produce a radio documentary in English and Spanish that explores health care barriers for Hispanic children with Type 2 diabetes in San Antonio and the long-term implications for these children. 

Professor Martinez awarded NEH grant

Valerie Martinez, PhD, Assistant Professor of History, has been awarded an NEH grant to complete work on her manuscript, “Embajadoras: Latina Servicewomen and Hemispheric Politics during World War II.” 

Dr. Martinez’s project is an ambitious study of the Latinas recruited to serve in the Benito Juarez Squadron, a squadron that engaged in soft war rather than combat. Martinez dives into hemispheric politics at root in that recruitment effort and how those Latina servicewomen – whose heritage carried such rich symbolism – were used strategically to influence international relations.