Students in OLLU’s TExAS FAST (Texas Experiential Learning And Scholarship program for Food and Agricultural Science Training) program have been busy this semester. Part of their efforts have been to develop a community garden located at the university’s Commerce Street entrance. Radishes, the first produce from the garden, have been distributed to students. As more fruits and vegetables are grown, they will be shared with the community.
To learn more about the activities conducted as part of the TExAS FAST program, please review the program’s fall 2024 newsletter below.
Students planning to graduate in the spring or summer 2025 semester have until Jan. 3, 2025, to submit the graduation application. Apply online through the “Graduation” tile in Saints Connect.
Students who need to renew ADA accommodations for the spring 2025 semester should log into their Accommodate account to submit the necessary information. A step-by-step guide is available in the document below.
Due to the Christmas holiday schedule, hourly staff employees are reminded to enter their holidays into Self Service Time Entry for the pay period Dec.14-27 and submit for approval before departing on Dec. 20.
Also, the deadline for supervisors to approve these time sheet(s) will be Dec. 30 at 9 a.m. Timecards may be approvedbefore departing on Dec. 20.
Any missed days will not be paid until Jan 17, 2025.
Please contact the Payroll Office with any questions.
Staff employees are reminded that there is a one-year, carry-over limit on accrued vacation time. The “use-it-or-lose-it” date is Dec. 31. This is the last week before the Christmas holidays to take leave before the “use-it-or-lose-it” date.
Employees cannot carry over beyond this date more than the number of annual vacation days for which they are currently eligible. If work or medical conditions prohibit the employee from taking their accrued vacation by Dec. 31, the chief administrator of that division can request an extension of one additional year. The chief administrator and the employee must make every effort to schedule and use the accrued vacation in the coming year as additional extensions will not be permitted.
Contact a Human Resources team member or call 210-431-3970 for more information.
The men’s basketball team defeated Texas A&M University-San Antonio (TAMUSA) 100-72 on Dec. 12. The Saints jump to 11-1 overall and 7-1 in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). The Jaguars fall to 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the RRAC.
Head Coach Marcus Thompson said, “I’m really happy and proud of the way we responded after a bad loss. We did a great job of getting back to Saints basketball. The way the ball was moving and we were trusting each other was great to see. I’m happy with the way we played and now it’s about being consistent. We have some tough games coming up next and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
History This was the first meeting between the two teams. This is the Jaguars inaugural season.
Offensive/defensive standouts Breion Powell led the Saints with 16 points. Powell also assisted on seven plays. Arthur Celestin grabbed five rebounds.
Inside the box OLLU combined for 37-of-60 shooting for 61.7 percent, 9-of-19 from three-point range for 47.4 percent, and 17-of-28 from the free-throw line for 60.7 percent. The Saints grabbed 30 rebounds and assisted on 23 plays.
The women’s basketball team fell to Texas A&M University-San Antonio (TAMUSA) 83-64 on Dec. 12. The Saints are now 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). The Jaguars improve to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the RRAC.
Head Coach Tanya Ray commented, “This was probably our worst defensive effort of the year so far. You’re not going to beat a lot of teams when you allow them to shoot over 50 percent from the field.”
History This was the first meeting between the two programs. This is the Jaguars inaugural season.
Offensive/defensive standouts Evangeline Hernandez led the Saints with 16 points. Alexandra Westerdijk Martin had eight rebounds. Isabella Jaramillo assisted on three plays.
OLLU combined for 21-of-48 shooting for 43.8 percent, 5-of-18 from three-point range for 27.8 percent and 17-of-21 from the free-throw line for 81 percent. The Saints totaled 22 rebounds and 11 assists.
Nationally known portrait artist and advertising guru Lionel Sosa will serve as the commencement speaker on Thursday when OLLU hosts fall graduation ceremonies.
Sosa, an independent marketing consultant, will address students during the 5 p.m. commencement exercises at Freeman Coliseum. A native of San Antonio’s West Side, Sosa served in the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from Lanier High School. He founded Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates, the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the U.S. and is an acknowledged expert in Hispanic consumer and voter behavior. He was a political media consultant on eight national presidential campaigns.
Sosa was named “One of the 25 most influential Hispanics in America” by Time Magazine, earned recognition from the Texas Business Hall of Fame and was selected as one of the 25 Most Influential Texans by Texas Monthly Magazine.
Sosa is the author of three books and is co-author of two others. His publications include “Think and Grow Rich, a Latino Choice,” published by Random House, and “The American Dream: How Latinos Can Achieve Success in Business and Life,” published by Dutton. He is also co-author of “El Vaquero Real – the Original American Cowboy,” published by Bright Sky Press.
He and his wife, Kathy Sosa, a prominent artist, co-authored the book, “Children of the Revolucion – How the Mexican Revolution Changed America,” distributed by Texas University Press. Lionel Sosa’s large mural “Living in My Skin: A Look into San Antonio’s Black Community,” displayed next to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, features 33 Black men.
Kathy and Lionel co-produced the recent “Otro Lado del Espejo Art” exhibit in Queretaro, Mexico, as well as its accompanying documentary which ran on KLRN Public Television. Sosa’s portraits of people from all walks of life adorn the walls of OLLU’s Main Building.
Five OLLU students have been selected to receive scholarships from the Alamo Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). The Alamo AFCEA Education Foundation provides educational incentives, opportunities, and assistance for people in STEM disciplines focused on information technology, cybersecurity, telecommunications, electronics, artificial intelligence/machine learning, software development and data sciences supporting the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and Intelligence communities. The scholarship amounts range from $2,500-$5,000. This year’s recipients are:
Oluwatimileyin Talabi, Graduate student, Master of Science in Cybersecurity
Gabriella Contreras, Graduate student, Master of Science in Cybersecurity
Roger Salas, Senior, Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Security
Luis Vela, Junior, Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Security
Julia Plata, Sophomore, Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Security
