The Saints Athletics Office is accustomed to reporting results of competitions, hirings, awards and other newsworthy activities. Last week was a little different. The Sports Information Department had the pleasure of participating in a special event orchestrated by former men’s basketball student-athlete Eddie Ortiz as he proposed to former OLLU volleyball student-athlete Sarah Lindsay. Ortiz, a member of the men’s inaugural team that began competing in 2009, graduated from OLLU in the spring of 2013 with a degree in accounting. He met Lindsay, a member of the women’s inaugural volleyball team that began competing in 2007, in August 2009. Lindsay graduated from OLLU in 2011 with a degree in early childhood education. Both are finishing up their graduate programs – he at OLLU and she at the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio (UTHSC-SA). He works at the UTHSC-SA as an associate accountant, and she is the assistant volleyball coach at OLLU. At OLLU, the two student-athletes began dating on March 25, 2010. On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Ortiz asked Lindsay to marry him in front of the UWAC. Watch video here and read full story online.
Category: News
Gear up for the new year
The www.OLLUSaintsGear.com site is offering a 10 percent discount off decals and magnets for a limited time. Fans can click on the site, and select the “Decals Magnets & Auto” category to find a wide variety of decals and magnets featuring various official brand logos. Selections include super large magnets (24 inches wide), metal license plate frames in chrome and small decals (six inches wide). All make excellent gifts for Saints fans of all ages.
OLLU announces addition of baseball and track and field teams
Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) has announced that it will add a men’s baseball team and men’s and women’s track and field teams. The new sports, which will give the University seven men’s and seven women’s varsity teams for the 2014-2015 academic year, will begin competing in the spring of 2015.
Athletic Director Jack Hank said. “Our existing athletic program has established itself as a viable way to recruit academically qualified students, and its impact has been positive for retention. The addition of these two sports will continue to increase school spirit, establish new traditions and improve the visibility of OLLU locally, regionally and nationwide.”
The addition of baseball and track and field is expected to enroll about 70 new students to the 2014-2015 academic year. The two sports would afford OLLU the opportunity to compete immediately through the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Red River Athletic Conference. In March, OLLU will begin accepting applications for a head baseball coach, assistant baseball coach and assistant track and field coach. OLLU cross-country head coach Stephen Sherman will assume head coaching duties for track and field. Recruiting for student-athletes will begin immediately; all interested students should visit www.ollusaintsathletics.com to fill out a recruiting form.
Since OLLU does not currently have a baseball field, the Saints will rent facilities managed by the Missions Baseball Academy located at Callaghan and State Highway 151 – a short distance from OLLU’s main campus. The site, which opened in 2013, features four major league-size fields that are well-manicured and maintained. The stadium has ample seating, lighting for night games, a fully functional concession stand and plenty of parking.
The University is seeking facilities for track and field.
The University’s other varsity sports teams include:
Men: golf, basketball, cross-country, tennis, soccer
Women: basketball, cross-country, tennis, soccer, softball, volleyball
All questions pertaining to the new teams should be directed to: Jack Hank, Vice President for Student Life/Athletic Director, jlhank@ollusa.edu.
OLLU alumnus and NISD teacher to get White House award
OLLU alumnus and NISD science teacher at Carnahan Elementary School, Kent Page, has been named as a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Page earned a Master of Education from OLLU in 2008. He began teaching at Carnahan Elementary they same year he received his master’s degree. The school’s namesake, Peggy Carnahan, is the director of OLLU’s Center for Science and Mathematics Education.
The award, which was first awarded in 1983, is the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science. The National Science Foundation administers the award on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
History Department presenting two PBS documentaries
The History Department is teaming up with the Center for Mexican American Studies and Research to present two PBS documentaries this semester to promote the new Bachelor of Arts in History degree with a concentration in Integrated Digital and Public History.
The first documentary that will be screened is, “African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross,” on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The film, by Harvard professor, Henry Louis Gates, PhD, chronicles the rich history of African Americans in the United States from the horrors of slavery to the triumph of President Barack Obama. The film will be screened weekly through February.
The second documentary is, “Latino Americans: The 500-Year Legacy that Shaped a Nation.” The documentary, based on Ray Suarez’s book of the same title, is the first major documentary film series about Latinos in the United States, from the Spanish Colonial Period to the Chicano Movement. Screening of the film will begin in March and run through April.
To view the full viewing schedule for each documentary, click here.
Customer service campaign to launch this week
In keeping with OLLU’s Core Values of Community, Integrity, Trust and Service, the University is launching a customer service campaign in order to better serve prospective and current students and their families. Students and families will be invited to provide feedback about services through a quick online survey. The objectives of the campaign are to improve services and resolve issues that may have broader campus wide impacts.
Sueltenfuss Library website has new URL
The Sueltenfuss Library’s website URL has changed to http://library.ollusa.edu. Users will be redirected to the new site automatically. Features of the new site include links to services for off-campus and online students.
Memorial scheduled for Professor Emerita Elisa Vazquez, MSW
Distinguished alumna and Professor Emerita, Elisa Vazquez (MSW Class of 1952), passed away over the holiday break. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 13, 11 a.m. at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 2002 Bandera Road in San Antonio.
Deadline to submit student health insurance waiver is Friday
The deadline for students to submit a health insurance waiver for spring 2014 is Friday.
The waiver can be completed online by logging in to the myOLLU Portal and completing the form under “Links to Forms.” After the waiver is completed and submitted, a confirmation email will be sent to the email on file.
Per Our Lady of the Lake University policy, International Students are not allowed to waive coverage. Students who submitted a waiver for fall 2013 do not need to submit a new waiver.
Students who are enrolled in less than seven hours or who are taking 100 percent online classes do not need to complete a waiver.
Changes to the 403(b) Retirement Program for employees
Changes to the 403(b) Retirement Program are being considered. These changes result from amendments in IRS and Department of Labor regulations. To insure compliance with these regulations, the University is proposing to move to one retirement plan provider. To learn more about how these changes will impact current retirement plans, click here.