Category: Student News

McNair Scholar Earns Top Honors at TSHA Convention

McNair Scholar Alessandra (Alice) Orosco presented her research at the 2026 Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) Convention in Fort Worth, TX. In addition to being accepted to present her work at the state level, Alessandra was also recognized with the Best Student Poster Award.

Orosco is a Communication Sciences and Disorders major and is expected to graduate in Spring 2026.

Her research, “Exploring Teacher Perceptions of Students Receiving Speech Services in Rural, Low-Socioeconomic School Districts,” investigates how K–5 teachers in rural, low-socioeconomic school districts perceive and address the educational and developmental needs of students receiving speech-language services.

Through semi-structured interviews with 3–5 educators, the qualitative study aims to highlight teacher insights, challenges, and strategies used to support these students.

Women, Art, and Legacy: OLLU Students Paint Alongside the Sisters This Women’s History Month

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) continues a meaningful spring tradition that brings art, community, and legacy together. Each year, Painting I students step outside the classroom and into the serene Sisters’ Peace Garden near the CDP buildings, transforming the space into an open-air studio filled with creativity and connection.

This season, the experience takes on even greater significance. As students paint among the flowers and quiet pathways, they are joined—often unexpectedly—by the Sisters themselves, women whose lives reflect a deep commitment to service, education, and artistic expression. Their presence adds a living layer of history and inspiration, creating moments of shared reflection across generations.

Rooted in creativity and community, this experience reflects the power of art to bridge stories, celebrate women’s voices, and bring people together in meaningful ways.

OLLU warmly invites the Sisters and campus community to join Painting I students for outdoor painting sessions in the Sisters’ garden in celebration of Women’s History Month

📅 Dates/Time: Monday, March 23 & Wednesday, March 25 from 1:45 – 3:00 pm.
📍 Location: Sisters’ Garden near the CDP Buildings
🎨 Experience: Live student painting, artistic exchange, and community connection

Come enjoy a peaceful, creative atmosphere and celebrate the artistic spirit and enduring legacy of women at OLLU.

OLLU Students Give Back During Alternative Spring Break

Alternative Spring Break is back at OLLU! Under the leadership of Jesse Harasta, CYCL Director, a group of OLLU students spent their spring break serving alongside Texas Parks and Wildlife rangers at Enchanted Rock State Park.

From March 6–10, students worked with Jesse and TExAS Grant Activities Manager Austin Bergstrom on a variety of conservation projects. Their efforts included building new trails, removing a vineyard from newly acquired park land, and repainting trail markers to improve visitor navigation.

Beyond service, students also had the opportunity to connect with nature and each other—learning how to set up tents, stargazing from the top of Enchanted Rock, hiking scenic trails, and visiting Fredericksburg.

Participating students included Karis Alcoser, Tracy Cabrera, Adriana Figueroa Rodriguez, Bethany Garr, Zulma Juarez, Monica Sanchez, and Keyli Smith. Adrian Alvarez and Angel Santacruz also contributed during the vineyard removal project.

This trip marks a meaningful return of an OLLU tradition—students dedicating their spring break to service, community, and environmental stewardship.

OLLU Biology Students Harvest First Hydroponic Crop

Students in Dr. Chloe Lash’s Vascular Plants Lab recently celebrated an exciting milestone—the first harvest from OLLU’s new hydroponic towers.

After collecting, weighing, and washing their crop of fresh lettuce, students, faculty, and staff marked the occasion by making salads together before donating the remaining harvest to the Salud Center.

This hands-on experience highlights the impact of experiential learning in the classroom, giving students the opportunity to engage directly with plant science from growth to harvest.

A special thank you to Dr. Lash and the OLLU Biology Department for bringing innovative, hands-on learning opportunities to students. We look forward to seeing what they grow next!

Stay tuned for upcoming events on Earth Day, April 22, 2026.

Launch Your Future at the Spring 2026 Career Fair!

Meet employers, explore internship and job opportunities, and start building your career path at the Spring 2026 Career Fair. Connect with organizations looking for talented students, expand your network, and learn about opportunities in a variety of fields.

📅 Wednesday, March 18, 2026
⏰ 11:45 AM – 1:45 PM
📍 Mall Area

Stop by between classes, bring your resume, and enjoy FREE pizza while supplies last!

Hosted by the Office of Career Services. For more information: career@ollusa.edu | (210) 431-3971.

Spring 2026 Career FairDownload

Grad Fest 2026: Your One-Stop Graduation Celebration


Did you graduate from OLLU in the summer or Fall of 2025? Are you looking forward to graduating this Spring or Summer 2026? Join us at Grad Fest on March 19 between 12 and 2 pm or March 23 between 4 and 6 pm in the Mall and Bookstore to get your graduation products and questions answered. Visit with representatives from the Bookstore, Jostens, Registrar’s Office, Student Affairs, Career Services, Financial Aid, and Alumni Association. See flyer for more information.

Stop by, get your questions answered, and take the next step toward celebrating your OLLU achievement. This is your moment—let’s make it official.

Grad_Fest_2026_FlyerDownload

OLLU Alum Sarai Bejarano Publishes Op-Ed on the Life-Changing Impact of Hispanic-Serving Institutions

OLLU alumna Sarai Bejarano was recently featured in the San Antonio Report with a powerful op-ed reflecting on how Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) transformed her life and career.

In the piece, Sarai shares her journey as a first-generation college student whose experience at Our Lady of the Lake University — and within the HSI program shaped in part by the late Dr. Antonio Rigual — opened doors to opportunity, leadership and advocacy.

Today, Sarai serves as the Manager of Media Relations and Marketing at LatinoJustice PRLDEF, where she works to defend and protect Hispanic-Serving Institutions and advance equity through legal advocacy.

Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Sarai’s story reflects the mission-driven impact of OLLU and the vital role HSIs play in supporting first-generation and Latino students. Her op-ed is both personal and urgent, underscoring why protecting these institutions matters for future generations.

READ the full op-ed in the san antonio report

Saints Showdown: Be An Athlete for a Day – Feb. 26

As part of Spirit Week at Our Lady of the Lake University, Saints Showdown invites undergraduate students to step onto the field and be an athlete for a day — no experience required.

Hosted by SPB and held in the UWAC gym, this athlete-themed event brings classic field day competition indoors, giving students the chance to face off in tug of war, relay races, and other throwback-style games. It’s friendly rivalry, high energy, and Saints pride in motion.

More than just competition, Saints Showdown is about participation and community. Rally your classmates, reprsent your year, and enjoy an afternoon of movement, laughter, and connection. Free pizza will fuel the fun, and participants will receive custom Saints Showdown swag created specifically for this event.

At the end of the day, one grad year will raise the Champions Cup and claim campus bragging rights.

Spirit Week is about celebrating the OLLU familia, and Saints Showdown adds an athletic edge to that celebration.

Undergraduate students can sign up by grad year. Teams are forming now.

Business Students Recognized by FEI San Antonio

The San Antonio Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI) continued the Dr. Keith Russell Memorial Awards for Academic Excellence this year, recognizing outstanding finance and accounting students from local colleges and universities.

FEI San Antonio presented a $1,000 award to each 4-year university recipient and a $500 award to each Community College recipient.

We are proud to recognize our nominees:

  • Mario Salazar – BBA, Accounting
  • Jacoby Turner – Double Major, BBA Finance & Accounting; Minor in Environmental Science & Sustainability

The Academic Awards Dinner was held on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the San Antonio Country Club. Dr. Harrison Watts and Professor Roger Johnson represented our University at the event.

Please join us in congratulating Mario and Jacoby on this well-deserved recognition of their academic excellence!

Open Call: OLLU Student Art Exhibition for Honors Capstone Project

Dayanara Torres, Senior Visual Arts major and Spring 2026 graduation candidate, is curating an on-campus group exhibition as part of her Honors Capstone Project. This project offers an opportunity for any OLLU student in San Antonio to submit their artwork.

THEME:

How students at OLLU express or cope with various mental health struggles during their college careers.

details:
  • Express yourself through whatever medium you’d like with whatever topic related to the theme.
  • Artwork submissions are due by Wednesday, February 25th, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. through this form.
  • No AI “art” allowed. All work should be originally created by the artist.
Exhibition details:
  • Opening Reception: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 6–8 p.m.
  • Exhibition on display: March 18 – April 8, 2026
  • Location: Main 3rd Floor Gallery
Submit your artwork & view all requirements

For more information, email Dayanara Torres at dtorres21sp61@ollusa.edu.