Category: Top Stories

OLLU Celebrates 2026 Student Leadership Award Winners

Our Lady of the Lake University proudly celebrated the remarkable leadership, service, scholarship, and campus impact of students, student organizations, and advisors during the 2026 Student Leadership Awards Ceremony. The annual event recognized individuals and groups whose dedication has strengthened the OLLU community and reflected the University’s mission and values.

This year’s honorees represent the very best of OLLU through their commitment to leadership, involvement, academic excellence, service, and community building. Awards presented throughout the evening recognized contributions across student life, residence life, service, ministry, athletics, and student organizations.

2026 Student Leadership Awards Honorees

Senior Wings Up Achievement Award: An honor for a senior student leader who has made an overall impact in academic, co-curricular, and experiential opportunities. This student lives and represents the Core Values of Our Lady of the Lake University.

• Bethany Garr

Providence Award: Presented to a student who carries the charism and values of the Sisters of Divine Providence.

• Anna Mayorga

St. Catherine’s Medal: Presented to a student who demonstrates the high ideals of a Catholic college education through leadership and service to the campus community.

• Amaris Rivera

Student Organization Academic Excellence Award: This award honors the student organization with the highest cumulative GPA, an organization that has truly modeled what it means to balance involvement and academics with excellence.

• vOLLUnteer Unity Council

Unsung Hero Award: Recognizes students who have positively influenced a program, team, or organization through behind-the-scenes efforts.

• Celia Vera, Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.

• Joshua Mendez, Environmental Science and Sustainability Program

Bridge Builder Award: Recognizes students who have worked to establish or support connections between students’ groups or individuals. The areas of collaboration can include collaborative events, exploration of diverse cultures, education about issues that have challenged the campus, or other multicultural offerings.

• Katherine Delgadillo, Saints Programming Board

Rising Star Leader Award: Awarded to a student leader who has shown exceptional potential and actively contributed to their team, organization, or leadership role.

• Briana De La Cruz, Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.

• Jorge Sisnero, TExAS FAST

• Maria Sofia Lundy, Saints Programming Board

Champion of Character Award: Presented to a student athlete who exemplifies exceptional character and has made significant contributions to their athletic team both on the field and in the classroom.

• Bethany Garr, Women’s Soccer and Women’s Track & Field

• Sean Lin, Men’s Track & Field and Drumline

Student Leader Excellence Award: Awarded to a student leader who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and leadership in their role.

• Briana Mata, National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)

• Bethany Garr, Student Government Association

• Monzerrate Calvillo, National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)

• Celia Vera, Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.

OLLU Achievement Award: Distinction of leadership and integrity award presented to students who demonstrate a willingness to volunteer and take leadership initiative in multiple roles within the campus community.

• Alessandra Solorzano, Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.

• Katherine Delgadillo, Saints Programming Board

• Cesar Reyes, Cyber Saints

Student Organization Advisor of the Year: The Advisor of the Year Award recognizes a faculty or staff member who goes above and beyond in guiding, supporting, and empowering student leaders and student organizations.

• Dr. Chloe Lash, OLLU Audubon Chapter

Student Organization Star of Blue Nation: This award honors an organization that creates meaningful opportunities for students, fosters community, and contributes to the holistic development of its members while supporting the mission and values of the University.

• Cyber Saints

Outstanding Service Organization Award
National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)

Outstanding Student Volunteer Award
Victoria Ramirez

Saints Service Award
Victoria Ramirez and Leilah Gaitan

Rookie Resident Assistant of the Year
Viviana Connolly

Resident Assistant of the Year
Viviana Connolly

Residence Life Program of the Year – Spring Cleaning with Meaning
Caleb Saenz, Viviana Connolly, and Robert Flores

Residence Life Program of the Year – Battle of the Dorms
Jaiyden Cabrera and Viviana Connolly

Residence Life Bulletin Board of the Year – Fantastic 4
Monique Jimenez

Residence Life Bulletin Board of the Year – Ghostbusters
Mia Hernandez

The Student Leadership Awards serve as an important reminder of the many ways OLLU students lead — whether through visible leadership roles, academic achievement, service to others, mentorship, advocacy, or quiet dedication behind the scenes. This year’s recipients have each made a meaningful mark on the University community, and OLLU is proud to celebrate their accomplishments.

Congratulations to all of the 2026 Student Leadership Awards winners for their outstanding contributions and continued commitment to living out the spirit of OLLU.

🎓 OLLU Celebrates Graduates with Day of Reflection, Tradition, and Joy

On May 8, Our Lady of the Lake University proudly celebrated the accomplishments of its graduating class with a day filled with tradition, gratitude, and faith.

The day began with the Ring Blessing Ceremony, where students gathered to have their OLLU rings (bracelet or watch) blessed—a symbol of their academic journey, personal growth, and lifelong connection to the university.

Later, the community came together for the Baccalaureate Mass, a cherished spiritual tradition honoring our graduates. Faculty, families, and friends filled Sacred Heart Chapel to reflect, give thanks, and celebrate the students’ achievements in a meaningful and prayerful setting.

The events culminated in the Commencement Ceremony, where graduates walked the stage with pride, cheered on by loved ones and supported by faculty and staff. It was a day to honor perseverance, purpose, and the unique spirit of the OLLU Saints.

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! Wings Up! 💙💛

Relive the excitement and joy once again.

University Summer Hours ⏲ 

In accordance with the Summer Hours policy (AD-HR-PO-049), the official University office hours from May 19, 2025, through August 1, 2025 will be Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon.  See additional information below regarding, 

  • Summer office hours and exceptions                                                
  • Holidays 
  • Planned leave in August 

Summer Office Hours and Work Schedules 

All full-time employees are expected to work 40 hours each week (or in alignment with your employment agreement if you typically work less than 40 hours). Employees are required to take a minimum 30-minute unpaid lunch break on full days.  

Below is a non-exhaustive list of employee scheduling possibilities: 

If you like to take a 30-minute lunch break on M-Th, some scheduling options might include:  

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage until 5:30 p.m. M-Th) 
  • Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m. 
  • Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. 
  • Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage starting at 8:30 a.m.)  

If you like to take a 60-minute lunch break on M-Th, some scheduling options might include: 

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m. 
  • Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m. 
  • Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 
  • Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage starting at 8:30am) 

The various combinations of flexible schedules listed above are just some of the examples permitted, provided the office has staff employee coverage from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Fridays. Department heads will provide final approval of each employee’s schedule, ensuring appropriate office coverage and the needs of the university are met. Additionally, some departments will not follow the summer schedule as necessary coverage is required for extended hours. 

Holiday Weeks and Adjustments  

During weeks that have university holidays, the department’s daily office hours will remain the same all summer to help with consistency for our guests. However, since full-time employees are awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay per holiday, employees and supervisors are expected to adjust an employee’s schedule for the week. This will help the employee still achieve the total number of hours for the week while still maintaining full office coverage for the remaining days open. 

If a holiday falls on a Monday-Thursday, employees should work with their supervisor to add any potential hours to their work schedule that week since they will only be awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay. While you can use any combination of flexible schedules, an example might be Monday is an 8-hour holiday; Tuesday/Weds/Thurs 8 a.m. 5:45 p.m. with a 30-minute lunch equals 9¼ hours each day; Friday 8 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. equals 4¼ hours to total 40 hours for the week. 

If a holiday falls on a Friday, then employees should work with their supervisor to adjust their work schedule that week since they will be awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay instead of a half day. An example might be Monday – Thursday 8:30am-5:30pm minus 1 hour lunch for 8 hours each day plus 8 hours for the Friday holiday to total 40 hours for the week. 

Summer holidays for 2025 include: Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day), Thursday, June 19 (Juneteenth), and Friday, July 4 (Independence Day). 

Summer hour exceptions 

The following departments are the exception to the Summer Hours Policy. They will be open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. during the summer. These hours could be extended, at the discretion of the division chief, to meet the needs of the department and student services. 

  • Undergraduate Admissions Office 
  • Graduate Admissions Office 
  • Registrar’s Office 
  • Financial Aid Office 
  • Student Business Office 

Planned Leave 

All OLLU faculty and staff are asked to avoid scheduling planned leave between Monday, Aug. 11 and Wednesday, Sept. 3. A supervisor may extend the dates established by the university for individual offices and departments. Special circumstances which require leave during this time (a child’s wedding, taking your child to college) must be approved by the vice president or chief administrator of a division. 

CMASR director plans new initiative, speaker series

Professor, novelist, poet and scholar, Christopher Carmona, PhD, now adds a new title to an impressive resume: Director of OLLU’s Center for Mexican American Studies and Research (CMASR).

His plans for CMASR include launching an exciting speaker series and helping OLLU implement a bilingual, biliterate, bicultural and binational (B4) initiative. 

The B4 Initiative is a university-wide effort that facilitates OLLU becoming a bicultural, bilingual, biliterate and binational Hispanic Serving Institution through curricular approaches, community engagement, and relevant research initiatives.

“Having a B4 initiative would certainly set us apart from any university in the country because we would be the first to implement it,” said Dr. Carmona, an Associate Professor of Mexican American Studies. “With this initiative the university would embrace its Latino majority student body and make the Spanish languages, as well as Mexican American and Latino cultures, accessible and embraced.”

Dr. Carmona also aims to launch a speaker series this fall that coincides with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. On Tuesday, Sept. 17, two days after the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, the CMASR will host scholars from “Refusing To Forget,” a nonprofit that raises awareness about state sanctioned violence on the Texas-Mexico border between 1910-1920.

Though no date has been set, San Antonio native and U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Santos will also speak at OLLU. “He’s from the West Side of San Antonio,” Dr. Carmona said. “I’m excited.”

The Speaker Series will be held at the CMASR, which is housed in Moye 214, across  from Dr. Carmona’s office. “It is important for students, faculty and community to be exposed to Latinx peoples working in the world and changing it for the better in the various fields, from the sciences to education,” he said. 

An accomplished writer, Carmona is the author of “El Rinche: The Ghost Ranger of the Rio Grande.” Last year, he was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters, which comprises the state’s most recognized and serious writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, journalism and scholarship.

Before arriving at OLLU in 2022, Dr. Carmona taught at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and served as Interim Director of the Mexican American Studies Program.

OLLU Marketing Sept. 2022

Lake Day Orientation continues on Saturday

The OLLU community is excited to welcome incoming freshmen and their families to the next Lake Day Orientation on Friday. Please help us in welcoming them!

Lake Day Orientation (LDO) is a full-day program designed to introduce students and their families to life at OLLU. At LDO, you will:

  • Make connections with faculty, staff, upperclassmen, and other incoming students
  • Learn about the OLLU mission and culture
  • Learn about OLLU’s support services
  • Talk directly with professors and learn about the requirements of your intended majors and minors
  • Have multiple opportunities to have any financial and advising questions answered

Dates for orientation are: 

  • Saturday, July 20
  • Thursday, August 15

Lake Day Orientation Schedule:

  • 8:00 – 8:40 a.m. – Check-in and Light Breakfast
  • 9:00 a.m. – Welcome & University Mission
  • 9:45 a.m. – Saints Connection Sessions
  • 10:30 a.m. – Break
  • 10:45 a.m. – Student Support Resources
  • 11:30 a.m. – Academics 101
  • 11:50 a.m. – Lunch & Athletic Meeting 
  • 1:10 p.m. – Academic Exploration Session 1
  • 1:45 p.m. – Academic Exploration Session 2
  • 2:10 p.m. – Resource Fair
  • 2:30 p.m. – Check Out & Task Time

Academic sessions will be held in various classrooms within the Main Building, while the other sessions will take place in Chapel Auditorium.

Food Pantry changes name to ‘The Salud Center’

The OLLU Food Pantry has changed its name to “The Salud Center.”

Still located in Room 29 at the Worden School of Social Service Building, The Salud Center provides food and select groceries for clients and a training program for Social Work interns.

To obtain food, clients must complete a few required forms. Clients may pick up food twice a month. 

For more information about The Salud Center, write to Saludcenter@ollusa.edu or call 210-431-5558.

Summer guidelines for UWAC Weight and Cardio Rooms

All students, faculty and staff will need to provide their OLLU ID to use the fitness area in the University Wellness and Activities Center (UWAC).

All guests must be escorted by a student or faculty/staff member and must sign a waiver upon entering the area.

There have been individuals using our facilities who are not authorized as students, faculty or staff.

Summer hours for the UWAC are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The UWAC’s Lost and Found is full. All items are going to be cleaned out on Wednesday. 

If anyone is wanting to claim their items, it must be done before Wednesday. 

Adelante Training and Development Conference starts Wednesday

The second annual Adelante Training and Development Conference starts Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and concludes on Thursday.

“The Difference You Make”
The theme for this year’s conference will focus on the tremendous impact OLLU employees have on our students.

Breakfast Tacos, Welcome and Prayer:
The morning will kick off with breakfast tacos, a welcome from President Abel Chávez and a Prayer Ritual.

Morning Keynote Workshop:
Service Excellence presented by Trellis Strategies
Trellis recently conducted a survey and focus groups with OLLU students to tailor the workshop to the OLLU experience. Trellis will share how every member of the staff contributes to service excellence. Whether you are working directly with students, or your work is more behind the scenes, this presentation is for you.

Afternoon Concurrent Sessions:
Afternoon concurrent sessions will focus on a variety of topics, including technology uses and refreshers, campus safety, student engagement and retention, human resources policies and procedures, and self-care.

View schedule below. View session topics and descriptions on the Staff Assembly SharePoint site.

Closing Reception:
A wine and cheese reception hosted by Dr. George Williams will close out the first day.

Attendance Required:
All San Antonio-based staff are expected to attend the first day of the conference in person unless excused by their supervisor. Division leaders should use discretion to determine the needs of their areas and who can attend the conference.

Division leaders may consider rotating schedules to allow most staff to attend at least part of the conference.

The second day of the conference is optional. Staff should check with their supervisor for approval to attend the second day.

Faculty are welcome to attend the conference, as well.