We are excited to launch a new tool to better support our students, and we want you to help us give it a personality. We’re inviting the entire OLLU community to submit name ideas for our new chatbot, along with a short rationale for your choice.
The $3 million renovation of the historic auditorium at Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) is back on track following a crucial $1.82 million grant from Bexar County. The project had been stalled since September 2025, when a portion of the federal funding originally secured in 2022 was canceled. This new county support, drawn from the general fund and strictly earmarked for construction costs, effectively bridges the financial gap that halted the restoration.
Slated for completion by the spring of 2027, the renovation will modernize the 5,600-square-foot space while preserving its historic character. The restored auditorium is expected to become a vibrant hub for the San Antonio community, hosting small business development activities, workforce training, regional events, and tourism initiatives.
The total funding package for the project also includes $815,000 in federal funds, with the final $365,000 to be covered by institutional resources and private donations. University officials emphasized the space’s long history as a site for community engagement—dating back to the 1960s—and noted that the updated facility will significantly enhance OLLU’s capacity to host large-scale public service events.
Our Lady of the Lake University is proud to share that Dr. Valerie Martinez has been appointed by Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones to serve on San Antonio’s Diez y Seis Commission.
(Left to right) Dr. Valerie Martinez and Mayor Pro Tem and Councilwoman for District 5 Teri Castillo
This appointment recognizes Dr. Martinez’s leadership and her commitment to advancing cultural celebration and community engagement in San Antonio. The Diez y Seis Commission helps support Hispanic Heritage Month programming and related cultural initiatives throughout the city.
We congratulate Dr. Martinez on this meaningful appointment and look forward to the impact she will continue to make through her service and leadership.
Our Lady of the Lake University proudly recognizes the faculty and staff honored at this year’s Awards Ceremony for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to the OLLU community.
This celebration highlighted the many ways our faculty and staff strengthen the university through leadership, service, teaching, and community building. The awards were presented to their recipients during last Wednesday’s (4/28) celebration.
Robert Davis Community Building Award: Austin Bergstrom Rosemary Saenz for Customer Service Award: Francisco Frade Sr. Jane Ann Slater Leadership Staff Award: Dr. Jessica Quintero Sr. Jane Ann Slater Leadership Faculty Award: Dr. Kelly Roberts-Cooper Moye’s Legacy University Award: Dr. George Williams
Excellence in Service-Learning Faculty Award: Dr. Jacob Friesenhahn 2025-2026 Moody Professor: Dr. Christopher Rose Francine Fleming Endowed Award for Teaching Excellence: Dr. Deborah Healy
OLLU also recognized faculty retirements, including Maria Linan, MS, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, for 25 years of service and dedicated contributions to the university.
The ceremony also acknowledged the service of the 2025–2026 Faculty Assembly leadership, including President Jessica Hajek, PhD; President-Elect Brittany Chozinski, PhD; Past President and Parliamentarian Kathryn Anderson, PhD; and Recording Secretary Chloe Lash, PhD. We thank the outgoing assembly members for their commitment and welcome the new members who will carry this work forward in 2026.
Congratulations to all award recipients and honorees. Your dedication helps make OLLU a stronger community each day.
We’re making an important update to the Lake Weekly schedule. Beginning next Tuesday, 5/5 (Cinco de Mayo), Lake Weekly will be distributed on Tuesday mornings instead of Monday. Regardless of the schedule, the deadline will remain on Thursdays by 5 pm.
This change allows our MarComm team to step away from Sunday production work and have that day as a true day of rest, while still continuing to create engaging and meaningful stories for the OLLU community.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we make this positive adjustment.
As we work together to make Fall 2026 as successful as possible, we want to celebrate our shared progress and keep moving forward with purpose. Our current enrollment number is 953, and this reflects the incredible effort of our entire OLLU community.
Enrollment is a shared responsibility, and every interaction with students matters. Together, we can continue to build momentum by:
Recruiting future students by sharing your OLLU experience.
Retaining the amazing OLLU students who are already here.
Engaging and collaborating across campus with everyone you encounter.
Each registration strengthens our mission and brings us closer to our goal of 1,800 students for Fall 2026. You will continue to see the enrollment thermometer displayed across campus as we track our progress together. With unity, focus, and urgency, we can create a vibrant, welcoming environment where students thrive and our community succeeds.
Our Lady of the Lake University is opening a new door for student success with its No-Cost Master’s Program. This five-year pathway allows first-time incoming freshman students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree with little to no graduate tuition. The initiative is designed to reduce financial barriers, speed up degree completion, and help students transition into the workforce with advanced credentials.
The program will begin with five participating master’s degrees: business administration, cybersecurity, cybersecurity management, nonprofit management, and social work. OLLU says the effort is part of its broader commitment to making graduate education more accessible for students who demonstrate academic readiness and financial need.
The pilot will launch with 30 available seats for first-time incoming freshman students. To participate, students must complete one of the approved undergraduate degrees within four years, maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, and meet additional eligibility requirements. While students will still be responsible for books and some fees, the university is covering the bulk of graduate tuition through institutional support.
OLLU leaders say the program reflects the university’s mission to create opportunity, support student achievement, and prepare graduates for meaningful careers. By offering a streamlined and more affordable path to a master’s degree, the university hopes to open new possibilities for students and strengthen the future of the OLLU community.
Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) celebrated Undergraduate Research Week last week, highlighting the scholarly work and academic aspirations of undergraduate students across campus. As part of the week’s events, OLLU welcomed State Senator José Menéndez (TX-26), the university’s representative, to attend the McNair Scholars Research Proposal presentations.
Senator Menéndez, a first-generation college graduate and the son of immigrants, joined the students to offer encouragement and reflect on the importance of higher education and research opportunities. His visit provided McNair Scholars with a meaningful opportunity to engage directly with a state leader who has long advocated for expanded educational access across Texas.
During the discussion, students shared questions and concerns related to proposing original research and receiving constructive feedback. In response to a question about imposter syndrome, Senator Menéndez affirmed students’ places in academic and professional spaces, stating, “You belong just as much as they do.” He encouraged students to continue pursuing research and to use their work as a tool for positive change.
The visit concluded with a reminder of the broader impact of their efforts. “You all are the role models for a lot of kids,” Senator Menéndez shared. “Don’t forget that many will see a future for themselves because of what y’all are doing.”
The visit served as a highlight of Undergraduate Research Week, reinforcing OLLU’s commitment to student development, mentorship, and community engagement.
Faculty interested in facilitating classroom conversations with elected officials are encouraged to coordinate with Clarissa Vega, Director of Special Initiative and Government Relations, at cvega@ollusa.edu.
Our Lady of the Lake University is proud to welcome Donald E. Graham, chairman of Graham Holdings Company, as the Spring 2026 commencement speaker. A respected business leader and champion for educational access, Graham brings decades of experience in leadership, innovation, and public service.
Beyond his success in the business sector, Graham has made a lasting impact in higher education and student opportunity. He is a co-founder of TheDream.US, the nation’s largest scholarship fund for DREAMers, and previously served as chairman of the District of Columbia College Access Program, where he continues to serve on the board. Through DC-CAP, more than 23,000 students in Washington, D.C. have been helped to enroll in college, with scholarships totaling more than $33 million.
His commitment to expanding access to education reflects OLLU’s own mission and holds special meaning where higher education can open doors, strengthen families, and transform communities. Graham’s experience is a powerful reminder that business success can go hand in hand with a deep investment in students and the future of our society.
