Tag: Candace Zepeda

Two from OLLU selected for HACU Enlace Mid-level Leadership Program

OLLU’s Academic Dean Candace Zepeda, PhD, and Professor of History Valerie Martinez, PhD, have been selected for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Enlace Mid-level Leadership Program. In its second cohort, the Enlace Program will welcome 54 participants from across the nation.

The six-month leadership development program for mid-level college and university professionals is designed to increase the number, variety, and quality of Latino/a talent in leadership positions at Hispanic-Serving Institutions and in higher education overall. Selectees will participate in programming covering academic and student affairs management, regional institutional accreditation, diversity, equity and inclusion, and higher education advocacy issues. Participants will also interact with a professional search firm.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for OLLU to participate in quality leadership training that will impact our students and our entire community,” said President Abel A. Chávez, MBA, PhD. “I greatly appreciate Dr. Zepeda and Dr. Martinez for stepping up and taking on this program.”

The sessions will be delivered through a series of online meetings and also in person sessions that will take place in November 2024 at HACU’s Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado, and at the National Capitol Forum in Washington, D.C., in April 2025. The program will conclude with a graduation ceremony.

Both Dr. Zepeda and Dr. Martinez are being supported by a Mellon Foundation grant for their participation in the program.

Tri-Alpha welcomes 28 inductees

The Tri-Alpha First-Gen. National Honor Society welcomed 28 inductees, their family, and friends to the 2024 Spring Induction Ceremony held on May 1 in the Library Community Room.

To qualify for induction into Tri-Alpha, students must meet the following criteria:

  • The student has earned at least 30 credit hours towards a baccalaureate degree.
  • The student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Neither of the student’s parents, step-parents, or legal guardians completed a bachelor’s degree.

Recognizing that mentoring and assisting first generation students is the best service a first-generation graduate can provide, Tri-Alpha officers inducted Dr. Candace Zepeda, Dean of Academics, with all the rights and privileges of full membership into the organization.

Congratulations to all inductees and welcome to Alpha Alpha Alpha National Honor Society!

Abel Aguirre                    Diana Moralez

Julio Betancourt             Elizabeth Munoz

Sabrina Bryant               Angelina Ochoa

Kaitlynn Burket               Jessica Olivas

Ashley Cisneros             Alessandra Orosco

Nemesis Crociata         Crista Ozuna

Anna Davila                    Samantha Ramirez

Joseph Delgado             Vanessa Rodriguez

Jessica Dominguez       Rylie Ruiz

Brisa Gil                           Francisco Saldaña

Alyna Guerrero               Ian Sexton

Layla Lane                      Skyla St. Clair

Monica Medel                Mia Vasquez

Laura D. Mendoza         Raquel Velazquez

Sueltenfuss Library to hold reception for Professor Quintanilla

The Sueltenfuss Library will hold a reception on Tuesday at 4 p.m. to celebrate the work of OLLU English professor and poet Octavio Quintanilla, PhD., during National Poetry Month.

Sueltenfuss Library Director Maria Cabaniss will welcome everyone to the event. OLLU Dean of Academics Candace Zepeda, PhD, will introduce Dr. Quintanilla, who will read poems and discuss his FRONTEXTOS exhibit on the third floor library loft. 

The two-hour reception also will feature the visual poems of OLLU students and music from the Holmes High School Mariachis. Wine and light appetizers will be served, along with Tehuacan Mineral water.

Quintanilla’s FRONTEXTOS exhibit went on display April 9. The exhibit will continue through April 30. A former San Antonio Poet Laureate, Dr. Quintanilla was honored earlier this month with a solo exhibit at the Mexican Cultural Institute. He also participated in Urban-15’s annual Mega Corazón’s annual poetry event.

Quintanilla is the author of the poetry collections, “If I Go Missing” (Slough Press, 2014) and “The Book of Wounded Sparrows” (Texas Review Press, 2024). 

Dean’s List reception to be held Wednesday in Main

A reception for 264 students who made the Dean’s List in the spring will be held on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Main Building, Room 311.

Nick Lopez, Director of University Ministry, will open with prayer. Sabrina Zertuche, Interim Retention Specialist, will provide the welcome and Candace Zepeda, PhD, Dean of Academics, will offer congratulatory remarks.

School and faculty chairs will present the spring honorees. Nearly 60 honorees will attend in person. Others will watch the ceremony online.

Refreshments will be provided.