Tag: Featured Posts

Professor Garcia earns award from Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Assistant Professor of Marketing and District 4 City Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia, PhD, has received the “Gerencia Con Corazón – Management with a Heart” award from the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Presented at a welcome reception last week for the Chamber’s 2022 Alexander Briseño Leadership Development Program (ABLDP), the award was given to Garcia for her contributions to the San Antonio community.

“As an alumna of the ABLDP program, I know how it really makes a difference in helping prepare our future leaders to be able to address the needs of our community,” Garcia said. “It is an honor to receive this award.” 

The award is named for the philosophy of Briseño, a former City Manager who spent 24 years in public service. As a city leader, Briseño encouraged colleagues to serve with compassion, to practice “Management with a Heart.” 

OLLU claims eighth Red River Athletic Conference All-Sports Award

With the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) resuming a normal schedule this year, OLLU also returned to the top of the mountain in the race for the 2021-2022 RRAC All-Sports Award. The Saints’ athletic program claimed the award for the eighth time in nine years, missing out only on last year’s trophy in a run that stretches back to 2013-2014. 

“We are all extremely excited and proud of the accomplishments of our department and teams,” says OLLU Athletic Director Shane Hurley. “Returning the conference’s All-Sports Award to OLLU is a wonderful measure of everyone’s efforts, and we will continue to strive for success in competition and in the classroom as we represent OLLU and the RRAC!”

The All-Sports Award is given annually to the RRAC athletic program that performs best across the conference’s sports in a given academic year. Points are awarded to the top five teams in regular-season conference standings using a 10-8-6-4-2 scoring system, while results in conference tournaments and championship events merit additional points on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis. In sports such as tennis, track and field, golf and cross country, postseason team finishes are awarded regular season and postseason points. A sport must have at least four schools participating and competing in an RRAC tournament to qualify for inclusion in point calculations. 

OLLU edged out the Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) for the title while winning four championships. The Saints had their best year ever in softball, winning that regular-season title in that sport and women’s basketball. They also repeated as men’s and women’s cross country champions and won the RRAC women’s basketball tournament. OLLU teams scored points in 11 sports and finished second in men’s soccer, golf and volleyball.

OLLU designated a Vetted Teacher Residency Program

OLLU has been named a Texas Vetted Teacher Residency Program, one of 22 schools in the state – and one of two in San Antonio – to receive the Texas Education Agency designation.

The program pairs a teacher candidate with an experienced and highly effective mentor teacher for a full year of clinical training and co-teaching in a K-12 classroom.  

The designation makes OLLU eligible for grants known as the Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports (TCLAS). Designed to accelerate student learning in the wake of COVID 19, the grants provide funding for teacher resident stipends, instructional materials and other needs. 

OLLU’s clinical teachers will be eligible to receive payment through TCLAS schools. 

“The education program at OLLU has a long history of preparing outstanding teachers for the schools and communities that need them most,” said Alycia Maurer, PhD, Associate Professor of Education and Education Department Chair. “We often receive requests from our district partners looking to hire our graduates. This designation is another recognition of the good work that we’ve been doing for years.” 

Strategic Plan community update

OLLU’s Vision for 2025 Strategic Plan progress was showcased at an OLLU community event on May 10.  To view the Strategic Plan Shout Out for Strategic Plan Progress, click here: https://ollusa.sharepoint.com/sites/StrategicPlanOurVisionfor2025

The OLLU community is encouraged to show their appreciation to its strategic initiative team leads. The 29 team leads were recognized for their passion and dedication to leading OLLU’s strategic plan initiatives.

These individuals have helped move OLLU forward, strengthening academics, student success, vibrancy and innovation. Strategic Initiative team leads are Kyle Belback, Joan Biever, Jennifer Bendele, Maria Cabaniss, Diana Cavazos, Joan Dolloff, Cat Fragoso, Johnny Garcia, Rosalinda Garcia, Karina Gil, Anne Gomez, Haley Holzem, Carol Jeffries Horner, Shane Hurley, Julie Kneupper, Carlos Laird, German Medina, Christina Miranda, Nicole Monsibais, Jared Montoya, Teresita Munguia, Veronica Reyna, Jamina Scippio McFadden, Briana Salas, Doug Seaman, Kate Solis, Jackie Walter, George Williams and Candace Zepeda.

To learn more information on the Higher Education, Higher Purpose, Our Vision for 2025 strategic plan, contact Mary Scotka, Assistant Vice President for Administration at 210-431-5590 or email mscotka@ollusa.edu.

Support OLLU before end of fiscal year

OLLU has reached the end of this academic year, and the university is grateful for the tremendous generosity the OLLU family has shown. Students rely on the support of alumni and friends of the university through donations to the OLLU Annual Fund.

Alumni support and participation are vital in advancing OLLU’s mission and helping increase its national ranking. OLLU needs 125 individual alumni donations before the fiscal year ends to meet its alumni participation goal and make a greater impact!

All are encouraged to help build a legacy for future generations with a gift, of any size, to the OLLU Annual Fund before OLLU’s fiscal year ends at midnight, Tuesday, May 31. The university is appreciative of all donations to OLLU this year that have already been made.

Every gift helps OLLU continue growing the core values of Community, Integrity, Trust and Service. For more information or to give, click here.

Trustees create endowed scholarship for President Melby and husband 

The Board of Trustees has created the Diane E. and David Melby Scholarship. This endowed award will benefit students who demonstrate financial need and are dedicated to leadership and service.

The Trustees created the scholarship to honor the contributions of President Melby and her husband, David.

Under President Melby’s leadership, OLLU has completed a $55 million capital campaign, the largest in school history, built the Lake View Apartments, constructed new facilities for campuses in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley and secured a new home for the university’s counseling and speech and hearing clinics on San Antonio’s West Side.

David Melby, meanwhile, distinguished himself as a community servant and was named 2022 Volunteer of the Year for Catholic Charities of San Antonio. He performed more than 1,500 hours of service, supporting The Guadalupe Community Center and St. Stephen’s Care Center, the Mobile Food Pantry, Project Hope, 40 Cans for Lent and Little Pumpkins Palooza. 

The scholarship was announced on May 6 at spring commencement. Approximately $10,000 has been raised. The target is $50,000. To learn more or to contribute, click here.

Updated summer hours for OLLU Bookstore

Starting today, Monday, May 16, the summer hours for the OLLU Bookstore will be:

Mondays – Thursdays, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Fridays, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sundays, Closed

The hours will be extended on Lake Days or other campus events as needed. This information will be posted on the OLLU Bookstore website and on the front doors. 

Erika Prosper Nirenberg to serve as commencement speaker

Erika Prosper Nirenberg, Senior Director of Customer Insights for H-E-B, will be the speaker Friday when more than 360 OLLU students participate in commencement exercises.

Festivities will begin Friday morning with a special ceremony for graduates who are veterans. Events will continue with a Ring Blessing, Graduation Liturgy, Alumni and Family Meet and Greet and Graduation Exercises. To see a detailed schedule of commencement events and a list of graduates, visit: https://www.ollusa.edu/registrars-office/graduation-information.html.

Prosper Nirenberg, who grew up in a migrant worker family in the Rio Grande Valley, earned a master’s degree in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School, a bachelor’s degree in Plan II Liberal Arts and a second bachelor’s degree in Science in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2020, she earned an executive degree in Behavioral Economics from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. At H-E-B, Prosper Nirenberg leads a team charged with helping guide the development of H-E-B’s strategic vision and operational efforts by providing customer insights to change business, gain share and establish a preference for the company. In the community, she has served the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as its chairwoman in 2018 and for six years on its executive board.

A former board member of Say Si Youth Arts, the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation and SACRD.org, she now sits on the Girls Scouts of Southwest Texas Board and Las Casas Foundation and is part of the advisory Board for iEmpower, the Latina Power Network and the SA League of Women Voters. Prosper Nirenberg also was the 2019 San Antonio Business Journal’s Woman of the Year, 2019 Governor’s Yellow Rose of Texas honoree, the 2016 H-E-B David Ashworth Community Service Corporate Winner and the 2021 H-E-B Linda D. Jimenez Diversity and Inclusion Corporate Awardee. Her proudest honor, however, was receiving the 2010 Association of Migrant Educators of Texas’ Migrant Alumni Award. 

As a co-founder and 2015-2016 Chair of the Latina Leadership Institute, much of Prosper Nirenberg’s passion revolves around efforts to help improve quality of life among underserved populations through girls and women empowerment, education and literacy. She and her husband, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, have one son named Jonah.

Spring commencement to include first cohort of doctoral students in Social Work 

The first cohort of students in the Doctor of Philosophy-Social Work program is set to graduate on Friday at 5 p.m. at Joe and Harry Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston Street.

These eight students – from throughout the country – will be among more than 350 who are scheduled to receive their diplomas during spring commencement.

The ceremonies will be live-streamed. The link will be available here on the day of commencement. 

Doors to the Freeman Coliseum open at 3 p.m. All family, friends and guests are required to use the main front entrance of the Freeman Coliseum and will not be allowed through the rear ramp entrance. Guests are encouraged to arrive at the Freeman Coliseum by 4:30 p.m. 

General public parking will be $10 at the gate. Discounted pre-sale parking permits for West Gate Entrance – Lot 9 – will be available for purchase on campus for $3.50 each. Parking questions should be directed to Melissa Franco, Office of Student Affairs. Visit Moye Hall 103, call 210-431-3954 or email studentaffairs@ollusa.edu.

To view a complete list of graduation events, click here. To see a full list of spring graduates, click here.

At this time, OLLU does not have a mask mandate for graduation events. Be aware that this policy may be revised due to changes in conditions in the community.