OLLU-Houston will introduce area high school students to the university during its inaugural “Passport to Your Future” Girls Conference on March 21.
The free conference targets high school juniors and seniors. The conference includes an opening session with university greetings, concurrent workshops, and a luncheon.
Conference attendees will engage in a series of workshops related to the arts, business, healthcare, law, leadership, psychology, technology, and college-career readiness.
“The junior and senior years of high school are critical as students are making decisions about life after high school,” said Jamina Scippio-McFadden, Executive Director of OLLU-Houston. “Passport to Your Future allows us to expose them to career pathways—all of which we offer in our academic portfolio—and hopefully expands their awareness of what is available to them.”
OLLU-Houston is partnering with faculty, alumni, and community organizations to deliver the content and with other university departments to host the event.
External collaborators include the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce, MD Anderson Leadership Institute, Spring ISD, TDECU, and Vertical Web. The internal partners are the Office of Admissions, Office Alumni Affairs & Family Relations, Department of Computer Information Systems & Security, Department of Psychology, and Zschool.
Academic institutions are on the rise in growing partnerships with big firms to help foster change in the corporate sector and help drive enrollment back to the institutions that keep academia on the rise. OLLU and Zschool recently united in a groundbreaking partnership. Their shared vision: to shape the future of executive education, empowering leaders from companies worldwide with unparalleled insights and capabilities.
By integrating OLLU’s tradition-rich approach with Zschool’s program offerings and curriculum innovations, the collaboration aims to offer students an experience that balances timeless principles with modern business solutions. The executive education program is being launched in Houston and will later expand to OLLU’s other regions. Emphasis will be placed on digital transformation, ethical leadership, global strategy, and sustainable business practices, all tailored to address the multifaceted challenges of today’s corporate landscape.
“This collaboration represents our renewed commitment to global education by expanding our portfolio to include executive training,” said George Williams, PhD, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “It’s an exciting fusion of faith, tradition, innovation, and real-world business acumen. We’re excited to launch this partnership in the Greater Houston region.”
Dr. Sarit Levy, Chief Learning Officer for Zschool, echoed Dr. Williams’ sentiment, “By harnessing the profound expertise of OLLU and the innovative spirit of Zschool, we’re setting new standards for executive education. Together, we’re building an ecosystem where tradition meets the future.”
This landmark partnership promises not just top-notch quality, but a reimagined executive education experience tailored for the 21st century. As OLLU and Zschool embark on this journey, Fortune companies can expect a transformative, holistic approach to leadership and decision-making, heralding a new era of growth, empowerment, and success.
According to Associate Provost Dr. Jared Montoya, “OLLU hasn’t traditionally had a lot of formal opportunities to provide executive training, so this partnership opens that door. The courses we offer through Zschool will also help us grow our enrollment by creating pipelines to our academic programs.”
Houston is the fourth largest city and lauded as the nation’s most diverse city. It ranks No. 2 in the nation with 25 Fortune 500 headquarters, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area with 24. Currently, OLLU-Houston is working with Zschool to create an Advisory Group of professionals who will support the executive training program.
The first course being offered is Customer Experience. Future offerings will include Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Women in Leadership.
For more information about the current course, visit execed.ollusa.edu. To learn more about the partnership, contact Jamina Scippio-McFadden, Executive Director of OLLU- Houston. Also, view the video announcement featuring Drs. Williams, Levy, and Montoya in the next Academic Affairs newsletter.
A spirited gathering of more than 50 students, prospective students, alumni and community members attended OLLU-Houston’s observance of ‘Spirit Day’ on Oct. 14.
“Self-care” was the focus of OLLU-Houston’s student success workshop, honoring Spirit Day. The Houston site was transformed into a series of walkable stations where participants engaged in self-directed activities designed to promote positive mental health practices.
Prayer cards, featuring quotes from Father Moye, were available in the Providence Refuge Room, where students reflected on the OLLU mission before venturing to the journaling station. There were also areas emphasizing school spirit which included the lanyard decorating station, the “Wings Up” selfie station, and a “Know Your OLLU” trivia station.
In the spirit of a fall festival, attendees also engaged in pumpkin decorating, yoga and seasonal treats, including cookie decorating.
“I really enjoyed the chance to celebrate being an OLLU Saint with my classmates on Spirit Day,” said Tamara Atkins, a second-year transfer student into the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. “The staff put in so much effort to make the campus festive and make everyone feel included.”
The Houston-based celebration has focused on building community and connecting Houston students with traditions observed at the San Antonio campus.
“We understand the necessity of creating a supportive community for our students in order to promote student retention,” said Jamina Scippio-McFadden, OLLU-Houston Executive Director. “Spirit Day is an example of how we creatively extend experiences from San Antonio to our Houston students, especially with partners like the Student Government Association.”
The OLLU athletics program has welcomed and helped graduate international student-athletes for more than 17 years. International students are an important part of the OLLU community and help carry the OLLU experience to all parts of the world. According to 2022 data, of all the international students who attend OLLU, 75 percent of them are student-athletes and they marked a 3.6 GPA compared to the OLLU average of 3.2.
Mary Scotka is OLLU’s Assistant Vice President for Administration and the F-1 Visa (academic student) Principal Designated School Official (PDSO). As the PDSO, Scotka provides recommendations to F-1 students enrolled at OLLU regarding maintenance of nonimmigrant status and to support timely and complete record-keeping to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
She commented, “OLLU provides our international students with services support resources and programs, so they have a strong, vibrant experience while studying in the United States. International students are encouraged to be engaged in their studies and to take advantage of the many co-curricular, on-campus activities and opportunities throughout San Antonio.”
Other Designated School Officials (DSO) at OLLU are J. Carlos Laird from Undergraduate Admissions in San Antonio; Cindy Mata-Vasquez from the OLLU Rio Grande Valley campus; and Jamina Scippio-McFadden from the OLLU Houston campus. Information on the international admission requirements, admitted students, English proficiency requirement, credential evaluation, where students are from, the international team and other helpful resources, go here.
Whereas other universities may have more international students, OLLU’s receive hands-on learning and have faculty who serve as mentors and guides, both of which are hallmarks of an OLLU education. They also receive invaluable support from the athletics and coaching staffs.
The most popular majors for international students are kinesiology and business. All programs offered are designed to ensure their success during their time here and upon graduation. Scotka said, “We embrace them from the start, and we make sure we give them a good experience. We meet with them as soon as they come on campus and at the end of their semester. In between, we are available to help them along the way.”
The men’s basketball team has the most international student athletes, largely because of the relationships fostered by Head Coach Chris Dial. He is the founder of The Basketball Embassy, a multinational, nonprofit organization that builds community through basketball and assists National Basketball Federations as well as other organizations in their quest to grow and develop the game of basketball in their country or region. He has been able to bring in student-athletes from throughout the world.
In addition, the women’s basketball, volleyball, tennis, golf and soccer teams have all had international student-athletes from such countries as Argentina, Australia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Equador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Montenegro, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Sweden, Uganda, Venezuela, Wales and Zimbabwe. However, the majority have been from Mexico, the United Kingdom and Brazil. Sixty-six percent are male, 75 percent are undergraduates, 16 percent are pursuing a master’s degree and nine percent are in a doctoral program. Forty percent of the international students are employed on campus.
