Tag Archives: Octavio Quintanilla

Sueltenfuss Library to hold reception for Professor Quintanilla

Posted on by

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). 

In The News

Posted on by

Recent media coverage that brought attention to OLLU:

On April 20, a story on News4SanAntonio about the 8th annual Confetti 5K Run & Walk: 

https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/ollus-8th-annual-confetti-5k-celebrates-fiesta-running-party-college-university-san-anotnio

On April 18, a story in Hoodline about OLLU English professor Octavio Quintanilla:

https://hoodline.com/2024/04/san-antonio-celebrates-former-poet-laureate-octavio-quintanilla-during-national-poetry-month

On April 18, a story in Lethbridge News Now about OLLU baseball player Jack Kalisky:

Utility player Jack Kalisky returns to Bulls for 2024 season

On April 17, a story in the San Antonio Report about OLLU English professor Octavio Quintanilla:

Former poet laureate Octavio Quintanilla celebrated during National Poetry Month

Sueltenfuss Library features ‘Frontextos’ exhibit

Posted on by

To mark National Poetry Month, the Sueltenfuss Library is presenting “FRONTEXTOS,” a captivating poetry exhibit by renowned author, artist and OLLU English Professor Octavio Quintanilla, PhD.

The exhibit began on April 9 and will continue through April 30. The exhibit will culminate with a special reception on April 23 at 4 p.m. in the library. Alongside Quintanilla’s work, OLLU student contributions and interactive elements will be showcased to fully engage the audience. 

A former San Antonio Poet Laureate, Quintanilla will also be honored this month by San Antonio’s Mexican Consulate General with a solo exhibit at the Mexican Cultural Institute. An opening reception will be held on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

“I decided to write in Spanish so I could think and feel in a language I am fluent in, but that I needed to practice,” Quintanilla said. “I wanted to become intimate with it and add more layers and nuances to the frontera Spanish I grew up speaking.”

Ten professors earn promotions, attain tenure

Posted on by

Congratulations to the following faculty: 

• Leda Barnett, PhD, Political Science, attained Tenure
• Maria Cabaniss, MSLS, Library, was promoted to Associate Professor
• Vanessa Clark, PhD,  Computer Information Systems and Security, was promoted to Professor
• Alegnta Felleke PhD, Social Work, was promoted to Associate Professor
• Yvette Lozano, M.A., Communication Sciences and Disorders, was promoted to Clinical Professor
• Ezequiel Pena, PhD, Psychology, was promoted to Professor
• Octavio Quintanilla, PhD, English, attained Tenure
• Carlos Ramos, PhD, Psychology, attained Tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor
• Rosa Robledo, MA, Communication Sciences and Disorders, was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor
• Wallace Sanborn, PhD, English, attained Tenure.

Third annual VersoFrontera a huge success

Posted on by

The third annual VersoFrontera, OLLU’s one-day Literary Festival, ended on Saturday as a rousing success.

The all-day festival attracted more than 30 distinguished writers and poets who read from their works in Main Building, Room 311.  

The event featured Madeline ffitch, a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award, and Ruben Degollado, who was long-listed for the Pen/Hemingway Award. The 2023 Texas Poet Laureate, ire’ne lara silva, delivered the keynote. 

“VersoFrontera is becoming one of the most exciting literary destinations in Texas, and as such, it is a bridge, connecting all the places of origin of our visiting writers,” said OLLU English Professor Octavio Quintanilla, PhD, San Antonio Poet Laureate from 2018-2020. 

Dr. Quintanilla delivered opening and closing remarks at the festival, which was free and open to the public.

OLLU alumni Arrie Porter (MA/MFA 2021) and Samantha Ceballos (MA 2021) read from their works. 

One-day Literature and Arts Festival set for Saturday

Posted on by

Thirty-seven writers, poets and artists from around the U.S. will showcase their creative works during a one-day Literature and Arts Festival in Main Building, Room 311 on Saturday.

Presented by VersoFrontero, the festival will include the works of multiple faculty, including Octavio Quintanilla, PhD, Associate Professor of English; Yvette Benavides, MFA, Professor of English; Antoinette Winstead, MFA, Professor of Drama and Mass Communication; and Wallis Sanborn III, PhD, Associate Professor of English. 

Dr. Quintanilla awarded scholarship

Posted on by

Octavio Quintanilla, PhD, Associate Professor of English, has been awarded the Nebrija Creadores Scholarship, which will allow him a summer residency to research and create at the Franklin Institute of the University of Alcalá in Spain.

The Franklin-UAH Institute awarded the scholarship to Dr. Quintanilla for his literary and academic accomplishments, as well as the artistic and cultural relevance of his work within the framework of Hispanic literature. 

From June 14 through July 14, Dr. Quintanilla will be working on Frontextos and researching Spanish visual poetics. Creative work completed during his stay will be published in the journal, “Camino Real.”

The Nebrija Creadores Scholarship is designed to promote the creation of new literary pieces in the framework of Chicano Literature in the United States. This scholarship is granted by HISPAUSA Association and the Instituto Franklin of the University of Alcalá. 

Professor Quintanilla wins ‘Arts & Letters Award’

Posted on by

Octavio Quintanilla, PhD, Associate Professor of English, has won a “2021 Arts & Letters Award for Artistic Merit.”

Selected for the award by Friends of the San Antonio Public Library, Dr. Quintanilla will be recognized on Nov. 6 at Mission Branch Library with two other winners. The ceremony will begin at 1:45 p.m. in the Robert Anguiano Meeting Room.

A poet, photographer, author and visual artist, Dr. Quintanilla served as the 2018-2020 San Antonio Poet Laureate.

For more than 49 years, the Arts & Letters Awards has recognized and celebrated the achievement by individuals who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments and whose dedication and devotion to their chosen artistic fields have served to enrich the cultural and spiritual life of San Antonio. Previously, this award has acknowledged legendary artists such as Sandra Cisneros, Carmen Tafolla, Henry Brun, Bill Fitzgibbons among many others.