Tag: OLLU-Houston

OLLU-Houston collects food for Northwest Assistance Ministries

OLLU-Houston proudly delivered 67 pounds of food donations to Northwest Assistance Ministries for Thanksgiving. Led by graduate admission counselor Victoria Sandoval, the effort inspired students to unite in support of their local community.

Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM) is a nonprofit, community-based organization offering a wide range of social services to residents in northwest Harris county. Their programs provide essential support, including food, shelter, health services, education, safety resources, and more.

OLLU-Houston holds annual blessing ceremony and Mass

Members of the OLLU-Houston campus kicked off the fall 2024 semester with the fourth annual blessing ceremony and Mass. This special event fills the campus with hope and encouragement, offering spiritual blessings to guide students, faculty, and staff throughout the academic year. 

This year’s program participants included University Chaplain, Father Kevin Fausz, and Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Gloria Urrabazo. Dozens of students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and community members attended the event during a break between morning and afternoon classes on Saturday. 

Father Kevin’s sermon emphasized the importance of love and compassion, highlighting their powerful ability to uplift the community and extend beyond it. 

OLLU welcomes more than 100 girls to Houston conference

Torrential rains didn’t stop more than 100 high school juniors and seniors from attending the inaugural “Passport to Your Future” Girls Conference at OLLU-Houston in late March.

Upon arrival the girls and chaperones were greeted by OLLU staff, faculty, and volunteers and then enjoyed continental breakfast before the opening session.

“Education has allowed me to travel the world, be with communities, work in communities, listen to communities, be of service to communities, and contribute to the development of many communities,” said OLLU President Abel A. Chávez, PhD, in a recorded greeting to the participants. “Your education can also be that for you, and we at Our Lady of the Lake University can be your partner in that passport to your future.”

OLLU-Houston was decorated with many references to the passport theme. The girls attended workshops focused on the Arts, Business, Healthcare, Law, Leadership, Psychology, Technology, and college/career readiness. 

“Many of the girls in my sessions were still thinking about their plans for after high school,” said Victoria Sandoval, OLLU Graduate Admissions Counselor. “Some were going to be the first in their families to attend college. As a first-gen college graduate, I was able to share with the girls some of the strategies I used to navigate college.”

The “Passport to Your Future” Girls Conference on March 21 was a collaborative effort with university and community partners. External collaborators included: Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce, MD Anderson Leadership Institute, Monty and Ramirez LLP Attorneys at Law, Spring ISD, and TDECU. The internal partners were the Office of Admissions, Office of Alumni Affairs and Family Relations, Department of Computer Information Systems and Security, Department of Psychology, and Zschool.

OLLU-Houston opens Houston Relationship Clinic 

OLLU-Houston recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new psychotherapy clinic that will serve families in the areas surrounding the campus and throughout the region. Known as the Houston Relationship Clinic, the facility will be staffed by OLLU-Houston graduate student therapists.

Approximately 50 people attended the event on Jan. 27.

“The Houston Relationship Clinic is a psychotherapy clinic with an emphasis on providing relationship care, specifically, supporting the unique needs of couples, families and other close relationships,” said HRC Director and Clinical Assistant Professor Candace Runaas. “OLLU-Houston has the vision to increase community access to mental health resources, while also addressing the urgent need to multiply the number of quality mental health professionals licensed to provide therapy and counseling services in Texas.”

Online sessions will allow professionals to service families throughout Texas. Graduate students in the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program will also gain real-world experience, preparing them  for employment after graduation.

OLLU-Houston, Zschool Join Forces for Global Impact

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.

OLLU-Houston celebrated Halloween with ‘Boo to the Flu’

OLLU-Houston was front and center at the Annual Boo to the Flu Halloween observance on Oct. 14, hosted by neighbor Texas Children’s Health (TCH)Plan Women’s Center in Greenspoint.

More than 500 people attended the third annual event featuring Halloween costumes, carnival rides, giveaways, and lots of treats. OLLU-Houston distributed OLLU goodie bags containing coloring books, candy, and a note reminding children that “Education is the Best Treat.” The event helped promote the Psychology Department’s soon-to-open Houston Relationship Clinic.

“I love it when the children and parents ask, ‘What do you do’?” said Stacey Winters, OLLU-Houston Operations Manager and Boo to Flu Project Leader. “It’s our chance to talk about learning and how we need them to do well in elementary school so that we can help them learn when it’s time for college.” She added, “Boo to Flu is also great exposure for OLLU-Houston as a community partner and being a good neighbor to TCH.”

Boo to the Flu is for TCH clients and their families. It connects them with resources and emphasizes the importance of making healthy decisions. Ultimately, the event highlights how it takes all partners — whether Houston Police Department, which was next to OLLU, or other nonprofit agencies — to create a healthier, happier, and safer community.

OLLU-Houston MFT faculty hold successful conference

The OLLU-Houston MFT faculty, under the Direction of Stephanie Zepeda, PhD, recently held its Sixth Annual Life Changing Conversations Conference for postmodern, social constructionist thinkers to share their work and generate new ideas.

On June 9 and 10, presenters led workshops on a range of topics, such as “Always Adapting: Children of Immigrant Parents” and “Effective Therapy from a Collaborative-Dialogical Lens.”

Presenters included former and current students and faculty from the San Antonio and Houston campuses and out-of-state therapists. Debbie Healy, PsyD, Professor of Psychology, delivered the keynote. Stephanie Zepeda, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Adriana Gil-Wilkerson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology, delivered an Ethics presentation.

OLLU-Houston to host inaugural Women’s Leadership Symposium

OLLU-Houston will host its inaugural Women’s Leadership Symposium on March 31, from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Jackie Ward, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President at Texas Children’s Hospital, will be the keynote speaker. 

The theme “Leading Through Crisis: Challenges, Opportunities, and Possibilities” invites attendees to learn from women leaders in the Greater Houston area who have successfully led organizations, communities, and industries in the challenge of a global pandemic. The uncertainty and complexity of the last two years have provided ample opportunities for students, community partners, and the Greater Houston network to see and learn from various women leaders in action. Attendees will leave with new connections, skills, ideas, and renewed motivation to continue leading, even in times of crisis.

The event will be held at OLLU-Houston, 600 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, in Houston. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. 

To register, click here.

Alumna, therapist delivers interview on impact of Astroworld festival deaths

Joanna Sanchez (MS 2019), a Latina therapist and graduate of the OLLU-Houston psychology program, recently appeared in a televised press conference to discuss the Astroworld festival deaths and how they impacted families, schools and friend groups. She answered questions articulately and skillfully — all in Spanish. She also spoke about how she advocates for mental health in her community. Below is a link to the press conference. Sanchez speaks at the 34-minute mark for five minutes — in Spanish.

https://lnkd.in/epTJNFd3

OLLU-Houston admissions counselor to help lead Charter Schools recruitment group in Houston

Kenyatta D. Simmons, the OLLU-Houston Regional Undergraduate Admissions Counselor, has been named Coordinator of the Charter Schools South District for the Houston Area Recruiters Network (HARN). In this role, Simmons will continue to interact with more than six high schools in Northwest Houston. 

HARN is a community of professional college and university representatives from a variety of non-profit, regionally accredited, two- and four-year academic institutions that serve Houston-area high school students and their families.

Simmons is the first OLLU employee to serve in this role.

“We have a wide range of programs at OLLU that can be attractive to today’s high school graduates,” Simmons said. “I share our OLLU story with students and parents as they make decisions about attending college. My affiliation with HARN supports our larger recruitment efforts.”

Jamina Scippio-McFadden, Executive Director of the OLLU-Houston campus, applauds the new assignment for Simmons.

“This is a game-changer as Kenyatta expands OLLU’s reach in the 20-plus Independent School Districts in Greater Houston through his appointment and HARN membership,”  Scippio-McFadden said. “I think it’s rewarding when one’s industry peers honor the work one is doing. We are so proud of Kenyatta and celebrate his latest accomplishment.”

Simmons joined the OLLU Undergraduate Admissions team in 2019. He focuses on recruiting students from the Houston area to attend the San Antonio campus. Simmons previously recruited for Prairie View A & M University and has been lauded for his ability to connect with students and parents.