UIW News

The University of the Incarnate Word has named Dr. Jessica Kimmel, professor in the Dreeben School of Education, the 2004-2005 Moody Professor.

Established in 1971, this annual award was made possible through a grant made to UIW and Our Lady of the Lake University. It reflects the level of scholarship, teaching excellence and community service achieved by the recipient.

The Moody Professorship is the highest honor that the university bestows and is elected by the faculty. The Moody Professor delivers two public lectures annually and leads the graduation procession for UIW.

“I am humbled by this honor; it is truly a wonderful one for a faculty member. To be selected by one’s peers is really meaningful in an academic career. The Moody Professorship represents an apex in one’s academic life,” Kimmel said.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Frost Collection Presented to Dreeben School of Education

The Dreeben School of Education at the University of the Incarnate Word has received a gift of books from Dr. Joe Frost that will make its J.E. and L.E. Mabee Library the primary research facility for
children’s play and play environments.

A dedication and formal opening of the collection was held at 4 p.m. on April 21 - International Kindergarten Day - in the Special Collections Room at the library.

Kindergarten Day is held every year on April 21 in honor of Friedrich Froebel’s birthday. Froebel is considered to be the founder of kindergarten in the 1830s. Today, his idea about the socialization of
children though play is present in kindergarten classrooms all over the world.

Frost, the Parker Centennial Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin and considered the Father of Children’s Play, presented UIW a sculpture in celebration of children’s play on Feb. 20.

Frost will speak shortly after the dedication about his appreciation of the school’s efforts. UIW is currently known throughout the state for its emphasis on children’s play and play environments.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

CNN Anchor Walks Stage at Alma Mater

Communication arts professors at the University of the Incarnate Word remember Cinnamon Stouffer before she became the big CNN Headline news anchor, Linda Stouffer.

“Cinnamon was an excellent student, always interested in how things worked and engaged in making things happen the best they could,” said Valerie Greenberg, assistant professor of communication arts and Stouffer’s former professor.

On Saturday, May 8, Stouffer walked across the stage of her alma mater once again, but this time to receive the award for the 2004 Alumni of Distinction for Professional Achievement.

Stouffer’s tenure with CNN includes coverage of the post-election saga over the presidential ballots in Florida, the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the developments of the war in the Middle East.

From 1992-1994, she served the San Antonio community as a general assignments reporter for
KMOL-TV.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Faculty Member Heads to Bulgaria Under Fulbright-Hays

Dr. Nursen Zanca, assistant professor of economics at the University of the Incarnate Word, has been accepted into the U.S. Department of Education’s 2004 Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program.

Zanca’s project “Economies in Transition: Bulgaria and the New Challenges of the 21st Century,” will take place during July and August 2004 in Bulgaria.

The Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program helps U.S. educators to enhance their international understanding and increase their knowledge of the people and culture of other countries through study abroad opportunities.

The decision for acceptances is based on the professor’s previous international experience, project plan and implementation, teaching, curriculum development and outreach activities.

“Creating study abroad opportunities enhances a student’s academic and personal growth through international and intercultural experiences,” said Zanca, who has been with UIW since 2001. During her time at UIW, the multi-linguist has been a major role player and a positive driving force for
the study abroad program.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Theatre Arts Presents David Auburn’s Proof

Archived May 3, 2004

The Department of Theatre Arts at the University of the Incarnate Word presents David Auburn’s Proof. The 2001 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best New Play is a gripping tale about love, family, and the fragility of trust.

Catherine's father Robert was a mathematical genius, but did Catherine inherit his mental illness as well as his intellect? The title is a double entendre, referring to both mathematical proofs and the evidence needed to determine authorship of a groundbreaking document found after Robert’s death.

Performances begin Friday, April 23rd and run through May 2nd at the Cheever Downstairs Theatre on the UIW campus. Ticket prices range from $10-$6. For tickets call 210.829.3800.

Bryn Jameson, a recent transplant from Pittsburgh’s professional theatre community and new faculty in the UIW Theatre Arts Department, directs. “Proof is a riveting contemporary play,” says Jameson. “Math is the shared passion of the characters, but the play really revolves around a concern we all share—whom can you trust? When you trust someone, they have the power to hurt you, too. In Proof, David Auburn explores this universal vulnerability.”

The University of the Incarnate Word presents four to five theatrical productions each year in two theatre spaces. The Elizabeth Coates Theatre is a 200-seat proscenium and the Cheever Downstairs Theatre is a 85-seat blackbox space. The production season is an extension of a theatre arts degree program including acting, technical production, and design.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Cutting Edge Fiesta Fashion Show Set for April 19

Archived April 20, 2004

The University of the Incarnate Word’s Fashion Department will be hosting the 24th annual Cutting Edge Fiesta Fashion Show at 12 p.m. Monday, April 19, in the UIW Sky Room.

Each year, the graduating students of the UIW fashion program use the show as an opportunity to showcase the work that they have done throughout their years at the university. Professional models are hired to walk the New York-style runway, leading the show to become such a sensation that for the past three years, tickets have been completely sold out!

All aspects of the show are entirely produced by students who work on the staging, the lighting and the publicity. Each designer has the option of choosing the music that best suits his/her style.

Tickets to the show can be purchased in advance by calling 829-6013. Corporate tables and individual seats are also available for a luncheon that begins at 11:30 a.m. the same day. All proceeds from the show are applied toward UIW scholarships.

The fashion department at UIW is considered the best and most comprehensive in all of South Texas. Graduates from the department are currently working in New York and Paris with the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Faculty Publication Celebrates Women of Bible Lands

Archived April 20, 2004

Sister Martha Ann Kirk, professor of religious studies at the University of the Incarnate Word, brings together the memorable stories of ancient Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women in Women of Bible Lands: A Pilgrimage to Compassion and Wisdom.

The book details the power of women to heal and reconcile and shows the commitment of women to transform war-ravaged places into locations touched by the beauty of God.

A special presentation, accompanied by prayer music that enhances the text, will be held from 5-7 p.m., Friday April 16, at Viva Bookstore, 8407 Broadway.

“Women of Bible Lands is a delightful anthology of memorable ancient women presented through the lens of place, from Persia to Tunisia. The inclusion not only of biblical women and significant women of the early church, but also of later Byzantine and Muslim women, gives the book a fullness that most such collections lack,” said Carolyn Osiek, professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth.

Kirk will also read from her book at 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 19, at the Center for Spirituality and the Arts, 4707 Broadway. For more information about the reading, call 829-5980 or visit www.spiritualityandthearts.org.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Dance Students Sashay into Spring

Archived April 18, 2004

Dance students at the University of the Incarnate Word will present a varied and dynamic show featuring two works by student choreographers, excerpts from the ballet “Paquita,” a work honoring Holocaust victims and survivors, and other selections at the 2004 Spring Recital.

The show, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. Friday, April 16, in the university’s fine arts auditorium.

The sheer diversity of the program promises something for everyone in the audience, says performer and choreographer Krisna Rodriguez. “This is a good opportunity to just see different pieces of movement: classical, modern, traditional ballet,” she says. “It’s a chance to see a variety of dance and become more culturally aware.”

The cornerstone of the program is the work “Voices,” a performance honoring Holocaust victims and survivors, which is returning to the UIW stage by audience request. The ballet is a compelling journey into the world of the 1940 Terezin Ghetto outside of Prague. Terezin, a so-called “model” concentration camp, was known for its artistic and cultural offerings that thrived in an environment of hunger, disease and death. This work by Susan Trevino of the UIW Dance Department explores the dichotomy of this society of beauty and horror. The performance is set to music written by Holocaust composers, and features both traditional Yiddish and Jewish songs and lyrics written in the Terezin Ghetto.

Two dance department students will showcase their choreography skills at next week’s recital also. “I Cried,” a piece choreographed by student Carol Bennett, is set to the music of fervent quartet-style gospel sounds. The choreography talents of Krisna Rodriguez will be seen in “Rodrigo by Rodriguez/In The Garden,” a work inspired by her grandmother’s garden.

The Performance Techniques Class, featuring dance and choreography from a number of UIW dance students, will present an eclectic collaboration of composers and ideas. Also on tap is a ballroom exhibition to contemporary Latin-style music, featuring UIW Social Dance Instructor Michael Zellers and Rodriguez.

The entire UIW ballet company will take the stage for selections from the classical Spanish-style ballet “Paquita,” staged by Susan Trevino after Marius Pepita.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Holy Week Tradition Continues at UIW

Archived April 12, 2004

The University of the Incarnate Word will be celebrating Holy Week with masses and activities to remember the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God.

At 5:30 p.m. Holy Thursday, April 8 in Our Lady’s Chapel, in the Administration Building of the university, a mass remembering the Last Supper will be held, where the community can participate in the ritualized washing of the feet.

One by one, community members wishing to participate will have their feet washed, beginning with Father Philip Lamberty, university chaplain, who will wash the first few feet. Thereafter, the audience will be called to wash each other’s feet as a reminder that we are all servants of the Lord and of each other.

At 3 p.m. Good Friday, April 9, the university will celebrate a mass to commemorate the day that the Roman Catholic Church acknowledges as the day that Jesus was crucified and died for the forgiveness of sins.

Easter services, celebrating the resurrection of the Lord, will begin with the Easter Vigil at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 10, and end with Easter Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m. April 11. All services will be held in Our Lady’s Chapel.

Lecture Focuses on Third World Scholarship

Archived April 8, 2004

Dr. Adebayo Williams, visiting professor and the Dr. Amy Freeman Lee Chair of Cultural Studies at the University of the Incarnate Word, will present a public lecture at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday April 7, in the Coates Theatre.

His lecture, "Touring Theory: Globalization and the Third World Intellectual," will bring to life the story of academicians and scholars in Third World countries.

Dr. Williams' lectures have been published in more than 50 publications including books, journals, magazines and encyclopedias; Williams regularly presents lectures across the nation.

Williams is a native of Nigeria with permanent residency in Great Britain. His fields of expertise include cultural production, comparative literature, literary theory and multi-disciplinary approaches to political theory.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Noted Jazz Artist Wilkins Joins Music Department

Archived April 5, 2004

Noted San Antonio trombonist Ron Wilkins has joined the staff at the University of the Incarnate Word, where he will serve as director of the university’s jazz ensemble.

A native of San Antonio, Wilkins is well-known to area audiences for his work with numerous local groups, including the San Antonio Symphony and the Mid-Texas Symphony.

“I’m very excited to be working with the students at Incarnate Word,” Wilkins said. “I’m looking forward to doing more stuff with the students and having the jazz ensemble available for a number of functions.”

As an educator, Wilkins cultivates a studio that produces many Texas All-State Band performers. He teaches alto/tenor/bass/trombone, euphonium and tuba methods, jazz improvisation, jazz combo, and voice.

Wilkins also performs with the Ron Wilkins Quartet in the San Antonio and Austin area, and often performs with the group, Small World.

In the course of his career, Wilkins has performed with Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney, Dizzy Gillespie, the Temptations, and other well-known entertainers. His Broadway touring show credits include “West Side Story,” “Showboat,” “Ragtime,” “Chicago,”and many others.

Wilkins is an Edwards Trombones clinician and plays them exclusively. He recently released his first CD, “Ron Wilkins: A Tribute to the Masters.” At this time, he is working on his second CD, “The Sleeper has Awakened.”

Burr Receives Fulbright to Vietnam

Archived April 4, 2004

Dr. Pat LeMay Burr, vice president for international programs at the University of the Incarnate Word, has received a Fulbright Senior Specialist Award for work at The Ton Duc Thang University of Technology in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The award provides faculty and professionals an opportunity to collaborate on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning and curriculum in two- to six-week intervals.

Burr’s work in Vietnam will include projects related to economic development, trade export expansion, and poverty reduction planning for the country’s 10-year economic plan. Burr commences the project in late February in Ho Chi Minh City.

Prior to receiving this award, Burr served as a Fulbright Scholar to Monterrey Tec (ITESM) in Monterrey, Mexico. She has also received two other Fulbright Group Travel Awards – one to China, and one to Mexico.

Burr most recently served as dean of the School of Business at UIW; during that tenure, she received a Business International Education Grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help internationalize the business curriculum. Burr’s book on internationalizing the university campus is now in production by Information Age Publishing, Inc.

The Fulbright Scholar Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and managed by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars. The program’s purpose is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

UIW Hosts First Finance Panel for Students

Archived April 2, 2004

The University of the Incarnate Word will host the first finance panel for its students at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 1, in Marian Hall Ballroom.

The panel will include discussions in "Finance & Banking" and " Financial Research & Supervision." A question-and-answer session will be available with local experts from Frost Bank, The North American Development Bank, the City of San Antonio Finance Department, the Federal Reserve System and Merrill Lynch.

Regardless of what degree plan a student is following, the session will provide insight for a variety of career paths within and outside of the San Antonio community.

Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dianne Wetsel at 829-3181 or Valeria Martinez at 829-3189.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Peace Pole to be Dedicated March 28

Archived March 29, 2004

Students at the University of the Incarnate Word will dedicate a Peace Pole at 12 noon Sunday, March 28, on the lawn of the Brackenridge Villa.

The community is invited to attend this event, which is both a call for peace and a tribute to Women’s History Month.

More than 200,000 “peace poles” - monuments with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” - stand in more than 180 countries around the globe. The UIW monument will have inscriptions in English, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Hebrew, Vietnamese, and Swahili.

The UIW Peace Pole will be erected by the historic home of Eleanor Brackenridge, “Mother of Women’s Suffrage in Texas.” Brackenridge wrote on legal rights for women and also gathered and organized suffragettes in her home, which is now an administration building at the University of the Incarnate Word.

In addition to the Peace Pole, the students will plant an oak tree at the site. Both the peace pole and the tree will be dedicated to the memory of Ada Koenig Kirk, an alumna of Incarnate Word.
Kirk, who died in 2003, was an educator and community leader in Cuero. A proponent of peace, she organized more than 100 students and citizens in the first Peace Pole ceremony in rural south Texas in May 1998. Her daughter, Sister Martha Ann Kirk, a professor of religious studies at UIW, is coordinating this event.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Incarnate Word Day Events Scheduled

Archived March 26, 2004

Members of the University of the Incarnate Word community will come together for a variety of events — including an academic discussion, spiritual events and campus-wide celebrations — at Incarnate Word Day, Thursday, March 25.

The event brings together members of the university and surrounding community to celebrate the day that the Angel Gabriel appeared to tell Mary that she was chosen to bear the son of God.
The 2004 Incarnate Word Day will open at 8 a.m. with UIW students handing out hundreds of red and black balloons and hanging banners across the campus.

At 9 a.m., faculty and students will host a teach-in examining the “Effect of Homelessness on Children” in the Mabee Library Auditorium.

From 9 a.m.-12 noon, the departments of Nursing, Fashion Design, and Nutrition will host “The Heart Truth,” an event to raise awareness of the dangers of heart disease. Sketches of UIW-student-designed red dresses — part of the American Heart Association Red Dress Project — will be on display, nutrition students will hand out samples of heart-healthy food, and nursing students will offer testing and lifestyle recommendations.

Dr. Fernando Segovia, professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the Divinity School of Vanderbilt, will speak on “The Globalization of Christianity: Developments and Consequences” at noon in Marian Hall. Segovia’s talk will addresses a fundamental shift in Christianity through the course of the 20th Century, from western Christendom to global Christianity, analyzing its ramifications for both the Christian religion and Christian Studies.

The CCVI Award, which honors a chosen UIW employee for his or her dedication to the mission of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, will be awarded at 3 p.m. at Our Lady’s Chapel. This year’s CCVI Award honoree is Dr. Pat Lonchar, professor of English at the university.

The day wraps up with two celebratory events. The entire community will come together at a Community Party at 4 p.m. in Jordan Plaza, and students will host their own celebration at 7 p.m. Marian Hall.

All Incarnate Word Day events are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Clingman Takes Helm of UIW Board

Archived March 22, 2004

The University of the Incarnate Word has appointed Fully Clingman, retired COO and president of H-E-B as the next chairman of the UIW Board of Trustees.

Mr. Clingman is the first male chairman of the Board at UIW and is also the first Baptist to be named chairman.

“Being the first male doesn’t seem too hard because I will be working with the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Lou Agnese, the staff and everyone who have led this institution to its current level of excellence,” said Mr. Clingman.

“I feel honored to be afforded the opportunity to serve,” he said.

Mr. Clingman will head the Board following a three-year term by Ruth Eilene Sullivan, who humorously pointed out – while handing him the chairman’s gavel – that Mr. Clingman would also be the first chairman of the Board without a job.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Regional Student Science Competition Comes to UIW

Archived March 9, 2004

More than 400 young scientists from south Texas will strut their stuff at the 48th annual Alamo Regional Science and Engineering Fair March 8 at the University of the Incarnate Word.

The students will be competing for millions of dollars in scholarships, including a major award to the University of the Incarnate Word. By the end of the fair, more than $8 million in scholarships to local institutions of higher education, including Incarnate Word, Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary’s University, Trinity University, and the University of Texas at San Antonio, will have been awarded.

The Alamo Regional Academy of Science and Engineering (ARASE) was founded by Sister Joseph Marie Armer, a longtime educator at the University of the Incarnate Word. This year’s ARASE Fair, which marks the event’s return to UIW, will be held in the university’s Sky Room.

Judging will take place from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, March 8, by members of the scientific and collegiate community. Public viewing is available from 9 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, with the Awards Ceremony starting at 6:30 p.m. that day in the university’s Convocation Center. Students will set up their projects from 12-5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 7.

Competitors at the 2004 ARASE fair represent grades 6-12. The top 10 percent in the Junior Division (grades 6-8) are nominated for the National Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge Program in Washington, D.C. The top Grand Prize Winners in the Senior Division (grades 9-12) will compete against 1,200 other high school students from around the world at the International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) in Portland, Ore., May 9-15.

Every year Intel ISEF-affiliated fairs from around the world send their top two individual projects and best team project to the Intel ISEF. More than 1 million students are competing in Intel ISEF-affiliated fairs, such as the Alamo Regional Science and Engineering Fair, with hopes of competing at the world science fair.

For information on this year’s fair, please call (210) 736-2716.

Noted scholar to address cinematic portrayals of Jesus' Passion

Archived March 9, 2004

A noted scholar in ancient Jewish literature and history will speak at the University of the Incarnate Word March 8 about the cultural implications of scripture and film, just as the movie “The Passion of The Christ” is hitting screens in San Antonio.

Adele Reinhartz, an author and professor, will speak on “Let His Blood Be On Us: Portrayals of Jesus' Passion on Film” at 7 p.m. Monday, March 8, in the Marian Hall Ballroom at Incarnate Word. Her presentation is free and open to the public.

“This is a very important presentation for anyone interested in understanding how film functions as a social, political and theological medium in the construction of the identity of Jesus and the effects of such construction,” said Dr. Francisco Lozada, Jr., chair of UIW’s Department of Religious Studies. He adds, “it is important that rhetorical space is provided so that films like ‘The Passion of The Christ’ are seriously examined for insight and growth.”

Reinhart's lecture will explore the history of films about Jesus, from the earliest silent movies to Mel Gibson's magnum opus, 'The Passion of The Christ,' particularly the events surrounding Jesus' trials, condemnation and death, and how these movies grapple with Jewish representation in their portrayals of Jesus' Passion. Reinhartz's presentation will also look at the choices filmmakers face as they address the crucifixion of Jesus and the role the people of the Jewish faith played.

An expert in the area of religion and film and Johannine studies, Reinhartz was a consultant on the recent Biblical film “The Gospel of John.” A reputable scholar in her field, she has published a number of books, including “Scripture on the Silver Screen,” “Befriending the Beloved Disciple: A Jewish Reading of the Gospel of John,” “Jesus, Judaism, and Anti-Judaism," and “Why Ask My Name: Anonymity and Identity in the Biblical Narrative.”

Reinhartz is currently the dean of Graduate Studies and Research, as well as a professor in the Department of Religion and Culture, at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario (Canada). Before that, she was a professor of Biblical Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Her presentation at the University of the Incarnate Word is made possible by a grant from The Pierre Fund of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

Parking for the event will be available from both the Hildebrand and Broadway entrances to the university.

For more information, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Music Scholarship Auditions Scheduled

Archived March 1, 2004

Budding musicians have two opportunities this spring to audition for music scholarships at the University of the Incarnate Word: Saturday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 27, in Palestrina Hall in the Dougherty Fine Arts Center.

Scholarships will be offered to select students, with awards of up to $4,000 for music majors and $800 for music minors. Interested students must be prepared to perform two pieces in contrasting styles and submit two letters of recommendation.

Call Roland Sul at (210) 829-6022 or e-mail sul@universe.uiwtx.edu to schedule an audition, or for more information.

Major Madness Offers In-Depth Look at Programs

Archived February 25, 2004

With more than 43 undergraduate majors to choose from at the University of the Incarnate Word, selecting one can be crazy!

To familiarize students with the variety of majors that UIW offers, three over-night sessions have been scheduled to help students discover which major is right for them. The first, featuring the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and the School of Interactive Media and Design, will be Feb. 23 and 24.

The sessions will include an opportunity to visit with faculty who will answer questions on the intended major, a chance to attend classes of interest to the student, and a night on the UIW campus.

Additional sessions are slated for March 28-29 for the H-E-B School of Business and Applied Arts and Administration and the Dreeben School of Education; and April 5-6 for the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering and the School of Nursing and Health Professions.

Registration per session is $20. For more information, or to register, call 210-829-6005.

Father of Children’s Play Frost to Keynote Symposium

Archived February 22, 2004

The University of the Incarnate Word will dedicate the "Celebration of Play Sculpture" in front of the Gorman Business and Education Center at 11:15 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20.

The unveiling of the sculpture is only one of many activities scheduled during the Passport to Play & Literacy, a conference on the importance of play, presented by UIW and the Playwork Institute of the Americas. The conference will begin at 8 a.m. Friday.

At 8:30 a.m., the Sr. Anne Birmingham Lighting the Way for Literacy Award will be awarded to the San Antonio Spurs and David Robinson. Awards will also be presented to Palmer Moe, of the Kronkosky Foundation and to Mrs. Tracey Wolfe.

Dr. Joe Frost, considered the Father of Children’s Play, will deliver the keynote address, "Children in a Changing Society," at 12:30 p.m. Frost is the Parker Centennial Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin. Last year, Frost presented UIW with the largest collection of books on children’s play in the United States.

Forum Examines Minority Under-Representation in Education

Archived February 15, 2004

A panel of distinguished area academics discusses the under-representation of groups in education from 9-10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 13, in the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Library at the University of the Incarnate Word.

Among the panelists are Dr. Louis Agnese Jr., president of the University of the Incarnate Word; Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, president of the University of Texas Health Science Center; and Dr. Angie S. Runnels, president of St. Philip’s College. They will share their presidential perspectives on under-representation of groups in education.

Currently, UIW is composed of 11 percent international students and shares in educational exchange programs with more than 80 universities in more than 30 countries, including China Incarnate Word in Guangzhou, China, and Centro Internacional Universitario Miguel Ángel-Incarnate Word in Mexico City.

The panel is part of a two-day forum that includes presentations of research conducted by faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students. The faculty forum is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, with presentations that offer the public research and suggestions on how to improve the representation of groups, including Arab-Americans, African Americans, Native Americans and Mexican Americans, in higher education.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Plans for Pharmacy Program Announced

Archived February 9, 2004

A professional degree program to address a nationwide shortage of pharmacists is about to begin at the University of the Incarnate Word.

With an eye to addressing a critical need both in Texas and the nation, the university will enroll students in a pre-pharmacy track this September and begin a Pharm.D. degree program in 2006.
The UIW program will be the only one of its type in San Antonio, and one of only 88 in the nation. Currently, there are four public pharmacy schools in the state of Texas.

“ The pharmacy program is a natural step for Incarnate Word for many reasons,” said Dr. Terry Dicianna, university provost. “There is a huge demand for trained pharmacists across the nation, so we are not only helping students train for a needed and worthy vocation, we are also serving the public. This is one more continuation of our work here as part of the mission of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.”

Beginning in September, the university will offer a pre-pharmacy track at the undergraduate level that will prepare students to enter a terminal degree program for a Pharm.D. degree.
Incarnate Word will launch its doctoral program in pharmacy in fall 2006, which is the 125th anniversary of the school as well.

Approximately 100 students will enter the university’s first pre-pharmacy track this fall. These students will spend two years in specially designed coursework to prepare them for entrance into the formal pharmacy program.

The Pharm.D. program is a four-year professional track that culminates in the awarding of a doctor of pharmacy degree.

Students who choose not to pursue a doctoral degree in pharmacy after their first two years in the pre-pharmacy program will be prepared to enter degree programs in biology, chemistry, nursing and similar disciplines at UIW.

The Pharm.D. program will be highly competitive, with an anticipated four applications for every one accepted. More than 30 percent of applicants will already hold a bachelor’s degree, and approximately 70 percent will have completed three years of college.

In addition to being the first program of its kind in the area, the University of the Incarnate Word program boasts many unique elements that will make the program a flagship for the university.

Beginning in 2006, students can opt to train for a bilingual pharmacy certification in English and Spanish.
In 2009, UIW students will begin preceptorships (internships) throughout the city of San Antonio.
The UIW degree is the only Pharm.D. degree offered from a private institution, and from a Catholic/faith-based institution, in the state.

The program is driven in large part by the nationwide demand for trained professional pharmacists.

“ There is an increasing need for pharmacists, in part because of the aging population,” Dicianna said. “Currently, two-thirds of prescriptions are given to those over the age of 60, and as the senior population grows, so will the need for pharmacists.”

Average starting salary for pharmacists in 2003 was in the low $80,000 range.

For more information, contact the Office of Admissions at (210) 829-6005.

ADCaP Location Opens in New Braunfels

Archived February 9, 2004

As part of its continuing effort to provide educational opportunities to professionals across South Texas, the University of the Incarnate Word’s Adult Degree Completion Program (ADCaP) is opening its newest adult learning center at The SCOOTER Store, one of New Braunfels’ flagship employers.

Dozens of people gathered at The SCOOTER Store World Headquarters Wednesday for the program’s official ribbon cutting. Students from a variety of classes were on hand, as were representatives from both institutions and the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce.

“ We are excited about the opportunity to offer classes to residents of New Braunfels, and we are particularly excited to be doing this with The SCOOTER Store,” said Vince Porter, dean of the School of Extended Studies. “The SCOOTER Store is an excellent employer, and we are honored to have been chosen as the university to offer classes here.”

Classes at the New Braunfels site began Jan. 6. Currently, 50 students are enrolled in four classes.

Established in 1995, ADCaP is a unique learning system that caters to adult students by offering accelerated programs at convenient class times. In addition to the New Braunfels Center, degree programs are offered at three sites in San Antonio and one in Corpus Christi.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Philosophy Professor to Speak on Lifetime in Catholic Education

Archived January 29, 2004

Dr. Bernadette E. O’Connor, associate professor of philosophy at the University of the Incarnate Word, will discuss her experiences as a student and an educator in the Catholic education system at “In Honor of My Teachers: Interdisciplinary Reflections on a Life in Catholic Education.”

This presentation, which is the annual Moody Professor Lecture, will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, in the Marian Hall Ballroom at UIW. A reception will follow the lecture, which is free and open to the public.

Event parking will be available in the SBC parking lot immediately across from the light at the Hildebrand entrance to the campus.

O’Connor, a native of San Antonio, is a graduate of two Brainpower Connection schools: St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, Elementary School and Incarnate Word High School. She earned a bachelor of arts degree magna cum laude from Incarnate Word College in 1966. She has taught high school religion, history and English at Archbishop Chapelle High School in Metairie, La., and Incarnate Word Academy in St. Louis, Mo.

O’Connor did her graduate work in philosophy at Duquesne University during the 1970s. She has worked as an academic adviser at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and taught philosophy at both St. Michael's College in Winooski, Vt., and St. Mary's University in San Antonio.
She came back to her alma mater in 1990 as dean of humanities, arts and social sciences, and returned to teaching in 1993.

Currently, O’Connor holds the post of 2003-2004 Moody Professor at UIW, an honor that reflects her high levels of scholarship, teaching excellence and community service. The Moody Professorship was established in 1971 at the University of the Incarnate Word and Our Lady of the Lake University through a grant made to the two institutions by the Moody Foundation. A faculty member is named Moody Professor from each institution annually, and in turn, delivers two public lectures.

A regular presenter at philosophy and women's studies conferences, O’Connor is also the author of several scholarly articles and has also written textbooks for most of her courses at UIW. Her research interests include Heideggerian Seinsdenken, Thomistic metaphysics, and psychoanalytic thought.

Wednesday, the day of the event, is the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of Catholic schools and universities, and this week is Catholic Schools Week across the nation.

McClain Scholarship in the Arts Available

Archived January 27, 2004

The University of the Incarnate Word, together with Texas Public Radio, is sponsoring the B.J. McClain Scholarship.

McClain was very instrumental in getting this radio station on the air. Audiences welcomed McClain’s warm voice and friendly manner during her ten years as an announcer and as KPAC’s first general manager when the station began broadcasting in 1982.

The scholarship is merit-based and recognizes students for their outstanding achievements in Art, Music or Theatre. The application deadline is April 1, 2004.

For further information, or to apply, contact the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at 829-6022. Applications can also be downloaded at www.uiw.edu/pubrel/scholarships.html.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (210) 829-6001.

Chinese New Year Celebration Planned

Archived January 27, 2004

The University of the Incarnate Word will celebrate the New Year at 6 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 25, in Marian Hall Ballroom. The Chinese New Year, that is.

Every year, the Chinese Student Association invites the Chinese community in San Antonio to a night of traditional Chinese snacks and screenings of the favorite television shows aired in China.

Last year, an estimated 400 people attended the event, which is open to the public. The area will be festooned with traditional Chinese decorations, to make the guests feel more at home.

“It’s like Christmas in America! It’s a very traditional festival, like a family reunion that our students don’t get to go to, so we have fun at this special night together,” said Jane Wang, an international accountant in the Comptroller’s Office.

For additional information, please contact Jane Wang at 805-5882.