Class Notes

Estella Reyna Kierce, BA'65, MA'69, received the prestigious Thanks Badge II for Continuing Service on May 7 from the Girl Scouts of the San Antonio Area. Estella was also one of 11 women recognized by the La Prensa Foundation, Inc. during the ninth annual Salute to Latina Women in Action gala in March.

Dr. Frances Strodtbeck, BA '76, BSN '77, has been appointed Graduate Program Director for the Louise Herrington School of Nursing at Baylor University.

Sr. Mary Martha Maguire, CCVI, BA '76, was honored in the 2004-05 edition of “Who's Who Among America's Teachers.”

Cindy Rodriguez Martinez, BA '76, is employed at Jubilee Academic Center/ Omega Campus where she will be teaching both middle and high school drama along with some English classes.

Susan Sierra, MA '75, and former UIW professor Art Sierra were both honored at a Gala at the Sonterra Country Club by Texas A&M University as “Educators Who Shape the Future.”

Diane Leal Sosa, BA '70, MA '75, an art teacher at San Antonio's Hawthorne Academy, took home the Lifetime Achievement Award at the H.E.B Education Awards banquet. “Thank you H.E.B. You're awesome,” Diane shouted into the microphone just before she was handed her $25,000 check. “You have no idea how many of your grocery bags have become works of art.”

Ginny Stowitts-Trania, BA '71, an associate professor of Government and Chair of the Social Sciences Department at Palo Alto College, has been elected president of the League of Women Voters of San Antonio.

Lisa Ginapp, BSN '85, RN, completed the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program and the Nursing Education certification at the same time with a 3.64 GPA at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Yolette M. Davis, BSN '85, received her Master of Science in quality systems management from The National Graduate School in Falmouth, MA. She graduated with the honor of Distinguished Academic Student.

Maria Teresa Martinez-Rios, BBA '82, writes that after transferring to Illinois in 1987 as an Assistant Controller of Sysco Foods Inc., she met her husband and started a family. After quitting her job to be a full-time mom, they later relocated to Holland, MI in 1997.

Scott E. Hill, BM '87, was accepted as a Seminarian for the Archdiocese of Baltimore by Cardinal William Keeler. He finished a 15-year career with the Air Force last May 6, and entered St. Mary's Seminary in August at the University at Roland Park, Baltimore. His studies will last for the next six years. He will then be ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Lisa Garcia Luna

Lisa Garcia Luna, BA '97, captured first place in the Family and Social Pages category, at the 2005 South Texas Press Association Convention held April 29 in Corpus Christi. Lisa is the Lifestyles Editor at the Pleasanton Express, a weekly publication in Pleasanton, Texas.

Lorraine Cirlos-Martinez, BA '91, MAA '95, was featured in the Houston Chronicle for her tireless work and dedication to those underserved. She was hired by the Katy ISD to work with homeless and Title 1 families (a designation based upon the percentage of low-income families sending pupils to school) in the Katy district.

Judy Johnson, BSN '97, received her MSN from Clarkson College in Omaha, NE on April 13. She is currently working as an instructor of Labor and Delivery for two nursing schools. She hopes that someday her students will remember her as fondly as she remembers the UIW faculty.

Amanda Trevino, BS '99, is working for Staff Search Healthcare Agency as a contract RN for Methodist Healthcare System.

Amalia Ortiz, BA '96, represented San Antonio at the National Poetry Slam in 2000 as the first Latina to compete in the National Slam Finals. In 2002, she was awarded the San Antonio Current's editor pick for “Best Local Poet” and the Alfred Cisneros Del Moral Writer's Grant from Sandra Cisneros. She has appeared on three seasons of Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry on HBO. “Otra Esa on the Public Transit” is an original multi-media one-woman show combining theater and spoken-word that premiered this past March at Talento Bilingue in Houston. You can contact Amalia Ortiz at: amiortiz@aol.com; http://amaliaortiz.com

Nancy Glass West, MA '94, taught “Writing Mysteries for Fun and Publication” for the NEISD Community Education program. West is the author of “Jose Vives-Atsara: His Life and His Art.” She has had her poetry read on NPR, and has written two mystery novels, “Nine Days to Evil”, winner of the Blether Gold Award, and “Forever Fatal”, to be released in 2006. To learn more about the author, visit her Web site: www.nancygwest.com.

Jeanette Flexer, BSN '93, graduated December 2004 from SUNY-Downstate in Brooklyn, NY with an MS in Nurse Anesthesia. In May she successfully completed her board exam, and she is officially a CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist).

Jason Cronkhite

Jason Cronkhite, BS '97, has been hired by Blue Clover, one of San Antonio's leading creative firms, as Business Development Director. He will be responsible for developing and managing strategic programs and initiatives to increase client sales and satisfaction.

Cindy Wallace, MA '97, was recently named the first certified communications professional in the United States under the Matrix's Foundation's certification program, which is designed to recognize excellence in all areas of communications. It was developed by the Matrix Foundation, a non-profit organization that conducts educational and charitable projects in cooperation with the Association for Women in Communications.

Erika Olivarri, BA '00, reports that she has moved to Houston. She is working for St. Pius X High School as the Event and Public Relations Director.

Leon F. Bedolla, BA '01, became the new Marketing Analyst for Mexicana Airlines at the company's corporate offices in Los Angeles. He will be in charge of coordinating the company's advertising efforts along with its advertising agency. Mexicana's corporate offices in Los Angeles oversee the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Jose Antonio Hernandez, BBA '00, graduated from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI on May 21.

Susie Guillen, BA '04, has had an exciting year since graduation. She was promoted from a sales executive to a production manager at HispanoUSA, a Hispanic marketing and promotions company. She has also purchased a new house, and gets to travel regularly to Mexico City and all over the U.S. for business.

Annabel Guerra, BA '02, graduated from the University of Phoenix, earning a Master of Arts in Organizational Management. She recently moved to Anchorage, AK, and on June 30 got married in Oahu, HI (talk about temperature extremes!). She can be reached at annabel2003@cox.net.

Ruthie C. Benson, BSN '04, RN, is the only Pediatric Nurse V Specialist for the State of Texas (her department is Regulatory/Policy development). She is also the Nurse Planner in the TNA providership for Registered Nurses CEs. She was in Baltimore, MD. for federal certification as a surveyor for nursing facilities. She will be studying for the Gerontological Nurse certification.

Robert Russell Allen, BS '01, was part of a new initiative serving the youth in Guatemala. Over the last 18 years women and men, single and married from the U.S., Ireland, Mexico, Australia, and Sri Lanka, have given a year or a few years of service in the Incarnate Word Sisters Volunteer Program helping the disadvantaged in the U.S., Mexico, and Peru. This was the first time a UIW alumnus volunteered in a new form of the program for a month of service in Guatemala.

Russ worked with seasoned Incarnate Word Missionary David Deegan who has been running a home for boys and girls who are orphaned or would not have a chance to get an education in their respective villages.

Mark Stringham

Russ, who has been teaching and coaching in San Antonio among at-risk high school students, hopes that he can not only help the youth of Guatemala, but through this volunteer experience further his skills for helping San Antonio youth while gaining knowledge of other cultures.

Mark Stringham, BA '04, received rave reviews as J. Pierre Pont Finch in the big '60s hit “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (that's the role made famous by that great chipmunk impersonator, Robert Morse Mark). Mark made the role his own at Ohio University's Monomoy Theatre. His voice - he sends up an endearing “I Believe in You” to his own image in a men's room mirror - is more than matched by his comedic timing. Mark's knowing winks to the audience were perfectly executed.

Francine Ball

Francine Ball, BBA '01, was promoted to assistant vice president and named Product Manager for San Antonio Credit Union Financial Solutions, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the credit union. Francine has worked at SACU since 2002 as a Marketing Specialist.