The UIW Department of Political Science and the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas recently wrapped up the three-session series, Conversations with Ambassador Creagan. The third session, titled “Advancement of U.S. Relations in the Americas through Military Cooperation,” featured special guest Mr. Richard C. Merrin, Foreign Policy Advisor, U.S. Army South.
Four faculty members from the UIW Department of Psychology – Professor Dr. Stefanie Boswell, Associate Professor Dr. Lisa Lockhart, Associate Professor Dr. Leslie Martinez and Associate Professor Dr. Teresa Taylor Partridge – recently attended the annual meetings of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) and Southwest Teachers of Psychology (SWTOP) in Frisco, Texas.
Students of UIW’s Department of Music in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences competed at the annual South Texas Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition on April 1 in Austin. Of the six UIW students who competed, four earned top three placements.
University students can typically expect an educational experience that consists of going to class, listening to lectures and taking tests, but UIW’s small class sizes also allow its students to actively participate in helping to determine their method of learning. This was evident Thursday, March 30, in the Scandalous Nineteenth Century class, taught by Associate Professor of English Dr. LuElla D’Amico. The students engaged in readings, art, activities, games and more for the Edgar Allan Poe Celebration.
Dr. Brandon Metroka, associate professor of Political Science at UIW, received the 2023 Allan Saxe Best Paper Award for State and Local Politics following his presentation titled “Intergovernmental Relations in the 21st Century: Revisiting Preemption” at the 2022 Southwestern Social Science Association (SSSA) annual meeting. Metroka collaborated with Yashas Mallikarjun, a student at Johns Hopkins University, on the paper.
Does an evening of music, food and dance sound exciting? Throw in a little international flair and the UIW International Arts Festival, scheduled for Saturday, March 25, promises to be a good time for all. The event, hosted by the UIW College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) from 5-9 p.m. at the Luella Bennack Music Center, is free and open to the public.
Members of the UIW community attended the Department of Religious Studies’ annual Pierre Lecture on Tuesday, March 7, in the SEC Ballroom. Dr. Nichole M. Flores, associate professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia, lectured on her recently published book The Aesthetics of Solidarity: Our Lady of Guadalupe and American Democracy.
The Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas and the Department of Political Science are hosting the second session of the new Conversations with Ambassador Creagan series at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, in the Mabee Library Special Collections Room.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought hardship and challenges to communities across the globe. The arts, and in particular music, have long been a place of inspiration and respite. Saturday, March 4, the UIW Cardinal Singers and soloists join musicians from Trinity University for the premiere performance of “Requiem, for the Victims of a Pandemic” by Yvonne Freckmann, a composer and Trinity University alumna.
Enter a world of talking stones, two newlyweds and a mysterious man as the UIW Department of Theatre Arts presents Sarah Ruhl’s reimagining of the classic myth Eurydice. The show opens at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, in the Cheever Theatre on the Broadway campus.
Members of the UIW community gathered on Thursday, Feb. 16, for the first session of Conversations with Ambassador Creagan, hosted by the Lewis Center of the Americas and the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The event was live streamed to Centro Universitario Incarnate Word and Universidad Incarnate Word Campus Bajío.
This month, OPERA San Antonio (OSA), in partnership with the McNay Art Museum, will host a lecture and performance called Romeo and Juliet: Valentines Revisited. The event is a precursor to OSA’s production of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts this spring.
“A group of friends just looking to make more friends.” That’s what third-year UIW student Gianna Melendez says inspired the establishment of one of UIW’s newest student organizations – the UIW Art Club.
When Rocio Montelongo was deciding which college to attend, she knew that having a good support system around her was important. She wanted to be able to build close connections with her professors and classmates, and she believed the smaller class sizes UIW offers would afford her that opportunity.
The UIW Department of Music is hosting its annual performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, in the Diane Bennack Concert Hall.
“Conducting is the physical craft of showing performers the speed, style and emotional components of the music they are performing.” This is how Dr. Brett Richardson (UIW associate professor, coordinator of Music Education and director of Bands) explained conducting.
“It is always great to receive recognition from our community, and we hope it will bring an awareness to our larger goals.” Those are the words Mark Stringham, chair and producing director of Theatre Arts, shared about the recent awards the Department of Theatre Arts received from the Alamo Theatre Arts Council. After winning five awards in Fall 2021, the department brought home an astounding 27 honors from the 2022 Alamo Theatre Arts Council Globe Awards.
Dr. Leslie Martinez, UIW associate professor of Psychology, teaches a “first-year engagement” course, which aims to promote the success of first-year students at the University. In honor of National HSIs week and in preparation of an upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month event at the University, Dr. Martinez tasked students in the class with a special assignment.
UIW recently welcomed Dr. Javier Clavere as the new dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS). Dr. Clavere was born in Rosario, Argentina, and was invited to the United States on a full scholarship to attend Brigham Young University. His graduate studies followed at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. Most recently, he served as chairman of the Department of Music at Berea College in Kentucky.
A new member of the UIW community, Fr. Hector Kalaluka, OMI now serves as UIW’s lead Catholic Chaplain, presiding at Mass, sacramental celebrations and other special events hosted by UIW’s Office of Mission and Ministry. At UIW, he also puts his love of teaching to use as a part-time professor of Environmental Theology and Ethics in the Religious Studies department. Below, Fr. Kalaluka shares a little about his background, his favorite Bible passage, and why he felt compelled to serve God and others at UIW.
Ambassador Dr. James F. Creagan, who served under nine U.S. Presidents in a diplomatic career that spanned three decades, returns to UIW for the Fall 2022 semester as Ambassador in Residence, professor of Political Science and fellow at the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas.
Assistant Dean and Professor of Music Kevin Salfen created a “San Antonio version” of the music collection Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias, a classic teaching text for singers. The process – from writing the new pieces to premiering them – was all captured on film for a new documentary called SA24 – Two Dozen Songs From Now. The documentary, co-produced by Salfen and Dr. Ken Metz, professor, will be shared with the local community at the San Antonio Film Festival on Tuesday, Aug. 2.
UIW’s Community Health Education (CHED) program, an interdisciplinary program housed in the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health professions, has earned full accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
The University of the Incarnate Word, as a participant in the Campus Race to Zero Waste competition, won the GameDay Basketball category for its Green Game initiative, which occurred during the spring semester at a men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader.
As readers of this magazine know, in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many professors and students to shift their in-person classes to remote learning. The semesters following have been a mix of learning methodologies and platforms. A Texas-sized snowstorm, the omicron variant, constant political upheaval in the United States and now a European war—in addition to the numerous other global conflicts, have all been part of our shared learning communities. Starting. Stopping. Adapting. Ratcheting up anxiety at every turn.
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce the appointment of two new Deans. Dr. John Pham will head the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) and Dr. Javier Clavere will take over as the Dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS).
Academic highlights from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, as well as the Dreeben School of Education.
World-famous Irish tenor Emmet Cahill, alongside the UIW Cardinal Chorale and University Mission and Ministry Laudate Choir, performed at the Diane Bennack Concert Hall on Wednesday, April 20.
Eight students from the University of the Incarnate Word Department of Music attended and competed in the South Texas Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) conference.
The University of the Incarnate Word Religious Studies Department held its 20th annual Pierre Lecture on March 16, via Zoom. This year’s presentation, titled “Do THE WORK: Antiracism and the U.S. Catholic Church” was presented by Tia Noelle Pratt, PhD, director of Mission Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, Courtesy Assistant Professor of Sociology, and editor-elect of the Journal of Catholic Social Thought at Villanova University.
Each spring, the University of the Incarnate Word community comes together as “One Word” to work towards “One Goal” – raising funds to support current and future UIW students. UIW’s fourth annual Day of Giving, known as “One Word. One Goal.,” will be celebrated for 1881 minutes, in honor of the University’s founding year, during Incarnate Word Week beginning March 23.
In 1869, three young women did what, to most, probably seemed extreme. Armed only with determination, a crash course in nursing skills and a love for people, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word responded to a call for help, moving from France to the U.S. to help those in need. Now, more than 150 years later, women at the University of the Incarnate Word, and around the world, are still making a difference. In celebration of Women’s History Month, UIW has a series of events scheduled to honor women who have changed lives, like the founders of the University.
Three members of the University of the Incarnate Word Department of Psychology – Professor and Department Chair Dr. Rachel Walker, Professor Dr. Stefanie Boswell, and Associate Professor Dr. Lisa Lockhart, participated virtually in the Southeastern Teaching of Psychology Conference on Feb. 18-19.
Wynette Keller, director of TRiO Student Support Services at the University of the Incarnate Word, was recognized by the Texas TRiO Association with a 20 Year Service Award at the organization’s conference. We caught up with Keller to discuss how rewarding her work is and how it aligns with the Mission of UIW.
The University of the Incarnate Word Department of Music, in collaboration with Texas Lutheran University, hosted a Florence Price Celebration (1887-1953) on Feb. 5-6, honoring the legacy of one of the 20th century’s most notable Black women composers. Price wrote over 300 works and was the first Black woman to have her music performed by a major symphony orchestra.
The University of the Incarnate Word Department of Theatre Arts will continue its 2021-2022 season with the classic French comedy Tartuffe by Moliere and adapted by Richard Wilbur. The show opens at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, in the Coates Theatre on the Broadway campus.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the University of the Incarnate Word Faculty Senate and University Mission and Ministry, faculty across UIW were honored with the 2022 Faculty Awards in January.
The University of the Incarnate Word Libraries and the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences have been awarded the American Rescue Grant from the American Library Association.
Nicole Pfaff graduates on Saturday, earning a Bachelor’s in Music with an emphasis in Performance (piano). She comes by her love of the art honestly, as her mother is a talented music teacher. Pfaff has always loved playing, with her first memories of piano occurring around six or seven years old.
Faculty, staff, students and an alumnus of the UIW Theatre Department were recently honored with seven Globe Awards from the Alamo Theatre Arts Council (ATAC). The 30th Annual ATAC Globe Awards Gala honored local community and educational productions from the 2019 and 2020-2021 season in 25 categories.
Seven UIW faculty members assisted the Texas Academic Decathlon team from Travis Early College High School prepare for the state academic decathlon competition, which will take place Feb. 25-27.
The UIW Department of Theatre Arts held live performances of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (adapted by Kevin M. Cunningham) from Nov. 12-14 and again from Nov. 17-19 in the Elizabeth Huth Coates Theatre.
Sandra Guzman-Foster, PhD, associate professor of Education, and Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, ThD, professor emeritus of Religious Studies, co-presented “What Makes for a Compassionate City” at the 8th Parliament of the World’s Religions Conference with Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Rev. Ann Helmke of the City Faith-Based Office, and Andrew Hill, JD, associate professor of Philosophy at St. Philip's College. This year’s theme was “Opening our Hearts to the World: Compassion in Action.”
Margaret Mitchell, professor of Theatre Arts at UIW, received the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library’s 2021 Arts Education Award, which recognizes “an individual who is a dedicated arts educator, shows transformational leadership in arts education, and is active within the community.”
Students in UIW’s Theatre Arts practicum class were invited to attend a lecture by David Grindle, executive director of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) on Oct. 8. Grindle gave a workshop on communication and hosted a roundtable discussion with theatre students who have a specific interest in management in the entertainment industry.
UIW is proud to announce that the Department of Theatre Arts is bringing live theatre back to the UIW stage. The department will kick off its 2021-2022 season with the comedic play All Hail Hurricane Gordo by Carly Mensch. The show will open October 1, 2021 in the Coates Theatre on the UIW Broadway campus.
“UIW is a school that feels like home.” Ambar Valtierra, a senior in UIW’s Music Therapy program, moved to Houston from San Antonio at age two. After attending two other higher education schools before becoming a Cardinal, she is happy to be back home in the Alamo City and at UIW.
UIW is proud to announce that Dr. Heather Barton-Weston, assistant professor and public health coordinator in the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions; Dr. Nile Barnes, assistant professor of Pharmacy; and Dr. Maria Felix-Ortiz, professor and chair of Psychology, obtained $32,000 of stipends from Interfaith Youth Core’s (IFYC) Faith in the Vaccine grant for UIW students to serve as “vaxambassadors” who promote vaccination against COVID-19.
