Leaders of the Americas Speaker Series: Rigoberta Menchú – Oct. 4, 2023
This year’s Speaker Series features Guatemalan social justice activist, champion of Indigenous human rights and Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Tum!
About the Lewis Center of the Americas
The Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas was established to promote better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Mexico, Canada, Central and South America through cooperative study, research, service and dialogue. The Lewis Center is designed to serve as a central resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, expand business opportunities and develop policy options.
Recent and Upcoming Events
Daughters of Latin America: A Five-Century Tapestry of Multicultural Voices
Join Sandra Guzmán, Emmy award-winning producer, documentary filmmaker, editor and writer, for a presentation on her anthology Daughters of Latin America, followed by a Q&A and book signing at the UIW Mabee Library Auditorium. In addition to her main presentation for the campus community, Sandra will be leading discussions with UIW students on Oct. 4 and 5, 2023.
¡Independencia!: A Celebration of Latin American Independence & Culture
¡Celebremos la Independencia! International Affairs in collaboration with Campus Engagement will be hosting UIW Mercado and ¡Independencia! on Sept. 14, 2023, at the West Gate Circle and Student Engagement Center (SEC).
Lewis Center Faculty Network
A fundamental resource for the Lewis Center is the network of UIW faculty members, across the entire UIW system, whose perspectives have been shaped by formative cross-border experiences in the Americas.
Lewis Center of the Americas Leadership
Under the direction of Dr. Rafael Hoyle, the Lewis Center forms part of UIW's Division of International Affairs, led by Mr. Marcos Fragoso. The leadership team also includes Dr. James Creagan, UIW's Ambassador in Residence, and Dr. David Vequist, founder and director of UIW's Center for Medical Tourism Research, which now operates under the auspices of the Lewis Center.
Mr. Marcos Fragoso was the rector of the Centro Universitario Incarnate Word in his native Mexico City from 2004 to 2010. He was named UIW’s vice president for International Affairs in June of 2010 and has lived in San Antonio since that time. Mr. Fragoso is responsible for all the international initiatives and affairs for the University including sister school and exchange agreements, study abroad programs, faculty-led trips, UIW Global On-Line programs, and the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas. Furthermore, he oversees the UIW Mexico campuses in Mexico City and Irapuato, and the UIW European Study Center in Strasbourg, having played an instrumental role in their creation and launch. Prior to joining the University, Mr. Fragoso worked for four years with an educational group overseeing 12 different K-12 schools and universities in Mexico. He has a Master of Business Administration in International Business and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of the Incarnate Word.
Rafael Hoyle joined the University in July 2019 and became the director of the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas in June 2021. Dr. Hoyle currently sits on the Board of Directors for UIW’s Mexico campuses and served previously as UIW’s Associate Vice-President for Planning and Campus Management. Prior to joining UIW, he was the managing director of International Studies Abroad, one of the largest providers of study abroad programs for U.S. students, known for its strong offering of programs in Latin America. Dr. Hoyle’s experience in higher education also includes six years as an instructor of Spanish at the University of Arizona and the University of Texas, and most recently he taught Multicultural Education at the University of Virginia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Spanish from the University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a native Spanish speaker and feels a strong connection to the city of San Antonio, due in no small part to his northern Mexican heritage.
Serving under nine U.S. presidents, Dr. Creagan led a diplomatic career spanning three decades. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1999 and became president of John Cabot University in Rome, Italy. In 2005, he was named President Emeritus. He was also a Guest Scholar at the University of Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute in 2005. In 2006, he joined the University of the Incarnate Word as Professor and Ambassador in Residence, and in 2022 he returns in that same capacity, this time also as a Fellow at the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas. His awards throughout his career include Honorary Citizen of Honduras, Boston Archdiocese’s Caritas Christi Award for Humanitarian Service, Cavalier of the Order of St. Gregory from the Holy See and the Italian Order of Merit, Commendatore, along with numerous U.S. government awards. Currently, he is a member of the Cosmos Club of Washington, D.C., the Board of the San Antonio World Affairs Council, the Latin American Advisory Council of the University of Notre Dame, the board of the Texas Water Mission, the Advisory Council of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and the board of the San Antonio Council for International Visitors. He also works with the Fulbright Association of San Antonio. Ambassador Creagan graduated from the University of Notre Dame and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.
Dr. David George Vequist IV is a professor of management in the H-E-B School of Business & Administration and the founder/director of the UIW Center for Medical Tourism Research, part of the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas. He is also a managing editor for the Journal of Health Care Management Standards. Before joining UIW, Dr. Vequist was an executive for Methodist Healthcare and consulted for Ernst & Young. Dr. Vequist is an accomplished speaker, author and researcher and has been interviewed and featured in numerous media on five continents. His focus on international healthcare has exposed him to diverse perspectives on health and wellness and shaped his approach in the classroom and the content of his courses. In Latin America, Dr. Vequist has presented at conferences in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala and Panama. His cross-border experience has translated into a broader worldview and appreciation of how globalization has impacted health systems over the last few decades.
Lewis Center Interview Series
The Lewis Center Interviews focus on colleagues who through their work are strengthening and expanding international relations in the Americas.
Meet Ambassador Edward Prado
Former U.S. ambassador to Argentina and federal judge Edward C. Prado speaks with Dr. Rafael Hoyle about the journey that took him from San Antonio, Texas, where he was born and spent his entire life, to the City of Buenos Aires, where he served for three years as ambassador
Meet Dr. Jeannette Wong-Powell
Dr. Jeannette Wong-Powell recounts the journey that brought her to the United States from her native Mexico and what allowed her to become the esteemed optometrist and professor she is today.
Meet Ambassador James Creagan
The focus of this interview with Dr. James Creagan is the nation of Honduras, where he served as Ambassador under President Bill Clinton. Today, Dr. Creagan continues to dedicate time to Honduras by providing leadership to the Texas Water Mission, a strategic partner of the Lewis Center.Featured Publications
This section features and lists publications, written by UIW faculty, that focus on an international topic within the Americas.
Border Crossings
In this section, we shed light on missions, research, faculty exchange and study abroad programs that take members of the UIW community across national borders in the Americas.
Mexico
Dr. Erlinda López-Rodríguez will be leading a group of students and faculty from UIW health professions schools on a service mission trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.
Guatemala
Dr. Rachel Pittman, Dr. Arunabh Bhattacharya, and Dr. Leticia Vargas will be leading a medical mission program to Antigua, Guatemala, and surrounding areas.
Guatemala
Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, Professor of Religious Studies, and Dr. Beth Sunne-Duff, Associate Professor of Nutrition, will be leading a service mission program to Guatemala City and surrounding areas.
Honduras
Dr. James Creagan, Fellow of the Lewis Center, is supporting the Texas Water Mission with ongoing efforts to provide fresh water and combat cholera in underserved villages in Honduras.
Perú
Dr. Teresa Harrison’s Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management students engaged in a social entrepreneurship project with the women of the Shipibo Tribe in Perú.
Colombia
Dr. Jeanette Wong Powell is sharing her expertise with UIW Sister School Fundación Areandina.Headquarters
Detailed architectural planning for the Lewis Center headquarters at Founders Hall is underway. Completion of the renovation is targeted for the spring of 2024. The images below are two of the renderings by Lake Flato Architects.
International Lounge
International Forum
UIW Sister Schools in the Americas
UIW has over 35 sister school agreements with universities in the Americas. These relationships facilitate the exchange of visiting scholars, study abroad, collaborative research and cross-border service learning, in order to promote a more global perspective at UIW and our valued partner institutions. For more information about agreements in each country, please use the buttons below:
Canada
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
- Universidad Centro Americana Jose Simeon Canas, San Salvador (Spanish only)
Mexico
- Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey: (Faculty only: study@itesm)
Study Abroad at Monterrey Tech
- Universidad Anáhuac, Mexico City (Spanish only)
- Universidad Anáhuac, Mayab English Courses Available ( Anáhuac Fact Sheet)
- Universidad Anáhuac, Querétaro (Spanish only)
- Universidad Autonoma Chapingo (Spanish only)
- Universidad Autonoma del Noreste (Spanish only)
- Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City ( Iberoamericana Fact Sheet)
- Universidad Internacional, Cuernavaca
- Universidad La Salle ( La Salle Fact Sheet)
With campuses in:- Cancún
- Cuernavaca
- Morelia
- Chihuahua
- Mexico City
- Monterrey
- Ciudad
- Obregon
- Puebla
- Leon
- Torreón
- Universidad de Monterrey
- Universidad Olmeca, Villahermosa, Tabasco (Spanish only)
- Universidad Regiomontana, Monterrey ( U-ERRE Quick Facts)
- Universidad Tecmilenio, Nuevo León and other campuses throughout Mexico ( Tecmilenio Fact Sheet)
- Universidad Valle del Grijalva, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas (Spanish only)
- UPAEP University, Puebla ( UPAEP Fact Sheet)
- Universidad de las Américas Puebla ( UDLAP International Student Guide)
Panama
- Universidad Catolica Santa Maria La Antigua (Spanish only)
Puerto Rico
Argentina
- Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE), Buenos Aires (Spanish only) UADE Fact Sheet
- Universidad Austral, Buenos Aires ( Austral Fact Sheet)
- Universidad Católica Argentina, Buenos Aires ( UCA Fact sheet)
Bolivia
- Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo, La Paz (Spanish only)
Brazil
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro ( PUC-Rio Fact Sheet)
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paolo, São Paulo (Portuguese only) ( PUC-SP Fact Sheet)
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUC-PR), Paraná ( PUC-PR Fact Sheet)
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, ( UFMG Fact Sheet)
- Universidade de Fortaleza, Fortaleza
Chile
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago
- Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta and Coquimbo (Spanish only) ( UCN Fact Sheet)
Colombia
- Universidad Autónoma De Occidente, Cali
- AREANDINA - Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina, Bogotá (Optometry only)
Ecuador
Partners
The Lewis Center of the Americas collaborates with local and international strategic partners who share a belief that greater possibilities can be realized when we reach across borders to develop alliances and broaden our perspective.