SACHS Student-Athlete takes State Title in Track and Field Event
05/08/2024“I love track and field because of the challenge and the opportunity to improve myself continuously.”
“I love track and field because of the challenge and the opportunity to improve myself continuously.”
The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) initiative is a program offered at UIW which supports historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students in STEM. This program is limited to a select and highly committed group of scholars with a declared major in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the pre-health professions.
On a day that seemed just like any other in the summer of 2022, Lieutenant Colonel Bryant Casteel found himself driving to the University of the Incarnate Word. A chaplain in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, he felt called to UIW in search of a way to give other Army chaplains educational pastoral experiences that went beyond the walls of Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) as they worked towards their Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) certification. The CPE certification is a 52-week residency course accredited by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), that prepares clinically trained specialists in spiritual care. These training courses are intended to prepare chaplains, the spiritual heart of the Army, with classes and formation opportunities to best prepare them for the challenges they will face during their service.
Christopher Marmolejo, Sr. has never shied away from a mission. With over 20 years of service in the U.S. Army, Army Reserves, and the Active Guard Reserve (AGR), including three tours in Iraq, he's adept at coordinating people, operations and exercises. But as his time in active-duty military service ended, Christopher knew that success in the next chapter would require more than his military background. Education became his new mission.
Head coach of the UIW track, field and cross-country teams, Dr. Derek Riedel, has claimed five Southland Conference Championships in the last two years. At the February 2024 Southland Indoor Track & Field Championship meet, he aimed to make it six.
At UIW, supporting military-connected students is not only a goal, but a mission and priority – in fact, it is one of eight Strategic Priorities that the University has used to guide its operations.
In a world that often overlooks the unique needs of individuals with special needs, the Heroes Health Fair shined brightly with inclusivity, education and joy. The event aimed to celebrate the resilience of the special needs community and to provide invaluable resources and support to families, the heroes working to advocate for the special needs community.
Nestled in the heart of South San Antonio lies Brooks (formerly Brooks City Base), a unique site with a rich tapestry of over a century of fascinating history. This storied location has played a pivotal role in the realm of space exploration, boasting groundbreaking discoveries and even hosting a memorable visit from President John F. Kennedy.
UIW hosted its annual Earth Day celebrations on Monday, April 22 with various activities that helped inform students and community members about how to be environmentally conscious and consider how to create a more sustainable future for all.
The UIW Feik School of Pharmacy (FSOP) is proud to announce that the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) granted the school a reaffirmation of accreditation for a maximum term of eight years. FSOP recently welcomed and hosted the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy. ACPE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy.
Excitement was in the air as the UIW community gathered to celebrate the Artistic Swimming team for its inaugural USA Artistic Swimming National Championship victory, marking a significant milestone in the school's athletic journey. In a display of unity and camaraderie, students, faculty, staff, and supporters came together in the Student Engagement Center to honor the team for their remarkable achievement.
First-year Feik School of Pharmacy (FSOP) students Jaclyn Moreno and Shayla Rubio won first place in the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists Clinical Skills Competition (P1 Category) in Round Rock, Texas for navigating a complex patient case and presenting a pharmacist's care plan complete with recommendations for therapy, therapeutic goals and monitoring parameters for a patient with multiple chronic conditions.
This week, UIW hosted its 17th Annual Excellence Summit, also known as Research Week. In 2008, a new tradition of celebrating and showcasing academic accomplishments was established at the University through Research Day. Over the years, it has evolved into a week-long event in which UIW researchers, scholars and artists from all disciplines gather to share their innovation, scholarship, creative works and impactful achievements.
On Wednesday, April 10, St. Anthony Catholic High School (SACHS) hosted its Junior Ring Ceremony to celebrate the Class of 2025 stepping into their place as the school’s new senior class.
In celebration and recognition of Public Health Week, the University of the Incarnate Word hosted an illuminating panel discussion titled "The Future of Public Health," moderated by UIW’s medical director, Dr. Shaylon Rettig on Wednesday, April 3.
The UIW community mourns the passing of Carlos Alvarez, a dear friend and supporter of the University. An entrepreneur, businessman and philanthropist, Alvarez passed away on Tuesday, April 9 at the age of 73.
UIW’s five core values of education, truth, faith, service and innovation have guided the University community in carrying out its Mission of offering educational excellence in the context of faith in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. Every year, UIW observes Incarnate Word Week, for a special celebration of this Mission. Incarnate Word Week is celebrated during the week of the Feast of the Annunciation, the major feast of the Congregation of Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.
The entirety of UIW’s Psychology Department recently presented at the conference of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA), the official American Psychological Association (APA) affiliate for the Southwestern region of the United States. SWPA contributes to APA’s mission to promote the advancement, communication and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
The mission of Incarnate Word High School (IWHS) is to prepare confident young women dedicated to a community of faith, compassion, integrity, service, stewardship and academic excellence. Sofia Medrano, IWHS sophomore, is a prime example of how this mission is embodied by the IWHS student body.
The UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine has many dynamic and engaging faculty members who are military veterans. Their commitment to education, lifelong learning and student growth is evident in every aspect of their careers. One such professor is Dr. Richard G. Holt, Retired Colonel U.S. Army. Holt shares his reflection on his military experiences below and how they have inspired his professional service at UIW.
On Tuesday, March 26, UIW celebrated its annual Festival of Colors. The festival has been held for over 11 years and seeks to highlight the global diversity that is present within the University’s community.
In a historic win, UIW’s artistic swimming team (photo courtesy U.S.A. Artistic Swimming) brought home the University's first national championship by taking first place at the U.S.A. Collegiate National Artistic Swimming Championship.
To conclude the celebration of Women’s History Month, UIW honored the legacy of the first Mexican American Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word (CCVI) in Texas and daughter of an Alamo survivor, Mother Mary Claude Esparza.
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School’s (SMMS) fourth graders recently made their community proud as they took first place in the National Spanish Spelling Bee. The virtual competition, organized by the University of Notre Dame, welcomed 21 Catholic schools from across the nation to demonstrate their level of Spanish vocabulary comprehension.
March 26, 2024 – The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce today that the Hector and Gloria López Foundation (HGLF) has awarded the university a generous grant of $2,477,933. The grant is part of the López Foundation’s larger gift of $7.2 million made to three universities in San Antonio including UIW, St. Mary’s University and Our Lady of the Lake University. The Hector and Gloria López Foundation was founded to honor the legacy of Hector and Gloria López, married business partners and prominent community figures from South Texas who viewed their higher educational opportunities as the basis for their economic prosperity.
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce that its Artistic Swimming team has won the USA Artistic Swimming National Championship for the first time in program history. This remarkable achievement not only marks a significant milestone for the team, but it is also the first national championship team title for UIW Athletics
UIW’s Brainpower Connection partner schools are creating new opportunities for San Antonio Catholic school students! Blessed Sacrament Catholic School recently formed a Drone Club in which student members can build drones using computer coding with the hopes of making them operational.
On March 15, the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) hosted its annual Match Day celebration, welcoming family and loved ones to support their soon-to-be doctors as they learned where they matched for residency. The school hosted its first Match Day in 2021 with 96% of students matching, followed by 2022 and 2023 with 99% of students matching both years. This year, 100% of the 139 eligible UIWSOM students matched into 16 different healthcare specialties.
Each year, second-year students in UIW’s H-E-B School of Business and Administration (HEBSBA) Master of Health Administration (MHA) program participate in PRISm (Problems Require Innovative Solutions) Pitch Competition as part of their UIW MHA leadership and marketing courses. The Healthcare PRISm is a virtual pitch competition in which teams of health administration graduate students from across the country identify and validate a specific problem of their choice, then develop and pitch their concept for an innovative solution to panels of judges.
UIW had the honor of welcoming Ruth Ryder, U.S. Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, to the School of Rehabilitation Sciences on Thursday, March 14. Ryder traveled from Washington D.C. to meet with UIW and Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) students who eagerly shared the work they had accomplished as the result of a $5.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education under the Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Program that the two local institutions received last year.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the UIW Department of English and Women’s and Gender Studies invited writer Katy Carl to a Zoom discussion where she shared her literary works with students and other attendees. Katy Carl is an award-winning, contemporary author and editor who is a vital voice in a new Renaissance of Catholic literature. Not only is she a well-known novelist and short story writer, but she is also editor of the Catholic literary magazine, Dappled Things.
The University of the Incarnate Word School of Professional Studies (UIWSPS) is proud to announce that Dr. Jessica Parra, assistant dean of UIWSPS, has been selected to serve on the esteemed board of directors of the Texas Women in Higher Education (TWHE).
The University of the Incarnate Word School of Professional Studies (UIWSPS) and Methodist Healthcare have entered into a historic agreement that promises to lift the lives of thousands of employees and their families.
On Thursday, Feb. 22, UIW H-E-B School of Business and Administration (HEBSBA) students Kayla Lewis and Jbyr Reynoso attended the Financial Executives International (FEI) San Antonio Chapter Academic Awards Dinner and Networking Reception as the recipients of a prestigious scholarship.
The end of the first week of March came after much anticipation, as students welcomed a much-deserved spring break. But before Cardinals departed to their hometowns and spring break trips, hundreds gathered in the Rosenberg Sky Room for the inaugural Cardinal Céilidh.
On Feb. 23, St. Anthony Catholic School (SACS) elementary and middle school students placed first in the Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA) competition. The PSIA strives to inspire student achievement through academic competition in various subjects including art memory, mathematics, music memory, ready writing, spelling, vocabulary, maps, charts, graphs and more.
UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) students in the First-Generation Medical Student Alliance (FGMSA) recently invited local high school students to their campus to attend a mini medical school event. The student-led organization represents and advocates for first-generation medical students by fostering a supportive environment that provides accessible resources crucial to personal growth, autonomy and educational advancement.
The UIW community is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month in line with its 2024 theme of “women who advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion.” Throughout the month of March, the University will host a variety of events featuring students, faculty and guest speakers who will demonstrate the impact that women past and present have had within the University, city, state and across the nation.
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce that Dr. Sandra Fortenberry, dean of the UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry (UIWRSO), has been named the 2024 Optometrist of the Year by the Texas Optometric Association.
On Saturday, Feb. 24, faculty and students of the UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry (RSO) attended the annual Vestido Rojo event, hosted by the San Antonio Food Bank, to provide health screenings for attendees. Vestido Rojo is held in conjunction with Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association’s nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion, and power of women to band together and wipe out heart disease and stroke.
Throughout February, the University hosted a number of events and activities, and welcomed special guests to recognize the history, cultures, legacies and continuous impact of Black individuals across the nation. As the month came to a close, the UIW community came together for two final Black History Month events.
This February, nine St. Anthony Catholic High School (SACHS) students received their Junior Oblate Cross in celebration of Oblate Day, which marks the anniversary of when the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation obtained recognition from Pope Leo XII in 1826 for their work of serving the poor and needy in more than 60 countries. Pope Pius XI called the Oblates “Specialists of the Most Difficult Mission”.
On an overcast morning, when the ground still carried the dampness of evening rains, a charter bus emblazoned with the markings of the University of the Incarnate Word pulled up to Madison High School. While the bus usually carries UIW athletes to their games, on this day, the driver’s task was to pick up a group of high school students. Seventeen students who spend their days and weekends volunteering as student athletic trainers and their faculty boarded the bus to experience tours of UIW’s Broadway campus and the School of Rehabilitation Sciences.
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) Religious Studies Department was proud to present the annual 2024 Pierre Lecture on Thursday, February 22 in the Student Engagement Center ballroom. This year’s featured speaker, Dr. Jessica Coblentz, spoke on the topic of “Depression as a Wilderness Experience: Exploring Some Theological Resources for Life with Depression.”
The University of the Incarnate Word and the UIW Libraries have been selected as one of 10 institutions for the second cohort of the All of Us Data Training and Engagement for Academic Libraries Program (hereafter referred to as the Academic Libraries Program). This document describes activities performed under an Award Agreement between Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and the University of the Incarnate Word.
Dr. Osman Özturgut, associate provost for Strategic Outreach and Partnerships and dean of the UIW School of Professional Studies, traveled with the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce to Washington D.C. for its annual “SA to DC” trip this month. The trip was organized by the chamber to address key issues in San Antonio and advocate for higher education and workforce development.
The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), an organization that aims to strengthen and promote the Catholic identity and mission of its member institutions, recently conducted a landscape survey of Catholic higher education best practices in civic learning and democracy education. Through this process, the University of the Incarnate Word was chosen as one of three institutions recognized and showcased for its best practices in work that educates students to become productive and thoughtful citizens.
On Saturday, Feb. 24 the Annual Red Dress Fashion Show will return to UIW. Since 2006, the University of the Incarnate Word has hosted the Red Dress Fashion Show to raise awareness of the heart health of women, as heart attacks have different, lesser-known symptoms in women than in men. The fashion show will feature the garment designs of UIW and high school fashion students, with scholarship funds awarded to the winning designers to help further their education.
“I can’t exactly remember the first time I became interested in art, but I suppose I began to explore it in middle school,” recalls Thuy-Tien Nguyen. “I guess I had just seen that I enjoyed playing with color and experimenting with different mediums such as digital art or even watercolor.”
Since 2006, the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) has hosted the Red Dress Fashion Show. Organizers say the purpose of the annual event is to raise awareness of heart health in women because heart attacks have different symptoms in women than in men. The Red Dress Fashion show features designs created by UIW students and fashion students from area high schools who are also competing for scholarships from the UIW Fashion Management Program.
On Feb. 8 and 12, the UIW women’s and men’s basketball teams traded in their red and white T-shirts and jerseys to don black ones. This deliberate change in attire was made to celebrate the annual Black Out for Black History games and UIW Athletics’ Equality and Inclusion initiative.
Dr. Steven Hayward, dean of academics at St. Anthony Catholic High School (SACHS), recently had his research published in the Journal of Catholic Education. His article, titled “Moral Formation in a Culture of Relativism: Correlates of Universalism and Relativism in the Moral Outlooks of Emerging Adults,” explores the topic of morality, and how people perceive it, as a culture and within the Catholic faith.
UIW is proud to announce the presentation of the annual Bernadette E. O’Connor Lecture on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT). The 2024 speaker is local artist William Rerick who will speak about how Catholicism influences his art in a presentation titles, “Father Mike’s Lust: Catholicism’s Emphasis on Sensuality, and Caution.”
On Thursday, Feb. 15 the UIW Lewis Center of the Americas kicked off its Spring 2024 lineup of Conversations with Ambassador Creagan, a live discussion series that aims to bring government leaders and political thought influencers to campus to share ideas on improving international relations and bolstering democracies. The conversation this month featured special guest Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, the youngest and first African American commissioner elected in Bexar County.
Students, faculty and other University members were invited to recognize and learn about these various forms of love at an event called, “A Valentine’s Day Date with C.S. Lewis.” Many may be familiar with Lewis’ series The Chronicles of Narnia, but he wrote about more than “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” During the Valentine’s Day event, event leaders took attendees through Lewis’s book The Four Loves, which explores four forms of love identified by him.
Patricia Ramirez, director of the Brainpower Connection schools and newly named principal of St. Anthony Catholic High School (SACHS), understands the benefits of broadening horizons in a child’s education. In her role as director of the Brainpower Connection, she collaborated with the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (CCVI) congregation in Mexico to connect San Antonio Brainpower students to students located on Mexico campuses.
FLIGHT’s recent January retreat, centered on “Creating a Culture of Mentoring to Support Student Success,” provided the mentors’ most recent professional development opportunity. In consideration of the event theme, the program welcomed Dr. Allison McWilliams, assistant vice president of Mentoring and Alumni, Personal and Career Development at Wake Forest University.
In honor of Safer Internet Day, UIW’s Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) student chapter recently tabled outside of the Student Engagement Center to spread awareness on how UIW community members can better ensure their safety online.
Four UIW Meteorology majors, Sabrina Gonzales, Fatima Hernandez, Christian Schell and Katelyn Simenson, recently had the privilege of attending the annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS). The AMS is the world’s largest yearly gathering for the weather, water and climate community. It brings together great minds from a diverse set of scientific disciplines, helping attendees make career-long professional contact and life-long friends while learning from leading experts in the atmospheric sciences.
San Antonio – February 7, 2024 – U.S News & World Report released today its 2024 Best Online Programs rankings and the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce that it made impressive improvement in two major categories. On the list of Best Online Bachelor’s, UIW went from #104 in 2023 to #57 in 2024. And in the category of Best Online Bachelor’s for Veterans, UIW jumped to #38 in 2024 from #61 in 2023. The publication based its rankings on engagement, services and technology, faculty credentials and training, and expert opinions.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, the University of the Incarnate Word had the privilege of welcoming award-winning composer Andrea Clearfield. Clearfield has been nationally and internationally acclaimed for her musical work in opera, orchestra, chorus, chamber ensemble, dance and multimedia collaborations.
The UIW community is proud to celebrate Black History Month with a series of events featuring students, faculty and community members. With an emphasis on recognizing history, cultures, legacies and the continuous impact Black individuals have across the nation, hosts and participants will recall their experiences and reflect on Black history and the ongoing pursuit of a more just society.
San Antonio – February 1, 2024 – The H-E-B School of Business and Administration (HEBSBA) at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is pleased to, once again, offer the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program or VITA. The program provides free tax preparation services from IRS certified volunteers to households with incomes of $64,000 or less and helps working families take full advantage of all of the tax credits that they are eligible for. That includes the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and education credits.
UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry (RSO) professor, Dr. Joseph Pizzimenti, and retired professor and dean of RSO, Dr. Timothy Wingert were recently honored by the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) in Poland with the Witelo Medal in Gold. The award was named for Polish scientist and philosopher Witelo of Silesia, who did original work in the physics of light refraction and is considered by many to be the father of Polish Optometry. The medal was presented to the pair in recognition of their contributions to improving and advancing Polish optometry and Polish optometric education.
Since 1974, the week beginning the last Sunday in January has been dedicated to the annual celebration of Catholic education that is offered across the nation. That National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) notes that schools typically observe the week with Masses, assemblies and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members to celebrate what makes Catholic schools great.
On Feb. 3, 1943, the U.S. Army Transport Dorchester traveling from New York to Greenland was torpedoed by a German U-boat in the Labrador Sea. The steamship was carrying 904 service members, including four U.S. Army Chaplains. In the time immediately following the blast, the four chaplains of various faith backgrounds worked to get others to safety, offered calming words and helped organize evacuations into lifeboats. When it became clear that there were not enough life jackets for those onboard, the four chaplains removed theirs, gave them to others, then linked arms and prayed together as the ship sank. Since then, Feb. 3 has been known as Four Chaplains Day and serves as an annual reminder of the work and sacrifice of those called to share God’s message or offer spiritual support in the U.S. Armed Forces.
San Antonio – February 2, 2024 – The St. Anthony Catholic High School Board of Directors, under the leadership of Board Chair Thomas M. Evans, PhD, president of the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW), is proud to announce the selection of Mrs. Patricia Ramirez to the position of principal at St. Anthony Catholic High School. In addition, the board announced that Ramirez will work under the direction of Marcos Fragoso, UIW vice president for International Affairs, who will oversee operation of the high school and UIW’s Brainpower Connection.
On Sunday, Jan. 21, the UIW Pastoral Institute had the privilege of co-hosting San Antonio’s inaugural Festival of Faiths. The event encouraged its roughly 700 attendees to build connections through the shared value of faith that is present within belief systems found across the city.
Working toward a degree is a worthy and rewarding pursuit, but it’s a journey that also brings challenges. For some students, these challenges include a lack of access to basic needs such as food and housing. The latest National Center for Education Statistics National Postsecondary Student Aid Study confirmed that U.S. college students face greater rates of homelessness and food insecurity than the general population (Inside Higher Ed, 2023). UIW’s Health Services team is taking action to ensure that students at the Nest have access to everything they need to learn and thrive.
UIW’s core value of education is one passed down to students on their journeys of becoming “concerned and enlightened citizens within the global community.” UIW Ph.D. graduate, Alyssa Cortes-Kennedy, and current doctoral candidate, Melinda Jimenez-Perez, recently demonstrated this Mission in action through their work to make a positive impact in the field of education.
This winter, 11 children and adults with severe visual impairments received visually assistive technology from Sight Savers America (SSA) at the UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry (RSO) Bowden Eye Care Clinic. SSA is a non-profit organization that helps to facilitate eye care and provides low vision and blind equipment, along with any necessary equipment training, in 16 states across the nation.
Juliana Garza, a junior Cybersecurity Systems student at the University of the Incarnate Word, was recently honored with the “Cybersecurity & The Latinx Community Scholarship,” a financial award presented to only five students across the country each semester. The scholarship aims to financially support undergraduate Latinx students seeking an education and prospective career in the field of cybersecurity. As a Latinx individual, Garza says that she hopes to break boundaries to help make the cybersecurity industry more diverse and inclusive, a goal that her recent scholarship award will help her achieve.
Welcome Week is an exciting time for students at the University of the Incarnate Word. It's a time to meet new people, take part in fun activities and learn about campus offerings. The Spring 2024 Welcome Week was no exception, with a jam-packed schedule of events and activities to kick off a new semester at the Nest! It’s all made possible by the University’s Campus Life team.
The University of the Incarnate Word Pastoral Institute is co-hosting San Antonio’s Inaugural Festival of Faiths, which will take place from 1- 6 p.m. on Sunday, January 21 in the Luella Bennack Music Center (4301 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209). This event welcomes and encourages the community to come together to share and learn about diverse faith traditions through music, storytelling and multi-faith panels.
On Saturday, January 13 the UIW Office of Alumni Relations welcomed UIW alumni and friends to watch the San Antonio Spurs take on the Chicago Bulls at the Frost Bank Center.
San Antonio – January 17, 2024 – The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) School of Professional Studies hosted the Greater San Antonio Chamber for their first meeting of the year on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. The meeting consisted of a panel discussion revolving around the importance of workforce development and partnerships within higher education. A common point of conversation highlighted how institutions such as UIW provide innovative education programs that provide unique skills preparing students for the workforce.
In an outstanding display of talent, the MARKeting Club at the H-E-B School of Business and Administration (HEBSBA) at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) secured the third position in a national advertising competition hosted by Omnicom Health Group and Harrison/Star. The four-week competition challenged teams to develop an advertising campaign for a client in the pharmaceutical industry.