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NFL Commissioner Makes Stop at UIW

National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell, at the request of Gayle and Tom Benson, visited the University of the Incarnate Word on Oct. 8 for a special luncheon coordinated by the university and the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

Nearly 400 guests gathered in the Rosenberg Sky Room to hear Goodell’s address, titled “The Future of the NFL.” Among the special guests were Gayle and Tom Benson, Stanley Rosenberg, former mayor Henry Cisneros and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.

Goodell took the stage and joked that he wasn't visiting because New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson invited him. He came, he said, because Gayle asked him to come.

At the luncheon, Goodell said that San Antonio is “on the radar,” but must keep growing in order to have any hope of having a professional football team in the future. “My words of encouragement would be to stay the course and continue to grow and continue to prepare if the opportunity comes about.”

Goodell has been NFL commissioner for the past two years.

“This luncheon is another important opportunity for San Antonio to become acquainted with the university's new football team,” said Dr. Louis Agnese, UIW president. “We’re grateful to Tom Benson for facilitating Commissioner Goodell’s appearance at this special event.”
Proceeds from the event benefitted UIW’s athletic scholarship fund.

Pharmacy Class of 2012 honored at White Coat Ceremony

UIW’s Feik School of Pharmacy (FSOP) Class of 2012 acknowledged their commitment to their profession at the 2008 White Coat Ceremony on Sept. 12. The first-year Pharm.D. students donned their white coats and took an oath to provide the best patient care possible. The Feik School of Pharmacy started the professional program three years ago.

Fred S. Brinkley Jr., R.Ph. MBA, and vice president of professional affairs at Medco Health Solutions Inc., spoke to students. Dr. Louis J. Agnese, UIW president, also addressed the Class of 2012, and Dr. Arcelia Johnson-Fannin, the founding dean of the FSOP, emceed the event.

The Class of 2012 consists of 98 students, 78 female and 20 male.

The Feik School of Pharmacy, established in 2006, is the only private school of pharmacy in Texas. The Doctor of Pharmacy program at UIW was awarded candidate accreditation status in June 2007

UIW announces new Virtual University dean

This summer, UIW welcomed a new Virtual University dean. Rita Russ has taken the duties of Dr. Cyndi Wilson Porter, who was promoted to vice president for extended academic programs.

Russ joined UIW’s Virtual University in the Fall 2007 term as director of external operations. She was responsible for locating new opportunities for the university in this highly competitive market. In addition, she was responsible for applying and working through the process for UIW to partner with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force.

Now in her position as dean, she says her semester “is off to a wonderful start.” She credits that in part to the VU professors who are “dedicated to our online student population.” Additionally, Russ says, “Our partnerships with the Navy, Air Force and Army have increased our ability to meet the educational needs of our military service members.”

Russ holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in management from Our Lady of the Lake University. She is pursuing a doctorate in business administration from North Central University located in Prescott, Ariz.

UIW awarded grant for Master of Science in Research Statistics

Dr. Elizabeth Kreston, chair of the Mathematics Department in the UIW School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering, was awarded a grant for $283,819 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hispanic Serving Institutions Development Program. Kreston’s project, the Research Scholars Program, will provide scholarship support to 11 talented but underrepresented or low-income students in UIW’s new Master of Science in Research Statistics degree program.

Research statistics is a specialized subset of the general field of statistics which focuses on applying statistics through the exploration and observation of data from a wide range of disciplines. The UIW-degreed research statistician will be able to design data-gathering models and experiments to provide critical analyses of a problem, draw conclusions and offer solutions. In accordance with the USDA’s goals, the Research Scholars Program will develop graduates who will become active researchers in the fields of agriculture, food industry and research, business and international trade.

UIW will begin accepting applications for both the Research Statistics degree program and the Research Scholars Program in Fall 2009. The new degree program will begin in January 2009.

New garage helps relieve parking problems

UIW celebrated reaching the highest point of construction on the university’s new Alonso Ancira Tower, with a tree topping and beam signing ceremony on July 11. The tower, named for UIW benefactor Alonso Ancira, is scheduled to be completed in fall 2008. The nine-level, 292,000-square foot structure will feature parking for 800 vehicles.

“We are very excited about the newest addition to the campus, the Ancira Tower,” said Dr. Louis Agnese Jr., university president. “As the university continues its rapid expansion due to our tremendous growth in student enrollment, this structure will play a major role in addressing our future parking needs. We are grateful to Alonso Ancira and his family for their friendship and support of Incarnate Word, without which this tower would not have been possible.”

The tree topping ceremony is a tradition that dates back to about 700 A.D. When the highest point of a building is reached, a tree is hoisted atop the building to celebrate the construction reaching the sky without loss of life or serious injury to the workers.

Alonso Ancira is chairman of the board of Altos Hornos de Mexico, the largest steel manufacturing company in Mexico and one of the largest in the world.

Honors Program takes learning to a new level

UIW has begun offering an interdisciplinary Honors Program for students with excellent academic credentials, a love of learning and a desire to make a positive difference in the world. With the university’s Mission as the program’s philosophical foundation, the concepts of social justice and community service are woven throughout the core curriculum and co-curricular programming. The honors experience promotes life-long learning through its rigorous curriculum and by offering students opportunities for research, service learning, study abroad and cultural experiences.

UIW honors students receive an enhanced educational experience through six major components:
1. Advanced, customized courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements
2. Supplemental programming for additional depth to the academic experience
3. One UIW-sponsored mission trip for hands-on learning and community service
4. A travel or study abroad experience
5. Professional development experiences such as internships, mentorships and formal academic presentations
6. A senior year capstone project in the student’s major

Students interested in the UIW Honors Program must meet certain academic criteria, and selected applicants are required to interview with the Honors Council. For details on the UIW Honors Program, visit www.uiw.edu/honors.

UIW community takes time to give back

The university’s 3rd annual Meet the Mission event, held Sept. 12, gave UIW students and faculty members the opportunity to start the fall semester on an uplifting note.
Meet the Mission is a university-wide day of community service and collaboration between faculty and students who reach out to the community at large by providing necessary services to the underserved and the needy. The Mission of service the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word brought to San Antonio in 1881 was the spirit of the day.

Participants teamed up with more than 20 nonprofit agencies including Travis Park Methodist Church, the SAMM Shelter, the Salvation Army, the San Antonio Food Bank and the San Antonio Children’s Shelter. The Cardinal football team sent 28 players to volunteer their services at the San Antonio Food Bank.

Most of the groups used VIA Metropolitan Transit to reach their destinations, which helped the university save on rising gasoline prices and also gave students an opportunity to learn about San Antonio’s public transportation system.

Grant to continue good work at Ministero de Salud

The Health Resources and Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded UIW a three-year grant of approximately $1 million. The partnership for health between St. Philip of Jesus Catholic Church and UIW, called the Ministero de Salud, or Health Ministry, will be able to continue their work in the community because of this grant. The Ministero de Salud, which serves about 900 clients per year, is solely dependent on funding from grants.

“Continuation of the partnership for health between St. Philip of Jesus and UIW gives faculty, students and the community the opportunity to work together to fulfill the university's Mission of service. We all learn together while helping to meet a need that the community has identified: the health needs of the elderly living in the area,” said Dr. Sara Kolb, project director and faculty member in the UIW School of Nursing and Health Professions.

Community celebrates history on Heritage Day

Rain didn’t dampen the spirits of those who joined the events of UIW’s Heritage Day, which celebrates the university’s Mission and rich history.

In line with the Mission, the opening ceremony began with a prayer in the cemetery, the location of the graves of founding Srs. Madeleine Chollet and Pierre Cinquin. Later, the UIW community gathered for a presentation called “Beyond Partisan Politics: Search for the Common Good” given by Alexia Kelley of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. She spoke about Catholic social tradition and values, and the nonpartisan promotion of key issues in relation to the 2008 election year. Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good is committed to creating the necessary conditions for a culture of “life and dignity of the human person over greed, materialism and politics of division.”

At the “Lunch and Listen” event, a variety of foods were offered and university radio station KUIW provided musical entertainment.

Despite the rain, the Mass at the Grotto was celebrated, and those who attended prayed for all employees being honored on Heritage Day for their years of service to the university and the high schools. In the afternoon, more than 70 employees celebrating milestone years of service were honored at the Employee Recognition Ceremony. Dr. Susan Hall, professor in the Dreeben School of Education, and John Lodek, chair of the Interior Environmental Design program, were each recognized for 30 years of service to the university. Afterward, all honorees enjoyed a reception at the Brackenridge Villa.

To close out the day, SGA sponsored a gathering of students and CCVI Sisters in Dubuis Lounge. The benefit was two-fold: students have the opportunity to hear stories about the foundation of UIW, and the Sisters learn about the growth and progress within campus life.

Alumni gather in San Antonio for mixer

More than 50 UIW alumni joined Alumni Association Board President Donna C. Normandin and Head Football Coach Mike Santiago on Aug. 28 for the San Antonio Area Alumni Network Mixer, held at La Hacienda de los Barrios. Santiago spoke to alumni about his coaching staff, which recruited student-athletes focused on academics as well as athletic competition. Door prizes included a UIW autographed football, alumni memorabilia and gift cards donated by Frost Bank. The next alumni mixer in San Antonio will be during Homecoming, Nov. 16-23. Alumni-focused activities will be Nov. 20-23. Sign-up is available up to the day before the event. For more information about Homecoming, visit www.uiwalumni.org/homecoming2008. For more information on all UIW Alumni events, visit www.uiwalumni.org.

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