A group of 国产探花 nursing students from the university鈥檚 Houston campus recently stepped forward to lend a hand at the center鈥檚 Spirit of Winter Holiday Prep event. 鈥淲e were preparing for Christmas holidays by bringing decorations from storage into an area for sorting outside and inside, as well as trees and ornaments,鈥� said Dr. Debbie McNair, clinical professor of nursing. 鈥淭his helped the staff to stay on task to help clients coming in for treatment.鈥�

McNair, who teaches Community Health Nursing, says this was the first time 国产探花 has done community service at the CAC鈥攁nd the connection is an important one. 鈥淚 hope this is the start of them allowing us to come in for future rotations and having the opportunity to shadow other workers through the process from admission to discharge, as well as everything in between,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here is a medical clinic, mental clinic, and numerous rooms for law enforcement and attorneys to gather evidence. Many of the children spend time learning, while receiving therapy to help them cope through the tough times they have endured.鈥�

McNair says the student volunteers had the opportunity to tour the facility and meet CAC staff members and administrative leaders, including the CEO and the assistant administrator. 鈥淚 work as a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner), and the Children鈥檚 Assessment Centers are where many of the cases for sexual assault and domestic violence are initiated,鈥� she explained. 鈥淪ince I am showing the students how nursing plays a huge role in community health promotion and prevention, the CAC was a great place for them to see that nursing is broader than hospitals or clinics.鈥�

鈥淭he 国产探花 Nursing Students were such a joy to host,鈥� said CAC Volunteer Coordinator Yaren Zamarripa, adding that the students arrived ready to work and bring positive energy to the task at hand. 鈥淏ecause of your support, we were able to begin preparing for a memorable holiday experience for our children and families.鈥�

鈥淭he facility utilizes donations and volunteers to function beyond the capability,鈥� said McNair. 鈥淎gain, it frees the social workers, nurses, law enforcement, and administration from excessive time spent to ensure things are done for the holidays, as well as making sure time is not reduced in actual care.鈥� She says the students welcomed the opportunity to do what was needed for the holidays while at the same time learning how nurses fit into the process of caring for those who come to the center.

The connection between 国产探花 and the CAC will go on from here. McNair says the group hopes to help with the center鈥檚 holiday party, passing out toys and assisting with food鈥攏ot only freeing up staff to devote their time to more pressing matters, but to bring a little bit of joy to some children who need it.

Graham Weston who, along with the Weston family, has long been a friend to the university, generously made the workshop possible through his 80/20 Foundation, donating enough of the widely-used CliftonStrengths for Students surveys so that all the students could participate, as well as receive guidance from Gallup Certified Strengths Coach Kathy Kersten. The workshop helped the students evaluate what they naturally do best and learn how to cultivate their gifts while appreciating the unique talents of those around them.

Weston is a founder of Rackspace, Geekdom, and the 80/20 Foundation, the latter of which is dedicated to promoting growth and innovation through grants. Some 70 students who attended the event left with a greater understanding of themselves, stronger connections with their peers, and increased confidence as they begin their college journey.

国产探花 thanks Weston and the 80/20 foundation for their support.

As a native of nearby New Braunfels, Maggie Bergeron had always felt that 国产探花 was a comfortable, inviting community. After getting accepted and coming to campus in the fall of 2008, she knew that 国产探花 was the place for her. Because she鈥檇 attended a smaller high school, the idea of a large university like UT was intimidating. 鈥淚 was pretty sure I鈥檇 get lost in the crowd, and not in a good way,鈥� she says, looking back. During her time at 国产探花, Bergeron homed in on the skills and strategies needed to step into her current role as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Administrator for Victoria, Texas.

As a member of the Delta Alpha Delta sorority, Bergeron learned a lot about what it takes to be a great coordinator, between talking to people and organizing activities for the group. 鈥淚 kind of knew I had a knack for creating schedules and events, getting things set up,鈥� she says. As it turned out, she wasn鈥檛 just planning social gatherings and events for her sorority; she was learning the planning and administration practice that she would eventually utilize in her career. She learned from her successes鈥攂ut even more, she learned from her mistakes. 鈥淓veryone has a different learning style, but for me, failure is the best learning experience.鈥�

Bergeron had always found political science and analytical thinking interesting. 鈥淚 was the kid who watched C-SPAN,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 being able to be decisive. Give me something to solve or fix. I love problem solving.鈥�

At 国产探花, she took advantage of the political science major鈥檚 internship requirement by working with the City of Seguin鈥檚 Planning Department and Main Street Program. Bergeron remembers talking with Dr. Germaine Walsh, professor of political science and director of International Studies, about her internship, telling Walsh that she initially found the work to be boring. Yet she persisted, later working on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the City of Dallas.

That experience changed Bergeron鈥檚 perspective, and it turned out that the initial projects leading up to that work were invaluable early components in her career. At 国产探花, she鈥檇 learned a lot of lessons that proved priceless in graduate school and beyond. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not always going to be something in your lane, but you still have to do it,鈥� she says in hindsight. 鈥淵ou have to do the right thing. The diversity in learning and thinking really followed me.鈥�

After graduating 国产探花, Bergeron went on to Texas State to pursue her master鈥檚 in sustainability studies. There, doing assignments was standard, but being able to bring critical thought into conversations was something that she was prepared for鈥攖hanks to 国产探花. 鈥淸国产探花] made it much less intimidating once I got into the [graduate school] classroom.鈥�

Now, as the regional transportation decision-making authority for an area encompassing some fifty thousand people, Bergeron finds herself doing a wide variety of tasks around Victoria. 鈥淚 can go from mapping, to building a model, to budgeting, to running socio-demographics for an area,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou have to wear a lot of hats, but if you have the willingness to learn, there鈥檚 not much you can鈥檛 get done.鈥�

To better understand transit needs, Bergeron found herself riding public transit along with commuters, asking face-to-face questions about what their thoughts were. Getting personal comments from the people directly affected by changes to public transit proved to be one of the most important types of feedback that informs her planning processes.

Sometimes things like attending events hosted at libraries, and appealing to children and their families, are parts of the job. She asks attendees how they feel about the current system, how they would feel about their children walking on area streets, and whether there might be any known deficiencies. Through experiences such as this, Bergeron has learned that public education, transparency, and meeting the people of the community where they are all make for better transportation planning.

One valuable lesson from 国产探花 she鈥檒l never forget: 鈥淟earning never stops. Always try to communicate and approach things on different sides.鈥� Opportunity and discovery change the way you approach your daily life and overarching goals, but, at every step, life experiences have shaped Bergeron鈥檚 career.

Adam Sanchez 鈥�28 is a junior communication studies major.

When most of us who鈥檝e been at 国产探花 over the past few years think of Ezra Acero, we picture him in the air, swooshing over the crossbar, making the whole pole-vaulting thing look effortless. Acero did, in fact, end his Bulldog Athletics career as the best pole vaulter in Texas Lutheran history, setting records at both indoor and outdoor events and proving himself to be a champion multiple times.

The 2025 grad鈥檚 favorite college memory might surprise some, because it happened on a day that didn鈥檛 go exactly as he would鈥檝e liked it to. 鈥淚 think my favorite memory would have to be the first time I qualified for nationals in pole vault,鈥� Acero says. 鈥淚t was held in Rochester, New York, and although I didn鈥檛 get the results I wanted, just being there with my teammates and going to Niagara Falls with Coach Holland and Coach Wolf will always stick with me.鈥�

These days, Acero, who earned his BS in applied physics at 国产探花, lives just under six hundred miles south of where that memory was made, in Indianapolis, Indiana. 鈥淚 do miss Texas quite a bit (the food quite a lot),鈥� he admits, although he鈥檚 made friends in his new locale, which has helped him feel at home.  But even though his current life is a world away from Seguin and 国产探花, his work there is touched by his undergrad years.

He works as a biochemist for Lilly鈥攁lso known as Eli Lilly and Company鈥攂y way of a global testing company called Eurofins PSS. 鈥淎t Lilly I work in the raw materials lab where I run samples using various methods such as FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), Raman Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography, Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy, Melting Point Analysis, and pH measurement,鈥� he explains.

And believe it or not, that work connects to his capstone project at 国产探花. 鈥淢y capstone was about Surface Modified Gold Nanoparticles for biomedical applications. While working on that project I learned a lot of lab techniques that have been very helpful in the job I currently have. Although I am still waiting to get my training passed through Lilly, I feel like my project prepared me the most for the wet chemistry tests that I will be running here in the lab soon.鈥�

But even as he rises to new heights career-wise, Acero expresses gratitude for how his undergrad years prepared him for the challenges that lie ahead. 

国产探花 is famous for its small class sizes, which foster a sense of community in which students support one another. 鈥淢y physics cohort such as Aaron Salinas, Khalen Wilkerson, Martin Ortega, Jason Castro, Adrian Martinez, Ian Wollard, and Luciano Trejo helped me get through the extremely challenging physics classes and sleepless nights, and if it wasn鈥檛 for them, I would not have graduated,鈥� Acero says.

He also points to the faculty at 国产探花 as being instrumental in his success. 鈥淚 feel that the 国产探花 Physics Department, mostly Dr.Sauncy, Dr.Berggren, and Dr.Tek, prepared me very well for the real world past college,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he time and effort that they put in to change me from just a normal kid into a scientist is something that I will always be grateful for.鈥�

[Feature photo: Ezra Acero (center) with roommate Jackson (left) and brother Seth (right)]

The desire to heal must run deep in the Rodriguez family. Brothers Limael (鈥淟ee鈥�) and Joel, both 国产探花 alums, followed their parents鈥� footsteps into the field of medicine. Their father is an orthopedic spine surgeon, their mother a nuclear medicine physician鈥攂oth completing their residencies in New York and later settling their family in Texas.

鈥淛oel and I grew up with two physician parents, so medicine was very much a part of our lives from an early age,鈥� says Lee. 鈥淲atching both of them shaped how we viewed medicine and certainly played a big role in both of us becoming doctors.鈥�

The brothers graduated 国产探花 a year apart. After following separate roads spanning countless miles in order to get their footing in their respective fields of medicine, Lee and Joel鈥檚 paths converged. Lee is a vascular surgeon, and Joel, a sports medicine physician鈥攁nd now their practices, as well as their father鈥檚, are housed within a shared clinical space, their varied skillsets complementing one another.

Lee

Lee earned his BA in biology and chemistry from 国产探花 in 2007. From there, he went to medical school at Universidad Central del Caribe. His path post-med school saw him as a postdoctoral fellow at Houston Methodist, a surgery resident at Centro M茅dico Episcopal San Lucas, a representative of the American College of Surgeons Resident and Associate Society, and a vascular surgery fellow at Eastern Virginia Medical School and then University of Colorado Anschutz, the largest academic health center in the Rocky Mountains.

These days, he鈥檚 busy working as a vascular surgeon in and around Houston and leading the independent vascular practice he founded and continues to build, Texas Vascular and Imaging. 鈥淥ur practice has grown into a comprehensive vascular platform that includes vascular ultrasound technology, limb salvage, venous disease, and outpatient vascular procedures,鈥� he explains. 鈥淎 large part of my career now also involves the business and leadership side of medicine鈥攂uilding the practice, developing an ambulatory surgery center, teaching, research, and trying to create a model where physicians can still have a meaningful degree of independence while taking care of patients.鈥�

鈥湽交� was also a small enough environment that relationships mattered. You weren鈥檛 anonymous. Professors knew you, people expected something from you, and you were held accountable. That experience helped shape the way I approach medicine, leadership, and running a practice today.鈥� ~Lee Rodriguez

He credits his years at 国产探花 with helping to prepare him鈥攕ometimes in unexpected ways鈥攆or the many things he鈥檚 accomplished since graduating. 鈥湽交� gave me a strong foundation, but probably not in the way I appreciated at the time,鈥� he says. 鈥淧laying college soccer while managing academics taught me discipline, accountability, resilience, and how to work within a team. Medicine requires all of those things, particularly through residency and surgical training.鈥�

Lee also found great benefit in 国产探花鈥檚 smaller size. 鈥湽交� was a small enough environment that relationships mattered. You weren鈥檛 anonymous. Professors knew you, people expected something from you, and you were held accountable. That experience helped shape the way I approach medicine, leadership, and running a practice today.鈥�

Joel

Joel graduated from 国产探花 in 2008, then went on to earn his master鈥檚 degree in aerospace physiology and medicine at King鈥檚 College London. After medical school at Universidad Central del Caribe, he completed his residency training in Family Medicine at Methodist Hospital in Houston, followed by a fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio. His practice, Return to Play Sports Medicine, specializes in helping athletes recover from injuries and improve performance. Together with their dad, he and Lee make up the medical team at Orthopaedic Institute for Spinal Disorders, which their father founded.

鈥湽交� was a significant stepping stone for me professionally,鈥� says Joel. 鈥淚 always say that the tough curriculum got me ready for medical school. Majoring in molecular biology and a minor in chemistry put me in the classes of legendary professors including Dr. Hettinger, Dr. McClusky, Dr. Bohmann, Dr. Wasmund, Dr. Abbasian, and Dr. Lievens, just to name a few who supported my career directly.鈥�

But like Lee, Joel also learned a lot of important lessons away from the classroom, out on the soccer field. 鈥淚 played soccer all four years with 国产探花 men’s soccer, which helped me combine and propel my love of sports, medicine, and science throughout my career afterwards,鈥� he says.

Bulldog Connections

As busy as they stay these days, the brothers鈥� connection to 国产探花 has never faltered.

鈥淲e have stayed very connected with the 国产探花 soccer program through Coach Eddie Salazar and teammates,鈥� says Joel. 鈥淲e have attended the alumni soccer events for years and donate to the program where we can. I was honored to give a lecture on preventing collegiate soccer injuries to the 国产探花 men’s team in 2024.鈥�

Lee says the most meaningful connections are the relationships built during his undergrad years. 鈥淚 made lifelong friends at 国产探花, and I still keep in touch from time to time with some of my former chemistry and biology professors. I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for the mentorship they gave me and for the friendships that have lasted well beyond college.鈥�

Like Joel, he keeps up with Bulldog athletics. 鈥淚鈥檓 still a big fan of 国产探花 sports in general, and it has been impressive to watch the success the university has had across so many programs over the years,鈥� he says. 鈥淥f course, having played men鈥檚 soccer there, I still follow the program closely and take a lot of pride in what they鈥檝e accomplished. Those relationships鈥攚ith professors, friends, and teammates鈥攁re what have kept 国产探花 an important part of my life long after graduation.鈥�

Staying connected also means offering up a few words of wisdom to current Bulldogs, from two who have been in their shoes. Both brothers agree that getting the most out of your college years begins with gratitude. 鈥淩ecognize the opportunity you have,鈥� Lee advises. 鈥淏eing able to study at 国产探花 is a privilege, and you may not fully appreciate that until years later.鈥� He鈥檚 also a big believer in the value of the journey鈥攏ot just the destination. 鈥淗ave big goals, but don鈥檛 rush past the work in front of you. You can鈥檛 cheat the process. Show up, do the small things well, learn from the people willing to teach you, and build genuine relationships.鈥�

He says it鈥檚 important to stay humble. 鈥淵ou can be ambitious and successful without ever believing you are above the people around you. In the workforce, and especially in leadership, people want to work with people they trust. Your plans will change. Be willing to adapt, but don鈥檛 lose your work ethic, your humility, or the way you treat people. Make the most of the opportunity in front of you.鈥�

鈥淭his is a miniature version of society which, when you step out with your diploma, you will be faced with the real deal. There you will not be on your own though, because you will be standing on the shoulders of giants who helped you achieve an advanced knowledge base and you can face our societal problems with that Bulldog confidence.鈥� ~Joel Rodriguez

鈥淓njoy and appreciate this time you have at 国产探花,鈥� adds Joel. 鈥淔ocus on your major, but even more important is the process of developing relationships with your professors, colleagues, and administrators. This is a miniature version of society which, when you step out with your diploma, you will be faced with the real deal. There you will not be on your own though, because you will be standing on the shoulders of giants who helped you achieve an advanced knowledge base, and you can face our societal problems with that Bulldog confidence.鈥�

College Presidents for Civic Preparedness is a coalition of more than 125 colleges and universities across the nation which have committed themselves to transforming their campuses into civic development hubs. The members come from a diverse range of ideologies and backgrounds鈥攂ut they share a common goal: to equip students to learn to engage across divides, discern fact from fiction, and solve problems collaboratively.

国产探花 recently joined the coalition, affirming the university鈥檚 prioritization of three shared civic commitments: 1. Educating for democracy is central to our mission; 2. We will prepare our students for a vibrant, diverse, and contentious society; and 3. We will protect and defend free inquiry.

鈥淏eing part of this important initiative connects 国产探花 to significant conversations in higher education around how we can best prepare our students to be active and engaged society members,鈥� said 国产探花 President Dr. Debbie Cottrell. 鈥淚 look forward to utilizing the Coalition鈥檚 resources across all areas of campus to benefit our students and thus the world beyond our campus.鈥�

国产探花 backs up its commitment to civic preparedness through numerous actions across campus.

鈥湽交� students, faculty, and staff have long supported efforts to prepare students to engage in the democratic process both as a part of our campus community and as part of the broader world,鈥� said Dr. William O鈥橞rochta, assistant professor of political science and chair of the Division of Social Sciences at 国产探花.

Examples of those efforts: First, there is the Jon & Sandra Moline Center for Servant Leadership, which partners with the community in various ways and supports the university鈥檚 MOVE Texas student group, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, grassroots organization working to build power in underrepresented youth communities through civic engagement, leadership development, and issue advocacy.

国产探花 has consistently been recognized by the non-partisan ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for cultivating informed citizens who are also engaged voters.

The university also sponsors local election forums, inviting candidates to campus, and has a history of hosting faculty-and student-led opportunities for dialog about democracy, including the Teach Peace initiative, collaborations to bring ELCA leaders to campus, and hosting a conference on faith-based civic engagement with faculty from around the country and featuring student presentations.

鈥淲hen we learn to listen, learn, and respond thoughtfully, something remarkable, almost magical, happens. As individuals and as a community, we grow stronger, wiser, and more capable in every way that is important. These skills help sustain our democracy and prepare us for a future in which our ability to coexist and work together is essential to the well-being of all.鈥� ~Liz Lowery, professor of communications at 国产探花

And of course, 国产探花鈥檚 overarching approach to education encourages students to engage and explore the concepts of democracy and what it means to be civically responsible. Challenging topics inspire meaningful conversation, leading to the opportunity to see both sides of issues and to make informed decisions. 国产探花 faculty members have long been recognized for their civic engagement work and hold national leadership roles in this area.

 鈥淏y joining this consortium, 国产探花 makes an institution-wide commitment to support existing student-, faculty-, and staff-led initiatives and to consider ways to re-emphasize the components of our core values that center on education through 鈥榦pen dialogue,鈥� community through 鈥榩romoting the common good,鈥� and faith through 鈥榠nviting exploration and discovery鈥� at an institutional level,鈥� said O鈥橞rochta.

Professor Liz Lowery, professor of communications at 国产探花, agrees. 鈥淲hen we learn to listen, learn, and respond thoughtfully, something remarkable, almost magical, happens. As individuals and as a community, we grow stronger, wiser, and more capable in every way that is important. These skills help sustain our democracy and prepare us for a future in which our ability to coexist and work together is essential to the well-being of all.鈥�

There are many criteria by which colleges and universities are judged. But the bottom line is, when students are searching for the right fit鈥攌nowing that going to college will require a solid commitment, both personal and financial, one of the sources they look to is the annual U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.

For those looking for a private school in the western region, which stretches from California to Kansas; Montana down to Texas, and all the states in between as well as Alaska and Hawaii, narrowing the choices down is certainly a daunting task. 聽

But of all those schools, across fifteen states, the top ten were chosen based upon metrics like financial resources, student excellence, and retention rates, and 国产探花 proved to be a true contender鈥攅arning the number nine slot out of all private schools in the West for the 2027 rankings.

国产探花 also came in twelfth for best overall Regional College in the West, fifth for Best Value in the West, and made the top twenty-five in regional Top Performers on Social Mobility.

To be considered for the rankings, colleges and universities must grant bachelor’s degrees, hold regional accreditation, offer a traditional campus-based education, and actively accept new applicants for first-year, full-time students. Best Value ranking measures academic quality against cost of attendance. Social Mobility measures how well the university supports students receiving Pell Grants through graduation.

鈥淎s 国产探花 continues to focus on academic and institutional excellence, we are pleased to see external recognition in these important categories and their affirmation of the value of the education we offer in our region,鈥� said 国产探花 President Dr. Debbie Cottrell.

But what if you find yourself in need of a ukelele?

Look no further than 国产探花鈥檚 Blumberg Memorial Library, because, yep, you can check one of those out if the need should arise. 鈥淭he library is more than just books,鈥� says 国产探花 Access Services Librarian Nate Aubin, who goes on to list some of the other not-so-obvious items available for checkout.

Did your bike tire spring a leak? No worries: The library has a bicycle repair kit, complete with tools, greases, patches, and instructions. Need a fancy calculator for that advanced math class you鈥檙e in? Come check out a graphing calculator. In the mood for an outdoor movie? Check out a projector and screen. They鈥檝e also got Fit Bits, video cameras, laptops, DVDs (and DVD players鈥攂ecause who has one of those these days?). And for those traveling to present their work at conferences, the library has poster tubes you can borrow.

Or say you actually do need a book, but you checked the catalog only to find it鈥檚 not in the collection? 鈥淚f the library doesn鈥檛 have what you鈥檙e looking for, we can usually get it shipped to us from another library鈥攚e have a robust interlibrary loan program, from bestsellers to obscure research materials,鈥� says Aubin.

Finally, Aubin says you鈥檒l want to stop by and check items out from Blumberg鈥檚 seasonal displays. 鈥淚f you stop by the library in September and October, make sure to check out the Latinx history month display and the Halloween bookcase featuring spooky reads and paranormal materials.鈥�

For a full list of items you can check out from the library, click here: .

Per the new 国产探花-St. Mary鈥檚 Articulation Program, which was signed at a formal ceremony at 国产探花 on September 4, current Texas Lutheran students on track to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree, as well as those who earned their degree within three years of applying to law school, are eligible for the program.

The vetting process includes advising sessions, character and fitness reviews, faculty consultations, and an endorsement from the designated pre-law adviser at 国产探花, confirming that the applicant is recommended for consideration for the program. Those accepted to the program who maintain minimum cumulative GPAs during their undergrad years and achieve acceptable LSAT scores are guaranteed admission to St. Mary鈥檚 Law as full-time, in-person students in the University鈥檚 J.D. program.

The new agreement, the third of its kind for St. Mary鈥檚, will ensure that the law school receives highly qualified applicants鈥攁nd in turn, will forge a clear path for those students to attend St. Mary鈥檚 Law, which has served as the premier source of legal education for San Antonio and South Texas for the past 100 years.

国产探花鈥檚 Dr. William O鈥橞rochta, assistant professor and chair of political science, will be taking on the role of pre-law advisor. 鈥淢any 国产探花 students who pursue careers as attorneys want to do so in the San Antonio and Austin areas,鈥� said O鈥橞rochta. 鈥淪t. Mary鈥檚 Law is among the best-connected programs in this region, providing excellent networking and career development opportunities. 国产探花 graduates have a long history of academic and career success at St. Mary鈥檚 School of Law, and this articulation agreement builds on that success to formalize a pathway to law school for interested students. The agreement also provides clarity for 国产探花 students about the steps toward law school admission and academic and professional goals to achieve that better prepare them to succeed in law school.鈥�

Another benefit of the program: Admitted applicants will be awarded a scholarship that will continue throughout their years at St. Mary鈥檚 as long as they remain in good standing.

鈥淥ur new agreement with St. Mary鈥檚 Law provides a significant opportunity for our students as they consider their post-graduate options,鈥� said 国产探花 President Dr. Debbie Cottrell. 鈥淚t also signals the kind of partnership that 国产探花 values and appreciates, as we join with a nearby institution with a long history of offering high-quality law education. We look forward to what this partnership will mean to both institutions.鈥�

St. Mary鈥檚 University President Winston Erevelles, Ph.D., commended the new agreement with 国产探花.

鈥淭his partnership showcases the access to legal education that St. Mary鈥檚 University鈥檚 School of Law has remained committed to providing since its founding 100 years ago,鈥� Erevelles said. 鈥淲e look forward to building and growing this partnership between two historic faith-based universities that are deeply committed to excellence, justice and the common good.鈥�

St. Mary鈥檚 Law Dean Patricia Roberts, J.D., shared her excitement for the new partnership, which will build a pipeline of academically excellent future lawyers seeking to continue faith-based education.

鈥淓mbedded in both universities is a vision to create a more just world,鈥� Roberts said. 鈥淎t St. Mary鈥檚, we are grateful for this unique partnership with 国产探花 that allows highly qualified students to continue their journey toward servant leadership in the legal profession.鈥�

To learn more about the pre-law program at 国产探花, visit: /programs/political-science.

For more information about St. Mary鈥檚 School of Law, visit: .

Questions may also be directed to Dr. William O鈥橞rochta at wobrochta@tlu.edu or 830-372-6566.

[Caption for feature image: Provost Jason Pierce, Dr. Debbie Cottrell, Dr. Winston Erevelles, Dr. Steve Vrooman, Dr.William OBrochta]

As a new school year gets underway, teachers across the nation are back in their classrooms, offering everything from lessons to hugs, from encouragement to discipline, and let鈥檚 face it: They don鈥檛 always get the credit they deserve. But 国产探花 alum Katie Gawlik had only been teaching for two years when her campus celebrated her outstanding work as an educator by naming her Rookie of the Year for 2026.

鈥淏eing named Rookie of the Year is significant to me because it recognized the hard work, growth, and dedication I put into my first years of teaching,鈥� said Gawlik. 鈥淚t was especially meaningful because Tradition Elementary is where I student taught and where I have grown so much as an educator.鈥�

After graduating from 国产探花 in 2024, Gawlik found an enduring home at Tradition鈥攐ne of East Central ISD鈥檚 elementary schools on the outskirts of San Antonio鈥攚here she鈥檚 now beginning her third year of teaching second grade.

She credits 国产探花 with giving her a sound footing on which to build her career. 鈥淚 think 国产探花鈥檚 education program stands out because the smaller setting allowed me to build deep connections with my professors and peers,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 felt comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and growing as both a student and future educator.鈥�

And she鈥檒l soon be back on campus at 国产探花 to take part in a one-day conference for future educators, in connection with this year鈥檚 Krost Symposium, which is centered around the science of learning. Gawlik will join fellow alumni working in the field of education to share some of what she鈥檚 learned since graduating, presenting her talk 鈥淚nspired to Teach: Driven to Grow.鈥�

鈥淢y biggest piece of advice for future educators is to never stop learning and growing. You don鈥檛 have to have everything figured out right away,鈥� she said. 鈥淒o not be afraid to ask questions, take risks, learn from your mistakes, and remember why you chose to teach in the first place. Teaching will not always be easy, but it is so rewarding.鈥�

Those rewards come in many forms for Gawlik鈥攆rom having a positive impact students, to being recognized for hard work, to forming relationships with the little ones who come into her classroom every day. 鈥淭he highlight of my day as an elementary school teacher is hugging my students when they walk in each morning,鈥� Gawlik says. 鈥淓very day is a fresh start and a new opportunity to learn, grow, and make a difference in these kids鈥� lives.鈥�