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.

鈥淎ll the things that we marvel at as humans鈥攍anguage, reading, and even competitive sports鈥攊nvolve the combination and recombination of smaller pieces that become the greater whole.鈥� Dr. Arturo Hernandez, keynote speaker for this year鈥檚 Krost Symposium at 国产探花, knows a thing or two about how we learn. In his book, Mastery, he digs deep into how new skills bloom鈥攚hether those skills fall within the realm of learning to play chess, learning to ice skate, learning to speak a language, play a musical instrument, or anything in between.

It is this process of learning, of harnessing the power of the human mind to reach toward mastery, that will be the focus of this year鈥檚 symposium.

Hernandez is an author, professor of psychology at the University of Houston, and winner of the Wilhelm Bessel Research Award and a Fulbright Global Scholar award. His keynote speech, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, at 7 p.m. in Jackson Auditorium, will examine the process of mastery and will be followed by a book signing and meet-and-greet. This event will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.

Wednesday鈥檚 events also include a Chapel Talk with 国产探花鈥檚 Dr. Luigi Pe帽aranda, EdD Program Director in Interdisciplinary Leadership and Associate Professor of Leadership Studies, at 10 a.m. in the Chapel of the Abiding Presence on campus. Dr. Pe帽aranda will discuss the concept of metanoia鈥攁 profound change of heart, mind, or worldview.

That afternoon, all are welcome to join a Zoom session with Dr. Molly Gebrian entitled 鈥淟earn Faster, Perform Better,鈥� which is specifically aimed at the process of learning within the realm of music. Dr. Gebrian is a professional violist with a background in cognitive neuroscience. Guests can join the session via a link provided on the 国产探花 website.

The symposium continues the following day, Thursday, October 1, with a panel discussion on the learning process with Dr. Arturo Hernandez, Dr. Veronica Yan, 国产探花 alum McKay Bloxham, and Dr. Sandy Kimbrough. That takes place at 9:30 a.m. in Wupperman Little Theatre, located in Schuech Fine Arts Center. A link to the livestream will be available on the 国产探花 website.

Next on Thursday鈥檚 agenda is a lunch-and-learn session at 11:45 a.m. on the science of successful learning with Dr. Veronica Yan, associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. That talk, 鈥淭he Science of Successful Learning,鈥� takes place in the Student Activity Center in Jackson Park, across from Bulldog Stadium. Pizza will be served on a first come, first served basis.

Thursday will end with a movie night鈥攆eaturing a classic film about learning new things, The Karate Kid. That begins at 7 p.m. at Wupperman Little Theatre and will be MCed by 国产探花 Professor, Dr. Casi Helbig and 国产探花 alum McKay Bloxham.

On Friday, October 2, the symposium will wrap up with an Anti-Masterclass with Dr. Gebrian. The public is invited to join via Zoom at 2:30 p.m.

Links to this and all other events with virtual options can be found here: /krost-symposium/.

All of these events are free and open to the public.

鈥淗.O.T. Dogs Day (Helping Others Together) is important because it brings the heart of servant leadership to life,鈥� said Dr. Pamela Ray, 国产探花 director of service learning and the Jon & Sandra Moline Center for Servant Leadership. 鈥淥ur students are not simply volunteering for a few hours; they are building relationships, learning about the needs of our neighbors, and discovering how their time and talents can make a meaningful difference. At the same time, our community partners help educate our students in ways that extend beyond the classroom. It is a true partnership鈥敼交� serving alongside our community, learning together, and strengthening the place we all call home.鈥�

H.O.T. Dogs Day serves as a reminder that while one person can do a lot, when people join together, they can make a huge difference. Nearly two hundred 国产探花 students woke up early on Saturday, September 19, and headed out to give their time and efforts for a morning of service at ten different community partner sites throughout Seguin and the surrounding community.

They took on a variety of projects at local nonprofits鈥攑laces like Emanuel鈥檚 Lutheran Church鈥檚 Garden of Eatin鈥�, LULAC Community Garden, and Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church. They pitched in with the popular 鈥淐lean with the Dean鈥� project right on the 国产探花 campus.  

鈥淪tudents also worked with Community Cycles, which repairs and restores bicycles for members of the community, also at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church; supported seniors at Eden Court Senior Apartments; volunteered with Trails End Animal Rescue in New Braunfels; and partnered with Habitat for Humanity on a wall build for a local residence,鈥� said Ray.

They spent their morning weeding and planting, painting and cleaning, repairing and building鈥攊n short, helping.

鈥淭ogether, these projects reflected the fall 2026 theme, 鈥楻ise and Shine Through Service,鈥� demonstrating how Bulldogs can make a tangible impact while developing a deeper understanding of community, service, and servant leadership,鈥� said Ray.

鈥淲e truly could not have accomplished the scope of this work without their service and support,鈥� said Natalia Almquist, who is a member of the congregation at Emanuel鈥檚 Lutheran Church and serves on the church鈥檚 council as well as the Emanuel鈥檚 Lutheran Day School council, in addition to her role as marketing generalist at 国产探花. 鈥淭hese students were not there because they had to be. They showed up with heart, determination, and a genuine willingness to serve. Their work ethic was exceptional, and they consistently went above and beyond what was expected. Their efforts made a meaningful and lasting impact, and we are sincerely thankful for the time, energy, and care they invested in our church and community.

国产探花 has been organizing fall and spring days of service for the past twenty years, carrying forward a legacy of giving back, and turning out students who take to heart the value of serving others.

国产探花鈥檚 Bulldog Investment Company Speaker Series kicks off this fall on Homecoming weekend, with a talk by Cindy Sightes, former England-based senior vice president and chief financial officer of HCA International.

HCA is one of the nation鈥檚 leading providers of healthcare services, comprised of 189 hospitals and approximately 2,600 sites of care across nineteen states and the United Kingdom.

Other touchpoints in Sightes鈥檚 career include almost twelve years as CFO of St. David鈥檚 Healthcare, and seven as Division CFO for HCA in Austin.

Sightes brings a wealth of experience to the table, and all are invited to attend her talk, which will be held in Dunne Conference Center in Tschoepe Hall at 1 p.m. on Friday, October 2.

To learn more about Bulldog Investment Company, click here: .

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: .

Back in the spring of 2024, 国产探花 organized its own chapter of the society, naming it Alpha Mu Psi, and less than two years later, the national branch had taken notice. Alpha Mu Psi won a Best Chapter Award for 2024鈥�25. And now, only a year later, history is repeating itself: Alpha Mu Psi has been named a Best Chapter once again for 2025鈥�26.

鈥淭o graduate and know that the work I along with my peers and advisor put in will continue to benefit future students is something I am incredibly proud of,鈥� said 国产探花 alum Allegra Negrete 鈥�26, who graduated in May with a degree in political science. Negrete served as president of Alpha Mu Psi from 2024 to 2026. 鈥淚 am glad that our organization has been recognized, and I hope that it continues to grow and be recognized in the future.鈥�

Dr. William O鈥橞rochta, assistant professor of political science at 国产探花, serves as faculty advisor to the organization.

鈥淧rofessor O’Brochta should be recognized for his extraordinary leadership and dedication to the students who are members of the chapter,鈥� said Dr. Tanya B. Schwarz, executive director of Pi Sigma Alpha. 

Alpha Mu Psi is one of six chapters based at institutions similar in size to 国产探花 to be honored with a Best Chapter distinction, out of over 830 Pi Sigma Alpha chapters across the nation. Pi Sigma Alpha鈥檚 overarching mission is to stimulate scholarship and intellectual interest in political science鈥攚hich perfectly complements Alpha Mu Psi鈥檚 goals of recognizing students for their outstanding achievement in political science and providing members with scholarship, networking, and publication opportunities. 鈥淲e were impressed with the chapter鈥檚 achievements in developing activities promoting undergraduate research, especially given the significant challenges faculty and students around the country continue to face,鈥� said Schwarz.

Alpha Mu Psi works closely in conjunction with 国产探花鈥檚 student-led CIVIC (Creating InVolved Individuals and Communities) Club. Both organizations are dedicated to strengthening a sense of community among students, providing resources for vocational discernment and career development, and recognizing exceptional student work.

Qualifying for membership in Pi Sigma Alpha at 国产探花 entails demonstrating academic excellence in political science, sociology, and geography courses while maintaining a high overall grade point average. Membership carries with it the benefits of belonging to a national organization, along with scholarship and professional development opportunities.

鈥淢embership in Pi Sigma Alpha is our highest academic honor in political science, sociology, and geography,鈥� said O鈥橞rochta. 鈥淎s a result, our departments pay the financial costs of joining so that students join for free. We want all students who meet the requirements to be recognized and to be able to join without hesitation.鈥�

To learn more about 国产探花鈥檚 political science program and its award-winning chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, click here.

On August 25, 国产探花 kicked off its 136^th academic year with its traditional opening academic convocation ceremony. The event featured remarks from 国产探花 President Dr. Debbie Cottrell, Seguin Council Member Jim Lievens, and 国产探花 Student Government Association President Justin Friedman.

The audience also heard from Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Steven Vrooman, Chair of the 国产探花 Board of Regents Mike Washington 鈥�77, and the Rev. Dr. Wes Cain, campus pastor and director of Community Engagement and Mission.

This year, 国产探花 welcomes more than 350 new students, including freshmen and transfers. In addition, there is a whole new crop of graduate students, both online and in-person, as well as nursing students who will attend classes on the university鈥檚 New Braunfels and Houston campuses.