Exclusively Online – St. Mary’s University Honor Roll of Donors

It is because of St. Mary’s benefactors that the University has realized so many significant achievements and advancements and helped to make a St. Mary’s education available to new generations of St. Mary’s students who might not otherwise be able to experience a Catholic and Marianist education.

The St. Mary’s annual Honor Roll of Donors acknowledes the gifts made during St. Mary’s most recent fiscal year, which runs from June 1 through May 31. Now posted exclusively online, the Honor Roll can be viewed on the St. Mary’s website. The St. Mary’s community thanks all who have helped the University to carry on its mission.

Early Law Admission Program to Begin

Next fall, St. Mary's University will begin offering an early School of Law admission program that will allow qualified undergraduate students to earn both a bachelor's degree and law degree in just six years.

"The program will allow St. Mary’s students to enter law school after completing their third year of undergraduate study," said University President Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D. "The students' first year of law school also completes the final 30 hours of their undergraduate program, so they complete both degrees in six, instead of seven, years. The program offers advantages to motivated, talented students who want to save money by graduating in less time.

"St. Mary’s University and the School of Law are dedicated to developing outstanding professionals with a dedication for service and community in the Catholic and Marianist tradition. This innovative program seeks to attract bright undergraduate students with a strong interest in law school, providing both an incentive to graduate on time and a substantial cost savings for students." "Additionally, the School of Law will have the added benefit of retaining talented St. Mary's students on our campus and preparing them to meet their future career goals," Cotrell said.

Marianist Superior General Featured at CIT Lecture Series

The St. Mary's University Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT) Lecture series, which features men and women who have shaped the Catholic intellectual tradition—a tradition at the heart of the educational enterprises at St. Mary's—began its ninth year this past fall and featured two lectures.

Mark your calendars for the spring CIT presentations:

• Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012, The Very Rev. Manuel Cortes, S.M., Superior General of the Society of Mary, "A Spirituality for Faculty and Staff"
• Wednesday, March 28, 2012, M. Shawn Copeland, Ph.D., "To Be the Body of Christ"

More information about this year's CIT speakers is available online.
Lectures are held at 7 p.m. in the University Center, Conference Room A, and are free and open to the public.

Outdoor Sports Complex Artist’s Rendering

Over the next 15 months the west side of campus will be transformed and when the new St. Mary’s University Outdoor Sports Complex is completed, it will feature a new baseball stadium and a softball and soccer complex. New tennis courts will be added to the four courts that are adjacent to the Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center.

Neiheisel Contributor to Award-winning Book

St. Mary's Professor Steve Neiheisel, Ph.D., is part of the collaborative team that put together Urban Catholic Education: Tales of Twelve American Cities, which recently took the third place book award for history at the Catholic Press Association. The book, written by a dozen scholars and published by the Alliance for Catholic Education Press at the University of Notre Dame, focuses on the history of big city Catholic education, highlighting the unique qualities of parochial education in the largest archdioceses in the United States. Political Science Professor Neiheisel wrote the chapter on San Antonio titled "Latino City Catholicism: Catholic Education in San Antonio."

Fiesta Oyster Bake Reaps Awards

The St. Mary's University Alumni Association's Fiesta Oyster Bake again came away a big winner at the annual Texas Festivals & Events Association (TFEA) conference held in Corpus Christi in early July. The 2011 Oyster Bake – the association's 96th year to sponsor the event – attracted some 70,000 patrons and netted $680,000 for alumni scholarships and programs.

This year, Fiesta Oyster Bake garnered five major awards, including three gold awards in the categories of Best Event to Benefit a Charity, Best Safety/Security Plan, and Best Hat. The festival also earned a silver award for Best Button and a bronze award for Best Social Media Site.

The TFEA is a professional trade association for Texas-based festival and event planners, volunteers and suppliers. The association represents the hundreds of festivals that celebrate the history, legends, culture, art, folklore and natural beauty of the Lone Star State.

Cavazos is San Antonio Rising Star

Since Ramiro Cavazos (M.P.A. '03) accepted St. Mary's President Cotrell's invitation in early 2007 to serve as the first (and, to date, only) chairman of the St. Mary's University Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force, much has changed for him. Cavazos was hired as president and CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC), the oldest Hispanic chamber of commerce in the nation. Chief among SAHCC's goals is to help small, minority and women-owned businesses.

Cavazos was honored by the San Antonio Housing Authority Education Investment Foundation at their 11th Annual Rising Stars Scholarship Banquet for his work in the San Antonio community.

New Videos Showcase Bill Greehey School of Business and School of Law

Alumni are invited to view a new video produced for the Bill Greehey School of Business that highlights the school’s programs, students, faculty and accomplishments.

Graduates of the St. Mary’s University School of Law will enjoy a new video that updates alumni on the current goings-on at the law school.