Ph.D., University of North Texas
M.A., St. Mary's University
B.A., University of Texas at San Antonio
Courses taught:

• Causes of War
• International Relations
• National Security
• Political Research Methods
• Political Violence
• Understanding Politics
• U.S. Foreign Policy

Ph.D., University of Arizona
M.A., St. Mary's University
B.A., St. Mary's University

Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D., was selected by the University's Board of Trustees as St. Mary's first lay president in the school's proud history that dates back to 1852.

Cotrell, who stepped down from the presidency May 31, 2012, to return to teaching and scholarship, has held many positions during his more than 45 year at St. Mary’s, serving as department chair, director of graduate programs, dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, assistant to the president for planning and research, and vice president of academic affairs for 14 years.

His top priorities as president included: a commitment to service learning and civic engagement (which resulted in numerous national recognitions); recruitment and retention of top students; strengthening the Catholic and Marianist tradition of St. Mary's; advancing the academic mission, especially in information technologies and new academic programs; maintaining a diverse student body, faculty and administration; and increasing the general endowment for essential needs, including student scholarships and faculty development.

Cotrell received his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from St. Mary's in 1962 and 1964, respectively, and earned a doctorate in political science from the University of Arizona in 1970. He began teaching at St. Mary’s in 1966.

A tenured professor in political science, Cotrell is well known for his expertise on issues involving elections systems and minority participation. He has been a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice on these issues, and he is the author of numerous articles in professional journals. He has presented his research on Capitol Hill regarding federal voting rights cases.

Promoting St. Mary's as a premiere Catholic and Marianist liberal arts institution by advancing academic excellence was one of Cotrell's priorities a president. Accomplishments included: acquiring academic chairs; establishing partnerships with The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio and with multiple educational institutions abroad; developing hubs of scholarship and leadership development; and implementing academic innovations for students. He secured federal funding for information technology that transformed traditional classrooms into "smart" learning laboratories, wired the campus, and ensured faculty and staff are trained in the newest teaching technologies.

Under his leadership, the University’s physical plant was enhanced, including openings of numerous facilities and completion of several campus beautification projects. His hopes for St. Mary's future resulted in a comprehensive Facilities Master Plan, elements of which were completed or in progress at the end of his presidency. In addition, he launched the St. Mary’s University Neighborhood Revitalization Project that led to many improvements to the neighborhoods surrounding the University.

Cotrell was instrumental in raising more than $100 million during his presidency, including the University's largest single gift of $25 million from former Valero Chairman and St. Mary's alum Bill Greehey. In addition, more than 100 endowed scholarships for students were added, and the University’s endowment grew to the highest level in the history of St. Mary’s.

Among his honors, Cotrell received the Marianist Heritage Award, the University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Henry B. Gonzalez Hispanic Achievement Award from the St. Mary's Hispanic Law Alumni Association, the Thomas More Award from the School of Law, and he was inducted into the St. Mary's Athletics Hall of Fame. He received the Career Achievement Award from the American Political Science Association, and the Brotherhood Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice. Cotrell received the Albert Pena Lifetime Achievement award as one of the founders of the Mexican American Unity Council and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Bexar County Commissioners Court presented him with its prestigious Hidalgo Award for his contributions to education and to the community.

His involvement in education and community organizations is widespread, including president of the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference; chair of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas; and member of the U.S. Department of Education/Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Leadership Group.

Ph.D., London School of Economics and Political Science, 1971
M.S.W., Our Lady of the Lake University, 1978
M.A., University of Miami (Ohio), 1965
B.S., Ohio State University. 1964
Courses taught:

• Causes of War and Sustainable Human Development
• Ethical Issues in International Relations
• International Conflict Resolution
• International Relations Theory

Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, December 2003
M.A., University of California, Irvine, 2000
B.A. Political Science with German minor, CA State University, Fullerton, 1993
Dr. Celine A. Jacquemin was born and raised in France. Dr Celine, as her students call her, is an Associate Professor in Political Science and is currently serving as Associate Dean for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on international response to genocide and to patterns of human rights violations.

Her expertise covers parts of Europe and the Great Lakes of Africa where she more closely studies Rwanda. A constructivist by training, she is developing a new framework that can further help us understand what makes it 'easy' for people to violate the rights of others in order to educate for the respect of human rights. She is expanding her focus to the case of Darfur in the Sudan. This is how she has come to "Researching the Road to Peace" where she makes ground breaking conclusions.

She also serves as a pro-bono expert witness for political asylum cases often linked to female genital mutilation and rape with the St Mary's University Center for Legal and Social Justice.

She co-authored a chapter with Alison Brysk "Bridging Borders for Human Rights" in Transnational Civil Society published by Kumarian Press in 2006. In November 2008, she published "Allied against all odds to fight genocide: How far has the US come?" in Revista Espaco Academico. In April 2010, she published "Female Genital Cutting: shattering the debate yet still violating human rights" also in Revista Espaco Academico.

Eva Bueno, Ph.D., and Celine Jacquemin, Ph.D., were published in the latest Revista Espaco Academico. Read both articles online here.

Ph.D., Washington University, 1990
M.B.A., Xavier University, 1982
B.A., Xavier University, 1981

Area of interest: Leadership, Non-Profit Organizations, Catholic Education

Neiheisel is an award-winning lecturer, internationally published writer, and national leader in civic education.

Courses taught:

• American National Goverment
• Business Government and the Public
• Leadership and Organizations
• Nonprofit Management

Recent Awards

2012 - La Salle Pillar Distinguished Alumni Award, 2011 - Contributing author to the Catholic Press Associations third place in history award winning edited volume Urban Catholic Education, publshed by Alliance for Catholic Education Press, Notre Dame University, 2010, Tom Hunt and Tim Walch editors, with his piece entitled Latino City Catholicism: Catholic Education in San Antonio

Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 1995
M.A., Georgetown University, 1983
B.A., University of Virginia, 1981
Courses taught:

• Applied Research Methods
• International Political Economy
• Scope and Methods in International Relations
• Theories on the Causes of War
• Understanding Politics

Ph.D., University of Florida, 1983 M.A., University of Texas, 1975 B.A., University of South Carolina, 1972

Born in New Jersey, Gerald E. Poyo grew up in Bogot , Colombia; Caracas, Venezuela; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a graduate student he studied Latin American and U.S. Latino history. He worked as a research associate and curator at the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio before taking a faculty position at Florida International University in Miami in 1990. From 1992-1996 he occupied the O'Connor Chair in the Study of Spanish Colonial Texas and the Southwest at St. Mary's University and then accepted a position in the Department of History. Poyo is currently Chair of the History Department and teaches courses in colonial and modern Latin American history as well as U.S. ethnic and immigration history and the history of Latino communities in the United States.

M.A., St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas, 1976
M.T. (Master of Theology), Southern Methodist University, 1963
B.A., Southwestern University, 1960

Roy Robbins, Ph.D., has extensive experience in municipal governments in Texas and Virginia. He wrote first successful application for funding of a Public Works Impact Project for San Antonio, Texas. Approved by EDA to act as Economic Development Coordinator for City of San Antonio. He has also planned comprehensive human service programs including projects in health, welfare, crime reduction, youth activities, community development, education, manpower, and equal employment opportunities.

He is a member of the Association for Social Economics and the Southwest Association of Pre-Law Advisers.

Ph.D., The University of Florida, 1977
M.A., The University of Florida
B.A. , American University (School of International Service), 1963

Alejandro Velez is a professor of economics at St. Mary's and Director of the Latin American Studies Program. He teaches and researches in international economics and international business.

Dr. Velez is active in professional and business organizations concerned with international trade and business, including the San Antonio World Trade Association, the Academy of International Business, and the Latin American Studies Association. He can be heard and seen in TV and radio programs including the Voice of Americas, KTSA, Univision and Catholic Television of San Antonio. He regularly appears both English and Spanish newspapers. He frequently writes for scholarly publications and has published a chapter on NAFTA through MacMillan Press of the United Kingdom.

Dr. Velez was born in Colombia and has lived and worked in Mexico, Venezuela and Austria. He has conducted several seminars abroad, including a program on maquiladoras for the Long Term Credit Bank of Japan in Tokyo.