Spring 2017
Her Own Boss
When she was a little girl, Chantel Avila (B.B.A. ’15) wanted to be a lawyer like the character Elle Woods in the movie Legally Blonde. But Avila didn’t want to be a lawyer — she just really loved the character’s extensive wardrobe. At age 9, Avila asked her mom to buy her a sketch pad that she quickly filled with drawings of clothing designs.
Alumna sets the stage for Super Bowl LI
Erica Baum (B.S. ’96) always dreamed of doing something bigger than herself — she just didn’t realize how literal that might be.
Center helps small businesses jump-start growth
After 12 years of working in the construction industry, Julissa Carielo (B.B.A. ’95) quit her job to start her own construction firm. She began with only two employees. Ten years later, Carielo’s construction firm, Tejas Premier Building Contractor Inc., has more than 60 employees working throughout Texas.
Cycling for Literacy
Her first job was at age 9, riding her bike to sell eggs from her family’s farm to neighbors. Her second job was at age 14, working in a library, shelving books and taking care of the card catalog.
From Prosecutor to Priest: Law alumnus Jason Martini follows his faith
The Rev. Jason Martini (J.D. ’02) sensed a calling to join the priesthood from an early age. He remembered first feeling the pull after First Communion when he started serving at Mass.
Unique seminar prepares law students for child abuse cases
The St. Mary’s School of Law began piloting an innovative course this spring that teaches law students about issues related to representing clients in the abuse and neglect docket of Bexar County’s Children’s Courts Division.
The Music Man
On a warm fall day, a group of young men and women casually gathered near the Quad on the St. Mary’s University campus and began playing impromptu beats on a variety of percussion instruments. They soon drew a crowd.
Engineering alumna continues to win big at H-E-B
Shortly after Jessica Johnson (B.S. ’09, M.S. ’11) came to St. Mary’s University, she set a goal for herself: win “Industrial Engineering Student of the Year” her senior year. To achieve that goal, Johnson would have to put in hard work — and lots of it.
The Girl Wonder
Iliana De La Cruz is curious about the world. For as long as she can remember, De La Cruz has wondered about how and why things work.
Advocate for Education
Stefanie Ramirez (B.A. ’14) embodies one of St. Mary’s most notable core values: service to others. Ramirez is committed to ensuring every child in America has access to and receives a quality education.
Rattler represents the nation
Last summer, Courtney Keif traveled more than 6,100 miles from St. Mary’s University to pursue her passion for learning about foreign military practices and culture. The junior Criminal Justice major and Military Science minor was one of 1,300 cadets to participate in the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency program (CULP) in 2016.
Read More Stories
A groundbreaking medical team — featuring St. Mary’s alumni — changed the way we treat COVID-19
It’s April 2020 and a team of researchers at Houston Methodist are studying the effects of convalescent plasma — blood plasma donated from recovered patients — in treating the complicated COVID-19 virus. One day, the group began discussing where they attended college.
Alumnus and Executive Director of Development shares Marianist spirit
Before accepting St. Mary’s University’s Marianist Heritage Award earlier this year, Fred “Steve” Hemphill (B.A. ’05) made a list of every Marianist who has impacted his life — 42 names.
Kenyan alumna breaks barriers in leadership role at footwear company
Jeddidah Thotho (B.B.A. ’98) is as self-assured stepping off a global planning call for Bata Shoe Kenya PLC — the country’s largest footwear company — as she is stepping into her favorite pair of Bata Comfit boots to care for her two children.