The Full St. Mary's Experience
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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
Texas Facilities Commission director oversees massive construction at the Capitol
Overseeing $1.5 billion in facilities projects across the state falls to Executive Director of the Texas Facilities Commission Mike Novak (B.B.A. ’75).
Criminal Justice student connects with St. Mary’s mission
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Christine Nduhura's family fled to Rwanda amid ethnic cleansing and later immigrated to the U.S. Now, she's studying Criminal Justice at St. Mary's University.
Alum at Department of Energy positions U.S. for its future
Zack Valdez, Ph.D. (B.S. ’10), finds motivational fuel in explaining complex science and increasing public trust in scientific findings by everyone from community members who need to understand their environment to Congressional decision-makers.