St. Mary's University Gold & Blue | Spring 2009

SPRING 2009

REINBOLT HALLCELEBRATING A CENTURY

On the front cover:St. Mary’s second oldest building, Reinbolt Hall, as seen in the 1950s and today,celebrated the 100th anniversary of its dedication on Jan. 28, 2009.

Above and on the back cover:Each year during Fiesta Week, St. Mary’s President Charles and Mrs. Abbie Cotrellplay host to the University’s major donors at the annual Fiesta Oyster BakePresident’s Reception. Annual donors to St. Mary’s of $1,000 or more receive aninvitation to the event, considered by many to be the hottest ticket in town. Music,oysters, and a Brazilian dance troupe are just a few of the attractions. To add to thefestive atmosphere of the reception, Fiesta Royalty and their entourages – in vividattire replete with crowns and colorful sashes bearing their titles – majestically enterthe event and make their way to President and Mrs. Cotrell, where they exchangeFiesta Week’s most popular mementos – Fiesta pins! You’ll spot St. Mary’s donorspictured above, and many of President Cotrell’s “royal” guests appear on the backcover, including kings, queens, princesses and their courts.

To learn more about becoming a President’s Guild member – by donating $1,000or more each year to St. Mary’s University – contact the Office of Developmentat (210) 436-3718.

PRESIDENTCharles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.

(B.A. ’62, M.A. ’64)

UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENTVICE PRESIDENT

Thomas B. Galvin (M.P.A. ’04)

CHIEF OF STAFFAND COMMUNICATIONS

Dianne Pipes

EXECUTIVE EDITORCandace J. Kuebker (B.A. ’78)

PUBLICATIONS DIRECTORSteve Weed

PHOTOGRAPHYMelanie Rush Davis

Jeff HuehnTommy Hultgren

Justin ParrWalker Report

CONTRIBUTORSBeth Barbee

Jessie CasaresNicolette GoodLucha RameyDerek Smolik

Lauren Thompson

(denotes degree from St. Mary’s University)

Gold & Blue is produced for alumniand friends three times a year by theUniversity Communications staff

of the University Advancement Division.

Contents © 2009 by St. Mary’sUniversity. All rights reserved.

MISSION

St. Mary’s University,

as a Catholic Marianist University,

fosters the formation of people in faith

and educates leaders for the common good

through community,

integrated liberal arts and professional education,

and academic excellence.

spring 2009 Gold Blue& 1

From the Editor

On Jan. 28, 1986, the Space ShuttleChallenger broke apart shortly after its launch,killing seven crew members. Americans listenedto accounts of the disaster and speculation thatour nation’s space program would neverrecover. Although the shuttle program andmany other initiatives were deferred for awhile,the United States’ space program is, as apopular 1960s television program would say,“Boldly going where no man [or woman] hasgone before.” Giovanni Fazio, Ph.D., profiled inthis magazine in 1987 after the Challengercrash, fills us in on the past 20-plus years ofspace exploration. Don’t miss the breathtakingphotos.

Reinbolt Hall had a birthday this spring! At100 years, St. Mary’s second-oldest buildingcontinues to serve the academic and spiritualneeds of the University community. I thinkyou’ll find interesting the brief explanation ofthe building’s history and namesake. Be sure toget the full account in an article by Brother BobWood, S.M. at www.stmarytx.edu/gold&blue.

St. Mary’s legacy of preparing leaders hasproduced hundreds of public servants. Studentsare getting hands-on public service training viathe new Frank Madla Jr. and Irma RangelLegislative Internship Program. Alumnus DavidCourreges writes about the inaugural class ofinterns that he’s helping guide through theintricacies of government in Austin.

When Moe Vela first heard that St. Mary’sstudents were traveling to Washington forPresident Barack Obama’s inauguration – readsome of their blog posts on page 17 – heinsisted they have his personal cell phonenumber. “Government must be accessible toour young people,” he told me, and it’s aconviction he’s living. Humbled by his success,Moe credits his parents, who expected theirchildren to serve.

Finally, Ty Cobb is arguably baseball’sgreatest player. Bet you didn’t know he playedin an exhibition game right here on campus acentury ago – maybe even in the shadow of thenewly dedicated Reinbolt Hall. Like the mighty‘Casey at Bat’ immortalized in Ernest Thayer’sclassic 1888 baseball poem, Cobb was struckout that day, in this instance by a young ladfrom St. Louis College. Many thanks tocontributing writers Donald Olson and RobertNewton for sharing this bit of history with us.

The summer months will soon be upon us.Take some time to sit back, relax, and enjoyyour family and friends.

—Candy Kuebker

2Staying True to Our Strengths

by Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.

3News From Around the Grove

10Marveling Space Exploration…And Still Searching for Answers

by Giovanni Fazio, Ph.D.

13Reinbolt Hall – Celebrating a Century

14Alumni Legislators’ Legacy Alive in New Internship Program

by David Courreges

16Lightning Strikes Twice

Moe Vela Jr. Relishes Second White House Tour

by Candace Kuebker

17Inaugural Road Trip

18Fanning the Mighty Ty Cobb: St. Louis College vs. the Detroit Tigers

by Donald W. Olson, Ph.D. and Robert H. Newton

21Class Notes and Notables

In Memoriam and Our Fondest Farewell

CONTENTS

programs and faculty. Tanuja Singh,Ph.D., and Winston Erevelles, Ph.D., joinour community this summer to lead theBill Greehey School of Business and theSchool of Science, Engineering andTechnology, respectively. Their areas ofexpertise, along with their experiences ininternational education and communityoutreach, will be of great benefit to ourstudents.

At St. Mary’s our goal is to feed themind, body and spirit. Educating ourstudents in the Marianist charism is a partof our mission that is helped immenselyby the vice president of Mission andIdentity. Filling this critical position isthe Rev. Rudy Vela, S.M. (B.A. ’76),who will work collaboratively within theUniversity to ensure the Catholic andMarianist identity of St. Mary’s.

Boosting Scholarshipsand Building Facilities

Attracting, retaining and graduatingthe best students requires a robust scholarship endowmentso they can enroll and remain at St. Mary’s without unduefinancial worry. We are in the midst of the Extending theTradition of Excellence campaign, whose focus is to raise$10 million in academic scholarships to augment ourexisting endowment. The remainder of this $23 millioninitiative is to build an outdoor sports complex to rival theAlumni Athletics & Convocation Center, home toSt. Mary’s indoor varsity and recreational sports. Today’sstudents expect and deserve exceptional facilities, and theoutdoor sports complex will enhance recreational facilitiesfor all students and expand our neighborhood revitalizationefforts. Nearly $15 million of the campaign total has beenraised thus far, with $6 million coming from Bexar Countyspecifically for the sports complex.

I am confident we will be successful in recruiting andretaining quality students, advancing our quality academicprograms, and continuing student successes while providingthem with the personal attention, guidance and educationalenvironment that is the added value of a St. Mary’seducation. Our financial strength, along with our dedicationand creativity, will sustain our University.

As always, I welcome your input and am thankful foryour support. �

As America’s colleges and universitiesseek ways to deal with these

uncertain economic times, at St. Mary’sUniversity we are mindful of theCharacteristics of Marianist Educationthat call us to educate for adaptation andchange. While recognizing the challengesthe economy presents, at St. Mary’s weare moving forward with confidence byfocusing on recruitment and retention ofquality students. The heart of our missionis education in the Catholic and Marianisttradition, and we believe that by buildingupon our strong academic reputation,St. Mary’s will continue to attract the bestand brightest students.

Addressing Accessand Excellence

We have put into place a number ofinstitutional aid programs—among themtuition assistance through the “AccessSt. Mary’s” program, room grantsprovided by the Marianist Trust, andscholarships for international students—to ensure that theSt. Mary’s experience remains accessible and affordable tostudents. To remain vibrant, we will adhere to our strengths:our commitment to teaching and academic rigor; meaningfulactivities, services and residence life for students; and abeautiful and comfortable campus with quality facilities thatwill impact student enrollment, as well as retention andgraduation of our students.

Academic rigor at St. Mary’s includes the study of a corecurriculum that introduces students to the foundations ofcivilization, reflection and practice found at the heart of aliberal arts education at a Catholic university. The newSt. Mary’s core, endorsed by the faculty and Board ofTrustees this spring, incorporates such foundational courses;additionally, a school-specific core will address key skillsand further enhance the understanding of disciplinesintroduced in the St. Mary’s core. I am pleased with the newcore curriculum because it is in keeping with the values ofthe Catholic liberal arts tradition while being innovative andsupportive of professional educational excellence.

New and Familiar Faces Fill Key PositionsSt. Mary’s is welcoming two new deans who will help

shepherd compliance with the core while advancingacademic excellence and invigorating their schools’

www.stmarytx.eduGold Blue&2

by Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

Staying Trueto Our

Strengths

NEWS


Unlocking Cluesto Forensic Science

St. Mary’s has addedtwo new forensicscience degrees as ajoint venture betweenthe schools of Science,Engineering andTechnology andHumanities and SocialSciences. The newB.S. degree inForensic Science witha Biology orChemistry option,and a B.A. degree inForensic Science

with a Criminology option will beoffered next fall.

According to the latest Bureau ofLabor Statistics, there are 12,000positions in the forensic science field,with a 21 percent increase in positionsexpected over the next 10 years.St. Mary’s is the only university in SanAntonio to offer a forensics degree.

Honor Roll DesignationMakes Three in a Row

More than 70 percent of St. Mary’sstudents participate in communityservice, giving more than 70,000service hours annually.

To recognize this accomplishment,the Corporation for National andCommunity Service, a federal agencythat improves lives, strengthenscommunities, and fosters civicengagement through service andvolunteering, again honored St. Mary’swith a place on the President’s HigherEducation Community Service HonorRoll for exemplary service efforts andservice to America’s communities.

Launched in 2006, the Honor Rollis a collaborative effort with theDepartment of Education, theDepartment of Housing and UrbanDevelopment, and the President’sCouncil on Service and CivicParticipation, and is the highest federal

� SHORT SUBJECTS

Access St. Mary’sIn response to the

current economicclimate, the Universitylaunched “AccessSt. Mary’s,” a newinitiative that offerscompetitive awardpackages to students thisfall.

The additional gift aidset aside by the University,coupled with the recent$400,000 scholarshipcommitment by the AlumniAssociation, will help keep St. Mary’saccessible and affordable.

“Access St. Mary’s” is for freshmanstudents entering in August 2009 whoplan to attend full-time, live oncampus, and have high academic meritand significant financial need.

Recruiting efforts are also beingaided by the Marianist Trust whichestablished the Marianist Room Grantto be awarded to freshmen who qualifyfor a merit scholarship and graduatefrom a high school with Marianistroots.

For complete information, go towww.stmarytx.edu/admission andclick on “Access St. Mary’s.”

Yellow-Ribbon ProgramHelps Veterans

Trustee Maj. Gen. AlfredValenzuela (U.S. Army, Ret.) isworking with the University onmarketing and recruiting strategies forveterans. Under the new Post 9/11Veterans Educational Assistance Actof 2008, increased educational benefitsare available beginning Aug. 1, 2009.Veterans pursuing undergraduatedegrees and attending St. Mary’s full-time could get nearly all of their tuitioncovered under the Yellow Ribbon GIBill Enhancement Program.

F R O M A R O U N D T H E G R O V Ewww.stmarytx.edu

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s?GoOnline

www.stmarytx.edu/admission

Spring PPC ProgramConsiders New Administration

Reinbolt HallThe Rest of the Story

Franzke Award WinnersHonored During

Women’s History Month

AT&T Adds Artworkto Campus

People’s Law SchoolReaches Out to Community

Las Americas LettersShowcases Tango Argentino

Spring SpeakersTackle Myriad Topics

Take a Peek at thePresident’s Podcasts

Amazing Images from Space

. . . and more


defeating teams from St. John’sUniversity, Harvard and University ofVirginia along the way. In regionals,the St. Mary’s team went undefeated,beating teams from the University ofTexas and the University of Oklahoma,among others.

In mid-March St. Mary’s competedin the American Bar AssociationNational Appellate AdvocacyCompetition Regional Tournament inSt. Louis, Mo., the largest nationalmoot court competition in the country,with nearly 200 teams from lawschools in practically every statecompeting for the right to qualify for

recognition a school can achieve for itscommitment to service-learning andcivic engagement. St. Mary’s has madethe national Honor Roll every year.

Mock Trial, Moot CourtTeams Advance

The St. Mary’s Black Law StudentAssociation Mock Trial Team won theRocky Mountain Region of theThurgood Marshall Mock TrialCompetition in February, earning aspot at the competition’s nationalchampionship in Irvine, Calif., wherethey placed second in the nation,

the National Finals in Chicago.The team of third-year student

Emily Jeffcott and second-yearstudents Carolyn Skogman and SarahBlackstone won their semi-final andfinal rounds, and were named RegionalChampions, qualifying St. Mary’s forthe National Finals in April. This isSt. Mary’s sixth regionalchampionship in the past eight yearsof competition.

Revitalization EffortsMoving Forward

The Commercial TransformationCommittee of the NeighborhoodRevitalization Task Force hasdeveloped an organizational model tosupport the Neighborhood CommercialRevitalization (NCR) requirements bythe City of San Antonio that issupported through a project partnershipgrant of $10,000. The model includesthe development of an NCR Board thatwould operate within the soon-to-beestablished Community DevelopmentCorp. More funding will be sought tosupport an NCR director that willreport to Revitalization ProjectDirector Steve Nivin, Ph.D.

In late March, a part-time housingcounselor joined the NeighborhoodRevitalization Project to providehousing, pre-purchase, credit, and first-time homebuyer counseling to low andmoderate income families. Theposition, part of St. Mary’s proposalfor the $600,000 HUD grant itreceived last fall, is being supported bythe San Antonio Alternative Housing

Law Colloquium TacklesCatholic Social Teaching

Sparking debate in Catholic institutions nationwide has been the question of how, or

whether, to integrate Catholic Social Teaching into the law school experience and

how to best mesh Catholic identity into a school’s mission. Deans from prominent

Catholic law schools discussed those topics at a St. Mary’s School of Law colloquium

in February. From left, Thomas Mengler, University of St. Thomas School of Law;

Veryl Victoria Miles, The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law;

Mark Sargent, Villanova University School of Law, and St. Mary’s School of Law’s

Charles E. Cantú discussed how their schools integrate faith and learning.

MakingConnections

With the click of a mouse,you can stay up-to-date onSt. Mary’s groundbreakingnews and reconnect with

old classmates. St. Mary’s isnow on Facebook, Twitter,

YouTube and Flickr, andyou can even subscribe to

your favorite St. Mary’s RSSfeeds. To get started, be

sure to visit

Law Mock Trial Team Second in NationThe six regional winners of the annual Thurgood Marshall Mock TrialCompetition, hosted by the National Black Law Students Association, met at thenational championship held in Irvine, Calif., in conjunction with the group’s 41stAnnual National Convention. St. Mary’s team, which placed second in the nation,includes: in front row, from left, Christian Johnson, Bridgett Clay, Nicole Hines-Glover and Lysette Rios. Their coaches, in back row, from left, are Ken Bell (J.D.’06) and Daryl Harris (J.D. ’04).

www.stmarytx.edu/socialmedia


a distinguished military graduate andserved in the United States Army.Schott is a member of the St. Mary’sAthletics Hall of Fame, a 1999Distinguished Alumnus Awardrecipient, and past president of theAlumni Association.

Philip J. Pfeiffer, Of Counsel atFulbright & Jaworski LLP, waspartner-in-charge in San Antonio for25 years and led the office’s labor andemployment practice. He has beenlisted in The Best Lawyers in America,which profiles the top one percent oflawyers in the country, and was electedas a Fellow to the College of Laborand Employment Lawyers in 1997.Pfeiffer’s civic involvement is far-

Corp., one of the many communitypartners involved in the project.

Also, District 7 City CoucilmanJustin Rodroguez has designated$50,000 in available city funds for therevitalization project’s Pocket Park.

� Newsmakers

Seven Trustees Namedto Board

Robert Elizondo (B.S. ’67) and JackPaul Leon (J.D. ’59) will continue tolead the St. Mary’s Board of Trusteesas chairman and vice chairman,respectively, and Maj. General AlfredValenzuela (B.A. ’70, M.A. ’79) willserve as Board secretary. Elizondoretired from UPS in 2001 as thecompany’s Miami-based vice presidentfor operations in Puerto Rico, Mexico,South America, Central America andthe Caribbean. Leon is a respected SanAntonio attorney who heads his ownfirm, and Valenzuela is retiredcommander of the Army’s U.S.Southern Command. Seven trusteesalso were elected to join the board,effective June 1, 2009.

Clem Lyons (J.D. ’62), Of Counselfor Rhodes & Vela LLP, is currentlythe St. Mary’s Law AlumniAssociation President and one of thepremier personal injury lawyers in SanAntonio. He has practiced law formore than 45 years, focusing onmedical malpractice, with an emphasison drug-related litigation.

Norma Martinez Lozano, SeniorVice President of Merger Integration atAT&T Services Inc., overseesactivities associated with the merger ofAT&T with purchaser SBCCommunications. Lozano has earnednumerous accolades for her dedicationto work and community, being twiceselected by Hispanic Businessmagazine as one of “80 Elite HispanicWomen” and receiving the “Breaking

Barriers Award” from the NationalHispanic Employee Association.

Antonio “Tony” Flores Jr., Ownerand Chairman of the Board of HospitalKlean of Texas Inc. (previously knownas Rite-Way Services founded in1970), and his wife, Irma, have grownthe specialized cleaning business forprivate and military hospitals from atwo-person operation to employingmore than 700 employees in 14 states.He’s provided leadership for manycommunity and civic organizations.

Michael A. “Mickey” Schott(B.B.A. ’68) is a shareholder in theaccounting firm of Tsakopulos BrownSchott & Anchors. Prior to beginninghis career in public accounting, he was

Delegation Travels to AustinIn February, a delegation of St. Mary’s students, faculty, staff and administrators

traveled to Austin to visit with State legislators about funding the Texas Tuition

Equalization Grant (TEG) program that assists some 1,700 St. Mary’s students to

the tune of more than $6 million annually. On that day, St. Mary’s was recognized

in both Legislative Chambers with resolutions. Pictured in Senate Chambers are,

from left, Sen. Carlos Uresti (B.A. ’85, J.D. ’92), Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Robert Elizondo, President Charles L. Cotrell, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, and

Sen. Glenn Hegar Jr. (M.A., J.D. ’97). View the video podcast from the Austin trip

at www.stmarytx.edu/president and click on President’s Podcast.

St. Mary’s and Chamber Create Economic Think TankSt. Mary’s University, in a unique economic partnership with the San Antonio Hispanic

Chamber of Commerce, has created the Strategic Alliance for Business and EconomicResearch (SABÉR) Institute.

The Institute, led by Steve Nivin, Ph.D., director of St. Mary’s Neighborhood RevitalizationProject and an assistant economics professor, will provide economic research services and business information that willfacilitate business growth and long-term economic development in San Antonio and relevant trade regions throughout theworld; and conduct and disseminate research that advances economic knowledge and translates to program and policydevelopment.

With a global perspective, the Institute aims to become a leading research and educational resource on regional economicdevelopment, university-based economic development within neighborhoods, the economics of the Hispanic market, and theexpanding creative economy. St. Mary’s students will gain valuable experience as Institute researchers and interns.


workshops,camps,conferences andcompetitions formiddle and highschool studentsto introducethem to theworld of scienceand technology.

Erevellesearned both hismaster’s and doctorate in engineeringmanagement from University ofMissouri-Rolla. His research andexpertise is in computer integratedmanufacturing, robotics,manufacturing automation, rapidprototyping, reverse engineering andmanufacturing processes. He serves asa program evaluator for manufacturingengineering programs for theAccreditation Board for Engineeringand Technology (ABET); he’s also amember of the EngineeringAccreditation Commission of ABET.

Illinois University. Her research andexpertise is in global and cross-culturalmarketing strategies, electroniccommerce, and public policy issues inmarketing. She is active in theAcademy of Marketing Science, serveson editorial boards of two journals, andhas consulted with Fortune 500companies.

SET Dean AnnouncedWinston Erevelles, Ph.D., currently

dean of the School of Engineering,Mathematics and Science at RobertMorris University in Pennsylvania,will become dean of St. Mary’s Schoolof Science, Engineering andTechnology on Aug. 1.

During his 10 years at RobertMorris, Erevelles held severalpositions before being named dean in2005. His accomplishments includedesigning new programs withengineering concentrations; creatingengineering and science programs withinstitutions abroad; and developing

reaching, and in 2008 he received aspecial Community Service Award forhis leadership contributions to UnitedWay of San Antonio and BexarCounty.

Sister Laura M. Leming, F.M.I.,Ph.D. (B.A. ’79), has been a professorin the Department of Sociology,Anthropology and Social Work at theUniversity of Dayton since 1999.While at UD, she founded and wasfirst director of the school’s GraduateInternship Program. She was also thedirector of Novices at the MarianistNovitiate and a campus minister.Leming is widely published and hasreceived numerous fellowships andgrants to further her research.

Brother Thomas A. Wendorf, S.M.,is a professor of English at theUniversity of Dayton where he earnedhis B.A. in 1986. He joined the Societyof Mary after graduation and professedperpetual vows as a Marianist in 1991.Brother Wendorf earned his master’sand doctorate in English and AmericanLiterature at Washington University inSt. Louis, Mo., and has taught Englishcomposition and literature courses inUD’s program for Marianist brothersin India.

Singh to LeadGreehey School

Tanuja Singh, Ph.D., hasbeen appointed dean of theBill Greehey School ofBusiness, the first woman toserve in the position.Currently chair of theDepartment of Marketing inthe College of Business atNorthern Illinois University,Singh will begin her tenure

as dean at St. Mary’s on July 1.At Northern Illinois, Singh worked

closely with professional advisoryboards, secured new scholarships,developed the prototype for the Centerof Excellence in Global Business, andplanned and conducted globalexecutive education training for thefirst international executive program inthe College of Business. She alsosuccessfully helped negotiate long-term executive education opportunitieswith government officials abroad.

Singh received a doctorate inbusiness administration from Southern

Distinguished Faculty LaudedEach year St. Mary’s Alumni Association sponsors the Faculty Appreciation and

Awards Dinner. In January, seven faculty members were recognized for

community service and outstanding teaching. Honored with the Community

Service Award was (back row, far left) Thomas Madison, Ph.D. Also standing,

from left, are Distinguished Faculty Award winners Sonia Garcia, Ph.D., and

Daniel Long, Ph.D., School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Stephanie

Ward, Ph.D., Bill Greehey School of Business; and seated, from left, are Carol

Redfield, Ph.D., Graduate School, and Gary Ogden, Ph.D., School of Science,

Engineering and Technology. Not pictured is Richard Flint, J.D., Distinguished

Faculty Award recipient from the School of Law.

Tanuja Singh

Winston Erevelles


said Cotrell, adding that Kaufmannalways strove to provide the best forSt. Mary’s students.

Historically, more than half ofSt. Mary’s graduates who apply areadmitted to medical and dentalschools, well above the nationalaverage of 35 percent. During histenure, Kaufmann built a strong faculty(100 percent of whom have theirterminal degrees), oversaw therenovation of Garni Hall, andexpanded degree offerings in thesciences and engineering. Also underKaufmann, degree programs inIndustrial Engineering and ElectricalEngineering received and maintainedaccreditation by the AccreditationBoard for Engineering and Technology(ABET). This past year, along withSchool of Humanities and SocialSciences Dean Janet Dizinno, Ph.D.,Kaufmann was instrumental indeveloping the new forensic sciencedegree program.

New Mission and IdentityVP Selected

The Rev. Rudy Vela, S.M., hasbeen named vice president for Missionand Identity, the second person to holdthe position. The vice president’sprimary responsibility is to workcollaboratively within the University toensure the Catholic and Marianistidentity of St. Mary’s. In addition, hewill oversee the Office of UniversityMinistry, the Marianist Forum, and theMarianist Educational Associatesprogram.

A 1976 graduate of St. Mary’s,Vela has been an assistant professor inthe Department of Theology since2003 and the director of the StudyAbroad Program in Spain since 2007.He received his Doctor of Ministryfrom the Chicago Theological Union.

Vela replaces the Rev. Bernard Lee,S.M., who was the first to hold theexecutive position.

Law Student and AlumAwarded for Leadershipand Service

Kristal A. Thurmond was awardedthe Chief Justice Alma Lopez Womanin Leadership Award during a series ofWomen’s History Month activities inMarch. Thurmondis a second yearstudent in theSchool of Law.The Bexar CountyWomen’s BarAssociationselects therecipients fromamong nominatedlaw students basedon outstandingleadership andcommunityservice.

The HonorableRoland Gutierrez(J.D. ’98), StateRepresentative ofDistrict 119, wasnamed this year’s YoungDistinguished Law Graduate. Schoolof Law Dean Charles E. Cantúpresented the award to Gutierrezduring a luncheon held at St. Mary’s inconjunction with the law school’sHomecoming CLE Program in March.

Kaufmann Retires,Named Dean Emeritus

Anthony J. Kaufmann, Ph.D., firstdean of the School of Science,Engineering and Technology, a role hehas served in for the past 25 years, willretire on May 31, 2009.

Kaufmann, who has taught in theDepartment of Biological Sciences atSt. Mary’s for 40 years, also served asdean of the Graduate School from1979 to 1984 before moving into hiscurrent position. At a retirement partyheld to honor him on May 7, PresidentCharles L. Cotrell bestowed the honorof Dean Emeritus on Kaufmann, whowill remain at St. Mary’s to assist withalumni relationship-building,community outreach and fundraising.

“Under Dean Kaufmann’s 25 yearsof leadership, the School of ScienceEngineering and Technology built astrong undergraduate health programgiving our students entrée to the bestprofessional schools in the country,”

Law Grads Dominatethe Fourth Court

Gov. Rick Perry named Marialyn Barnard (J.D. ’92) justice of the Texas Fourth

Court of Appeals to replace Catherine Stone (J.D. ’82), who was elected

Chief Justice of the Court. The Fourth Court covers 32 counties from Bexar

County to Webb County and handles both civil and criminal cases. There are

seven justices on the Court, and in addition to Barnard, far right, and Stone,

center, the Fourth Court includes three other St. Mary’s law graduates:

Justice Phylis J. Speedlin (J.D. ’83) and Karen Angelini (J.D. ’79), second and

third from left, respectively, and Justice Sandee Bryan Marion (J.D. ’80), fifth

from left. Also pictured are Justices Steve Hilbig and Rebecca Simmons.

Rev. Rudy Vela, S.M.

Kristal Thurmondand Alma Lopez

AnthonyKaufmann

University to be used at the discretionof the President. Ronald J. Herrmann(B.A. ’57, J.D. ’59) was honored alongwith his class that graduated 50 yearsago at the annual Heritage ClubReunion in April. The gift was given tohonor years of graduation with acontribution of $1,000 per year. Inaddition, an anonymous gift of$25,000 has been given to the Schoolof Law for the Ronald J. HerrmannLaw Scholarship Fund.

Don Brennan (B.B.A. ’90, J.D.’93), a past president and activemember of the St. Mary’s BoosterClub, and his wife, Carla (B.B.A. ’94),currently a vice president of theBooster Club, have made a gift of$30,000 to athletics and the OutdoorSports Complex, while Rick Aleman


UFW President Returnsto Alma Mater

St. Mary’s alumnus Arturo S.Rodríguez, president of the UnitedFarm Workers (UFW), visited campusin March to speak to members of theUniversity community. In his lecture“From César to Barack—Si Se Puedeand Yes We Can,” Rodríguez talkedabout the United Farm Workersunion’s legendary founder César E.Chávez, and the work he did torepresent farm laborers. Rodrígueztook over the helm of the UFW in1993 upon Chávez’s passing, and aspresident of the UFW he continues tobuild the union into a powerful voicefor immigrant workers by pushinghistoric legislation on immigrationreform and worker rights.

Rodríguez graduated fromSt. Mary’s University in 1971 with aB.A. in sociology and was named aDistinguished Alumnus by St. Mary’sAlumni Association in 1997.

� Good Deeds

New Gifts Augment StudentOpportunities

Included in efforts to keep tuitionaffordable is a recent $100,000 giftfrom the Progress Foundation onbehalf of an anonymous alumnus toestablish the International StudentScholarship Fund. Awards will bemade to 10 incoming students in fall2009 and for the next four years.

The Herrmann Family CharitableFoundation gave $50,000 to the

(B.B.A. ’73) contributed $10,000 tothe Buddy Meyer Scholarship Fund.

The Baptist Healthcare Foundationcontributed $15,000 to St. Mary’s forthe Graduate School’s marriage andfamily counseling program.

This past December, St. Mary’sreceived a gift of $10,000 from LaPrensa Foundation for the Tino (B.A.’63, M.S. ’77) and Amelia DuranEndowed Scholarship.

Retired FBI agent Bert C. Mereness(B.B.A. ’57) designated his alma materto receive a $2,500 scholarship fromthe J. Edgar Hoover MemorialScholarship Foundation. Thescholarship will be awarded to astudent majoring in criminal justice.

Fundraising andCampaign Progress

St. Mary’s fundraising initiatives asof late April totaled nearly $4.7 millionfor academic year 2008-2009, and theSt. Mary’s Fund stood at almost$400,000.

The Board of Trustees confirmed atits fall meeting that the University willmove forward on the $23 millionExtending the Tradition of Excellencecampaign for scholarships and theOutdoor Sports Complex. At this time,nearly $15 million has been raisedtowards the goal, including $6 millionfrom Bexar County for the complex.Combined with scholarship dollarsraised, the new total to date is wellover 50 percent of the total campaigngoal.

2009 Distinguished AlumniThe St. Mary’s University Alumni Association honored the 2009 Distinguished

Alumni during Homecoming festivities in April. Recipients of the 2009

Distinguished Alumni Awards are, from left: Ramiro Cavazos (M.P.A. ’03),

President of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Rick Aleman

(B.B.A. ’73), Owner of Selrico Services Inc.; and Leopoldo R. Vasquez Jr., U.S.

Army Ret. (B.A. ’64, M.A. ’74), Federal Security Director for the U.S. Department

of Homeland Security at the San Antonio International Airport.

St. Mary’s Trustee Vincent Lin, Ph.D. (B.S. ’66, M.A. ’68), is flanked by fellow Trustee

Michael Belz (B.A. ’75), pictured at left, and University Advancement Vice President

Tom Galvin (M.P.A. ’04), at the “Walk for Life” held in San Francisco in January. The

three were among 50,000 walk participants.


Members of the Board of Trusteesof the University have taken aleadership role by pledging nearly $1million to the campaign.

The Campaign Committee is co-chaired by Trustee Dave Dickson andBruce Vaio, parent of a current studentand President of Martin MariettaMaterials West.

Alums FundStudent Business

The Bill Greehey School ofBusiness has proposed theimplementation of a student-managedbusiness program to provideSt. Mary’s students with theexperience of managing a realcompany. Tom Contreras (B.B.A. ’88),President of Texas Security General,and his wife, Leti (B.A. ’89), havecommitted $50,000 to establish theprogram. The program will be namedin their honor for the company’s firstenterprise, a t-shirt business.

� Sports Corner

Women Win 2nd StraightTitle, Gamez Named All-American

The Rattler women’s basketballteam won its second straight HeartlandConference Championship andadvanced to the NCAA South CentralRegion Tournament again this year.The Rattlers finished the season with a24-6 overall record and a 12-2 mark inconference play to win their secondconsecutive title. St. Mary’s ranked ashigh as 16th in national rankings.

Senior Natalie Gamez capped astandout career at St. Mary’s when shewas named 2009 NCAA Division IIState Farm/Women’s BasketballCoaches Association honorablemention All-American. The SanAntonio native led the Rattlers with16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.7assists per game this season. She alsoearned first team All-South CentralRegion and first team All-HeartlandConference honors. She ranks third inSt. Mary’s history in points scoredwith 1,484 and is the Rattlers all-timeleader in three-pointers made (173)and free throws made (389).

Seniors Rachel Jones and AshtonBenford also received conferencerecognition. Jones, from Little Rock,Ark., received All-Heartland

Conference honors for the secondstraight season, averaging 11.7 points,6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.Benford, who hails from Waxahachie,received honorable mention All-Heartland Conference honors afteraveraging 10.7 points and 5.9 reboundsper game.

Conference Honors ThreeSan Antonio senior Lorenzo

Anthony, who averaged 5.1 points, 3.6rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, wasnamed Heartland ConferenceDefensive Player of the Year for thesecond straight season. Senior NickMorey of Belpre, Ohio, shot 52.3percent from the field and led theRattlers with 16.2 points and 8.3rebounds per game. He was a firstteam All-Heartland Conference pick.Junior Curtis Mitchell of Milwaukee,Wis., received honorable mention All-Heartland Conference honors in hisfirst season with the team. He averaged10.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1assists per game.

As a team, the Rattlers ended theseason with a 17-11 record, finishingregular season play with a seven-gamewin streak to come in second in theconference and qualify for theHeartland Conference Tournament.

Experience Gained During Elite 8St. Mary’s hosted the recent NCAA Division

II Women’s Basketball Elite Eight at BillGreehey Arena. And while the Rattler womendidn’t make the tournament as participants, theevent touched St. Mary’s students in a positiveway. Several student organizations volunteeredtheir time at the event, including coordinating arecycling program, surveying fans to determinethe economic impact of the event, and serving asushers and ticket takers.

In addition, a handful of students received aneven more hands-on experience, working in thetournament’s game operations. Women’sbasketball player and senior communicationsmajor Ashton Benford worked with the ESPNannouncers calling the game, and junior exerciseand sport science major Tom Huttenhoff workedwith ESPN’s production crew, helping behindthe scenes with the set up and break down.Sophomore computer engineering majorSharlene Flescher ran the video boards andassisted ESPN with the broadcast of thetournament.

The Elite Eight tournament marked the firsttime a national championship has been held onSt. Mary’s campus. Minnesota State University-Mankato won the national title, defeatingFranklin Pierce University of New Hampshire,103-94, in the championship game. �

Flores Among Top Homerun LeadersAt press time St. Mary’s Arlynda Flores, a pitcher

and first baseman from Uvalde, was in second

place in homeruns with 23, within NCAA Division

II competition. Flores, a junior, is majoring in

mathematics and exercise and sport science.

Check www.rattlerathletics.com to see how she

finished the season.

LorenzoAnthony

ArlyndaFlores


decades, and where we might beheaded.

The simple answer is that the past20 years have been an incredible andfascinating period, and the future lookseven more exciting. We have mademajor advances in space science,especially in the understanding of ourplanet, our Solar System and theUniverse. These advances came aboutbecause of several majoraccomplishments, including:� our ability to place telescopes intospace, where viewing is free from theabsorption and turbulence of theEarth’s atmosphere and the entireelectromagnetic spectrum can beobserved;� major advances in technology,permitting the construction of largeground-based telescopes and thedevelopment of electronic cameraswith enormously increased sensitivity;� the rapid development of computerpower and massive data storagecapability.

Confirmationof Big Bang Theory

The most important scientificadvances have been in ourunderstanding of the structure andcomposition of the Universe and theconfirmation of its origin, known asthe Big Bang theory. In the late 1980s,astronomers found evidence for large-scale inhomogeneities in the Universe,including the discoveries of chains andsheets of galaxies and giant voids withvery few galaxies in them, similar to abowl of soap bubbles. NASA furtherconfirmed the Big Bang theory when itlaunched the Cosmic BackgroundExplorer (COBE) satellite in 1989,which measured the remnant radiationfrom the initial explosion of theUniverse and established that thecurvature of space was flat.

After decades of planning, NASAwas able to launch, beginning in 1990,its Great Observatory series of four

Everything changed, though, inJanuary 1986, with the occurrence ofthe Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.It was an extremely difficult time for

NASA, and suddenly the future ofspace science looked gloomy.Shortly thereafter, in the Winter1987 issue of Gold & Blue,Vickie Sledge wrote “DiscoveringWhat’s Out There,” an articledescribing my research in spaceastronomy at the time and myhopes for the future. Therein Iobserved, “The Challenger disasteraltered all that (vision), postponingthe timing of many programs andcausing everyone to stop andrethink space exploration.” But

even then I remained hopeful: “It’sreally a great place out there inspace, and I hope that we get there

someday.”Now, more than 20 years later, it is

a fitting time to explore what hashappened in space during the past two

Marveling Space Exploration…The mid-1980s were an exciting time for space exploration—and for me. Selected in 1984 as a

Principal Investigator on one of NASA’s Great Observatories (now called the Spitzer Space

Telescope), I was responsible for the observatory’s Infrared Array Camera. A year later I led a team

that flew a small infrared telescope on the Spacelab II flight of the Space Shuttle. Also in 1985,

President Reagan established the National Commission on Space to discuss NASA’s goals for the

next 50 years that resulted in “Pioneering the Space Frontier,” a report that presented an exciting

and optimistic vision of the future.

by Giovanni Fazio, Ph.D.

A

Spitzer SpaceTelescope


telescopes to view the Universe fromspace. The first mission – the HubbleSpace Telescope – has changed ourview of the Universe at optical andultraviolet wavelengths, and hasfascinated the public with its beautifulimages. It also has allowed us tomeasure distances in the Universe and,hence, the expansion rate with minimalerror, and helped determine its age,composition and size. From themeasurement of distant supernovae,from both the Hubble and ground-based telescopes, it was discoveredthat the Universe is expanding muchfaster than expected, giving evidencethat a mysterious form of energy called“dark energy,” whose gravity isrepulsive, is a major constituent of theUniverse.

As a result, we now know thatnormal matter, which makes up ourimmediate world, is only four percentof the mass of the Universe, and thatexotic components such as dark matter

(23 percent) and dark energy (73percent) make up the remaining mass.That means we still don’t understandwhat 96 percent of the Universe ismade of. What happened before theBig Bang and the ultimate fate of theUniverse still is unknown.

Our Violent UniverseOther telescopes in the Great

Observatory series, such as theChandra X-ray Observatory and theCompton Gamma-Ray Observatory,showed that the Universe is a muchmore violent place than we thought,full of super-massive black holes,exploding stars, fast spinning neutronstars composed of nuclear matter, andvery energetic gamma-ray burstswhose energy is exceeded only by theBig Bang itself. The Hubble telescopehas shown that super-massive blackholes, containing millions and evenbillions of solar masses of material, arepresent in the center of virtually every

large galaxy, and some of them areshooting out extremely vigorous jets ofmatter and radiation. Even our ownMilky Way galaxy contains a massiveblack hole at its center.

Just recently it was determined,using ground-based radio telescopes,that our Solar System is moving100,000 miles per hour faster than wepreviously thought and, in fact, we arerevolving around the center of theMilky Way at a speed of 568,000 milesper hour. This increase in velocitymeans our Milky Way galaxy isactually twice as massive as wepreviously thought, and this increasedmass is primarily dark matter.

Spitzer Shows Life andDeath Cycle Reigns in Space

The last of the Great Observatories– the Spitzer Space Telescope – wasnot launched until 2003, almost 20years after I was first funded to lead a

and Still Searching for Answers

B

C D E

12 &Gold Blue www.stmarytx.edu

team to design and build one of itsinfrared cameras.

Spitzer views the infrared sky andunveils that part of the Universe wecannot see with visible light. Now inits sixth year of operation, Spitzer hasmade major inroads into ourunderstanding of how stars are bornfrom the collapse of interstellar cloudsof gas and dust. It has also revealedthat very young stars, as part of thecondensation process, are surroundedby dense disks of gas and dust fromwhich planets may form. These starsthen evolve, and when their internalnuclear fuel is consumed, eventuallydie through explosions which returntheir matter to the interstellar medium.This life and death cycle of starsmeans that the oxygen, iron, andcalcium atoms in our bodies were allonce part of a star, and one day will bein another star.

Today we know of more than 340exoplanets (planets orbiting otherstars) with masses that range fromalmost twice the mass of our Earth upto 10 to 20 times the mass of Jupiter.One of the most unexpected resultsfrom Spitzer is the measurement of theproperties of the exoplanets’atmospheres. These planets radiatemost of their light at infraredwavelengths. Spitzer was the firsttelescope to detect the radiation froman exoplanet and, subsequently, hasbeen able to measure its temperatureand composition.

Discoveries Changing OurView of the Universe

The Hubble Space Telescope andthe Spitzer Space Telescope havegiven us some of the deepest views ofthe Universe, almost back to the erawhen the first stars and galaxiesformed. Looking deep into theUniverse is like looking back in time.Spitzer has detected massive galaxies

that existed only 700 million yearsafter the Big Bang, and it’s been ableto measure their stellar mass. TheUniverse is now 13.7 billion years old,and these stars must have formed asearly as 500 million years after the BigBang. How the galaxies formed andbecame so massive so soon after theBig Bang remains a mystery.

NASA’s planetary discoverieswithin our own Solar System over thepast 50 years have been remarkable.Spacecraft have visited all the planetsand many of their moons, andcurrently there is a spacecraft on itsway to Pluto. These observations havechanged the way we think the SolarSystem originated and how the moonand the Earth evolved. They also aid usin our search for evidence of life onother planets.

There has been great progress inunderstanding our nearest star, theSun, and its influence on the Earth andthe other planets. Our Earth exists inan inhospitable region called theheliosphere, which is the regioninfluenced by the radiation andenergetic particles from the Sun’souter atmosphere. Fortunately for us,the Earth’s atmosphere and magneticfield shield us from this radiation, yetpowerful solar flares and coronal massejections can affect our weather,disrupt communications andnavigation, damage satellites anddisrupt high-voltage power lines.While we have learned a lot about theheliosphere and its effects on life onEarth, we are just beginning tounderstand space weather. AnotherSt. Mary’s physics graduate, JimBurch, Ph.D. (B.S. ’64), vice presidentof the Space Science and EngineeringDivision of Southwest ResearchInstitute, has made importantcontributions to understanding theheliosphere.

Pondering the FutureThese past 50 years have been

called the “golden age of astronomy.”Some even call it the “platinum age.”It’s been my great fortune to be aliveand to have my research careercoincide with this period, and it’s beenan incredible ride. Even now, biggerand better space and ground-basedtelescopes are being designed andbuilt, some of which will certainly seethe first stars and the first galaxies thatwere formed after the Big Bang, andperhaps even detect life elsewhere inthe Universe.

The questions “Where did we comefrom?” and “Are we alone?” still hauntus. Seeing what has happened over thepast 50 years, I would not even try toimagine what will be discovered overthe next half century. But I will keeptrying to uncover the mysteries of theUniverse. �

Giovanni Fazio,Ph.D., is a SeniorPhysicist withthe Harvard-SmithsonianCenter forAstrophysics, alecturer in theAstronomyDepartment at

Harvard University, and a facultymember of the International SpaceUniversity in Strasbourg, France. InJuly 2008, Fazio was awarded theMassey Award from the Committeeon Space Research (COSPAR) and theRoyal Society of London for hiscontribution to the study of space.The Massey Award is given in memoryof physicist Sir Harrie Massey andrecognizes outstanding contributionsand leadership to the development ofspace research. Fazio received degreesin physics and chemistry fromSt. Mary’s in 1954.

A: Great Observatories Present Rainbow of a Galaxy – NASA’s Spitzer, Hubble, and Chandra space observatories teamed up to createthis multi-wavelength, false-colored view of the M82 galaxy. The lively portrait celebrates Hubble’s “Sweet 16” birthday.

B: Young Stars in Their Baby Blanket of Dust – Newborn stars peek out from beneath their natal blanket of dust in this image of theRho Ophiuchi dark cloud from the Spitzer telescope. Called “Rho Oph” by astronomers, it’s one of the closest star-forming regions toour own solar system, about 407 light years away from Earth.

C: A Classic Beauty – M51 is considered to be one of the classic examples of a spiral galaxy. At a distance of about 30 million light yearsfrom Earth, it is also one of the brightest spirals in the night sky.

D: A Bubble Bursts – RCW 79 is seen in the southern Milky Way, 17,200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. Thebubble is 70-light years in diameter, and probably took about one million years to form from the radiation and winds of hot young stars.

E: Fireworks Galaxy – NGC 6946, or “The Fireworks Galaxy,” is one of about a dozen nearby neighbors to the Milky Way, and islocated approximately 10 million light-years away in the Cepheus constellation.

13&Gold Bluespring 2009

The story of Reinbolt Hall must begin byanswering Shakespeare’s question:“What’s in a name?”

Since arriving in the United States inthe late 1840s, the Society of Mary hadprospered and was in great demand. TheRev. John Nepomucene Reinbolt,Provincial of the Province of America,had a list of 125 requests for brothers,many from places deemed by Marianistsliving in the eastern United States to befar more attractive than the farawaymission in Texas.

Personnel was scarce and the needsfar-reaching. St. Mary’s Institute in SanAntonio needed more men, too, soimmediately after the Civil War,Institute Director Brother Andrew Edeltraveled to Dayton to plead in person forhelp. There he learned availableMarianists couldn’t come close to fillingthe multiple requests and that, in fact,the General Administration in Paris wasgiving serious consideration to haltingthe brothers’ work in San Antonio.

Brother Edel urged Reinbolt to cometo San Antonio and see the work forhimself. Being a practical and amiableman, Reinbolt agreed and in early 1866,he made the long journey from Dayton.He was so favorably impressed duringhis visit, he wrote the superiors inEurope that it would be “a crime” towithdraw from San Antonio. Trustinghis judgment, the superiors agreed.

Reinbolt visited San Antonio five more times before retiringfrom office in 1886. During his 22 years as Provincial, theSociety of Mary increased in numbers and opened newinstitutions, but for the Marianists in San Antonio, Reinbolt wasthe “savior” of the work here. With joy and gratitude, thebrothers gave his name to the second building on the west endcampus, then known as St. Louis College.

Prosperity instigated that new construction. The boarding

section of St. Louis Hall was so crowded that new applicationswere being turned down. To serve more students – and gainmore space – in 1907 the Marianists received permission to

construct another building. ArchitectsJames Wahrenberger & Son preparedplans for the $80,000 structure thatincluded two distinct sections. The first –60 feet by 60 feet and four stories high,including a basement – contained classrooms, dining halls, dormitories andprivate rooms. The second section – 40feet by 87 feet – held the college chapeland an assembly hall.

The groundbreaking took place onFeb. 2, 1908, “amid the waving of flags,the stirring sound of music and the loudcheers of the assembled multitude” andon Thursday, Jan. 28, 1909, in “one ofthe most grand and impressive religiousfunctions that have taken place in SanAntonio in a long time,” Reinbolt Hallwas officially dedicated.

At least five times over the pastcentury various parts of Reinbolt Hallhave been rearranged, reorganized andrenovated. One hundred years after itsdedication, it remains a popularclassroom building whose theatre is hometo numerous dramatic productions eachyear, and whose Chapel of theAssumption continues to serve thespiritual needs of the campus. But,perhaps most importantly, Reinbolt Hallstands today as a monument to the manwhose appreciation and foresight savedthe Society of Mary for San Antonio. �

REINBOLT HALLCELEBRATING A CENTURY

Special thanks to University Archivist BrotherRobert Wood, S.M., for providing the historyof Reinbolt Hall and the Rev. JohnNepomucene Reinbolt, S.M., after whomSt. Mary’s second building is named. To readBrother Wood’s expanded history of FatherReinbolt and Reinbolt Hall, please visitwww.stmarytx.edu/gold&blue.

Reinbolt’s early Assembly Hall

Groundbreakingfor Reinbolt Hall

took place onFeb. 2, 1908

and the buildingwas dedicated

on Jan. 28, 1909.

Archivist BrotherRobert Wood, S.M.


For eight St. Mary’s students, theinternship program is an occasion todistinguish themselves while havingthe time of their lives. But it’s noteasy. Admission requirements andexpectations are set purposely high,and selected students must commit toworking in Austin at least 40 hours aweek, while completing six credithours of coursework. If they succeed,they’ll earn 12 hours of academiccredit toward their degrees.

Total immersion, supplemented byinstruction and mentorship in thestimulating setting of the State Capitol,sets the St. Mary’s program apart. Ourinterns receive weekly on-siteclassroom instruction that introducesthem to the inner-workings of theTexas House and Senate, and theconcepts they study are implementedin their day-to-day tasks. During theprogram, students become familiarwith the Texas Constitution and theRules of the House and Senate whilelearning how to research and draftlegislation, analyze policy, and interactwith constituents, the press, and fellowlegislative staffers.

The program is quickly gainingpopularity within the Capitolcommunity. Soon after announcing theintern program, a waiting list hadformed. From all indications, ourinterns have not disappointed.

Legislators’ expectationssurpassed by interns

“As a St. Mary’s graduate I’mproud of the tradition of public servicethat is instilled in our graduates,” saidSen. Carlos Uresti (B.A. ’85, J.D. ’92).“The Frank Madla Jr. and Irma RangelLegislative Internship Program is anoutstanding opportunity for students tocontinue our University’s legacy. Myintern has set a very high bar which Ihave come to expect from allSt. Mary’s students.”

Our students quickly learn that theduties of a “legislative intern” are farmore comprehensive than what’sexpected of others. According to RobBorja, Chief of Staff to Rep. DavidLeibowitz (J.D. ’82), legislative internstypically serve thankless jobs, whereexpectations may be high andunforgiving for those unaccustomed toan unpredictable and exceedingly fast-paced work environment.

But it’s the fast-paced nature of thelegislature and the teamwork requiredto meet immediate demands thatAndrea Chavez, a sophomore from ElPaso who works with Borja, says shelikes best about working in alegislative office. She is often calledupon to help complete projects vital toensuring that Rep. Leibowitz’sconstituents have a voice. Borja saysChavez has met the challenges andexceeded his expectations. “Andreahas become an invaluable member ofthe staff, and she truly outshines manyof her peers. She has a genuineconcern for serving the public.”

Twins Mark and Matthew Reyna,juniors from San Antonio, haveacclimated to the frenzied atmosphereat the Capitol. Mark, the “oldest,”seems to have found his calling. Infact, he has become so adept in officeoperations, it’s hard to call him anintern. Working on the staff of Sen.Uresti, Mark eagerly meets the newchallenges that each day invariably

brings. Whether discussingresponsibilities entrusted to him, ordescribing routine tasks such as filing abill or maintaining the Senator’s dailyschedule, Mark beams with prideknowing he is serving the people ofUresti’s district.

Matt Reyna shows equalenthusiasm for his position as theassistant clerk for the SenateCommittee on Transportation andHomeland Security, a job wroughtwith responsibility. On any givenWednesday, Matt can be foundstationed at the front of the committeeroom, collecting witness affirmationforms and closely monitoring theactivities of the Committee.

Experience unlocks anddirects interns’ futures

“Working in the Capitol has beenan awesome experience,” Matt said.“This internship gives me an idea ofwhat I need to do and how hard I needto work to fulfill my goals. I’ll go backto St. Mary’s with new skills forsuccess, and I can’t wait to see howwell they work.”

Like his brother, Matt quicklyearned the respect and admiration ofhis co-workers. Christy Gonzalez, acommittee senior policy analyst, ishighly complimentary of Matt.“Having an intern from the programhas been a wonderful experience forour office,” she said. “Not only havewe had the opportunity to mentor aneager learner in Matt, but he hasprovided much needed support andassistance throughout the session.”

Sherita Simmons, of Bartow, Calif.,is one of the three graduate internspursuing a master’s in PublicAdministration. On staff of Sen.Leticia Van de Putte, Sherita says herfavorite part of working at the Capitolis the opportunity to play a role inshaping Texas history. With the desireto attend St. Mary’s law school and

Alumni Legislators’ LegacyAlive in New Internship Program

by David Courreges

Luminaries such as the late U.S. Rep. Henry B.Gonzalez and the multitude of men and womenserving in local, state and national government todayrepresent St. Mary’s longstanding tradition ofpreparing and inspiring leaders. With a nod to thisproud legacy and to the University’s strategic plan,Vision 2012, the Frank Madla Jr. and Irma RangelLegislative Internship Program was created. Namedfor two St. Mary’s alumni whose service in the TexasLegislature made a huge impact on San Antonio andSouth Texas, the internship program allows currentstudents to follow in the footsteps of legends,challenging them to truly make a difference withinthemselves and their communities.

j

David C. Courreges is an attorney at the Austin lawfirm of De Leon & Washburn, P.C. where hepractices in the areas of administrative law, andlegislative and governmental affairs. David earned hisJ.D. and M.P.A. from St. Mary’s in 2005 and iscurrently serving the University as a legislative affairsconsultant and an adjunct professor. The on-campuscoordinator of the Frank Madla Jr. and Irma RangelLegislative Internship Program is Political ScienceProfessor Arturo Vega, Ph.D. (B.A. ’81, M.A. ’83).

Editor’s note: The Honorable Frank Madla Jr. (1937-2006) and the Honorable Irma Rangel (1931-2003)gave Texas nearly 60 years of dedicated publicservice. Both graduates of St. Mary’s, Madla (B.A.’59, M.A. ’64) and Rangel (J.D. ’69), served in theTexas House of Representatives for 20 and 26 years,respectively, with Rangel becoming the first MexicanAmerican female elected to the Texas Legislature in1976. Madla also spent 13 years in the Texas Senate.


eventually becoming a municipaladministrator, Sherita came to Austinto gain first-hand knowledge of thelegislative process and develop a betterunderstanding of what the Legislaturecan do to help solve local issues.

As part of the intern program,students write a piece of legislationwhich they will use in variousclassroom activities. The exerciseteaches research and draftingtechniques that can only be learnedthrough hands-on application. Sherita’slegislation—to afford eligible Texashigh school students the opportunity tovote in elections by requiring schoolsto give an excused absence for thatpurpose—was filed by Sen. Van dePutte on March 5. Senate Bill 1400will be watched closely as it makes itsway through the legislative process,providing a learning experience for all.

Gaining insight intodemocracy

Graduate students Saad Aldosariand Ayed Ahbabi bring a uniqueperspective to the intern program.Natives of Saudi Arabia and the UnitedArab Emirates, respectively, the duodecided to take on the challenge ofworking with the Texas Legislature togain insight into the concept ofdemocracy and the operations of theAmerican legislative process. Saad(who has an extensive backgroundworking with the Saudi government)and Ayed hope the experience willallow them to return home to serve thecitizens of their countries either in thepublic or private sector.

To help Aldosari and Ahbabi learn

as much about the legislative processas possible, they were placed withfreshman Representatives Tara RiosYbarra of South Padre Island andRoland Gutierrez (J.D. ’98) of SanAntonio, respectively. Typically thereis a significant learning curve forfreshman members of the House. Butconcepts taken for granted or simplyoverlooked by senior members areoften given special attention byfreshman legislators. With only 140days to prove oneself to one’sconstituents, both the legislators andtheir staffs adapt quickly to the stepsand customs that are necessary to run asuccessful legislative office.

As teammates on St. Mary’swomen’s soccer team, San Antoniosenior Sarah Linares and El Pasosophomore Carolina Hernandezdeveloped a close bond that, today, isbeneficial in unexpected ways.Working side-by-side in the Office ofRep. Joaquín Castro, Carolina andSarah’s pairing was quite a surprise,but has helped them adapt to the oftenunpredictable nature of the Capitol.

“Though a bit overwhelming attimes, my internship has been a greatlearning experience,” Carolina said.“I’ve learned more in such a short timethan I ever could have imagined. Everyday presents its own new challenges.”

Rep. Castro’s recent appointment asVice Chairman of the House HigherEducation Committee has allowed bothwomen to learn about many of thepolicies that affect them as collegestudents. When the committee meets,you will see them sitting in the frontrow taking in everything as it unfolds.

Sarah says her internship is like“taking a field trip to a historiclocation you only read about in schoolthat now you actually participate in. Ibelieve this experience will give methe necessary tools to successfullycontinue along my academic andprofessional path,” she said.

It’s a sentiment shared by herteammate. “Working at the Capitol hasbeen like being a part of history,”Carolina said. “I gravitated toward thepolitical sphere’s capacity to affectsocial change when choosing mymajor, and I’ve witnessed effortstoward such change here at theCapitol. I’m glad I took a chance anddidn’t let a grand learning opportunityslip through my hands.” �

The inaugural class of the Frank Madla Jr. andIrma Rangel Legislative Internship Programare, from left: Ayed Ahbabi, Saad Aldosari,

Mark Reyna, Intern Program AdjunctProfessor David Courreges (M.P.A./J.D. ’05),Matt Reyna, Sherita Simmons, Sarah Linares,

Carolina Hernandez and Andrea Chavez.


“Not a minute goes by that I don’tremind myself what an honor it is tocome to the White House to work eachmorning; that what I do will be part ofhistory,” said Moises “Moe” Vela Jr.(J.D. ’90), Director of Administrationfor Vice President Joe Biden. Evenmore remarkable for this Latino fromSouth Texas is this is his second stintin the White House, having served asVice President Al Gore’s CFO andsenior adviser on Hispanic affairs from1996 to 2000.

“This [second] appointment is sohumbling and mind-boggling,” saidVela. “I feel undeserving, but I’veturned it into an opportunity.” ForVela, it’s all about advocacy andgiving back, and he didn’t have to lookfar to find role models.

For the Vela family, service is away of life.

Success has no price tagMoe’s father, Moises Sr. (J.D. ’55),

a successful Harlingen attorney, spentmuch of his time doing pro bono workfor the indigent. Mom, Mary Jo, taughtpre-kinder children, often buying herpoor students clothing and food.

“Watching my parents’ selflesswork taught me that success in life is

not about money, but what isin your heart and soul,”

said Moe. “Theytaught me and mysiblings to alwaystake care ofthose lessfortunate, and itwill come backto you.”

But beforearriving inside the

Beltway, Moe made adetour to Broadway.

After earning his B.A., heheaded to New York City, convincedthe theatre was calling him. Singing,dancing, acting lessons. Waitingtables, telemarketing gigs. Head shots,auditions…rejection. “The totalexperience,” said Moe. Even though hedidn’t make it there, Moe counts hisNew York experience as one of thegreatest in his life. “Live with noregrets. Give it a try. What’s the worstthat could happen?”

A new era for young LatinosHe carries that same philosophy

with him in public service, especiallywhen it comes to young Latinos. Moeis committed to making governmentmore accessible to youngsters. “I wantthem to know it’s not about whetherthey’re going to do something that canmake a difference, but where andwhen. I want them to see that if you setgoals, you can accomplish anything.”

After leaving New York, Moeattended St. Mary’s law school. Upongraduation, he set his sights onincreasing Hispanics’ involvement ingovernment and urging companies tohonestly and effectively market toLatinos, noting it takes more thanbrochures in Spanish to reach ourcountry’s fastest growing ethnic group.Whether consulting with private sectormarketing firms or advising the VicePresident of the United States, Moe isadamant that “[The Hispaniccommunity] must overcome ourcultural humility – the ingrained sensethat it’s unseemly to promote ourselves– because we’re losing jobs andopportunities.”

Second tour a blessingMoe is focused on convincing

others that the Hispanic community isworth investing in. As a public servant,he would like his legacy to be

advancing inclusion and creatingopportunities for the under-representedand disenfranchised. His biggestfrustration? “I can’t reach every youngperson that might benefit from myexperience.” Moe firmly believes thatif children are shown the right path, ashe was – to treat everyone withdignity, embrace education, andrespect yourself and others – 99percent of them will be successful.

This highest ranking South Texanin the White House reports directly toVice President Biden, who he says is“beyond amazing, down to earth,rejuvenating and passionate.” AndPresident Obama, whose path hecrosses frequently, is “clearly a once-in-a-lifetime leader, so gifted, socommitted to our nation.”

The recent presidential election is ahistoric moment in our nation andshowed that “we all have a place at thetable,” said Moe. But he remainsgenuinely humbled by his goodfortune. “I often ask myself, ‘how doyou say thank you to your nation, yourGod, your family, your University?’ Ibelieve I can only offer thanks byputting into motion what I’ve learned,”he said.

“When you’re blessed with anopportunity, it’s your responsibility togive back.” �

Moe Vela chats with Vice President Biden, Press Secretary to Jill Biden, CourtneyO’Donnell (standing, at left), Chief of Staff to Jill Biden, Cathy Russell (seated), onboard Air Force Two during a return trip to Andrews Air Force Base from SanJosé, Costa Rica.

Lightning Strikes TwiceMoises Vela Jr. Relishes Second White House Tourby Candace Kuebker

Visit www.stmarytx.edu/blogfor more stories, videos and photographs from the road. spring 2009 Gold Blue& 17

As the country prepared toinaugurate its 44th president,St. Mary’s students andalums headed to the Capitolto witness the historic event.We asked them to blog abouttheir experiences—here iswhat surprised and inspiredthem on their trek toWashington, D.C.

On my flight I overheard an 80-year-old woman who sat next tome. She came from a generationwhere every part of her life wasbased on discrimination. Thisinauguration represents asymbolic departure from a hurtfulpast; to her this inauguration isabout so much more than Obama.

—Posted by Madhavi Kasbekar(law student) on January 16

Our home is right in thethick of all of the partyaction this weekend. I’msure we’ll see somesights. Who knows,maybe we’ll even catch aglimpse of the Obamas,Stevie Wonder, or “TheBoss.”

—Posted by AdrienneUrrutia Wisenberg

(J.D. ’89) on January 16

Obama was in his limo 10feet from us as he enteredArlington National Cemeteryon his way to lay a wreathat the tomb! My kids wereso excited, it made theirwhole trip.

—Posted by Anita Ehler(B.A. ’78) on January 18

Hey everyone, greetings from LittleRock. Words can’t express theexcitement and anticipation I feelas I sit here talking to my busmate, Carlos, about what thiselection means for the future of theUnited States. I just feel blessed tobe part of history.

—Posted by Vanessa Mendoza(graduate student) on January 18

After arriving in D.C. at3 a.m., standing in line forhours and making a mad dashout of security, we’re sittingdown behind the reflectingpool in front of the Capitolanxiously waiting for thefestivities to begin. We’vemade new friends from allover the country and we can’twait until noon. The energy ofthe crowd is intense.—Posted by Gabriel Hernandez

(senior) on January 19

Today has been UNBELIEVABLE! …What may now sound cliché, but isno less true, is the amazingrealization that, despite ourdifferent backgrounds, differentlocations, and differentexperiences, we were comingtogether for something that meantso much, not only to each of usindividually, but to America as awhole.

—Posted by Elizabeth Kaigh (lawstudent) on January 20

Just got backfrom the Mid-Atlantic Ball. TheVice Presidentshowed up a littlepast 10 p.m. Hespoke and dancedwith his wife, Jill.About an hourlater the Presidentand first ladyarrived.

— Posted byMichael Kolenc

(B.A. ’03)on January 20

InauguralRoad Trip


Fanning the MightyTy Cobb

St. Louis Collegevs.

Detroit Tigers

by Donald W. Olson and Robert H. Newton


pitcher-batter

confrontation played out in

dramatic fashion, almost like a

scene from a Hollywood

script, in a baseball game on

the campus of St. Mary’s

University 100 years ago.When we recently discovered an

eyewitness account of this long-agogame, we were reminded of the classic1984 baseball movie The Natural. Inthat film a young unknown amateurpitcher (played by Robert Redford)first attracts national attention when anexhibition is arranged, and he strikesout the major league’s greatest hitter(called “The Whammer” in a roleclearly modeled on Babe Ruth andplayed by Joe Don Baker).

Something very much like thismovie scene actually happened on theSt. Mary’s campus a century ago,when a seventeen-year-old studentfrom St. Louis College (as St. Mary’sUniversity was known then) faced thegreatest hitter in major league baseball– and struck him out.

The Detroit Tigers, champions ofthe American League in both 1907 and1908, came to San Antonio for springtraining in 1909. The Detroit teamprepared for the upcoming season withdaily workouts and exhibition gameswith local teams. On March 18, 1909,the morning edition of the San AntonioDaily Express announced a game with

the headline “Detroit vs. St. LouisCollege. Tigers to Face School LadsThis Afternoon at West End.”

One of Baseball’sAll-Time Greats

The star player for Detroit was TyCobb, who still holds the major leaguerecord for the highest lifetime battingaverage.

Although modern baseball fansoften name Babe Ruth as the greatestplayer of all time, baseball writers whosaw both Ruth and Cobb playgenerally accorded that honor to Cobb.For example, when the Baseball Hallof Fame inducted the first group ofplayers in 1936, Ty Cobb led thevoting (with 222 votes out of 226 cast),with Honus Wagner and Babe Ruthtied for second (215 votes each).

The result was similar when theSporting News in 1942 asked formerbaseball stars and managers thequestion “Who was the greatest playerof all time?” Of the 102 replies, 60voted for Ty Cobb, 17 for HonusWagner, 11 for Babe Ruth, with 14votes going to several others.

This was no ordinary player wholed the Tigers onto the college campusin the spring of 1909.

The GameTo face Ty Cobb and the rest of the

Tigers, St. Louis College sent MelvinAllys “Bert” Gallia to the mound. Anelectrical engineering major from

Woodsboro, Gallia not only pitched forthe team but also proved to be theirstrongest hitter, batting in the cleanupposition. In the bottom of the firstinning, Gallia stroked a double andtook part in a double steal, as thestudents took an early 2-0 lead.

The newspaper account the nextday described the young pitcher’smemorable strikeout: “Gallia pitchedgood ball for St. Louis. He had thepleasure of fanning the mighty TyCobb and a couple of others just aboutas dangerous.”

The Detroit lineup eventuallyprevailed and won the game, asexpected, but the Daily Express notedthat “the Collegians arose to theoccasion with a spirit that surprisedeven their most hearty rooters. Thegame was a credit to the school and theTigers complimented them on theirshowing.”

Discrepancies Put to RestTales of this legendary game have

been told and re-told over the years,but misinformation has crept into thoseaccounts.

Recent baseball historiansmistakenly place the game in March1910, and although the Detroit Tigersdid train again in San Antonio during1910, in that year Cobb elected towork out by himself in Georgia. Withthis fact in mind, a search through themicrofilm reels of the San AntonioDaily Express from 1909 yielded the

Ty Cobb

“Bert” Gallia

A

After the game, players from theDetroit Tigers and St. Louis Collegians

posed for this photograph, taken onthe front steps of St. Louis Hall.


original accounts of the game.Similarly, historians and yarn-

spinners alike tell us that Ty Cobbgained a measure of revenge on Galliaby hitting a long home run late in thegame. The box score shows fivedoubles by the Tigers and one triple –but no home runs by either side. Thenewspaper story praises Gallia forpitching “good ball” and explicitlystates that the “triple was the liveliestperformance off his delivery.”

After the GameThe Detroit Tigers won the

American League pennant again in1909. Ty Cobb himself achieved therare feat called the Triple Crown,

leading the American League in 1909in batting average, runs batted in, andhome runs. Melvin Gallia went on to amajor league career, pitching for theWashington Senators from 1912 to1917, the St. Louis Browns from 1918to 1920, and the Philadelphia Phillieslate in 1920.

But it was 100 years ago that Galliafirst showed that he was a “natural” –with the talent to strike out “the mightyTy Cobb.” �

Donald Olson,a professor inthe Departmentof Physics atTexas StateUniversity, is alifelong fan ofthe DetroitTigers. Olson

grew up in Toledo, Ohio, wherethe Detroit Tigers are consideredto be the local team. Whileteaching at Texas State, Olsonbegan researching Ty Cobb’svisits to Texas and discovered theconnection to St. Mary’sUniversity.

Like Olson,Robert Newtonis an avidbaseball fanand loveslearning abouthow the gamewas played inyears past. In

his senior year as a physics major,when he heard that his professorhad made an exciting discoverypertaining to baseball history,Newton couldn’t pass up theopportunity to be a part of theresearch.

Acknowledgments:The authors are grateful for researchassistance from archivist BrotherRobert Wood, S.M., of St. Mary’sUniversity and Margaret Vaverek ofthe Alkek Library at Texas StateUniversity.

Rattler Athletics – Extending the Tradition of Excellence

Although Don Olson’s and Robert Newton’s story may feature the “Collegians” of

yesteryear instead of today’s Rattlers, and that 1909 game likely was played on a patch of

dirt on the “West End” campus instead of at V.J. Keefe Field with its stands that hold 2,500

fans, there is little disagreement that baseball – and sports overall – at St. Mary’s enjoys a

long, colorful and successful tradition.

With five national titles in four sports, winning at St. Mary’s is a testament to the spirit of

competition and the tenacity and talent of thousands of student-athletes.

While records show interscholastic competition began in 1902 with baseball, over the

years women’s and men’s teams in 11 sports at St. Mary’s have won more than 100

conference championships and advanced to NAIA and NCAA Division II postseason play

more than 50 times.

Just as athletic competition a century ago hinted at the legacy of success that exists

today, it is St. Mary’s goal to expand our campus and our achievements through the

Extending the Tradition of Excellence campaign.

The $23 million initiative includes – along with scholarships and professorships – a new

Outdoor Sports Complex that will rival the Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center with its

3,800-seat Bill Greehey Arena, home to Rattler indoor sports. Nearly $7 million has been

raised or pledged for the $13 million Outdoor Sports Complex that will feature facilities,

fields and courts for baseball, softball, soccer and tennis.

These additions and upgrades to the University complement St. Mary’s efforts to

revitalize the neighborhood and the Westside, as well as strengthen our partnership with

the city to make San Antonio an NCAA destination for championship tournament play. Last

year the Bill Greehey Arena was site of the NCAA Final Four Slam Dunk/3-Point Shot

competition and this spring the NCAA Division II Women’s Elite Eight Basketball

Championship.

Besides bringing with them the opportunity to host national sporting events, new

outdoor facilities certainly will benefit St. Mary’s by providing our students and student-

athletes alike with the finest facilities for varsity and recreational play and by attracting

prospective students to the University.

Through the Extending the Tradition of Excellence campaign, the leadership of St. Mary’s is

ensuring that the University’s winning traditions and legacy of success, borne of the likes of

Melvin “Bert” Gallia – the boy who struck out the world’s best baseball player – live on in

the decades to come.

For more information about the Extending the Tradition of Excellence campaign, contact the

Office of Development at (210) 436-3718.


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It’s not the dream of everySt. Mary’s graduate to move to the BigApple, but it was the dream of two.

Alexis Carmona never imaginedherself working in New York City forBloomingdale’s former CEO, but todayshe sits in a posh office as MarvinTraub’s executive assistant.

“In a nutshell, I’ve unexpectedlylanded in the middle of the fashionworld,” Carmona said.

Alexis believes the skills honedwhile studying English-CommunicationArts at St. Mary’s prepared her for thepublic relations aspect of her job, whileher involvement in extra-curricularactivities helped build her confidenceand maturity.

“St. Mary’s was such a positiveinfluence in my life and one of thegreatest experiences so far,” she said.

Upon graduation, Alexis tried herhand in the sales and travel industries,where, she says, she got a glimpse ofthe “real world.” She also learned thatshe wanted more.

After sharing a small apartment andeating lots of canned tuna, Alexis sether sights on Manhattan. With a

polished résumé, she started knockingon doors, including Marvin Traub’s,who was in need of an executiveassistant. After a 30 minute chat, heasked when she could start.

“This has been the perfectopportunity to discover who I am andwhat I want for my career. I’m enjoyingthis dream come true.”

Another recent grad working inNew York in a fast-paced, high profilecareer is Henry Van de Putte (B.A.’07). He attributes his ability to parlayhis political science degree into a job asa Corporate CommunicationsOutreach representative at ESPN tohis experiences as a student leadercommitted to community service.

This St. Mary’s Presidential Awardand Marianist Leadership Awardrecipient is at ease in the big city,whether on the job or fielding callswhile walking through Times Square.

Today, Van de Putte has his dreamjob and is married to his dream girl,alumna Rena Cortez (B.A. ’06).

Henry’s need to have spiritualityfront and center keeps him grounded,and he never hesitates to use the skillsmastered at St. Mary’s to help him leada fulfilling life. At ESPN he interactswith nonprofit organizations onvolunteer projects, such as the ESPYCelebrity Golf Classic, whose proceedsfund cancer research.

“It’s like the Service LearningCenter of ESPN,” Henry said.

Self-motivation and lessons learnedat St. Mary’s have made dreams cometrue for Alexis and Henry. Theirstories serve as reminders that byhelping others along the road tosuccess, life can be more fulfilling andworthwhile.

—Valerie Sanchez, Senior English-Communication Arts student

Alexis Carmona (B.A. ’06)Henry Van de Putte (B.A. ’07)

Taking a BiteOut of the Big Apple

22 &Gold Blue www.stmarytx.edu

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five years old when [my father] first ranfor office,” Kevin recalled. “I grew upvery proud of him but never thoughtI’d run myself.” It wasn’t until after afour year stint in the Navy and 20successful years in the private sectorthat he started campaigning.

Kevin’s career move wasn’t theonly surprise. “Generally as you getolder, you get more conservative. Nowthe younger one is conservative andthe older one is liberal!” said the elderWolff of the difference in his andKevin’s political leanings.

The only Republican on the Court,Commissioner Kevin Wolff enjoysintelligent debate. He attributes hisdiplomacy to his time at St. Mary’s andhis upbringing: “I try to understand theother person’s argument, if for noother reason than to defeat them,” hesaid.

Luckily, issues presented to theCourt are typically straightforward. “Idon’t care if you are a Republican orDemocrat, nobody likes potholes,”Kevin observed.

The ability of the pair to reconcilepolitical differences is ideal for anygoverning body. “I respect [Kevin’s]opinions and philosophies. That’simportant and something that’s reallylacking at the federal level today,” saidJudge Wolff.

Both the Judge and Commissionerwill tell you that the service ethic atSt. Mary’s contributed to their pursuitof public service. Judge Wolff agreesthat “you don’t have to be Catholic,but the principles that [St. Mary’s]teaches you are the most importantthings in life.”

And when it comes to publicservice, as Kevin puts it, you must“have the guts to get up and do it.Nobody remembers the folks whodon’t.”

—Nicolette Good,Communications Coordinator

St. Mary’s is a tradition in the Wolfffamily. Dad Nelson (B.B.A./J.D. ’66) andson Kevin (B.B.A. ’91, M.B.A. ’03) alsoshare another tradition. This pastJanuary, Bexar County Judge NelsonWolff was joined on the Court byCommissioner Kevin Wolff. “Likefather, like son” may be true of theircall to public service, but that doesn’tmean they share the same politicalphilosophy.

Former San Antonio Mayor NelsonWolff first considered public servicewhile attending law school. “There wasa lot of inspiration at St. Mary’s fromjudges who had run for office,” he said.In particular, Dean Emeritus JamesCastleberry pushed him to newacademic limits. “He graded hard,scared his students to death and hadhigh expectations.”

With that standard of excellence,Nelson Wolff became only the secondperson in San Antonio in more than acentury to serve as both mayor andcounty judge. As mayor, he helpedbring the PGA Village and Toyota tothe city and oversaw the constructionof UTSA’s downtown campus.

Unlike his dad, Kevin Wolff didn’talways aspire to public office. “I was

Nelson (B.B.A./J.D. ’66) andKevin Wolff (B.B.A. ’91,M.B.A. ’03)

Family Tradition BringsChange to City

Bob Rosow (1919–2003) and his

wife, Freida (1918–2000), loved

St. Mary’s. Because of their devotion

to the University, the couple

included a scholarship bequest in

their estate plans. The Robert S. and

Freida B. Rosow Scholarship

requirements reflect the Rosows’

belief that a strong work ethic is

necessary for academic and career

preparation and success. Since the

scholarship was established, nearly

50 St. Mary’s students who are

working their way through college

have benefited from the fund.

Bob and Freida maintained their

ardent support of St. Mary’s

University throughout their lives. In

fact, Bob served as St. Mary’s Alumni

Association president in 1960 and

was honored as the University

Distinguished Alumnus in 1975, and

the couple regularly attended

St. Mary’s events, large and small.

Because of the generous bequest of

Bob and Freida Rosow, their legacy

lives on in perpetuity.

“I owe a debt of gratitude to St Mary’s. It was theMarianists’ vow of poverty that allowed me, a poorJewish boy from the South Side of San Antonio, toattend the University in 1937. Their principles ofhonor and ethics made my time at St. Mary’s sospecial. I want to pay back my alma mater until I cangive no more.”

—Robert Rosow, B.S.C. 1945

Robert S. “Bob” Rosow in a 1999 photograph

For more information on how to make a difference in the future of St. Mary’s University,please contact the Office of Development at (210) 436-3718.

�RosowLegacyLives On

St. Mary's University Gold & Blue | Spring 2009

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