St. Mary's University Gold & Blue | Summer 2008

SUMMER 2008

Corporate Juggling ActFulbright Scholar to Research Human Dignity

The Secret Lives of Whales

On the Covers

On the front cover: Presidential Award winnerand honors graduate James Fischer is looking

toward the future, a future that includes entering

dental school this fall. James was among the more

than 600 graduates who collected their degrees

in May. This leg of his and other graduates’

journey is over, but earning a degree is but a

stepping stone to new adventures.

On the back cover: Award-winning journalist andalumnus John Quiñones was the keynote speaker

on May 10, when 382 graduates walked the stage

during commencement exercises, including those

collecting their bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral

degrees. During the May 17 School of Law

graduation ceremony, 240 law students collected

their degrees and heard Pennsylvania’s Attorney

General and St. Mary’s alumnus the Honorable

Tom Corbett deliver the keynote address.

St. Mary’s continues to graduate students at

almost twice the rate of most national and

regional universities. The Class of 2008 is

especially noteworthy for its participation in

research initiatives; it will long be remembered as

the class that helped the University achieve new

milestones in research and scholarship. Although

they will choose different walks of life, St. Mary’s

graduates are well-prepared to impact their

professions and society in positive ways.

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)

ASSOCIATE EDITORGina Farrell

PUBLICATIONS DIRECTORSteve Weed

PHOTOGRAPHYMelanie Rush Davis

Jeff HuehnTommy Hultgren

CONTRIBUTORSBeth Barbee

Jessie CasaresRosemary Segura

Derek SmolikLauren Thompson

Melissa Valek (M.A. ’02)Alyssa Wealty (B.A. ’08)

(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 © 2008 by St. Mary’s University.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.

summer 2008 Gold Blue& 1

From the Editor

I was hired as an admission counselor atSt. Mary’s in 1977. I spent that first yearjuggling travel and school but I was 21 andeverything was possible. Another young andenthusiastic co-worker, Tony Chapa, madethose early years special (see page 18).

Tony was a little older than me, and a lotwiser. He was fun to work with but, unlikemany at that age, he’d set his professionalsights on law enforcement and he used histime in admissions developing his speakingand interviewing skills. It’s fair to say he’shoned those skills more than most during his22-year career in the United States SecretService. When we heard Tony had beenpromoted to one of seven assistantdirectorships of the Secret Service, to date thehighest-ranking Hispanic in that organization,a story seemed in order.

When Tony arrived here to interview forthis magazine, he revealed that he was leavingthe Secret Service to undertake anotherchallenge—joining a special operationstechnology group located in Washington. Thefocus of our story changed slightly, but itdoesn’t change my admiration for Tony andwhat he’s accomplished since those earlydays in admissions. I’m confident he’ll takeon this new endeavor with the samededication and care that he exhibited 30 yearsago when he was encouraging young peopleto attend St. Mary’s.

Matt Gilley is an expert in business ethicsand corporate social responsibility. His takeon the state of the subject industrywide and atSt. Mary’s is fascinating. So, too, is theresearch being done by St. Mary’s newestFulbright Scholar Chip Hughes.

It’s really hot in South Texas this summer.Just looking at the photos of the belugawhales at SeaWorld that St. Mary’s studentsare studying has a cooling effect. Theirresearch is an exciting departure from thenorm. And Malissa Magee is but the latest inSt. Mary’s tradition of producing topnotchpitching aces.

Wherever you are, stay cool!

—Candy Kuebker

1978 yearbook photosof admission counselorsChapa and the editor.

2Vistas—Academic Year 2008-2009

by Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.

3News From Around the Grove

8Corporate Juggling Act

Social Responsibility and the Bottom Lineby K. Matt Gilley, Ph.D.

11Fulbright Scholar Seeks Answers That Are

Out of This Worldby Gina Farrell

13The Secret Lives of Whales

by Gina Farrell

16Magee on the Mound

All-American Ace Becomes Part of Winning Traditionby Derek Smolik

18Leaving the Line of Fire

Former Secret Service Agent Looks to the Futureby Lauren Thompson

20Class Notes and Notables

In Memoriam and Fondest Farewell

CONTENTS

www.stmarytx.eduGold Blue&2

Vistas—AcademicYear 2008-2009

The beginning of each school yearbrings new aspiration andopportunities as well as challenges.The 2008-2009 academic year willalso bring dramatic change toSt. Mary’s University; to be sure, it isthe issues facing our alma mater todaythat will affect the University for yearsto come. What lies ahead?

Key SearchesUnquestionably, experienced and

innovative leadership in times ofchange is vital for St. Mary’s to moveforward. During the coming year wewill be searching for individuals to fillkey academic positions at theUniversity, including the vicepresidency for Academic Affairs. I amexcited about welcoming to St. Mary’sa new generation of inspiringeducators who will help us fulfill ourmission of providing students with thevery best in innovative teaching intheir pursuit of academic excellence.Those selected for these importantposts will bring their uniqueperspectives and experiences whileproviding leadership and direction inareas essential to our progress andsuccess.

The Core CurriculumThe distinctive identity of a

St. Mary’s education has always beencontained in the requirements of theCatholic liberal arts Core Curriculum.A talented and dedicated facultycommittee has begun work, reviewingthe existing Core—required of allundergraduate students—as it preparesto submit a proposed Core Curriculumto the St. Mary’s Board of Trustees foradoption at its April 2009 meeting.

International EducationThrough various communications

you likely are aware of our quest tointernationalize the campus and itseducational programs. We standcommitted to developing opportunitiesfor our students throughout theUniversity, and the outlook is positive:a group of Chinese students will arriveat St. Mary’s this summer, an outcomeof one of the five agreements recentlysigned with Chinese universities; thegraduate Department of Counseling isexploring exchanges with LatinAmerican universities; and the Schoolof Law begins a legal studies programin Beijing next summer.

Revitalizing the St. Mary’sNeighborhood

As St. Mary’s grounds and facilitieshave been made more attractive andinviting, our surroundingneighborhood has experienced thetransitions of many older urbansettings. These realities evidence aneed for revitalization in all aspects ofneighborhood life, including housing,commerce, infrastructure and qualityof life. In urban centers such as

Chicago, New Orleans, Dayton, andHartford, major universities havecreated sustainable partnerships withtheir communities by providingknowledge, assistance and leadership.We are called to do the same. WhileSt. Mary’s has long been engaged withits neighbors, by combining ourresources with those of government,business and community groups, wecan affect positive change in oursurroundings.

Under the leadership of RamiroCavazos (M.P.A. ’03), the St. Mary’sUniversity NeighborhoodRevitalization Task Force, comprisedof community and business leaders,neighborhood residents, as well asSt. Mary’s alumni, faculty andstudents, has initiated comprehensiveplans and strategies to revitalize theareas around the University campus. Itis our unique responsibility tospearhead such an effort. Theformation of this Task Force is apromising beginning to our long-termcommitment to work towards anattractive and safe environment foreveryone who lives, works and learnsin our part of San Antonio to enjoy. Abyproduct of these efforts is thatSt. Mary’s remains true to its missionby reinforcing the essential value ofcivic engagement and in makingsociety better for the next generation.

We face these opportunities,challenges and changes withconfidence and hope, buoyed by afundamental principle of Marianisteducation—the successful adaptationto change.

As always, we look forward to yourideas and support in these and otherendeavors. �

by Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.

M E S S AG E F ROM TH E P R E S I D E N T

The Rattler GarnersTop Honors

The 2007-2008 staff of St. Mary’sstudent newspaper, The Rattler, wasawarded top honors by the AmericanScholastic Press Association’s annualnewspaper competition this pastspring.

The newspaper won first place withspecial merit in the nationalcompetition by earning perfect scoresin four of six areas, including contentcoverage, page design, art, advertisingand illustrations, and editing. TheWomen in Communications SanAntonio professional chapter alsoawarded members of The Rattler staffawards for a hard news story and photomanagement, as well as an award forgraphics, photography, and design.

NEWS


Fundraising efforts are ongoing forthe renovation of St. Mary’s historicadministration building. To date,almost $3 million has been raised insupport of this important project.

February Bar Exam ResultsImprove Dramatically

The highest bar passage rate inmore than a decade was realized bylaw students taking the February 2008Texas State Bar Examination. TheSt. Mary’s pass rate of almost 87percent surpassed the Texas average of85 percent, placing St. Mary’s fifth inthe state, ahead of the several otherschools including The University ofTexas at Austin.

While the number of first-time testtakers sitting for the bar exam issmaller in February than during theJuly administration, the improvementin St. Mary’s passage rate indicatesthat efforts in the School of Law toidentify and support those studentswith the ability to succeed but with theneed for additional assistance arepaying dividends.

PPC to Focuson Environment

The fall President’s PeaceCommission program will focus onproblems and accountability –individual and global – associated withthe misuse and over-use of ourresources, and how stewardship canguide us towards sustainable living.Ten panels will address the fall themeof “Embracing Our World: Are WeAccountable?” during the three-dayprogram that commences Oct. 28. Seea complete listing of presentations atwww.stmarytx.edu/ppc.

In addition, the Lin Great SpeakersSeries Faculty Advisory Group isplanning its lectures for the 2008-2009academic year around environmentalissues and sustainability.

� SHORT SUBJECTS

B-School EarnsReaccreditation

The undergraduate and graduateprograms in the Bill Greehey School ofBusiness have been re-accredited byAACSB International, the higheststandard of achievement for businessschools worldwide.

As required by AACSB Internationalstandards, all accredited schools mustgo through a peer review every fiveyears. Keith A. Russell, Ph.D., the latebusiness school dean, led thesuccessful completion of the peerreview this past spring.

In its final report, the peer reviewteam noted several strengths of theschool including the student-focusedculture, strong connections with thebusiness community, strong diversityof students, and the Business Weekprogram.

St. Louis Hall Listedin National Register

St. Mary’s was notified in May thatSt. Louis Hall, the University’ssignature building, has been listed inthe National Park Service’s NationalRegister of Historic Places. As thenation’s official list of historicallysignificant properties, NationalRegister listing denotes St. Louis Hallas being especially worthy ofpreservation.

F ROM A ROUND TH E G ROV E

Want More News?Go Online

www.stmarytx.edu

Full scholarships available

for Catholic educators

�

View photo gallery

of graduation ceremonies

�

Learn about Marianist history

in an online video


Conversation’: The Demands ofDialogic Existence”� Melissa Wilde – Assistant Professorof Sociology at the University ofPennsylvania – “Who Wanted Whatand Why at Vatican II: AnInterpretation of Social Change”

Organization Focuseson Restorative Justice

Last fall the efforts of someSt. Mary’s law students were realizedwhen the Restorative Justice Initiativebecame a recognized studentorganization. Committed to use theirfuture positions as lawyers to benefittheir communities, the group believesin promoting justice, healing andrestoration for both the victims and theoffenders.

The students have turned thebudding organization into a volunteerforce by facilitating the Bridges to Lifeprogram at the Joey Ney Unit of theHondo Prison, where they spend onenight a week for 12 weeks at the prisonworking in small groups with theprisoners. The organization wasawarded a community service grantfrom the San Antonio Bar Foundationand was chosen by student peers as theStudent Bar Association Organizationof the Year.

CIT Series SpeakersAnnounced

Each year the University invitesmen and women who have shaped theCatholic Intellectual Tradition to sharetheir knowledge and participate inconversation with members of theUniversity community and with thewider San Antonio community.

“Catholicism Yesterday, Today andTomorrow: Vatican II and Beyond” isthe theme of the St. Mary’s CatholicIntellectual Tradition lecture series thisyear. All lectures will be held at 7 p.m.in the University Center and are opento the public.� Oct. 9 – John Roberto, President andFounder of LifelongFaith Associatesand Editor of the journal LifelongFaith – “The Next Generation HasArrived: The Difference They Make toSociety and Religion”� Nov. 13 – Scott Appleby, Professorof History at the University of NotreDame and Director of the KrocInstitute – “Contemporary Challengesto Catholic Universities: Crisis andPromise”� Feb. 19 – Richard Gaillardetz,Murray/Bacik Professor of CatholicStudies at the University of Toledo –“Church as Community of ‘Holy

This summer students from theorganization are interning inMilwaukee, Wis., with MarquetteUniversity Law School’s RestorativeJustice Initiative, a groundbreakingprogram that works as a resource forthe state’s Supreme Court.

� NEWSMAKERS

New Board Officers,Trustees Named

Robert L. Elizondo (B.S. ’67) is thenew Chairman of the St. Mary’sUniversity Board of Trustees.Elizondo, who retired in 2001 fromUPS as Vice President of OperationsAmericas, has provided leadership onthe Board of Trustees for several years,including most recently as Chair of theUniversity Advancement Committee.

Trustee Jack Paul Leon (J.D. ’59),Attorney-at-Law in San Antonio, willserve as Vice Chairman of the Board,and Trustee Nancy Brown Loeffler ofLoeffler Tuggey Pauerstein RosenthalLLP, is Secretary of the Board ofTrustees.

Six members are joining theSt. Mary’s Board of Trustees this year.

Elected to the Board are Rebecca Q.Cedillo (B.A. ’75), the Hon. Barbara

University Lauds Presidential Award WinnersEach year St. Mary’s University recognizes graduating

students who exemplify the leadership ideals of scholarshipand service as expressed in the mission of the Universitythrough the Presidential Award. Recipients of the PresidentialAward are dedicated to the mission of St. Mary’s University tomake a difference in their communities. Recipients areselected by a committee of staff, faculty and administration.

Winners of the 2007-2008 Presidential Awards with theirmajors and hometowns are, from left: Toni Tullius, math, ElPaso; Brano Djenic, biology, Derventa, Bosnia; Jennifer Valent,

chemistry, Corpus Christi; Luis Aranda, industrial engineering,Hermosillo, Mexico; Sarah Proper, financial services/riskmanagement and corporate finance, Bryon, Minn.; JamesFischer, biology, Las Vegas, Nev.; Armando Sanchez Jr.,international business and marketing, Dallas; Nadeem Omar,electrical engineering, Mombasa, Kenya; St. Mary’s UniversityPresident Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.; Erik Luis, financialservices/risk management and corporate finance, San Antonio;César de León Zendejas, economics, Matamoros, Mexico;Floyd Contreras, philosophy, San Antonio; Sophia Ontiveros,engineering science, El Paso; Sarah Ingram, internationalbusiness, Alvin; and Jesus Garza, political science, Brownsville.

(Read the winners’ essays online at www.stmarytx.edu/student_recognition.)


planned. This past spring, Cantútraveled to China to establish a studyabroad program with that country’spremier law school and an internshipprogram with one of China’s top lawfirms.

Cantú joined the St. Mary’s lawschool faculty in 1966, and was namedSouth Texas Professor of Law in 1999.He is the longest-tenured Hispanic lawprofessor in the country.

Hampton, WelchStepping in for a Year

Two longtime faculty members arestepping in to fill key Universitypositions as St. Mary’s conductsnational searches.

Andre Hampton, Associate Deanfor Administration in the School ofLaw, has been confirmed as InterimVice President for Academic Affairs.A tenured professor, Hampton hasbeen teaching in the law school since1994. While at St. Mary’s he hasserved in various administrative andleadership roles, including as Presidentof the Faculty Senate. He earned hisB.A., M.A, and J.D., all from TheUniversity of Texas.

Before joining the St. Mary’scommunity, Hampton was an attorneywith the Austin law firm of Graves,

Parker Hervey (J.D. ’79) and DorisSlay-Barber (B.A. ’74).

Cedillo is President of StrategicInitiatives Consulting in San Antonio,a firm that provides strategic planning,organizational and policydevelopment, and other managementservices to businesses and publicagencies. She has been an adjunctprofessor at St. Mary’s, serves onseveral civic boards, and is a city andcounty appointee to task forces relatedto public policy, strategic planning,natural resource and urban planningissues.

Judge Hervey was elected to theTexas Court of Criminal Appeals inNovember 2000. Her term to the Courtis through 2012. Prior to her election,she was Assistant Criminal DistrictAttorney in the Bexar County DistrictAttorney’s Office, Appellate Section,for 16 years. Hervey is a member ofseveral organizations including theState Bar of Texas. She received theRosewood Gavel Award for judicialservice from St. Mary’s in 2003.

Doris Slay-Barber, Coordinator ofGrade Reporting for the NorthsideIndependent School District and pastpresident of the St. Mary’s UniversityAlumni Association, was appointed tothe Board two years ago to serve as theassociation’s representative. She hasbeen elected to remain on the Board asa Trustee.

Ed Boyle (B.B.A. ‘71), whose termas President of the St. Mary’s AlumniAssociation will end this fall, will jointhe Board in October as theassociation’s representative.

Returning to the Board are JackBiegler (B.B.A. ’67) and Maj. Gen.Alfred A. Valenzuela (B.A. ’70, M.A.’79). Biegler previously served asChairman of the Board of Trustees. Heis President of Ellison ManagementLLC in San Antonio. Valenzuela is aformer Secretary of the Board. He wasCommanding General of the U.S.Army South before retiring from themilitary in 2004.

Charles CantúNamed Law School Dean

President Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.,announced in May that faculty memberCharles Cantú had been named Deanof the St. Mary’s School of Law.Cantú, a graduate of the law schooland faculty member for 42 years, hasbeen interim dean since June 2007.

Cotrellnoted thatCantú’svision for thelaw school isbased in hispersonal andprofessionaldedication toSt. Mary’sand that he iscommitted toand capableof moving theSchool of

Law forward to meet the goals of theUniversity’s strategic plan, Vision2012. Particularly commendable hasbeen Cantú’s success in engagingalumni through activities and gifts,while emphasizing the role of faculty,staff and students in ensuring academicsuccess.

In his year as interim dean, Cantúraised more than $4 million for the lawschool, most of which is marked forscholarships to attract the best andbrightest students, including a $1million gift from the Lamar BruniVergara Trust for scholarships tooutstanding students from WebbCounty. Three new law alumnichapters were established in McAllen,Austin, and El Paso, with more

Charles Cantú

President Emeritus the Rev. John A. Leies, S.M., with “Kika” de la Garza.

De la Garza Honoredwith Lifetime Achievement Award

Retired U.S. Congressman Eligio “Kika” de la Garza was honored bySt. Mary’s with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 74th Schoolof Law commencement exercises. De la Garza graduated from the lawschool in 1952 and went on to serve the Rio Grande Valley in the U.S.House of Representatives for 32 years, 14 of them as Chairman of theHouse Committee on Agriculture. In 1979, he was named theDistinguished Law Graduate for St. Mary’s.


Established in 1962, the nonprofitfoundation has a long history ofpromoting education in San Antonio,both at the high school and collegelevels.

Law ScholarshipsContinue to Grow

A flurry of support has arrived atthe School of Law in the form of giftsto existing and newly endowedscholarships.

Friends of the University, Aldo andBetty Alegria of McAllen, haveendowed the Dr. Aldo H. and Mrs.Betty Alegria Family Scholarship Fundat the School of Law with a gift of$25,000. Dr. Alegria practicesadolescent medicine in Palmview.

A $25,000 gift from alumnus RexEasley (B.A. ’76, J.D. ’80), a partnerin the Victoria law firm of Cole, Cole& Easley PC, establishes the RexEasley Family Scholarship – School ofLaw; the Kittie Nelson FergusonFoundation has made a $25,000 gift tothe Kittie West Hughes LawScholarship; and Rose-Walker LLPhas made a $25,000 gift to the Rose-Walker Law Scholarship Endowment.In addition, an anonymous $25,000gift was made to the 2008 EndowedLaw Scholarship Fund.

� SPORTS CORNER

Rattlers Receive AcademicRecognition

Baseball player Bobby Freeman,softball player Sarah Cooper and crosscountry runners Tara Wicketts andJessie Smith were named ESPN TheMagazine/College Sports InformationDirectors (CoSIDA) Academic All-District. The four were recognized fortheir work in the classroom and on thefield this season.

Freeman, a senior outfielder fromFair Oaks Ranch, and Cooper, a seniorpitcher from Houston, both earnedsecond team Academic All-District Sixhonors. Cooper also was a two-timeNational Fastpitch Softball CoachesAssociation Scholar Athlete and athree-year member of the HeartlandConference President’s Honor Roll.

Wicketts, a senior from Cibolo,earned first team Academic All-District honors for the second straightyear. She is an Honor Roll student, amember of the Dean’s List and a

The many generous gifts from theMarianist Trust over the years helpensure that outstanding St. Mary’sstudents receive financial assistancefor an education that prepares them toserve society in their professions andas community leaders.

The Marianist Trust was set up inthe 1970s by members of the Societyof Mary who were working atSt. Mary’s University. For many years,these Marianists contributed theirsalaries to a special fund whoseearnings are used to help theUniversity fulfill its mission.

Fundraising GoalsSurpassed

St. Mary’s surpassed itsdevelopment fundraising goal for2007-2008. Nearly $5.4 million wasraised in restricted and unrestrictedgifts to the University, exceeding theoverall goal of $4.2 million by 28percent. Unrestricted giving increasedby seven percent over the 2006-2007fundraising period, for a total of$455,914, while restricted givingtotaled $4.9 million, far bettering theprevious year’s sum by 40 percent.

To find out more about making agift to St. Mary’s, contact the Office ofDevelopment at (210) 436-3718, oryou may give online at our secure Website, www.stmarytx.edu.

Brackenridge FoundationRenews Annual Gift

The George W. BrackenridgeFoundation has renewed its annual$37,500 gift to St. Mary’s forscholarships. St. Mary’s University hasreceived annual gifts for more than 30years.

Dougherty Hearon and Moody, wherehe specialized in commercial andcorporate law. He also served aspresident of the Dispute ResolutionCenter in Travis County and was onthe board for the People’s CommunityClinic.

St. Mary’s is moving forward toachieve its vision for the Bill GreeheySchool of Business advanced so ablyunder the leadership of Keith Russell,Ph.D., who died unexpectedly on April9 (see Fondest Farewell on p. 24).

Orion “Jim” Welch, Ph.D.,Associate Professor of InformationSystems and Associate Dean of thebusiness school, will serve as InterimDean for the coming year, working tofulfill the strategic goals outlined forthe school in Vision 2012. He holds adoctorate in management informationsystems from the University ofMemphis and a master’s inmanagement from the Air ForceInstitute of Technology. He has been atSt. Mary’s since 1995.

� GOOD DEEDS

Marianist Trust Allocates$411,000 for St. Mary’s

The Marianist Trust has allocatedmore than $411,000 to scholarshipsand programs for the coming academicyear, the largest single-year gift fromthe Trust to the University.

More than $380,000 of the gift willbe used for scholarships and financialgrants, with the balance earmarked forthe Marianist Leadership Programwhich coordinates activities for theundergraduate students who areawarded Marianist Trust scholarships.

Go Spurs Go!Bill Greehey (B.B.A. ‘60), chairman of NuStar Energy LP, hosted a group of Marianists thisspring to watch a Spurs basketball game from his box in the AT&T Center. Pictured are(from left) Jim Welch, Ph.D., Interim Dean of the Bill Greehey School of Business; DennisBautista, S.M., Ph.D.; Paul Metzger, S.M.; Paul Novosal, S.M.; Joe Barrett, S.M.; LesterKaehler, S.M.; Bill Greehey; Rev. John A. Leies, S.M.; Herbie Jansen, S.M.; Professor MattGilley, Ph.D.; Bill Chewning, S.M., and Professor David W. Sommer, Ph.D.


St. Mary’s Excellence of AchievementAward recipient. Smith, a sophomorefrom Boerne, is also on the Honor Rolland earned Heartland ConferencePresident’s Honor Roll recognition lastseason.

Golfers Garner HonorsFreshman men’s golfer Matt Vela

was named PING Division II All-South Central Region after a strongfirst season with the Rattlers. Vela’shonor gives the Rattlers an All-SouthCentral Region honoree for the third-straight season.

The Rattlers advanced to the NCAASouth Central Region Tournament forthe seventh-straight season andfinished second at the conferencechampionships. In addition Vela,Jimmy Willingham and James Grant,all of San Antonio, were named All-Heartland Conference.

Jenna Wessels of Katy and AmandaAnderson of San Antonio were namedAll-Heartland Conference for thewomen.

Shimek NamedAll-American, Six MakeAll-Conference

St. Mary’s baseball player ScottShimek was named CollegiateBaseball Writers Association All-American for his play during the 2008season. The junior pitcher from Shineralso was named Heartland ConferencePitcher of the Year and Rawlings/American Baseball CoachesAssociation All-South Central Region.Shimek, who posted a record of 11-1with a 3.18 ERA, was a first team all-conference selection as well.

In addition to Shimek’s awards,Jonathan Rosfeld of San Antonio wasnamed Heartland ConferenceFreshman of the Year, while JonathanCisneros of San Antonio, MichaelBrzezinski of Helotes, Braxton Watsonof Spring, and Danny Cantu of Laredoalso earned all-conference honors. TheRattlers finished the season with a 39-17 overall record and a 35-14 mark inconference play, placing second in theleague standings.

Four Earn All-RegionHonors, Magee NamedAll-American

Katy native Malissa Magee hadanother great season on the mound,earning second team All-Americanhonors, first team All-South CentralRegion recognition and was theHeartland Conference Pitcher of theYear. (Read more about Magee on p.16.)

Catcher and first baseman LindsayBarnes earned all-region and all-conference honors. Kelcy Walker,who plays the same positions asBarnes, wrapped up her Rattler careerwith her second straight All-SouthCentral Region selection. Walker wasalso named All-Heartland Conferenceeach of the last two years. Bothwomen are from San Antonio.

Sophomore infielder ArlyndaFlores of Uvalde was named All-South Central Region and earned All-Heartland Conference honors, whilepremier hitter Sade Moore, anoutfielder from Angleton, washonored as the Heartland ConferencePlayer of the Year.

Donna Fields was named theHeartland Conference Coach of theYear for the sixth time in the league’seight-year history after leading herteam to a record of 53-12 overall and26-2 mark in Heartland Conferenceplay. The Rattlers won both theHeartland Conference regular seasonand tournament titles for the first time.Fields recently won her 500th game asa coach and is 504-180 in 11 seasonsat St. Mary’s.

Tennis Players NetAll-Conference Honors

Rodrigo Lacayo of Managua,Nicaragua, Troy Neighbors of CorpusChristi, and Hayley Harris of ElCampo were named All-HeartlandConference for the season.

Lacayo played number one singlesand teamed with Neighbors in numberone doubles for the Rattlers, whileNeighbors played primarily at numbertwo singles.

Harris picked up All-Heartlandhonors for the first time as theSt. Mary’s women advanced to thesemifinals of the HeartlandConference Tennis Championships. �

FREEMAN

COOPER

WICKETTS

SHIMEK

SMITH

Read more about Rattler athletics on the Web at www.rattlerathletics.com.

The Bill Greehey School ofBusiness is addressing this issue head-on by taking steps to develop ethicalbusiness leaders to face theincreasingly complex and ethicallymurky global business environment –future leaders who understand andappreciate the tremendous value thatbusiness can create for bothshareholders and the larger society.

The Harm of the FewSeveral high-profile cases of

executive malfeasance over the pastfew years provide ample ammunitionto anti-business activists who believe

that many, if not most, of society’s illsare a result of the pursuit of profits bypowerful corporations. To be sure, theunethical and illegal actions by a smallminority of executives have led to theloss of thousands of jobs, billions ofdollars in shareholder wealth, and thefinancial security of countless retirees.Companies such as Enron, Tyco,WorldCom and Global Crossing arethe most widely known. Clearly, thebehavior of their top executives wasdeplorable. Offenses ranged fromentering into inappropriate businessdealings to profit the executivesthemselves, to misleading investorsabout the corporation’s financialperformance in an attempt to buoy thefirm’s stock price, to spendingcorporate money on lavish lifestylesfor the executives.

At Tyco, for instance, CEO DennisKozlowski, CFO Mark Swartrz andgeneral counsel Mark Belnickdefrauded the company out of morethan $600 million. They spentcompany money on multi-million


Along the way, however, a smallminority of business leaders haveengaged in behaviors that have leftwidespread damage to society and tocapitalism’s reputation. As a result,there is currently an intense debateregarding the merits of capitalism andwhether businesses are beneficial ordetrimental to the societies in whichthey operate. In addition, there isconsiderable and growing interest inthe area of corporate socialresponsibility (CSR), the focus ofwhich centers on addressing theinterplay between profitability and thesocietal outcomes of corporate actions.

American businesses are viewed around the world asgenerators of great wealth, quality products and services, andleading-edge technologies. Indeed, our corporations are

innovators that have led our economy to unprecedented levels ofprosperity in the last several decades. Our economic engine is theenvy of the world, thanks to the efforts of American businesses andbusiness leaders.

Corporate Juggling Act

Social Responsibilityand the Bottom Line

dollar apartments and furnishings,exorbitant trips, and even a $2 millionbirthday party for Kozlowski’s wife.Ironically, the investigation intoKozlowski’s activities was triggeredwhen he attempted to evade taxliabilities on his art purchases.Investigators in the case suggest thathis fraudulent activities at Tyco mayhave gone unnoticed if he had onlypaid the $1 million in taxes he owedthe state of New York.

In a number of fraud cases, not onlywere the executives at fault for theirbehavior, but there were also moresystematic failures where auditors,investment advisers, and otherprofessionals were complicit in thefraudulent activities. One example isArthur Andersen’s role in Enron’sschemes.

The Good of the ManyWhile many people view these

behaviors as indicative of widespreadcorporate greed and graft, such


behaviors are, in reality, the dramaticexceptions rather than the norm. Afterall, that’s why they’re newsworthy.And, such criticisms rarely aretempered by objective evaluations ofthe good that businesses do and thevalue they add to our society.

Profit-seeking is, to many, a vileconcept that leads to exploitation ofworkers, unchecked damage to theenvironment and the enrichment of thealready-rich at the expense of the poor.Far too many people view corporateprofits and societal benefits as beingmutually exclusive; however, one neednot look far to see the tremendousbenefits society reaps as a result ofprofit seeking by contemporary andethically led corporations.

One case in point is Merck & Co.Merck has spent hundreds of millionsof dollars pursuing the treatment for,and ensuring distribution of drugs totreat, a dreaded disease called RiverBlindness. This disease is caused by aparasitic worm transmitted by the

black fly. Once inside its host, theparasite begins to multiply untilmillions of the micro-worms inhabitthe victim, feeding on the host’s opticnerves, causing skin lesions andleading many victims to commitsuicide. Merck scientists believed theymay have had a cure, but they knewthat those who needed the drug mostwere unable to pay for it. Nonetheless,Merck management chose to moveforward with the development of thedrug, a decision which today isconsidered one of the great medicaltriumphs of our time. Millions of theworld’s poorest people have benefitedfrom this unselfish act by Merck’s topmanagement. Merck is not perfect,however, as the recent Vioxx situationsuggests. Nonetheless, theircommitment to the reduction of humansuffering, while at the same timepursuing the development of profitabledrugs, is laudable.

Unquestionably, businesses of allkinds have developed products andservices that extend our lives and makethem richer and more meaningful.Automobiles are safer, faster, andmore comfortable, fuel efficient andreliable than ever. Air travel hasbecome routine, with air carrierscompleting tens of thousands of safeflights every day. Communicationsconnect us to those we love, almostanywhere in the world, in seconds. Allof these seeming improvements aremade in the name of profits.

But profits, many claim, only comeabout by “taking advantage” ofrelatively weak groups within oursociety by misleading customers,exploiting employees, and so forth.This perspective may very well bevalid in the short run for certainbusinesses; however, in the long term,those businesses that create thegreatest good for society are the onesthat prosper. The apparent tradeoffbetween the pursuit of profits and thepursuit of societal benefits is false.

by K. Matthew Gilley, Ph.D., Bill Greehey Chair in Ethicsand Corporate Social Responsibility


Moreover, the world’s mostgenerous philanthropists are thosewho’ve had the greatest successmeeting society’s needs through theircorporations. The Bill and MelindaGates Foundation, for example, is thelargest philanthropic foundation in theworld and is expected to be donatingmore than $3 billion per year to worthycauses by 2009. In San Antonio, theGreehey Family Foundation hasdonated tens of millions of dollars to anumber of causes in healthcare,education and more. Another localexample, the Goldsbury Foundation,has given more than $35 million, mostof which has gone to children’s causes.In each case, these charitablecontributions were made possiblethrough successful capitalism andethical business leaders.

Preparing Tomorrow’sEthical Leaders

Corporate social responsibility as afield of study and practice allows forthe examination of the complexinterrelationships between corporationsand society. I’m privileged to hold theGreehey Chair in Ethics and CorporateSocial Responsibility in the BillGreehey School of Business, because itaffords me the opportunity to spendmy time engaging students on theimportant issues of business’ value tosociety, the obligations of executivesto consider the common good whenmaking decisions and the challengesthe students will face as they enter thebusiness world.

Future business leaders will faceethical dilemmas we cannot even beginto understand today. This was also thecase a generation ago. Few peoplerecognized the need to train businessstudents decades ago to be prepared forthe vast, complex ethical issues facedtoday. Managers in today’s globallycompetitive marketplace are constantlyfaced with ethical dilemmas andquestions of social responsibility thatwere rarely considered in the past,such as:

� What is a fair wage for workers inforeign facilities? Do we pay theprevailing wage in that country, or dowe pay above that rate to help thecountry’s social development?� Do we invest in less profitableventures just because they may bemore socially responsible? If “yes,” isthat an ethical use of our shareholders’money?� How far are we ethically obligatedto go to ensure that our employees’healthcare needs are met?� How do we as a company addressincreasing concerns about climatechange?� What is our ethical duty when itcomes to records retention andemployee privacy?

We’re doing a number of things inthe business school with regard tobusiness ethics and socialresponsibility education that webelieve are preparing our students to betomorrow’s ethical business leaders.Beginning in the fall 2008 semester, allundergraduate business majors will berequired to complete a senior-levelbusiness ethics and CSR course taughtin the Bill Greehey School ofBusiness. This course is designed togive the students hands-on experiencewith business ethics and CSR byconnecting them directly to seniormanagers at leading companies whoare responsible for their companies’ethics and CSR initiatives.

Recently, our students have workedclosely with management at USAA towrite cases for use in employeetraining, as well as with managementat AT&T to conduct CSR-benchmarking studies. The studentspresented their research, both inwriting and orally, directly tomanagement. Starting in the fall, ourstudents will also be working for IBMmanagement in New York on similarprojects. These projects are in additionto traditional lectures, guest speakers,and cases dealing with business ethicsand CSR.

It is my firm belief that we aregiving business students in the BillGreehey School of Business acompetitive advantage in themarketplace by encouraging them todelve deeply into issues of ethicalleadership and corporate socialresponsibility. My hope is that ourstudents will one day be known forfinding creative ways to benefit societythrough the development of innovativebusiness strategies that add significantvalue to their companies’ bottom lines,while at the same time yieldingsubstantial value to society. Combinedwith the solid foundation in philosophyand theology that our students receivehere at St. Mary’s, I’m confident thatwe’re achieving this goal. �

K. MatthewGilley, Ph.D., theBill GreeheyChair in Ethicsand CorporateSocialResponsibility inthe business

school, holds a doctorate in strategicmanagement from The University ofTexas at Arlington. Prior to joiningSt. Mary’s, Gilley served on the facultyof the Spears School of Business atOklahoma State University and on thebusiness faculty at James MadisonUniversity in Virginia. He hasconsulted extensively withcorporations and government agencieson issues of business ethics, socialresponsibility and strategicmanagement. His research, which hasbeen widely published in the UnitedStates and internationally, has focusedon the relationship between executivecompensation and ethical/unethicalbehavior, corporate governance andoutsourcing.


When Glenn “Chip”Hughes arrives in

Norway this fall as St. Mary’sUniversity’s latest FulbrightScholar, he will be on asearch for philosophical andtheoretical foundations toprove human dignity is,in fact, both universal andinalienable.

It’s a tall order, to be sure. But thebasic question of Hughes’ research issimple: If the principle of humandignity is universal and inalienable,then where does it come from?

Hughes, a philosophy professor,will spend the semester at theInternational Peace Research Instituteof Olso looking for answers.

“While the dignity of persons isoften a pivotal concept in modernmoral and political discourse, there ismuch disagreement as to what groundsand validates the concept,” Hughessaid. “What does it mean to assert thatevery human being is investedinalienably with a fundamentaldignity? What is the dignity, and fromwhat does it derive?”

It is difficult to think of this conceptwithout also thinking of exampleswhere this basic right was so clearlynot honored – the Holocaust, genocidein Darfur or even the disturbing images

of mistreated Iraqis in Abu Ghraibprison.

“Recent history has vividly andrepeatedly shown how easily thesystematic degradation of persons hasflourished whenever dignity has beenlinked to race, class, ethnicity,nationality or associated solely withbiological, utilitarian or intellectualconditions or capacities,” he said.

Searching for AnswersThe key words in the questions

Hughes poses are “universal” and“inalienable” – meaning that everyperson has a right to human dignity,and it cannot be taken away. Hughesbelieves he already knows the basicgist of an answer to his own question,

St. Mary’s Newest Fulbright ScholarBelieves the Source of Universal Human Dignity is

Out of thisWorldby Gina Farrell, Media Relations Director


and to explore it, he will be looking fora philosophical foundation that thisright to dignity for all people must begrounded in a transcendent dimensionof being, or else it can be taken away.To some, that answer could appear tobe in conflict with itself.

“My research will be aimed at acareful philosophical clarification ofthe need to ground the concept ofinalienable dignity in a transcendentdimension of being while respectingreligious, political and culturaldiversity,” Hughes said. “Thewidespread assumption – which is bothproblematic and misleading – is thatsuch respect must involve a rejectionof all notion of ‘transcendent being.’”

Rooted in CatholicDoctrine

This very concept that atranscendent source provides theuniversal right to human dignity is anidea founded in Catholicism and datingback centuries. However, it is onlymore recently showing up in modernpolitical documents.

“One of the most famousdocuments of the United Nations is itsUniversal Declaration of HumanRights, which begins with anaffirmation of universal human dignityand human rights. My research isconcerned with the principle of humandignity found in this and other modern

political documents such as thefounding charter of the EuropeanUnion.”

While at the Peace Institute in Oslo,Hughes will have access to numerousinternational peace researchers. TheInstitute itself focuses on research intothe forces behind violent conflict andon ways to build, spread and maintainpeace.

The mission of the Institute is toconduct high-quality academicresearch on questions relevant to thepromotion of a more peaceful worldthrough conflict resolution, dialogueand reconciliation, public informationand policymaking activities. The cadreof international researchers numbersabout 50, and Hughes will be workingin close contact with those in theInstitute’s Ethics, Norms and IdentitiesProgram.

Tradition of FulbrightsSt. Mary’s has a long history of

success in the Fulbright Scholarprogram, and Hughes is the secondmember of the St. Mary’s faculty to beawarded a Fulbright award in just thepast two years. In spring 2007,languages professor Ruben Candia,Ph.D., taught American Studies at auniversity in Spain. In fact, of the 13St. Mary’s faculty members who havebeen named Fulbright Scholars, 10 arestill active on campus.

“It is very clear that there are human rightsbecause there is human dignity.

Hughes joined the faculty ofSt. Mary’s in 1990, and has receivednumerous awards, including theDistinguished Faculty Award in 1994.He holds bachelor’s degrees in bothhistory and English from theUniversity of Washington, twomaster’s degrees in both history andphilosophy from Boston College and adoctorate in philosophy from BostonCollege.

He became interested in thisresearch topic while working on hislast book, Transcendence and History.Repeatedly, the issue of universalhuman dignity came up and he beganto see that human dignity wasintimately connected withtranscendence. That led him to developthe Fulbright proposal to study inNorway.

Hughes’ research raises manyquestions, one of them the question ofwhy this is important. He has ananswer for that as well.

“It is very clear that there arehuman rights because there is humandignity. And if we don’t have the basicjustifications for why human dignity isuniversal and inalienable – for how itcan be rationally defended – then wecan’t hold on to it.” �

And if we don’t have the basic justifications forwhy human dignity is universal and inalienable –for how it can be rationally defended – then wecan’t hold on to it.”


Whales

Student researchers go behind the scenesat SeaWorld to study beluga whale behaviors

The SecretLives of

by Gina Farrell, Media Relations Director

On a typical summer day, thousands of tourists pack intothe whale and dolphin stadium at SeaWorld San

Antonio to watch dolphins and beluga whales whosehigh-flying antics and speed swimming are at the heart

of one of the park’s most popular shows.

O

14 &Gold Blue www.stmarytx.edu

But when the gates to the park areclosed to the public and the bleacherseats are empty, a small group ofSt. Mary’s University students spendhours each week seeing a different sideof the stadium’s residents. For the pastyear, Heather Hill, Ph.D., an assistantprofessor of psychology and marinemammal researcher, has supervisedthree of her undergraduate students asthey conduct psychology researchalmost daily at SeaWorld.

What they are studying is certainlynot unusual for psychology students –they are observing the behavior andrelationships that develop between amother and her child – but theirsubjects, two mother-calf beluga whalepairs at SeaWorld, are quite unusualindeed.

Blending inThrough a unique arrangement with

SeaWorld San Antonio, Hill and her

students spend several hours eachweek with clipboards in their hands,quietly watching the beluga whaleslive their lives in the SeaWorld pools.They carefully note what they do, howthey act, and how they react to eachother and the world around them. Thebeluga whales, known as smart,sophisticated marine mammals, arevery interactive and curious, so thebest research happens when the whaleshardly notice those watching them.

“We sort of become standard intheir environment,” said Tara Dorogi,one of the students working on theproject. “The more they ignore us, thebetter for the data.” Dorogi graduatedfrom St. Mary’s in May. In addition tothis research, she spent the past four

years working in SeaWorld’seducation department. She was hiredthis spring as a trainer for the belugawhales and the sea lion interactionprogram, fulfilling a career goal thatstarted at age four after a visit toSeaWorld San Diego.

For Heather Hill, combining marineanimals and psychology is nothingnew. She graduated with a bachelor’sdegree from Texas A&M University in1996, with a major in psychology anda minor in oceanography. She thenstarted a master’s and doctorateprogram at the University of SouthernMississippi that combinedexperimental psychology with thestudy of marine mammals.

Her doctorate research focused onbottlenose dolphins, in which shecharted the varying behaviors ofmothers and their calves, and trackedthe differing techniques the mothersused with their offspring. In fact, Hillis the first researcher to formallydocument the different maternal stylesof bottlenose dolphins, even thoughthey have been studied in captivity formore than 50 years.

Exploring the Mind ofthe Whale

Hill explained that most dolphinresearch tends to focus on thephysiological aspects of the animals,such as the synchrony between themother and calf while swimming andnursing. What Hill documented withthe dolphins, and now is studying withbeluga whales, is psychology-basedbehavior and interaction.

“I’m interested in the relationshipbetween the mother and the calf, whichis an area few people have looked at.The question is what behaviordevelopment do we see calves gothrough? Do they go throughdevelopmental stages like humans?What I have seen is that they are really

Professor Heather Hill, Ph.D. (left), and undergraduate researchers Tara Dorogiand Brett Collier.

O15&Gold Bluesummer 2008

not so different,” Hill said.“And the more we find that they do

like humans, the more people connectwith them and realize the importanceof protecting them. If we are going tokeep them in captivity, then we needto know what they need and how whatwe are doing is changing them – howour behaviors impact them.”

While Hill’s doctoral researchfocused on bottlenose dolphins,exactly which marine animals shestudies is primarily driven byopportunity. So last year, as twobeluga whales were preparing to givebirth in June, Hill set up an agreementwith SeaWorld that has allowed herand her students to follow the twopairs from birth. The partnership wasa natural fit, as SeaWorld’s dedicationto animal protection and welfare isstrong and they have an activebreeding program that would providethe subjects for Hill’s research.

For now there are only two pairs tostudy, but the best research happenswhen there are more mother-calf pairsto observe over a long period of time.“Right now there are only two momsto study, but you have to startsomewhere. My goal is for this to belongitudinal research, that we keepgoing as long as they keep havingcalves,” Hill said. “I hope this will bea long-term relationship betweenSt. Mary’s and SeaWorld.”

Even at birth, beluga whales arebig babies. They are dark blue-gray,up to five feet long and 130 pounds.Their color gradually lightens, usuallyturning white by the time they are fiveor six years old. Beluga whales growto an average length of 15 feet and canweigh more than 3,000 pounds. Theyare stout and muscular with a smallrounded head, a small beak and tinyeyes. Belugas are quite mobile incomparison to other whales. In fact,the beluga is the only whale that canbend its neck – unlike most othermarine mammals, the beluga’s neck

vertebrae are not fused – helping themmaneuver easily, and making them agood fit for the SeaWorld Viva!program in which they star. Sometimescalled the sea canary, belugas are quitevocal, communicating and navigatingusing a variety of clicks, chirps andwhistles.

Collaborative LearningFor the most part, the students’

research includes standing at thewater’s edge and noting what they see,and then inputting that informationinto a computer program that helpsidentify patterns. Hill describes theobservational research as “non-invasive” although from time to time

they work with the training staff to addwhat is known as environmentenrichment devices (to the layperson,that’s a new toy) to the whales’ pooland watch how they react.

“The idea is to find out how theywill respond to novelty and how theirpersonality differences affect how theyrespond,” Hill said.

What Hill and her students learnalong the way, they share with theSeaWorld animal trainers and thathelps everyone. Just this past spring,Hill presented their research to ameeting of the InternationalAssociation of Animal Trainers duringtheir meeting in San Antonio.

SeaWorld senior animal trainerMark Lenihan said the research being

done by the St. Mary’s team has long-term benefits for the beluga whaleprogram. It gives trainers the scientificdata to better understand whales’behavior in captivity. Through thisresearch they now have a clearer ideaof just how much the whales engage in“self-enrichment” – basically,watching people near them as a formof entertainment. As Hill explains it,for the beluga whales, keeping track ofwhat the SeaWorld staff is up to is alot like a television program forwhales. Knowing the importance ofthat could influence how futurefacilities are constructed.

“The data stimulates thoughts andnew ideas,” Lenihan said. “Forexample, we can use the informationon behavior patterns to help us designbetter facilities.”

Although the research does notdirectly affect how the whales aretrained, Hill added, “This researchgives us some indication of personalityand capabilities, and how that affectslearning. It helps us know how tocreate an environment where they canbe successful.”

Brett Collier, a psychology majorwho will start his junior year atthe University in the fall, joined theproject after taking one of Hill’sclasses last year. “I never thought therewould be something like this atSt. Mary’s,” said Collier, who has longbeen interested in marine biology. “I’mnot sure I will end up doing anythingwith whales after graduation, but it isinteresting, and it is something I love.”

While Hill’s penchant for marineanimal psychology is not a direct partof her St. Mary’s courses, she does liketo integrate it into her classes as a wayto pique students’ interest whilebroadening their understanding of whatis available in the field of psychology.

“I try to bring it in with every class.It is something interesting anddifferent, and it has so many differentapplications.” �


A tradition of success in any sportis hard to start and even harder tomaintain. Tougher still is the ability tocompete at a sport’s highest level.Excellence in softball – and especiallyon the pitcher’s mound – hasflourished at St. Mary’s for more than25 years.

Pitchers in the Rattler softballprogram are expected to excel, butwhen Malissa Magee arrived atSt. Mary’s as a freshman four yearsago, few knew she would succeed farbeyond those high expectations. Butthat’s what she did, finishing herRattler career as one of the top pitchersin St. Mary’s and NCAA Division IIsoftball history.

Pitching Dominance BeginsLike so many success stories, it

nearly didn’t happen. Malissa was alightly recruited player out of her highschool in Katy. Though a strongpitcher, she didn’t dominate batterswith a blazing fastball, insteadsuccessfully using a variety of off-speed pitches that kept battersconfused.

Her first choice was to follow hersister, Elizabeth, who was a standout atSam Houston State University, but thecoach was looking for a power pitcherand Malissa didn’t fit the bill.

St. Mary’s Head Coach DonnaFields heard about Malissa from an“inside” source.

“Her mom called me,” Fieldsrecalled. “She’d contacted me aboutElizabeth before that, so when shecalled about Malissa, I made a point tosee her.”

At that time, Fields was alsolooking at Brittany Brown (nowKettinger). Both athletes impressedFields and eventually she signed thetwo pitchers to play for the Rattlers.

When she signed on, Malissa knewnothing of the Rattlers’ history or theirtradition of producing great pitchers.

Magee Moundonthe

by Derek Smolik, Sports Information Director

All-American softball pitcherMalissa Magee may have cometo St. Mary’s unaware of the

Rattlers’ winning tradition, butshe leaves with the knowledge

that she’s now a part of it.


Over time she would come tounderstand and appreciate the historyshe had joined.

The tradition began in 1983 withLeticia Morales-Bissaro (B.A. ’86), athree-time All-American who led theRattlers to their first nationalchampionship in 1986. MoniqueFluellen (B.B.A. ’94) joined the teamin 1991 and became the only four-timeAll-American on the mound in schoolhistory. Then Kym Kling (B.A. ’05)arrived in 2002 and earned the first ofher three All-American honors whileleading the Rattlers to their secondnational championship. Malissa wasfollowing a tradition unsurpassed inNAIA and NCAA Division II softball.

“I had no clue,” she said, of the All-Americans that came before her. “Iwas just having fun.”

Coming Into Her OwnWhile Malissa may not have been

aware of the tradition, she understoodthat in the present her rival was fellowfreshman Brittany Kettinger. “Brittanyand I got along great, but she was mycompetition.”

If Kettinger was pushing Malissa, itwas Rattler opponents who sufferedtheir rivalry the most. Malissa’ssuperior freshman season on themound – a 24-5 record with a 1.20ERA – led to Heartland ConferencePitcher of the Year and All-Americanrecognition. With a power-packedbatting lineup providing run support,the Rattlers advanced to the CollegeWorld Series for the third straight year.

It was on a road trip against TexasA&M University-Kingsville – at thetime a team competing with theRattlers for South Central Regionsupremacy – that Fields fully realizedMalissa’s capabilities.

“She just dominated them for seveninnings,” Fields said. “I started heragain in the second game and she got

through four innings before I broughtin Brittany. Malissa told me after thegame, ‘If you need me to pitch 14innings I want to be able to do that.’Mal had that kind of drive.”

That tenacity carried over to 2006when Magee and Kettinger faced morepressure to lead a team that graduatedseveral offensive stars from the 2005College World Series team. Malissadominated again, going 29-11 witheight shutouts and a 1.34 ERA. Shewas named Heartland ConferencePitcher of the Year for a second time.

Malissa’s improvement continued inher junior year when she won 30games for the first time and posted anincredible 0.75 ERA. Both her thirdstraight Heartland Conference Pitcherof the Year award and second All-American honor were foregoneconclusions.

The Rattlers rode Malissa’s arm thispast season to 53 wins, the secondhighest total in school history. Theyalso earned their eighth straight berthin the NCAA regional tournament.Malissa posted her best numbers,going 36-8 with a 1.22 ERA, 18shutouts and 336 strikeouts. She setschool records for wins, shutouts andstrikeouts, ranking among nationalleaders in the same categories.

Magee Earns Top RankingsAsk Malissa for her favorite

memory as a Rattler and she doesn’thesitate. Locked in a tight battle for theconference lead with archrival St.Edward’s University late this pastseason, the two teams met on thediamond at St. Mary’s for the first timeand split a doubleheader. Anotherdoubleheader the next day in Austinwould likely decide the conferencechampion. Coach Fields made the raredecision to throw Malissa in bothgames. Embracing the challenge, shetossed back-to-back one-hit shutouts in

a pair of 1-0 wins, essentially clinchingthe title for St. Mary’s.

“Honestly my favorite day ofsoftball was playing St. Ed’s thisyear,” Malissa said. “I was so focusedthat day, when it was over everyonewas celebrating, but I was so mentallyexhausted I just couldn’t switch overfrom being serious to celebrating atfirst.”

Malissa Magee finished her careeras one of the elite pitchers in bothSt. Mary’s University and NCAADivision II history. The four-timeHeartland Conference Pitcher of theYear and three-time All-Americanposted a career record of 119-34 with a1.13 ERA, 111 complete games, 48shutouts and 1061 strikeouts in 994innings of work. In NCAA Division IIhistory she is fifth in games pitched,sixth in innings pitched, seventh invictories, eighth in strikeouts, and 15thin both shutouts and complete games.

In the 26 years the NCAA has keptrecords for softball, literally thousandsof pitchers have taken the mound at thesome 250 Division II schools thatparticipate in the sport. Within anycontext, Malissa Magee’saccomplishments are truly aweinspiring.

“I feel lucky to have been a part ofthe tradition here,” Malissa said. “I’vebeen happy to help that tradition grow.I know I’ll never forget my time atSt. Mary’s.” �

Malissa Magee completed her athleticeligibility at the end of the 2007-2008season. This summer she is working asan intern and will graduate in the fallwith her degree in corporate financeafter which she plans to enter graduateschool.

All-American AceBecomes Part of Winning Tradition

LEAVINGTHE

LINE OF FIRE

He can’t help being super-observant– it’s part of his nature as the AssistantDirector of the United States SecretService. During his 22 years in theSecret Service, Tony has interviewedsome of the most notorious criminalsin some of the worst places in theworld. He’s served on protectivedetails for four sitting U.S. presidentsand two former presidents. For threeyears, he was the Resident Agent inCharge/Attaché at the U.S. Embassy inBogotá, Colombia. He’s visited morethan 20 countries and he’s won local,state and national awards for hisservice and dedication. Most notably,Tony Chapa became the highestranking Hispanic in the Secret Service.

For all the Secret Service has givenhim, his time at the agency has cometo a close – Tony has moved on toanother chapter of his life. In July, heretired from the Secret Service andjoined Special Operations TechnologyInc., run by some of his friends. At theend of his time with the Secret Service,Tony took a look back on his careerand where it all started – at St. Mary’sUniversity.


Anthony “Tony” Chapa knows you’re lying.Whether you’re lying about what you ate for breakfastor printing counterfeit money, he can tell.When he asksyou a question, Chapa observes your forehead and youreyes, and whether your palms sweat or your faceflushes. And he knows the truth.

Life in the Secret ServiceHe always knew he wanted to be in

the law enforcement field. Aftergraduating from St. Mary’s in 1974with a B.A. in political science, Tonyremained at the University to work inthe Office of UndergraduateAdmission. Also working inadmissions at the time was CandyKuebker, editor of this magazine (seeCandy’s thoughts on her former co-worker and friend in her editor’s noteon page 1). After earning his Master’sdegree in 1979, again in politicalscience at St. Mary’s, Tony joined theSan Antonio Police Department. Fromthe beginning of his career in lawenforcement, he was intrigued bypeople.

“Police officers always seem tohave a sixth sense about crime,” hesaid. “They see something and theyknow what will happen next, or whatsomeone is thinking. I wanted to findout how they knew that.”

After working at St. Mary’s, Tonywas a natural at recruiting. The SAPDput him at their recruiting booth, whichwas serendipitously next to the SecretService booth. Tony took the exam andbegan his Secret Service career in1986. His first eight years were spentas a Special Agent in the Los Angeles,San Antonio, and Washington, D.C.,field offices.

“While in the San Antonio office, Ifound that two other agents – VictorErevia and Anthony Martinez – wereSt. Mary’s alums. I also learned thatone of the highest ranking Hispanics inthe Secret Service at the time, RichardTrinidad, was also an alum. Itconvinced me that this was theorganization where I might thrive.”

Tony was assigned to the VicePresidential Protection Division for AlGore. Though his wife Gloria didn’ttypically travel with him on overseastrips, she accompanied Tony on histhree-year stay in Colombia. On hisfirst day there, he was driving withGloria when another car hit hisService-provided car. When he got outof the car, Tony saw men comingtoward him with guns. Gloria quicklylocked the doors, and Chapa managed

Former Secret Service AgentLooks to the Futureby Lauren Thompson, Communications Coordinator

Clockwise from top left: President Bill Clinton shakes handswith Tony Chapa. Chapa “arrests” the Grinch for stealingChristmas. Chapa talks police work with Erik Estrada, best-known for his role as “Ponch” in the 70s television series“CHiPs”. Chapa takes the spotlight during a pressconference in Los Angeles.


to convince the men to leave. “Mywife told me she hadn’t signed up forthat!” he said.

While in Colombia, he quicklyfound other agents and militaryofficers from Texas, or with Texas ties.

“We formed a ‘Texas’ embassywithin the embassy,” he said. “We’dhave fajita barbecues. Texans like tocome together.”

A Port in the StormThough Tony enjoyed working in

the Secret Service, at times it wasstressful. The extreme concentrationand mindset the job requires forcedhim to think analytically and observepeople in great detail. It’s a skill thatwould invariably leak into his personallife, if it weren’t for Gloria’s influence.

“She always told me to turn it offwhen I come in the door,” he said. Infact Tony credits Gloria for allowinghim to use a very un-Secret Service-like part of himself—his creative side.As an artist, she helps Tony take abreather from his Secret Service life.

“Gloria will tell me about amuseum or exhibit in whatever townI’m traveling to, so when I have downtime in that city I get to see some greatart while the other agents usually gosee a movie or work out. I get toexperience another side of life, a side Iwouldn’t know without her.”

A Special Place in His HeartTony and his younger brother Paul

(formerly of the St. Mary’s PoliceDepartment and currently AssistantDirector and Captain of Operations atTexas State University) grew up justblocks from St. Mary’s.

“Almost every day I either walkedby the University or rode my bikethrough the evolving campus,” Tonysaid. “I recall watching the building ofwhat would become the first femalestudent dorm and the construction ofTreadaway Hall.”

Last year, the Chapa brothers bothwere independently nominated toreceive the “Aguila” (Eagle) Awardfrom the Hispanic American Police

Command Officers Association.Though he lives in Washington, D.C.now, Tony returns to San Antoniooften. He loves the city and St. Mary’sin particular.

“I have taken away more than Iwould ever have imagined. Most of all,I developed a sense of confidence inwho I am. The University experienceset a firm base upon which I’ve beenable to build a solid foundation for mymany endeavors.”

In fact, Tony convinced his niece tocome to St. Mary’s. Though she wasdeciding between a few colleges, Tonymanaged to sway her. “I told her Iwould give her five dollars if she wentto St. Mary’s,” he said laughing. “Ithink that did the trick.”

Looking BackDuring a recent visit to his alma

mater, Tony Chapa spoke to a group ofSt. Mary’s students interested injoining the Secret Service. Part of hisspeech included listing the classes hewould have taken if he “could do it allover again.”

“I’d definitely take a business class,to learn some basic budgeting,” hesaid. “I’ve worked with budgetstotaling millions of dollars—I had toteach myself how to manage that.”

Tony shared that he also wouldhave taken courses in psychology,sociology, kinesthetics, speech, foreignlanguages and history. And he wouldhave gotten involved in moreactivities, like the University’sacclaimed ROTC program and otherleadership groups. Basically, he wouldhave taken as many classes and joinedas many groups as possible, if he couldrelive his time at St. Mary’s.

Tony ticks off these classes andprograms not with regret, but to helpothers learn from his experiences. Anatural speaker and teacher, he tries toimpart his wisdom on those aroundhim.

“I have learned that despite life’sobstacles you can succeed and you canmake a difference. I have heard it saidthat it’s not climbing the mountain thattires you out; it’s the pebble in yourshoe. I try to keep my shoes dry andfree of stones.” �

Tony Chapa, a frequent visitor to the campus when he is in San Antonio,speaks to St. Mary’s students in June about opportunities in the U.S.Secret Service.

Note: Locations in Texas and major U.S. cities do not have the state identified.


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As a middle school student that fallof 1999, Brano enrolled in English as asecond language classes. Although mostof his classmates knew Spanish, not hisnative tongue, Brano quickly caught on.Within a year he was progressing wellin school, and within five years, hestarted his studies at St. Mary’s,ultimately graduating in just three and ahalf years. This fall, he begins medicalschool at the University of TexasHealth Science Center at San Antonio.

It’s a long way for him to come in ashort time – geographically,academically and personally. And Branocredits his St. Mary’s experience withpreparing him for his coming academicchallenges. While he had his pick ofseveral colleges, Brano felt likeSt. Mary’s combined solid academicswith keeping him close to his family.Today he can’t imagine going anywhereelse.

“I have grown up to be aninternational, multicultural andmultilingual adult. St. Mary’s has been awarm home, a protecting guardian, andan extraordinary mentor,” he said.

Brano has many fond memories –studying for complicated endocrinologyexams, playing soccer and Frisbee onChaminade Field, and cooking the foodof his native Bosnia for InternationalStudent Services Day.

“I am proud to wear a T-shirt thatsays St. Mary’s University. It is theseexperiences that have shaped mybeliefs, shown me which values aretruly meaningful to me, and allowed meto meet those I will be influenced bythe rest of my life,” Brano said.

—by Gina Farrell

When Brano Djenic and his parentsarrived in San Antonio in the summerof 1999, to say he was unfamiliar withSouth Texas is an understatement.

Born and raised in Bosnia (thenknown as Yugoslavia), all Brano knewof San Antonio was what he saw on amap. “Although my parents had heardof this place before – evidently fromwatching John Wayne movies – I saw itin the world atlas as a flat, southerncity that seemed to be close to LosAngeles,” he said.

No one in the Djenic family spokeEnglish when they arrived, but nineyears later they all consider themselvesTexans. “My father grills fajitas and mymother loves salsa. My sister wants aQuinceanera for her 15th birthday, andI finally learned the rules of baseball!”

Both of Brano’s parents wereeducated as civil engineers before warforced them to leave their homeland.But in their new lives in the UnitedStates, they faced big adjustments. Thefirst step for Brano was learningEnglish.

Brano Djenic (B.S. ‘07)

War Refugee Makes New Home in South Texas

Brano with his sister Lana at graduation.


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This past spring St. Mary’sUniversity alumnus Anthony Jimenez(B.A.S. ’84) found himself seated nextto President George W. Bushdiscussing how the economic growthpackage’s tax incentives will positivelyimpact small businesses such asJimenez’s own company, MicroTech.

“I was the only individualrepresenting a minority-owned smallbusiness invited to the White House tomeet with President Bush. When I geta voice in this kind of discussion, it’s agreat opportunity and I’m so proud tohave participated.”

It has been a long journey forJimenez, a San Antonio native whospent a few years working for a localcable company and taking a class hereand there before landing an ROTCscholarship to St. Mary’s.

One of the fastest growing smallbusinesses in the nation, MicroTechstands out largely due to Jimenez’sentrepreneurship. Jimenez is aminority, service-disabled veteran whoactively recruits other veterans andservice-disabled veterans into hisorganization. In fact, nearly half ofMicroTech’s employees are veteransor service-disabled veterans.

“Ultimately, it’s about giving back.MicroTech focuses on hiring veterans

and service-disabled-veterans. I thinkthat comes as an opportunity to feelgood about myself as well as providingveterans an opportunity to be a part ofa company that is so diverse.”

MicroTech employs about 130people but this figure is expected todouble in the next year. Havingexceeded its four-year growthprojections in three years, MicroTechhas flourished thanks to Jimenez’scharismatic leadership.

Once an ROTC scholarship openedthe door to attend any college, Jimenezchose St. Mary’s because he was deeplyimpressed by the University’s“reputation and quality of education,”which he says has continually servedhim well and contributed to hisongoing success.

In addition to the solid education hereceived at St. Mary’s, Jimenezattributes much of his success inbusiness to the military. “The military isvery good at training people to believethat there’s nothing that they can’t do.If I hadn’t been in the military, Iprobably would not have been as bold.I probably would have been more risk-averse.”

—by Alyssa Wealty (B.A. ’08)

Anthony “Tony” Jimenez(B.A.S. ’84)

President Bush Consults Alum Veton Tax Incentives

Jimenez, seated to left of President Bush, at White House conference.

The best programsdeserve the best facilities...

Recently Bexar County voters,

including many of our alumni, agreed to

extend the visitor tax. That means the

county will provide $6 million or

nearly half of the project cost for

St. Mary’s to build a championship-

caliber outdoor Sports Complex for

baseball, softball, soccer and tennis.

With the support of alumni

everywhere, great things keep

happening at St. Mary’s University.

And we’re halfway there!

2001 NCAA Division II Baseball National Champions

2002 NCAA Division II SoftballNational Champions

During the May 17 School of Law commencement address,the Honorable Tom Corbett (J.D. ’75), Attorney General forthe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, implored St. Mary’snewest law graduates to respect their chosen profession byalways being well-prepared and to value the inherent humandignity of everyone.

Emmy Award-winning national news anchor andcorrespondent John Quiñones (B.A. ’74), during the May 10University commencement ceremony, urged graduates to setchallenging goals, to not be deterred from trying by fear offailure, and to give back to their communities.

More Than 600 Grads Collect Degrees in May

For the first time in modern University history, St. Mary’s alumni delivered the keynote addresses at bothcommencement exercises held for the more than 600 graduates who picked up their diplomas.

St. Mary's University Gold & Blue | Summer 2008

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