The Word: UIW Community Newsletter - January 15, 2021

The Faculty Senate recognizes faculty award recipients at the provost’s welcome each January. This year, the senate recognized the following individuals who were nominated and selected by their peers for major faculty awards:

Robert J. Connelly Leadership Award

The Robert J. Connelly Faculty Leadership Award is given to commemorate Dr. Robert J. (Bob) Connelly for his many years of wise leadership and dedicated service to the faculty of the University of the Incarnate Word. He inspired the trust and confidence of the UIW faculty for more than four decades. We recognize that he represented the best qualities and virtues of UIW. This award is given to a tenured faculty member with 15 or more years of faculty experience at Incarnate Word. The faculty member will have served as an exemplary leader of faculty as demonstrated by leadership, service, mentoring, and peer counseling. A plaque with the award recipients is placed on the Legacy Wall in the Administration Building. This year's recipients are:

• Dr. Emily Clark (College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences)
• Dr. Laura Muñoz (Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions)

UIW 2021 Piper Professor Nominee

UIW 2021 Piper Professor Nominee

The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation was organized in 1950, incorporated in the State of Texas as a non-profit, charitable corporation.

In the Piper Professor Program, 10 awards of $5,000 each are made annually to professors for superior teaching at the college level. Selection is made on the basis of nominations submitted by each college or university in the State of Texas. Begun in 1958, with eight awards, the roster of Piper Professors includes outstanding professors from two- and four-year colleges and universities, public and private.

This year's University of the Incarnate Word Piper Professor Award nominee is Dr. Lopita Nath, from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

Mission Continues Faculty Awards

A person nominated for one of the five Mission Continues Faculty Awards exhibits the following attributes or characteristics:

• Has genuine love for UIW and its Mission
• Inspires/motivates students to embody the Mission
• Exemplifies in a special way one of the five core values in the classroom, school, and/or community
• Articulates the Mission to students
• Empowers students
• Is a true teacher
• Is open to students’ and colleagues’ ideas and suggestions
• Respects all others, mindful of their inherent dignity
• Inspires trust in students and peers
• Possesses imagination and vision in curriculum development and scholarship
• Is willing to grow and take risks in the profession
• Has worked for UIW for two or more years
• Has contributed to the development of the department or school

In 2003, the first Mission Continues Faculty Awards were given during Heritage Week at the University of the Incarnate Word. The Mission Continues Faculty Awards Program is a series of five annual awards and represents the congregational heritage of living the Mission values through teaching, scholarship, and community service. The awards recognize faculty for their commitment to promoting the Mission and supporting the ministry of the university in an outstanding manner.

The five awards and the CCVI Sisters for whom they are named are:

• Sr. Maria Goretti Zehr Award for Innovation
• Sr. Eleanor Ann Young Award for Truth
• Sr. Margaret Rose Palmer Award for Education
• Mother Columkille Colbert Award for Service
• Sr. Pierre Cinquin Award for Faith

This year's Mission Continues Faculty Award recipients are: 

• Innovation - Dr. Michelle Tabit (College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences)
• Truth - Dr. Karen Weis (Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions)
• Education - Dr. Rachell Booth (School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering)
• Service - Dr. Linda Hook (Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions)
• Faith - Dr. Michael Tallon (College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences)

Sr. Walter Maher, CCVI, vice president for Mission and Ministry, presented the Bishop Claude Marie Dubuis Response to the Call Award to all UIW faculty members in appreciation for their hard work and service to students in 2020.

Learn about the award recipients

(Archive photo)

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce that its Biochemistry program in the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering has received full accreditation from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). Founded in 1906, ASBMB is an international nonprofit scientific and educational organization and one of the largest molecular life science societies in the world.

“The School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering strives to offer the highest academic experience possible for our students,” says Dr. Carlos Garcia, dean of the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering. “The accreditation from ASBMB is evidence of the high quality of our Biochemistry program. I’m particularly pleased of the noteworthy recognition by ASBMB of all of our undergraduate Biochemistry majors participating in scientific research.”

In issuing its full accreditation status, ASBMB highlighted several aspects of the UIW Biochemistry program:

• Excellent faculty in teaching learning and research
• Safety programs for students and faculty
• Diversity of the student body and plans to increase the diversity in the faculty
• All undergraduate students in the program participate in research

“We have developed a student-centered comprehensive B.S. Biochemistry degree, and the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology accreditation validates the success of our program on a national level,” says Drs. Rachell Booth, professor of Biochemistry and Betsy Leverett, associate professor of Biochemistry.

The term of full accreditation from ASBMB extends through Dec. 31, 2027.

Teresa Treviño, program coordinator and professor of Graphic Design, was awarded the 2020 Excellence in the Field Award from the Texas Association of Schools of Art (TASA). Trevino presented her research at the TASA Annual Conference, Innovation in Uncertainty, held virtually in October 2020. Trevino’s research presentation, entitled "More Than One Voice," is available for viewing. 

Dr. Ashley S. Love, associate professor of Education, co-authored “Public Health & Crime Prevention: Shared Goals and Opportunities,” a chapter in a new book titled  International Perspectives of Crime Prevention 11. The book chapter is a three-part presentation covering an overview of public health, a framework for interdisciplinary approaches, methods, research, and theory-based roadmaps, including collaboration between fields. 

“We wrote this chapter to offer criminal justice and crime prevention professionals a concise, practical roadmap to collaborate with public health practitioners. We wanted to facilitate the understanding of crime within the broader context of health and social issues. Both fields can also work together to implement and support sustainable health and/or social programs to mitigate related-criminal activities via identifying prevention points (i.e., illegal drug use/overdose, blood-borne pathogens/HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis, and food insecurities-related theft). Both fields can work in a close collaboration within a broader context of  interprofessional practice. We need to find innovative ways to work together and create synergetic relationships with all professionals who have dedicated their lives to serve our communities,” said Dr. Love. 

Dr. Love is a multi-disciplinary public health professional with extensive experience in health education, program design, management, and evaluation across public, governmental, and academic sectors. She is certified in public health through the National Board of Public Health Examiners in the United States and served as the State Epidemiologist of Delaware, where she managed the H1N1 pandemic in 2009. Additionally, she was a National Institute on Aging Summer Fellow; was elected to serve on the Nomination Committee of American Public Health Association and was appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of  Nation’s Health.  She is active in national professional and academic organizations. Dr. Love is also an active-duty Air Force military spouse. 

Book information

In December 2020, the first GEMS Holiday STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) kit was distributed to middle and elementary school students from two local school districts. With the help of a sponsorship from the Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT) South Texas Chapter, approximately 100 kits were delivered to students while practicing proper safety procedures and social distancing recommendations. Each kit contained three holiday-themed experiments: Erupting Ornament, Electrifying Ornament, and Invisible Ink. The kits were designed to include all materials needed to conduct the experiments as well as maintaining a STEAM kit at home for later experiments. As the leaders of GEMS, Education major, Calista Burns, and recent UIW graduate, Stephanie Weiss-Lopez, continue their work to maintain a presence within the local schools and GEMS clubs. In Fall 2020, GEMS launched their YouTube channel allowing the students to watch the experiments in the Holiday STEAM kits performed by Burns. 

GEMS is now working with local teachers to begin a weekly virtual GEMS club meeting. GEMS continues to seek to empower young girls to be innovative and know that a future in STEAM fields is possible. 

On Dec. 17, Srikanth Vemula, Jovany Avila, and Tristian Brouwer, members of UIW's Autonomous Vehicle Systems Lab, presented their progress in developing an autonomous powerline assessment technique to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society.

The presentation was centered on the research that has been carried out by the AVS Lab throughout 2020 for CPS Energy. The research included information on  implementing an autonomous powerline inspection system using an Unmanned Aerial System. The team presented a vision-aided powerline inspection system for an Unmanned Aerial System that can recognize and locate powerlines, electric poles, their individual components, and control the dynamics of the drone to autonomously fly and navigate, using deep learning. The system depicts the real-world applications of how deep learning and unmanned aerial systems can be used in civilian applications and aid lineman in avoiding dangerous situations. This was a fully virtual presentation of the IEEE Southern Region Chapter during a joint AESS/SMC meeting. This is a culmination of both Brouwer and Avila’s four-year Engineering education at UIW, as the presentation included significant elements of their capstone project. It is also the result of years of work and research done by Vemula, the lab’s leading AI expert. IEEE members expressed a great deal of interest in the progress made by the UIW team as many different members look forward to implementing these applications in their own communities and research. 

Join University Mission and Ministry on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m. as we pray for peace in our nation. We pray for a peaceful transition of power and ask God to, “Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation." (Pope Francis, Invocation for Peace, June 4, 2014)   

The service will be held via Zoom. For more information, please contact Lena Gokelman or Carmen Aguilera at ministry@uiwtx.edu. 

RSVP for the Prayer for Peace

University Mission and Ministry invites you to attend our weekly Sunday Morning Prayers. While we cannot gather in-person to celebrate the Sunday Eucharist in Our Lady’s Chapel or the Chapel of the Incarnate Word, we can gather virtually and unite our prayers of petition during this celebration of the Liturgy of the Word. The service will be held on Zoom. The platform will open at 10:45 a.m. for an opportunity to greet one another before prayer. We hope you’ll be able to join us! For more information, please contact Lena Gokelman or Carmen Aguilera at ministry@uiwtx.edu or (210) 832-3207.

RSVP to receive a Zoom link to the Jan. 17 Prayer Service

Recently, our Archbishop of San Antonio, Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MsSP, wrote to priests and deacons of the Archdiocese with guidance to help ease the consciences of the faithful who object to using vaccines against the SARS-CoV2 virus that causes Covid-19, which, "in the course of research and production, employed cell lines drawn from tissue obtained from two abortions that occurred in the last century." He attached to his communication the following note from the Vatican Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith released on December 21, 2020, that explains the conditions under which their use is permissible. The document concludes, "the passive material cooperation in the evil of the procured abortion from which these cell lines originate is, on the part of those making use of the resulting vaccines, remote...The moral duty to avoid such passive material cooperation is not obligatory if there is a grave danger, such as the otherwise uncontainable spread of a serious pathological agent--in this case, the pandemic spread" we are currently experiencing.  

The Vatican Note, while restating that vaccination is not, "as a rule, a moral obligation and therefore voluntary, proposes that, from the ethical point of view, the morality of vaccination depends not only on the duty to protect one's own health, but also on the duty to pursue the common good." As Chaplain of the University of the Incarnate Word, in the circumstances of the current pandemic, I can tell you I intend to be vaccinated as soon as possible and urge everyone whose health allows it to do the same.   

Fr. Thomas H. Dymowski, O.SS.T. 
University Chaplain 

The UIW community is mourning the loss of Dr. Caroline Spana, a member of the Incarnate Word family for more than 60 years. Dr. Spana served the University community as a faculty member, administrator, colleague, mentor and friend. After 50 years of service, she retired from her role as director of Student Affairs in December 2013. Prior to her service as an employee, Dr. Spana earned her BSN from Incarnate Word College in 1959. In 2009, Dr. Spana was honored as the UIW Alumni of Distinction for Professional Achievement. She was featured in The Word Magazine shortly after her retirement in a piece called, 50 Years: A Lifetime of Influence by Crystale Lopez. Please join us in revisiting this piece as we honor her legacy, celebrate her life and give thanks for the difference she made in the lives of many. 

50 Years: A Lifetime of Influence
Crystale Lopez

After 50 years of serving as a faculty member, administrator, colleague, mentor and friend, Dr. Caroline Spana ’59 BSN, director of student affairs in the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions, retired from the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in December.

“I always jokingly said ‘I am going to stay with the university until they get it right’ – but UIW has always had it right and that is why I stayed as long as I did,” Spana said.

Spana’s journey at Incarnate Word began in 1964 with a prayer and an unexpected phone call.

“Sr. Margaret Mary Curry called and told me they had been making a novena because they did not have a teacher for pediatric nursing and heard I might be available,” Spana recalled. “So I agreed to teach for the program.”

Spana had graduated from then Incarnate Word College five years earlier and felt her time as a student greatly influenced her returning as a professor. “Like many students I loved Incarnate Word, and I had a great mentor in Sr. Olivia Prendergast,” she said. “I learned everything from her and everything else I learned from my students.”

Among Spana’s many nursing students over the years were UIW administrators Sr. Kathleen Coughlin, CCVI, vice president of institutional advancement, and Dr. Kathi Light, provost.

“What a privilege to encounter, later in one’s life, an individual who helped one become who they are today and who has been part of their journey in life,” Coughlin said. “She instilled in one to be the best they could be in their role of service to others as a nurse.”

Light agreed Spana was a teacher who expected the best out of every student and the teacher she wanted to impress the most. Eventually, Spana and Light became coworkers.

“I came to Incarnate Word twelve years after I graduated and was assigned to teach pediatrics with Dr. Spana,” Light said. “Being her teaching partner was daunting at first, but Dr. Spana proved to be a wonderful mentor and became a close friend.”

Spana said she takes no credit for the success of her students. “I am happy to have been engaged with all my students,” she said. “It is like watching your children grow up – your relationship can become like that of colleagues when you share the same interests in careers and that is something very special.”

Spana took her duties as a professor at UIW a step further by becoming involved in faculty governance and committees. She served as the first female president of the faculty association; was chair, vice-chair, treasurer, and member of most faculty committees; served on the University Planning Commission (UPC) for more than 12 years; and was the coordinator of student advising and director of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

“For the faculty to be involved in decisions of the future of the university and its programs is a tremendous opportunity offered at UIW,” Spana said. “I am an outspoken person and wanted to have a very direct role.”

Light said Spana was always an advocate for the nursing program but first and foremost thought about whole systems. “Dr. Spana thought about the common good of the university and how the many parts of the university interact,” Light said. “She showed me to think about the impact of individual decisions on the greater good. That is how she approached work with faculty committees and why she loved working with the UPC.”

With the increase in student body and faculty, and the expansion of programs and addition of buildings over the years, Spana said the university has evolved over time but has always kept a balance and constancy with all of the change and that is the Mission of UIW.

“From my first day as a professor in 1964 to now, the physical changes stand out tremendously because, of course, half the buildings at the university were not there when I first started!” Spana recalled. “I have been to the opening of two libraries, and graduation used to be small enough to be held in the Fine Arts Auditorium.”

“The Mission is the heart and strength of Incarnate Word,” she said. “It allows for all these changes to be for the better and if things are not going in the right direction then it is the Mission that redirects.”

Spana said she accomplished more than she ever planned at UIW. “When I first started at Incarnate Word 50 years ago, I never intended for my career to be in teaching,” she said. “I just enjoyed the university so much, and my contributions were valuable to people, so I found it such a wonderful place to stay.”

UIW Community, thank you for giving back over the holidays. Together, we raised over $12,000 for the student emergency fund and scholarships. Your support made our holidays that much brighter and lifted our spirits. Together, we are One Word. Thank you! 

The Swing-In Auction Party and Golf Tournament is an annual event of the University of the Incarnate Word Development Board that raises funds for student scholarships. Your support each year allows us to continue building on our success, providing necessary funds to students seeking to continue their higher education.

The 44th Annual Swing-In Auction will take place on Thursday, May 13, followed by the Swing-In Golf Tournament on Friday, May 14 at The Quarry Golf Course. All proceeds raised from the auction will directly benefit the University’s scholarship fund.

For more information on sponsorships and how you can participate in this year's Swing-In please contact Ana Bribiesca Hoff at (210) 829-6075 or bribiesc@uiwtx.edu. 

There are two ways you can get involved and help before the event!

1. Donate items: The Office of Development is seeking donations for the Swing-In Auction Party. If you would like to support the auction by donating items, gift cards, experiences or wine bottles, please contact Ana Bribiesca Hoff at (210) 829-6075 or bribiesc@uiwtx.edu. 
2. Volunteer: We can't do it without your support! Register as a Swing-In Golf Tournament volunteer. 

Swing-In Raffle

Swing-In raffle tickets are now available to purchase. As always, only 300 tickets will be sold! 

With the purchase of a Swing-In raffle ticket for $100, you earn a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience and support UIW students' pursuit of higher education at a faith-based institution. All proceeds will directly benefit the UIW Scholarship Fund.

The raffle winner will choose one of the following prizes: 

• Fairmont Chateau Whistler
• Charleston Luxury Getaway
• Tuscany Culinary Escape
• $5,000 Merchandise Credit Balance on Credit Card 

Purchase your Swing-In raffle ticket

"Four Texans who graduated from universities in San Antonio are headed to the White House to serve in President-elect Joe Biden’s cabinet."

"Corina Cortez, who graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word, will be a special assistant to the president for presidential personnel. She previously served as the deputy chief of staff under the Clinton administration and later the chief of staff for the Environmental Protection Agency."

Read the full story.

The UIW and San Antonio community took part in an official San Antonio DreamWeek event, sponsored by the University called, Muslims and Christians Together Creating the Beloved Community, Transforming Racism, on Friday, Jan. 15. The panel featured Imam Omar Adib Shakir, resident Imam at Masjid Bilal Ibn; Bishop Trevor Alexander, Protestant chaplain and adjunct faculty; Mourad Takawi, assistant professor of Religious Studies; Yesenia Caloca, assistant director of the UIW Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability; and Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, CCVI, professor emerita of Religious Studies. 

This event was supported by a Racial Equity and Interfaith Cooperation Award, part of the We Are Each Other’s campaign, from the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC).

UIW Black History Month Events

A School of Physical Therapy Class of 2020 capstone group – Catherine Shaw, Kelly Miller, Tommy Lee and Jonathan Koborsi – had their project published online in the Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy. Their project was also given as a platform presentation earlier this month at the annual conference of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. Congratulations, School of Physical Therapy Class of 2020!

The return of UIW Cardinals to the Nest is always reason to celebrate! This week, the Office of Campus Engagement hosted January Jump-off, a series of events spanning the first week of the Spring 2021 semester aimed at making students feel right back at home. Students were treated to in-person and online events to suit their particular learning environment. Events included the Cardinal Coffee House, a virtual scavenger hunt and the bi-annual event, Meet the Greeks. January Jump-off will wrap up this evening with Skyview Lights, a new, outdoor event with live music and goodies. 

Welcome home, Cardinals! 

The UIW Student Alumni Association is seeking students to join the organization this semester. SAA is a free membership program offered to all current university students and its purpose is to build spirit and pride, connect current students with alumni, educate about and encourage student philanthropy, and enhance the student experience at UIW. 

For more information, please contact Jorge Jones at jojones2@uiwtx.edu. 

Freshman Logan Bracamonte and sophomore Keaston Willis got the University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball out to a fast start as the two nailed each of their first two 3-point attempts to give the Cardinals a 12-0 lead before McNeese got on the board. That was the start UIW was looking for against Southland Conference foe, McNeese, on Wednesday night, cruising to an 83-61 victory over the Cowboys inside the McDermott Center in the Cardinals' Southland Conference home opener. 

With his sixth 3-pointer of the game at the 8:54 mark in the second half, Willis netted the 100th in his young career and moved into a tie with Mitchell Badillo for tenth in program history. His seventh trey came four minutes later to set a new personal best. Willis' career night led the Cardinals with 28 points, five assists and three rebounds. 

It was the accuracy and energy the team fed off as the black and red held the lead from the tip-off. 

"Keaston got in a great rhythm tonight; he was moving with a purpose and his teammates were finding him. Everyone was sharing the rock and flying around tonight and played with energy the entire game," UIW Coach Carson Cunningham said. 

Willis connected on his third trey at the 9:06 mark to push the lead to 15 (23-7). The Cowboys found a rhythm over the next three minutes to cut the lead down, 28-14, with six minutes to play in the half.    

The Cardinals (5-5, 2-1 SLC) continued to fly around the floor and knocked down shots to hold a 39-27 lead at the break. UIW shot 44.8% (13-for-29) in the half and connected on 52.9% (9-for-17) from beyond-the-arc while limiting the Cowboys to just 42.3% shooting overall. 

UIW maintained a 10-point lead through the first ten minutes in the second half before Willis and Drew Lutz hit back-to-back treys to make it a 16-point lead (60-44) and put the game away. 

Freshman GG Ezedinma also posted a career-best 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting, adding a team-high five rebounds, an assist, block and a steal as he was all over the floor. Lutz polished off the night with 13 points, hitting three treys, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the line and dishing out five assists. 

The Cardinals shot 57.7% (30-for-52) and a season-high 59.3% (16-for-27) from 3-point range while limiting the league's best 3-point shooting squad to 29.4% (5-for-17). 

Carlos Rosario led the Cowboys with 19 points on 8-for-9 shooting and KeyShaun Feazell added 17 on a night where the nation's top 3-point shooter from a year ago, Dru Kuxhausen, was held to five points. 

Coah Cunningham Said 

"I was really happy for the guys. They have been working hard all season. They came out tonight and they were really sharing the apple, cutting off the ball and shooting really well tonight. It also started on the defensive end tonight as well; they were really locked in. But we know we can't get too high in this league. It's one step at a time. We are going to savor the win tonight, learn from it and get ready for SFA on Saturday." 

Looking Ahead

UIW hosts Southland Conference preseason favorite SFA on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Cardinals take a quick trip to Beaumont on Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. before hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday, Jan. 23, at 6:30 p.m.

Former University of the Incarnate Word women's soccer student-athlete Ana Campa is set to make her professional debut Saturday, Jan. 9, at noon for the Liga MX Pumas in Mexico City. The game will be live streamed on TUDN. 

Head Coach Emma Wright Cates: 

"This is an incredible moment for Ana Campa and one which we are all very proud of her for at UIW. She is the first in our program from our DI campaign to sign a pro contract and is leading the way for future Cards to also live and achieve that dream. I had the pleasure to coach her for her last two years here and I watched her grow and continue to challenge those around her to be better. She had a lot of talent, good vision, was incredibly driven on the pitch, and was extremely tough to beat. This was all recognized her senior year when she turned heads to get the SLC First Team All-Conference award, which was another milestone for our program after a history-making season. 

"We talked about her pro dream this summer and the challenges COVID-19 presented. It was not a matter of "if" but "when" someone would scoop her up. We challenge our players to constantly push boundaries and break barriers and, Campa has taken that challenge head on. She has shown that with talent, hard work and dedication, even in a pandemic, good things can and will happen. We are extremely excited for her and know she will be the first of many Cards to break through into the pro ranks." 

During Campa's senior season she was named Southland Conference First Team All-Academic and first team all-conference as a defender. She led a back line that only allowed 13 goals in conference play (compared to UIW's 20 goals scored in SLC play). She is part of the team that made UIW's first appearance at the SLC Tournament in program history. She also helped UIW achieve a perfect single year 1,000 APR score and a 990 multiyear APR score, and she was named to the Fall 2019 Southland Conference Honor Roll. 

Ana Campa: 

"I want to thank UIW for giving me a platform to share about my soccer journey. I was given a chance to play for the women's team at UIW from 2016-19, and it was something I was very proud of, as was my family, who always did everything they could to support me. I dreamed of playing in college since I started to play soccer and, I could finally say I graduated with a bachelor's in criminal justice and did so while achieving first team all-conference. But I still had one more dream that I was chasing, and it was to make it professionally. 

"After I graduated, I chased my dream to México where I tried out for different teams, but then COVID-19 hit, and the setbacks started. The day before Christmas, I got a phone call that Pumas Femenil in Liga MX was giving me a chance to continue my soccer career. I am also given a chance to play with my sister, Marlyn. With that being said, I had four days to pack my bags and head to Mexico City where I will call home for a while. 

"The training has been very hard with the change in altitudes and the different style of play but it's all going to be worth it in the end. I wouldn't be here without the help of countless people, from my past coaches, teachers, strength and conditioning coaches, trainers, teammates, friends and family who have stuck by me and cheered me on. The journey wasn't easy as all student-athletes know, but it is possible if you give your all and never give up, even when it doesn't feel like you're moving. These next couple of months will be hard, but I'm excited for what is in store. "

The University of the Incarnate Word cross country/track and field head coach  Dr. Derek Riedel  announced the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field schedules for Spring 2021. 

"To say we are chomping at the bit to compete would be an understatement," said Riedel. "It's been the longest layoff in competition that we've ever experienced. These student-athletes have remained focused and worked harder than ever to prepare themselves to compete again." 

"We had as good a fall semester of training as we could have possibly had, so I'm excited to see the fruit of that labor and am confident the team will be ready to compete. One thing we have learned during this time is to be thankful for the blessings of competition – and we intend to show our gratitude for any and every opportunity we get this spring." 

With the postponement of the fall 2020 cross country season in August, the Cardinals are set to compete in two cross country events this spring. First, they host a 6K/8K twilight race at Olmos Park on Jan. 29 as a precursor for the Southland Conference Championship, which will be held in Hammond, La., on Feb. 15. 

The indoor track and field season consists of the Red Raider Invitational (Jan. 23) and the Southland Conference Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala., at the Birmingham Crossplex (Feb. 28-March 1). 

Beginning March 18-20, the Cardinals kick off the outdoor season up the road at UTSA. The squad then travels up I-35 to Austin for the Texas Relays and to Texas State for the Bobcat Invitational on March 25-27.  

In April, the Cardinals host the UIW Invitational (April 9-10) at Benson Stadium before returning to UTSA on April 15-17. UIW competes in two more meets – at Rice (April 23-24) and at Texas State for the Bobcat Classic (April 30-May 1) – before heading to the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships in Abilene, Texas, May 15-16. 

The NCAA West Preliminaries are set to take place in College Station, Texas, on May 27-29. The NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships are slated to be hosted by Oregon in Eugene, Ore., June 9-12 at the Hayward Field. 

Schedule Subject to Change 

**UIW schedules are subject to change. UIW Athletics will continue monitoring the ongoing situation involving the COVID-19 pandemic and will follow the Southland Conference, NCAA, and CDC guidelines and recommendations as they develop and change. We will continue to notify our Athletic community as information is updated. 

The University of the Incarnate Word continues to monitor the local, regional and state-wide progression of COVID-19 to inform decisions about safe campus operations. Below you will find links to helpful information regarding UIW's COVID-19 warning indicators, case tracking, safety guidelines and resources for the UIW community. These sites will be updated to reflect changes or new information.

Cardinal Daily Health Check

COVID-19 Information Site

COVID-19 Testing

COVID-19 Case Updates

Cardinal Flight Plan 

Schedule a COVID-19 test on the Broadway campus (students and employees ONLY)

Schedule a COVID-19 test at the UIWSOM campus (open to general public)