The Word: UIW Community Newsletter - January 29, 2021

The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program has been selected to join the CAHME (Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education) Mentorship Circle, an honor reserved for university programs that excel within the commission. 

CAHME is the international accrediting body for healthcare management education programs. The UIW MHA program has been CAHME-accredited since 2012 and received its seven-year re-accreditation in 2018.

The CAHME Mentorship Circle (CMC) was established to recognize programs that demonstrate a commitment to advance the quality of healthcare management education. Of the 115 CAHME-accredited programs, only 24 are members of the Mentorship Circle. UIW joins Baylor University as only the second university in Texas with a graduate program in the CAHME Mentorship Circle.

MHA faculty submitted the program for consideration to join the CAHME Mentorship Circle and their application was accepted in early October 2020.

"Joining the CAHME Mentorship Circle demonstrates the value of the UIW MHA program and allows faculty to give back to CAHME and its accredited programs," said MHA Director Dr. Chris Nesser. "The CMC designation not only recognizes our commitment to excellence within our program, but also our willingness to help other young health administration programs seek accreditation and to enhance the broader field of healthcare management education. We are looking forward to sharing our best practices and supporting the continuous improvement in healthcare management education."

The UIW MHA program and its faculty will now serve as mentors to other graduate healthcare administration programs seeking CAHME accreditation. In this role, the program will share best practices and also plans to host a seminar in the coming year to demonstrate how the UIW MHA program assesses student competencies and program outcomes.

This recognition comes at a time when Dr. Nesser says she has experienced an increase in collaboration among healthcare administration programs from different universities since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Long-term, we're all looking to build the next generation of healthcare workers across the country,” Dr. Nesser said of the common goal among healthcare education programs.

The UIW Master of Health Administration program was established in 2010 and seeks to prepare the highly skilled and dedicated healthcare management leaders needed to provide quality care to the communities they serve.

Lucretia M. Fraga, Ph.D., assistant professor of Teacher Education in the Dreeben School of Education, presented “The Flipped Classroom Model: An Investigation of Faculty Perspectives and Student Achievement,” at the virtual ISTE 20 LIVE Conference. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a global community of educators using technology to transform teaching and learning through innovative solutions. 

The presentation covered a mixed method study by investigating faculty perspectives and student achievements using the flipped classroom model of instruction in higher education. “Specifically, I wanted to understand how disciplinary literacy is used in the flipped classroom model with undergraduate chemistry students,” said Dr. Fraga.  

She also presented a workshop titled “Mobile Resources You Will Want to Use in Your HigherEd Classroom Now.”

“I shared a variety of digital resources and examples for classroom use specifically for faculty teaching in higher education," explained Dr. Fraga.

Dr. Fraga has a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching with an emphasis in Instructional Technology. She has worked in the field of instructional technology for nearly 20 years. She has provided professional development to students, faculty and staff in how to use technology for instructional purposes. Dr. Fraga’s expertise include pedagogical practices, instructional technology and design, teacher education, and professional development of faculty in higher education.  

Dr. Amalia Mondriguez, professor of Spanish, was recently recognized as one of three finalists for her short story, La Gemela Desaparecida (The Missing Twin) in the 1st International Short Story competition sponsored by Casa de España en San Antonio. The award winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 6. Join us in congratulating Dr. Mondriguez and wishing her luck in the next phase of this competition! 

The UIW School of Physical Therapy Sports Residency Program was granted candidacy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, effective Jan. 31, 2021. The Sports Residency Program may now enroll the first cohort of students into the program. Congratulations to all School of Physical Therapy faculty, staff and administrators! 

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.

And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.

—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ

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. 31 Prayer Service

In January of 2019, Pope Francis issued his apostolic letter,  Aperuit illis , instituting the third Sunday in Ordinary Time as the annual Sunday of the Word of God and marked the occasion by inviting us to "make room inside ourselves for the Word of God."

Ascension Press has officially launched their “Bible in a Year” podcast and reading plan. Join hosts Fr. Mike Schmitz and Jeff Cavins as they lead the Catholic community through the Bible in 365 daily episodes. It’s not too late to start. The episodes are 20-25 minutes and you can move at your own pace, using the material to host discussions in your own small faith communities with family and friends.

The Bible in a Year: Sign Up

We are One Word and together we have One Goal.

One Word, One Goal, the University of the Incarnate Word’s annual University-wide Day of Giving, is just around the corner! Every year, alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends come together to make gifts to the programs and places at UIW that mean the most to them. Your support is especially important this year, as our students, faculty, and staff work hard to thrive, adapt and grow during this unprecedented time for the University and for our world.

The easiest way to get involved is by making a gift to the cause that is most important to you during our Day of Giving (Feb. 25 -26). To make an even bigger impact, join us as a One Word Ambassador. Ambassadors help us get the word out about One Word, One Goal and ask their networks to consider making a donation to support the people, places, and programs they care about most. We know that people are most likely to make a gift when asked by a peer or friend. Your participation makes our campaign successful!

Last year, One Word Ambassadors moved the needle in a big way! They generated over half of the total gifts brought in during our Day of Giving. We mean it when we say Ambassadors make all the difference!

Sign me up! 

The UIW community continues to mourn the loss of Dr. Caroline Spana, who passed away on Thursday, Jan. 14. Dr. Spana, a member of the Incarnate Word family for more than 60 years, 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. Read Dr. Spana's obituary.  
 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the nursing scholarship Dr. Spana established, the Margaret Wallace Nursing Scholarship at University of the Incarnate Word. Donations can be made online or mailed to: 
  
University of the Incarnate Word 
Development Office 
4301 Broadway CPO 317  
San Antonio, TX 78209 

Make an online gift in honor of Dr. Spana

Dr. Spana is survived by her siblings and their partners: Terry Schoch, Paul Schoch, Rita Schoch, Louise Wurz, Philip and Melanie Schoch, Pamela Schoch, Kyra and Jimmy Terral, Alan and Sylvia Schoch; her children and their partners: Paul and Susan Spana, Monica and Donna Schoch-Spana, David Spana, Chris Spana and Brenda Gentry, Adam Spana and Heidi Novotny, Aimée Spana and Stephen Wilson, and John and Amanda Spana; grandchildren: Chris, Leo, Sarah and Elizabeth; many nieces and nephews; and cat: McCracken (“Mac”).

“Our mother, Caroline Spana, had a huge family - just considering her seven children and her nine siblings - but adding in Incarnate Word religious, faculty, staff and students to whom she was attached since her own BSN days, gives a much truer number of whom she held dear," said Dr. Spana's children. 

She and her family will always be members of our beloved Incarnate Word family. 

UIW is set to host several events throughout the month of February in celebration of Black History Month. While the schedule is still being finalized, currently scheduled events include the following: 

• Feb. 2: Central High in Little Rock with Dr. Roger Barnes – Dr. Roger Barnes, professor of Sociology, will share stories about Central High in Little Rock, the site of forced desegregation in 1957. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional three years earlier, during a period of heightened activism in the civil rights movement. 
• Feb. 3: Intersectionalities: Complicated Identities in the Pan-African Diaspora – People with African ancestry live all over the world, and Black skin is not just part of African ancestry. To complicate matters further, gender identities, sexuality, ability and disability, and faith are some other identities that intersect with and also define Black identities. In this panel discussion, guests will discuss how Black identity resists easy classification and what that means in our everyday lives.
• Feb. 9: Pierre Lecture: A Conversation on Catholicism, Racism and Health – The annual Pierre Lecture, sponsored by the Religious Studies Department will feature Dr. Vanessa White, a scholar from the Catholic Theological Union, and Dr. Neomi De Anda, a scholar from the University of Dayton. 
• Feb. 11: Student Research Showcase – Join UIW students for a virtual gathering and exhibition of student work related to Black history and heritage.
• Date TBD: The Underground Railroad to Mexico – This panel discussion will feature Roseann Bacha-Garza of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Maria Hammack of The University of Texas at Austin for a presentation on the story of runaway slaves who sought freedom in Mexico, and the Tejanos and many other groups who helped them on their journey.

Learn more and register for each event

The Swing-In Auction 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

Dr. Taylor Collins, economics department discipline coordinator in the H-E-B School of Business and Administration lent his expertise to the San Antonio Express-News for their Jan. 22, 2021 article “San Antonio’s Unemployment Rate Dipped in December.”

In an interview with journalist Brandon Lingle, Collins said that in light of the positive movement, the question “is whether December job growth resulted from a solid holiday consumer-spending season or the start of an economic recovery.”

'It makes me very optimistic that at a time when the U.S. unemployment rate actually rose in December, we see Texas (unemployment) falling,' Collins said. 'Every single county and region is experiencing substantial employment gains across Texas, which does not mean we’re out of the woods, but is certainly some welcomed bit of optimism.'"

Read the full story

Do you have photos or videos of the UIW community honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? Join Campus Engagement and the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability in collecting these photos and videos during Black History Month. Participants may also submit a recording or photo of themselves raising a sign with their dream for a just society written on it. These videos and images will then be compiled to create a video message of solidarity and hope.

For more information and to submit your contribution, please email Nataly Lopez, director of Campus Engagement at nagutie1@uiwtx.edu or Yesenia Caloca, assistant director of the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability at caloca@uiwtx.edu.  

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce that a group of military members are the first from the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) to establish their future in medicine by being matched for residency programs with military hospitals across the nation. UIWSOM is preparing to graduate its Inaugural Class of medical students in May 2021.

“This is obviously an exciting time and a major milestone for the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine,” says Dr. Robyn Phillips-Madson, dean of UIWSOM. “We are very proud of the UIWSOM Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) students who are the very first to match into military residency programs. Each one is to be commended for their commitment to serve our country and for their exemplary efforts as members of our inaugural class. I have no doubt that they will be excellent residents and serve their future patients with compassion and competence. The SOM is pleased to support the HPSP here in Military City, USA, particularly because our school is located at the former site of the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks.“

The military match took place on Jan. 6. UIWSOM had eight learners who matched that day: 

• Jay Feitshans, Internal Medicine, El Paso
• Rami Alattar, General Surgery, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (VA)
• Michael Walston, General Surgery, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (VA)
• Marc Nicholes, Transitional Year, Madigan (WA)
• Andrew Maxam, Radiology, Madigan (WA)
• Reggie Taylor, Family Medicine, Fort Hood
• Steven Cummock, Transitional Year, Brooke Army Medical Center
• Adriana Campo, Transitional Year, Naval Medical Center San Diego (CA)

UIWSOM will graduate its inaugural class of medical students this May with a Match Day event taking place on March 19, 2021 for the rest of the graduating class.

Third-year UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) students Katelyn Franck and Margaret Jonas penned an article in the January 2021 issue of San Antonio Medicine. The article, called "Underutilization of Total Knee Arthoplasty: Active Efforts and Proposed Solutions to Address this Locally," details a research project Franck and Jonas are working on, studying health disparities and TKA underutilization. UIWSOM faculty and staff, Jaydee Foster MA, clinical research coordinator; Matthew Morrey, MD, clinical associate professor; and Roberto Fajardo, PhD, associate professor of Anatomy, also contributed to the article and research. 

Read the article on page 26

Teddy Jones (BSN ’66, UIW Alumna of Distinction for Professional Achievement, December 2005), recently announced the release of her latest novel, Slanted Light. After 43 years in nursing, Jones chose to focus her energy on writing fiction. Her work has been honored as a finalist for the Willa Award of Women Writing the West 2014 (for her series, Jackson’s Pond, Texas) and her short story, Clean Getaway, won Gold Medal First Prize for Short Story in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition in 2015.

Slanted Light is her fourth published novel and the second in the Jackson’s Pond, Texas series, the saga of a modern-day farm and ranch family living in the Panhandle of Texas. It’s no surprise that one of the family members is a nurse practitioner.

Slanted Light, published by MidTown Publishing, is available in paperback, hard cover, and e-book formats online from Amazon and Barnes and Noble as well as by order through independent bookstores nationwide.

Learn more about Teddy Jones and her work

Teacher Education Alumnus Dr. Victor James Young, BCBA ('12 BA and '15 MAT), was recently elected as a member at large for the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children Executive Board. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degree in the Teacher Education Program at the University of the Incarnate Word’s Dreeben School of Education before completing his Ph.D. at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

"As a first generation and Gates Millennium Scholar from the Southside of San Antonio, I would have never thought that I would achieve an executive board position for a national organization. I am eager to collaborate with other professionals that seek to understand how structured institutions of learning can build relationships with families from low socioeconomic status (SES) and minority backgrounds, in order to support a student's holistic growth," said Dr. Young. 

Dr. Stephanie Grote-Garcia, professor of Education, said, “I have known Dr. Young for 10 years. I first met him when he was an undergraduate student in our Teacher Education program and later, I had the opportunity to be on his dissertation committee. It has been a memorable journey watching Dr. Young progress from undergraduate, to doctorate, and now to executive board member. I look forward to seeing all the wonderful things that Dr. Young accomplishes as an educator, advocate, and researcher.” 

Dr. Young is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). His research focuses on early childhood special education, language acquisition for children with speech delays and behavior management strategies. He has written grants to promote outdoor play by bringing indoor learning into outdoor learning spaces. Dr. Young will be working on the advocacy of child-centered conversations within inclusive settings through the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education. The project is a grant funded by the New Jersey Department of Education. 

Calling all UIW lovebirds! In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Department of Alumni and Parent Relations invites our Cardinal Couples to submit their UIW love story for a chance to be featured on @UIWAlumni and @UIWCardinals social media pages. Let's reminisce together on the chapter of your lives that brought love, hope and wonder into your story! 

Submit your story

Learn about the history and production of the Official UIW Class Ring "Affinity" designed by Herff Jones on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. on @UIWAlumni Facebook and YouTube Live! Herff Jones representatives will be available to answer any questions regarding class ring options and orders for current students and alumni interested in purchasing a class ring. 

Schedule a one-on-one appointment with a Herff Jones representative

The UIW Alumni Mentor Program is seeking mentees for the spring semester! The mentoring program will allow students to learn from industry professionals who align with their career goals. UIW alumni are ready and eager to help pave the way for our Cardinals' future success!

Find more information on and apply for the program

The University of the Incarnate Word defense shut down visiting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as the Cardinals defeated the Islanders, 72-53, Saturday afternoon in the McDermott Center. 

UIW (6-6, 3-2 SLC) limited the Islanders to just 25 points in the second half as the Cardinals' offense got hot behind freshman Logan Bracamonte's five 3-pointers and sophomore Keaston Willis' 13-point effort. 

The Cardinals shook off some rust from a week's break as they found themselves down by ten (16-6) in the first five minutes of play before a team timeout. UIW came back strong with an 11-5 run and fought back to get within two after freshman Thomas Zevgaras put in a layup. Island University got back out to a nine-point lead (26-17) with five minutes remaining after a pair of free throws from Myles Smith. 

The black and red defense tightened up and the offense clawed back with a 24-14 run before closing out the half. With the shot clock and game clock virtually the same. Des Balentine found a wide-open Charlie Yoder in the left corner who knocked down his first career points and gave the Cardinals their first lead of the game 30-28 heading to halftime. 

UIW used the first half momentum and was red-hot from the start of the second half to build its own ten-point lead in the first three minutes off the hand of Willis' jumper. Two possessions later, Smith hit a trey to cut the Cardinals' lead to five (40-35), but the stingy defense got after A&M-Corpus Christi's offense and went on a 21-11 run to lead 61-43 on an emphatic dunk by Kenyon Holcombe with nine minutes to play. 

GG Ezedinma pulled the Cardinals out to 20 with a pair of free throws with seven minutes remaining in the second half and sealed the win. 

The Cardinals shot 44.2% (23-for-52) from the field and Bracamonte accounted for five of the team's 11 3-pointers and a team-high seven rebounds. Ezedinma finished with nine points and Drew Lutz added eight in the balanced offensive attack for UIW. 

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was led by Jalen White's 17 points, the only Islander in double-figures, as the team was limited to just 36.7% (18-for-49) for the game. 

Coach Cunningham Said

"I was really impressed by the fellas' ability to stay in the battle, to grapple their way to a halftime lead even though we missed some good looks and had some foul trouble early on in the opening frame. Our defensive intensity was awesome, and it carried over to the second half. We are going to continue to work at creating that fire every game. The league is a battle, so we rest tonight, then get ready for the next challenge." 

Looking Ahead

UIW hosts HBU (Jan. 27) and Abilene Christian (Jan. 30) next week at 7 p.m. CT and 6:30 p.m. CT, respectively, to close out the five-game home stand before its makeup game at Lamar on Feb. 3.

Junior distance runner Ivette Alcantar of the University of the Incarnate Word track and field team was named Southland Conference Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week on Wednesday afternoon. 

"Ivette is very well deserving of this award," said Head Coach Dr. Derek Riedel. "Her improvement and ascension to the top echelon of the conference middle distance group started last indoor season when she made the full commitment to take risks and allow her talent and drive to shine. I look forward to watching Ivette continue to lead the women's team to new heights." 

The El Paso native earned the award for her performance in two events at the Red Raider Invitational on Jan. 23. She claimed silver in the mile, crossing the finish line with a time of 5:14.31, and ran a personal best in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 3:01.73. 

Sophomore Sullivan Wilke received honorable mention from the conference ballot in the women's field category this week for her high jump performance at the Red Raider Invitational, clearing a height of 5-6, a personal best. 

Freshman Matheo Bernat was also named honorable mention on the men's track side, setting a UIW record in the 60M hurdles with a time of 8.11 seconds in prelims. The Frenchman finished eighth in finals.

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)