The Word: UIW Community Newsletter - November 13, 2020

Members of the UIW community came together to celebrate and thank our nation's veterans in a special, virtual Veterans Day Ceremony.

The ceremony originally premiered on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at noon, but remains available for viewing.

Dr. Ashley S. Love, associate professor of Education in the Dreeben School of Education, has been elected to the Nominating Committee of the American Public Health Association (APHA). APHA is the largest public health association with more than 25,000 members and focuses on promoting public health.

“I am delighted to serve on the Nominating Committee because we are responsible for identifying and nominating the best candidates for the elected positions, such as the APHA President, Speaker of Governing Council, and the Executive Board members,” said Dr. Love. “Public health is in the forefront now due to the pandemic this year, and we need exceptional leaders! Striving for innovation, sustainability, equality/equity, collaboration and compassion propels me to continue serving the public health profession and to help shape our profession's leadership.” 

Dr. Love recently presented “The importance of defining social and cultural identity of college students for improved well-being on campus” at the American Public Health Association 2020 Conference with co-presenter, Thompson, M., a former student of Dr. Love. 

“Defining the social and cultural identity of university/college students is vital to students' success. Each university setting is unique, despite what the statistics may show,” said Dr. Love. “My observation at numerous universities over the past two decades indicated the importance of listening to students' narratives of why they chose the university, their personal history that led them to make this decision and their future aspirations. A strong mission and identity of the university also positively impact the students' well-being since students feel part of the culture and community.” 

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. Dr. Love served as the State Epidemiologist of Delaware and managed the H1N1 pandemic in 2009. 

Additionally, she was a National Institute on Aging Summer Fellow and is currently active in national professional and academic organizations. Dr. Love is also an active-duty Air Force military spouse. She joined the Dreeben School of Education in the Fall of 2020. 

Dr. Holly Cassells, dean of the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions, recently completed the Advancing Academic Leadership program for new deans, which provided a year of leadership development, experiential learning and peer coaching. The program, led by the Center for Creative Leadership, was presented by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Individual projects were selected for presentation at the 2020 Academic Nursing Leadership Conference on Oct. 28. Dr. Cassells presented her project, “Infusing Joy in the Workplace,” which she launched along with a “Joy Task Force” of seven School of Nursing and Health Professions faculty members: Dr. Danielle Gunter, Dr. Shandra Esparza, Ms. Heather Litwhiler, Dr. Michael Moon, Dr. Maureen Rauschhuber, Ms. Cindy Richardson, and Dr. Anna Tabet. The group met over the past year to strategize ways to enhance morale and satisfaction with work and develop connectedness among faculty, students and staff. This fall, work shifted to more virtual initiatives and the group recently launched Faculty Friends, which is aimed at supporting each other while at a distance.

Dr. Chad Jackson, director of Professional Practice Education, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation entitled "Curricular Influence on Professional Formation in Physical Therapy Students" on November 5. He will graduate with an Ed.D. from Abilene Christian University in December.

Drs. Alexis Ortiz and Jason Winchester received another $4,900 from the Texas Physical Therapy Foundation for their project entitled "Effectiveness of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training on Balance, Knee Stability, Strength, and Aerobic Performance during Aerobic Cycling Exercise in Healthy Adults". They previously received $1,500 from the Texas Society of Allied Health Professions for this same work.

Dr. Debora Kaliski and Physical Therapy I students are featured on the cover page of the recently released November/December 2020 Anatomical Sciences Education journal. 

Read the Journal Here

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 11/15 Prayer Service

RSVP to receive a Zoom link to 11/22 Prayer Service

Please join the University Mission & Ministry, the Community In Missions Committee, and the Center for Veterans Affairs on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m., as we come together to give prayerful thanks as a community for the abundant blessings that God has given us throughout the year and to bless our Veterans and their families. The service will be held via Zoom. For further details, please contact Bishop Trevor Alexander at: alexande@uiwtx.edu, or (210) 829-3130. You must register to attend. 

Register for the Thanksgiving Prayer Service

This years, all-new Light the Way Holiday Drive is officially SOLD OUT! If you missed your chance to grab a ticket, you can still enjoy the twinkling lights throughout the Christmas season. We invite you to visit the Broadway campus from your vehicles starting Monday, Nov. 23 through Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021.

Information from News 4

Voices Rising, an online benefit concert, is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. Join Visitation House Ministries (VHM) and Meals on Wheels San Antonio (MOWSA) for a night to remember and enjoy a virtual benefit concert on YouTube! This concert is being presented to raise awareness of, and donations for the hungry and homeless in our city. VHM, a sponsored ministry of the Sistersof Charity of the Incarnate Word, provides transitional housing and education for women and children that are facing homelessness or abuse, and provides them with a safe place to stay and learn. MOWSA provides nutritious meals, safety checks and companionship for seniors and the disabled who are facing food insecurity. Help support these organizations by attending Voices Rising!

Watch online on YouTube

For decades, millions of Americans have travelled abroad to places like Thailand, Brazil and Singapore for medical care. Medical tourism has been on the rise domestically, too, with employers in areas lacking access to top health care professionals paying for their workers to seek help farther away from home.

Read the full article on the CNBC website

The Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability in collaboration with the Office of Communications and Brand Marketing will be hosting a food drive during the Light the Way Holiday Drive celebration to benefit the Cardinals' Cupboard Food Pantry. Guests are encouraged to donate canned food, non-perishable items, toiletries, and diapers to support the campus community. Donations will be collected in Mission Plaza before the end of the tour on Nov. 20, Nov. 21, and Nov. 22.

For more information or opportunities for faculty or student organization collaboration, please contact the Ettling Center at ccl@uiwtx.edu or call 210-283-6423.

Last week, members of the UIW volleyball team came together to help prepare for the 34th Annual Light the Way: Holiday Drive Edition. Light the Way title sponsor, H-E-B, donated items and goodie bags for a few hundred lucky guests at the signature holiday event happening next weekend. Volleyball team members volunteered their time and effort to assemble the bags for guests. Thank you, UIW volleyball!

Our Cardinals have enjoyed on-campus and virtual events this semester thanks to the Office of Campus Engagement. Over the last two weeks, students were able to participate in Dia de los Muertos events, outdoor movie screenings under the stars, Nest Fest, the annual homecoming block party and more. Special thanks to the Office of Campus Engagement for providing safe opportunities for students to enjoy campus life at UIW!

We are excited to welcome Jennifer Staubach Gates, BSN '88 as our next speaker for our REDTalk alumni series.

Jennifer is currently serving as a Council Member for District 13 in the City of Dallas. In this presentation, she will be discussing how her career path led her to serve as a council member of the ninth largest city in the United States with a background in nursing. Jennifer looks to instill a message of encouragement for women of all backgrounds to consider public service.

To join this presentation, simply visit University of the Incarnate Word Alumni Facebook page or our YouTube channel where this presentation will be live streamed on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. CST

We had an amazing time celebrating our Home Sweet Homecoming events with our beloved alumni and their families this past weekend!

If you were not able to join us during last weekend’s celebrations, no need to worry because you can rewatch them here now.

University of the Incarnate Word Athletic Director Richard Duran has announced several staff promotions in UIW Athletics. The changes include the addition of three staff members – Kenyon Spears, B.J. Lough and Tony Dollison – to the UIW Athletics Senior Staff, and the elevation of two additional staff members, Chris Artis and Bret Huth.

"I'm excited to have B.J., Kenyon and Tony as members of the Senior Staff," said Duran. "B.J. is a great administrator and has been such an asset for UIW Athletics through his 18 years here, and especially during the pandemic. Kenyon's experience as a coach and his work ethic will be a welcome addition, and I look forward to him growing in his new role. Tony has also been a key member of the athletics department throughout his time here, and I am excited to have his voice at the table as we continue to build our student-athletes into champions in the classroom, in the community and in competition."

Starting Nov. 1, Spears, who served as an assistant men's basketball coach for the Cardinals for the past three seasons, was elevated to associate athletic director for Administration & Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee (ADID). He joins Associate Director of Athletics/Compliance Dollison and Associate Director of Athletics/Sports Medicine Lough as the newest members of the Senior Staff.

Artis, who spent the 2019-20 season as the director of operations for men's basketball, will replace Spears as the third assistant coach for the team. Huth, who joined the Cardinals prior to the 2018 Southland Conference co-Championship season as the director of Strength and Conditioning, is now the assistant athletic director/Strength and Conditioning.

Kenyon Spears, associate athletic director for Administration & Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee (ADID) and Senior Staff Spears has 16 years of Division I coaching experience at six institutions. In his new role, Spears oversees game operations, facilities and UIW Athletics' diversity and inclusion efforts. He also now serves as the sport administrator for baseball, track and field/cross country and swimming and diving.

Tony Dollison, associate director of Athletics/Compliance and Senior Staff

Dollison joined UIW Athletics in 2014 and oversees all aspects of Compliance for the Cardinals. In his elevated role, Dollison will be part of the UIW Athletics Senior Staff.

B.J. Lough, associate director of Athletics/Sports Medicine and Senior Staff

Lough has been with the Cardinals for 18 years. Since the onset of the pandemic, Lough has been instrumental in working closely with UIW Health Services and the UIW Medical team to ensure safe participation environments for all student-athletes who returned to campus. In his new role, Lough will oversee the Sports Medicine department and the Strength and Conditioning department.

Chris Artis, men's basketball assistant coach

As the director of operations, Artis planned all travel and meals for the men's basketball team and helped with additional duties. Prior to UIW, Artis was on the coaching staff at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana. He has 16 years of coaching experience across various levels of basketball. He played collegiately at Valparaiso and professionally in Australia, Norway, France and Uruguay.

"I'm delighted that coach Artis has agreed to become an assistant coach with our UIW men's basketball program," said UIW men's basketball head coach Carson Cunningham. "For the last year-and-a-half, coach Artis has served as director of basketball operations. He knows our program well. He has over a decade of college coaching experience, and he's a fantastic person. To be able to welcome him to this new role within our program is exciting."

Bret Huth, assistant athletic director/Strength and Conditioning

Huth designed and implemented a workout program that helped guide the Cardinals to the most successful season in program history in 2018. UIW went from 1-10 in 2017 prior to Huth's arrival to 6-5, a Southland Conference Championship, and an FCS Playoff berth in 2018. In Huth's second season (2019), he created a workout regime that helped UIW win five games and set multiple records. 

"I'm excited to elevate Bret to the role of assistant athletic director of Strength and Conditioning," said Duran. "Throughout his time here, Bret has excelled as a leader and has shown that he truly cares about the health and well-being of our student-athletes. I look forward to continuing to support his growth as a leader."

Follow Along

For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.

The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team announced the release of its 2020-21 season schedule on Thursday. Entering his third year, head coach, Dr. Carson Cunningham and the Cardinals are slated to play 27 games – including 16 Southland Conference matchups – set to tip off at home with the Thanksgiving Invitational on Friday, Nov. 27, when UIW takes on Rice University, and Sunday, Nov. 29, vs. Our Lady of the Lake University. All game times are to be determined.

With a COVID-19-condensed season, the Cardinals will play four other non-conference home games against Grambling State, UTRGV and a pair of contests against McMurry on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, before the conference season begins. UIW travels to the University of Wyoming on Dec. 2 and will be on the road against Texas State, Rice and Texas Tech prior to league play as well.

The conference season begins with the Cardinals on the road at Northwestern State and New Orleans on Jan. 6 and Jan. 9, respectively. Looking to build off of a five-win conference improvement from last season, UIW returns home for games against McNeese (Jan. 13) and Stephen F. Austin (Jan. 16). UIW takes on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston Baptist, Abilene Christian and Lamar at home. UIW will play each of the eight conference opponents at home and away to make up 16 conference games.

The regular season wraps up with two away contests at Houston Baptist and Abilene Christian on March 3 and March 6, respectively.

Coach Cunningham says: "We are super excited to give our fans something to cheer for, starting on November 27, when we open at home in the UIW Thanksgiving Invitational versus Rice University. In addition to our compelling slate of six non-conference home games, we have rendezvous with Cowboys in Wyoming, Bobcats in San Marcos, Owls in Houston, the Masked Rider in Lubbock, and more. Our pre-conference schedule should prepare us for the battle royale that is the Southland Conference. Your UIW Cardinals are working hard so that we can wave an inspiring banner for storied Incarnate Word whenever we take to the hardwood. Word up."

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

**The schedule is subject to change. UIW Athletics will continue monitoring the ongoing situation involving the COVID-19 pandemic and will follow the University's Emergency Response Team, 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.

Stay Tuned

For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook.

Follow the team on Twitter @UIWMBB and on Instagram @uiwmensbasketball.

Full 2020-21 Schedule

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 Case Updates

Cardinal Flight Plan