SombrillaSPRING 2014 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO Under the Mortarboard CELEBRATING 100,000 G RADUATES ON THE COVER: One of the thousands of recent UTSA graduates dis- plays her excitement on her mortarboard at the fall 2013 ceremony. COVER PHOTO: MARK MCCLENDON ON THIS PAGE: Students celebrate at the fall 2013 commencement. © EDWARD A. ORNELAS/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS/ZUMAPRESS.COM inSiDe Kicking It A simulator designed by UTSA students boils 12 down the science of football’s perfect kick. Under the Mortarboard Decorating mortarboards has become an unofficial highlight of commencement. As UTSA celebrates 100,000 graduates, meet the individuals behind some of the ceremony’s 16 unique mortarboard stories. Saving the Past In Iraq, two UTSA professors have joined 24 the effort to preserve ancient sites. The PaSeo CommuniTy TEACHING LET THE WORD 28 BIG UNIVERSITY’S 4 OUR FUTURE 8 GO FORTH SMALL START The teachers and Professor Ethan Get to know a few of faculty at Forester Wickman turns a the first to graduate Elementary exem- president’s words in 1974. plify the education into music. pipeline. 30 TRUCKIN’ 10 LET’S CIRCLE It TOMATO UNLOCKING One San Antonio UTSA alum Shaun 6 THE CLOUD middle school is Lee brings the farm- Cutting-edge tech- working with UTSA ers market to you. nologies come and UT Austin to UTSA. to change how 31 CLASS NOTES students are disci- Profile of commu- 7 ROWDY CENTS plined. nication studies Students can learn trailblazer Dariela money manage- ROADRUNNER Rodriguez ’00, M.A. ment techniques 14 SPORTS ’08; and Generations with this free Sports briefs; plus Federal Credit Union program. a profile on Megan CEO Steve Schipull Low, the softball B.B.A ’89; plus other team’s not-so-secret campus and alumni weapon. news. SPRING 2014 SOMBRILLA 1 I really enjoy receiving the Sombrilla publication. The University of Texas at Sombrilla San Antonio was a great Spring 2014 school when I attended VOLUME 31, NUMBER 2 from 1991 to 1995 and it has become an even better THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS leTTerS AT SAN ANTONIO university over the years. VALERIE A. CARRILLO ‘95 PRESIDENT Fort Worth, Texas Ricardo Romo PUBLISHER AND Congratulations on the Boomtown, VICE PRESIDENT FOR amazing and appropriate Texas EXTERNAL RELATIONS Marjie French cover of the Fall 2013 Som- I think the long time brilla! I like the shot so much residents should look at the ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT I’ve made it the screensaver impact this will have on the FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND on my computer. Thank water supply. Look what MARKETING you for the additional “Web fracking has done to other Joe Izbrand exclusive” article explaining communities. how and where this picture Gustavo RodRIGUEZ ASSOCIATE EDITOR Flower Mound, Texas was taken. It really is one of Michelle Mondo the best Sombrilla covers I Still Serving DESIGN DIRECTOR have seen--and I have seen Tom Palmer Ms. Lora Tomkins and Loki a lot of beautiful Sombrilla I was very glad to read about William O. Dawson covers over the years. What PHOTOGRAPHERS Beyond Expectations III ‘10 efforts to help out an impressive new group Patrick Ray Dunn, our veterans. As an alum Sombrilla Spring 2013 of scholars have joined our Mark McClendon and active duty Air Force I have to applaud Ms. take “a special animal” UTSA community! Nice job officer, I am full of pride CONTRIBUTORS Tomkins on her achieve- to be a service animal. of introducing them to us. that UTSA is supporting a Lety Laurel, Cindy Tumiel, ments. Many would have Congratulations Ms. G. D. BALL, PHD, Retired student organization that K.L. Rodriguez, Kate Hunger, expected her and been Tomkins and best wishes Lecturer, Department of supports our vets. After I Lucille Sims Thomas, Judith perfectly fine with her for the future. Management Science & retire and if I move back to Lipsett, Tim Brownlee, Christi giving up on life. The fact CHRIstoPHER FLEES Statistics San Antonio, I will be ask- Fish, KC Gonzalez, Kris that she did not and in Charlotte, N.C. Rodriguez, Jesus Chavez Best cover photo... EVER. ing how I can help out the fact strives for excellence GEORGE BRIscoE ‘89 Student Veterans Associa- is very commendable. It is Sombrilla WEB DESIGNER San Antonio, Texas tion and UTSA’s Veterans Kristina Leh also commendable that Fall 2013 Service Advisory Commit- her companion and pet It looks like an impressive This was a spectacular issue. tee. UTSA, thank you for WEB SPECIALIST Loki will complete his group of young and youthful You are to be congratulated supporting your vets. Maria Corral service animal training. for putting the University in academics. Do UTSA and Lt. COL. MARK ConnELL, This is a rather rare feat San Antonio proud! such an exciting spotlight. USAF, ‘95 M.B.A. Sombrilla Magazine because most pets are KAY RobbINS, Professor, ENRIQUE H. TREJO M.P.A is published two times Department of Computer not trainable in that ‘06 Austin, Texas a year by the Office Science, UTSA capacity. It truly does of University Communications and Marketing, UTSA, One UTSA Circle, Write Back! San Antonio, Texas 78249. GO ONLINE! It is mailed without charge to We’d love to hear from you! How alumni, faculty, staff and Need more information? Check out these UTSA websites: do you think we’re doing? Have friends of The University of any comments about the stories Texas at San Antonio. For back issues of To discover ways to Chat with us! Phone: 210-458-6155 Sombrilla, go to give back, go to facebook.com/utsa you’ve seen here? Contact us at Email:[email protected]. utsa.edu/sombrilla giving.utsa.edu twitter.com/utsa [email protected]. Or mail your To be removed from the For campus news Check out the latest sports Go mobile: letters to Sombrilla Editor, Office of Sombrilla mailing list, and events, visit stats and information at utsa.edu/mobileapp University Communications and receive Sombrilla Online utsa.edu/today utsa.edu/athletics Visit us anytime at Marketing, UTSA, One UTSA Circle, only or update address For The Graduate Reconnect with old utsa.edu information, send a message San Antonio, Texas 78249. Letters to [email protected]. School, go to classmates at utsa.edu/graduate utsa.edu/alumni may be edited for length or clarity. 22 SOMBRILLASOMBRILLA WWW.UTWWW.USTSA.EDA.EDU U PreSiDenT’S noTe 100,000 Strong This year’s spring commencement is a wonderful Of course, the story would not be complete without occasion for the UTSA community to pause and an introduction to some of our most recent graduates. celebrate yet another milestone in our university’s his- We get to know about their families, their triumphs tory—the graduation of 100,000 students since UTSA and challenges, and their future as educators, entre- THE SOMBRILLA REFLECTED IN THE FOUNTAIN. was established. preneurs and engineers. Forty years ago, the first graduating class of 82 Throughout its history, that’s what UTSA has been students fit comfortably in the frame of a single all about—cultivating the future. Just imagine how that photograph. Today, we couldn’t fit them onto a single future is being changed by 100,000 Roadrunner alumni! stage! That first class may have been small in number, Our students come from around the world, and then but the hopes and dreams of its graduates were just they go out and as large as the aspirations of those who received their remake it. diplomas this May. While 100,000 To mark the occasion of 100,000 graduates, this graduates is a The future belongs to issue of Sombrilla takes us to the past and looks to the great milestone future. It allows us to relive that first graduation, on on the road those who believe in the Aug. 18, 1974, and tells the stories of some who were to Tier One there. With the knowledge and skills they acquired designation, it beauty of their dreams. at UTSA, these graduates went on to achieve great is much more things in their professional and personal lives. In the than just a single —ELEANOR ROOSEVELT process, they have changed the world. achievement for UTSA. It repre- sents a multitude of achievements for every graduate who dared to build a better life and every parent who sacrificed in that pursuit. So on this historic occasion, congratulations are in order for all UTSA‘‘ grads and their families—every class from then to now. Together, we have accomplished more than awarding 100,000 academic degrees. We have fulfilled hundreds of thousands of dreams. And of course, there’s more to come. ’’ Saludos President Ricardo Romo stands in front of the iconic and now refur- bished Sombrilla fountain. Ricardo Romo SPRING 2014 SOMBRILLA 3 The PA STROLLa SAROUNDEO CAMPUS A Passion for Teaching EducatoRS IN THE PIPELINE BY MICHELLE MONDO SINCE OPENING THE DOORS NEARLY 45 YEARS AGO, UTSA HAS PRODUCED LEADERS, WORKERS, ACTIVISTS AND EDUCATORS WHO CONTINUE TO IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE FACULTY AND STAFF AT FORESTER ELEMENTARY PROVIDE JUST ONE EXAMPLE. nside room C104 at Forester Elementary School, the “That shows the impact of what it means to be sending We prepare Dragon Drummers accompany the children’s choir out 500 to 600 teachers a year over all these years,” said a significant Ias they rehearse a song that will be performed at the Betty Merchant, dean of the College of Education and school’s annual fine arts night. Human Development (COEHD). “You get a critical mass number of educa- Veteran teacher Eddie Cavazos sits in a chair surrounded of teachers who are exposed to similar ways of thinking by the young musicians.