Black History Month Celebration

February is Black History Month, a time to reflect and celebrate the history, culture and accomplishments of African Americans in the U.S. and the African diaspora. Black History Month began as Negro History Week in 1926 after historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson created the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.

UIW Black History Month Research Showcase 2021

Students in Dr. LuElla D’Amico’s Spring 2021 American Women’s Writing and Popular Culture Class took part in the 12th biennial Society of Early Americanists (SEA) Common Reading Initiative. According to the SEA, “The ‘common reading’ experience has become a popular strategy in U.S. colleges and universities in recent years to help students acclimate to academic life. The experience simultaneously creates a sense of community centered on a single book and showcases diversity of thought as students share their various interactions with the text.” The students read Honorée Fannone Jeffers’ 2020 book of poetry, The Age of Phillis, alongside Phillis Wheatley Peters’ original poetry.

Resources for Black College Students - Wherever You Go to School

Black college students can access resources designed to rectify historical imbalances, including scholarships, financial aid, career development opportunities and student groups.

Native American Month

America is a vast land of many cultures dating back thousands of years. Today, programs, partnerships and parks preserve and share the stories and heritage of indigenous peoples. For our monthly theme, we highlight the history, heritage and traditions of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiian peoples.

International Education Week - November 15 - 29, 2021

Joint the worldwide Celebration of International Education and exchange through food, culture, music, art and educational events. Over 15 events on UIW campus.

UIW is proud to participate in International Education Week. Student Organizations, Colleges and Departments are invited to host events related to international education and cultural exchange. International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education promotes programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to the U.S. to study, learn and exchange experiences.

Global Peer and Leadership Conference 2021

The UIW division of International Affairs invited participants to the first Global Peer and Leadership Conference, held virtually on Friday, April 16, 2021 from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.. This conference was free to all participants. 

The Global Peer and Leadership Conference (GPL) is organized to allow global-minded student leaders the opportunity to engage with one another via presentations, discussion and social activities. Sessions are facilitated by students, administrators and faculty from universities across the U.S. GPL is about bringing together global student leaders and their advisors to learn, share and lead.

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the holy month of fasting. It begins and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon.

Diwali

The Diwali Festival, also known as the "Festival of Lights," is an important Hindu holiday celebrated throughout India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and other places with large Indian or Hindu populations. The tradition dates back to ancient times and is both jovial and festive.

Holi - Festival of Colors

Holi has been celebrated in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, with poems documenting celebrations dating back to the 4th century CE. It marks the beginning of spring after a long winter, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated in March, corresponding to the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna.

Chinese New Year Celebration

The Asian New Year is celebrated at UIW. Attendees observe various forms of dance and music, sample a variety of various types of Asian cuisine, and view cultural presentations and a fashion show.

Developing Engaged Citizens 

Sr. Dorothy (Dot) Ettling, CCVI, founder of the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership & Sustainability, had a vision to support and mentor UIW students to become civically engaged leaders who would serve in the community, develop their leadership potential, and graduate as concerned and enlightened citizens with a passion for promoting social justice both locally and globally. This vision set the foundation for the creation of the Ettling Center and the development of the Cardinal Community Leaders (CCL) program. The program recruits UIW undergraduate students who are in good academic standing and who have completed at least two full-time semesters of course work at UIW. This program is open to students continuing through three years of undergraduate education and a progressive leadership development program. The Cardinal Community Leaders (CCL) serve as a visible sign of the institutional commitment to service in the community. They integrate the best practices they have learned at the local level to their global engagement projects. This is accompanied through mentoring, critical thinking and a process of actively developing leadership skills to address social justice issues in the local community. 

The goal of this program is to expand the possibility for students to learn leadership skills from extended service experiences in order to develop greater potential for civic leadership only after having experienced and reflected upon meaningful service encounters. The hope is that their journey as a CCL will shape their vocation as future scholars and professionals who will strive to create a more compassionate society rooted in social justice and civic engagement. 

• $236,000 - Approximate national value of the volunteer service hours conducted by CCL students from Fall 2013 through Spring 2020
• 3.4 GPA - Overall average GPA for the 61 students that have been members of the CCL program since 2013 
• 33% - Percentage of CCL graduates who continued to pursue a graduate or health professional degree program since 2013 

Student and Faculty Service Engagement

Cardinal Community Leaders

As a collective group, the CCLs conducted over 2,500 hours of community service impacting over 4,000 children, adults and senior citizens during the 2017 - 2018 academic year.

Civility Week

Programs and events are conducted to celebrate the institution’s commitment in supporting a community of persons of diverse backgrounds, in the belief that mutual respect and interaction advances the discovery of truth, mutual understanding, self-realization and the common good. In year 2017 - 2018, roughly 456 students participated in programs.

Voter Registration

The Ettling Center in collaboration with UIW student organizations, Student Engagement and the local non-profit MoveOnSA.org hosted two voter registration programs for the 2017 - 2018 academic year in the Student Engagement Center. Roughly 185 students participated in the awareness activities. Plans began during the summer of 2018 to educate the campus community local, regional and national elections for the fall of 2018.

DiversiTEA

1,112 students, faculty and community members participated in this year’s celebration of tea and cultures from around the world that included Egypt, China, Pakistan, Ireland, Uganda, Finland, Bahrain and Peru to name a few.

Peace and Social Justice

Concepts of peace and social justice are central in the Bible and a central value of UIW and the Ettling Center. From their very first days, the founders of the University, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, have promoted the human dignity of all people. The ideas and concepts of peace as the fruit of justice that began as a “Peace Fair” in 1986, have expanded into many educational, prayerful and celebrative events throughout the whole month of October with special emphasis on the last Wednesday of October near the anniversary of Dr. O'Halloran's death, a significant friend and partner of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (CCVIs). This year the ECCLS supported and assisted with over 15 programs conducted on and off the University, reaching over 550 participants.

Cultural Awareness

UIW aims to educate men and women who will become concerned and enlightened citizens within the global community. Thus, the Office of Student Life, Residence Life, and Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability conduct various programs, activities, discussions and services to promote Native American, Hispanic Heritage, International and Black History Awareness. Roughly 855 students attended the numerous programs, activities and events celebrating these cultures and customs within our community.

Education Awareness

UIW aims to educate men and women who have an understanding of the community and population for whom they serve and assist. The Ettling Center for Civic Leadership & Sustainability assisted, supported and sponsored activities and events to highlight Diwali, the Festival of Colors and Women’s Month. Roughly 820 students attended the numerous programs and events celebrating these and other educational awareness activities on the UIW campus.

Student Groups and their affiliated UIW Organization

There is always a focus with inclusion in mind when deciding on Life Skills programming, community outreach projects, what is displayed on social media, and SAAC initiatives. The events featured in this list were initiated by the Life Skills Department. Starting in Fall 2018, Athletics mandated Title IX and Student Conduct Education for every team at the beginning of the year. The Life Skills Department always discusses inclusion at the beginning of the year meetings with every team. Community service initiatives are intentional to assist low-socioeconomic parts of San Antonio as well as diverse populations. SAAC consistently features diverse representatives and leadership. Awards nominations that Life Skills assists with always feature diverse student-athletes.

Life Skills Programming