St. Edward’s Receives Endowment Grant from The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin Benefiting Future Pre-Law Students

Submitted by ssalas10 on Thu, 08/31/2023 - 21:12
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AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward’s University has received a $50,000 grant from The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin (HBAA) to establish The HBAA Endowed Scholarship. The endowment will provide future financial support opportunities for Hispanic students who plan to take on their world through law and public service, especially those who are the first in their families to attend college. 

Our new HBAA gift will support scholarships offering aid to Pre-Law Advising Program students who are in junior or senior class standing and demonstrate a need for financial assistance, with preference for first-generation scholars. HBAA members will also serve as mentors to our scholars to help them navigate their educational journey toward a legal profession.

“The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin Endowed Scholarship is part of our university’s larger strategic efforts to serve our first-generation Hispanic students by providing funded experiential learning opportunities that will position them for undergraduate and postgraduate success,” said St. Edward’s University President Montserrat Fuentes, Ph.D.

HBAA established a partnership with St. Edward’s in 2018 — the foundation awarded a $50,000 scholarship to the university, which directly benefited Hispanic pre-law students over a five-year period. Since then, 35 hilltoppers have received mentorship and financial assistance and 19 of the university’s HBAA scholars are currently attending law school, graduate school or are working full-time in related professional fields.

St. Edward's University President Montserrat Fuentes and Hispanic Bar Association of Austin representatives celebrating a $50,000 gift to St. Edward's in front of the Main Building.

Mia Garza '24, HBAA Scholar; Jesse Butler '99, HBAA member and former university Trustee; university president Montserrat Fuentes; Anthony Arguijo, Chair of the HBAA Charitable Foundation; Adrianne Waddell, President of the HBAA; and Daniel Guzman '24, HBAA Scholar.

Anthony Arguijo, Chair of the HBAA Charitable Foundation

About St. Edward’s University

St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,600 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in the state and offers more than 55 undergraduate and 8 graduate programs. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city. St. Edward’s has been recognized for 20 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2022-2023 Best Colleges rankings, St. Edward’s remains in the list of top 10 Best Regional Universities in the West for the 4th consecutive year.

About The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin

The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin is a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys. Its mission is to enhance the Latinx community in Central Texas by fostering the engagement of the Hispanic-American legal professional community in civic, professional, social, educational, charitable, governmental, and non-partisan political issues.

Photos by Tomas Segura

St. Edward's Announces Innovative Collaboration with Huston Tillotson to Address Affordable Student Housing

Submitted by ssalas10 on Wed, 08/02/2023 - 18:50
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St. Edward’s University has entered into an agreement with Huston-Tillotson University (HT) to provide on-campus housing for students starting this fall. Under this agreement, HT will be granted exclusive use of Teresa Hall on the St. Edward’s campus to house up to 150 HT students over the next three academic years.

“St. Edward’s is actively engaged in the conversation around college housing for students on dynamic and inclusive campuses. Our partnership with Huston-Tillotson aligns with our Holy Cross mission, and it strengthens our collaboration as like-minded institutions," said St. Edward’s President Montserrat Fuentes. “We are looking forward to welcoming Huston-Tillotson students to the St. Edward's University community as they reside with us and enjoy campus amenities and activities while enriching the Hilltopper experience for everyone at St. Edward's.”

In addition to housing and dining, HT students will have access to on-campus amenities such as recreation and wellness programs and health clinic services. 

“We are most appreciative to St. Edward’s University for its willingness to provide additional housing for our growing student population. In addition to being cost-effective for our students, this partnership will allow them to interact with a broader network of their peers attending both institutions, thereby enriching their social experiences and allowing them to form diverse and unique connections,” said Huston-Tillotson University President and CEO Melva K. Wallace.

The HT partnership will serve as the cornerstone initiative of a year-round, non-affiliate housing program that St. Edward’s will operate going forward. The expansion of non-affiliate housing will enable the university to offer more on-campus housing opportunities for external organizations that may need housing for interns, conferences and other local programming to take advantage of the many opportunities throughout the year in the Austin region. 

About St. Edward’s University

St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,600 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in the state and offers more than 55 undergraduate and 8 graduate programs. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city. St. Edward’s has been recognized for 20 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2022-2023 Best Colleges rankings, St. Edward’s remains in the list of top 10 Best Regional Universities in the West for the 4th consecutive year.

About Huston-Tillotson University

Huston-Tillotson University, the first institution of learning in Austin, Texas, has roots dating back to 1875. HT is an independent, church-related, historically black, four-year liberal arts institution located on a 23-acre tree-lined campus near downtown in East Austin. Huston-Tillotson University’s mission is to nurture a legacy of leadership and excellence in education, connecting knowledge, power, passion, and values. The University offers associate and master’s degrees in addition to Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in more than 19 areas of study.

St. Edward’s University Announces New Dean of The Bill Munday School of Business

Submitted by ssalas10 on Mon, 07/17/2023 - 16:11
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AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward’s University welcomes Alexis Stokes as the new dean of The Bill Munday School of Business.

Stokes, who assumed her position on July 17, 2023, recently served as the associate dean for Faculty and Research in the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University, where her portfolio included faculty policies and professional development, strategic planning, research initiatives, global engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion.

"Dean Stokes brings a wealth of experience supporting excellence in business education, alignment with our mission, and deep roots in the Austin community, all of which position her to lead The Bill Munday School of Business to the next level,” said Provost Marianne Ward-Peradoza. “The school is poised to forge new paths of innovation, shaping our ethical future business leaders and contributing positive societal impact."

In her new role, Stokes will lead our prestigious AACSB accredited business school, which consists of three departments: Accounting, Economics and Finance, Management and Marketing, Operations and Analytics.

“I look forward to working with our talented and dedicated community as we continue the traditions of academic excellence and values-based identity, support student success, expand external engagement, magnify our impact, and ensure MSB's sustainability and continuous improvement consistent with AACSB accreditation,” said Stokes. “This is an exciting time to be a Hilltopper, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve."

Stokes earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Political Science and Managerial Studies from Rice University and holds a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School, where she served as president and editor-in-chief of the Harvard Journal on Legislation. Stokes has also served as a briefing attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas, and is a certified mediator and licensed to practice law in Texas.

About St. Edward’s University

St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,600 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in the state and offers more than 55 undergraduate and 8 graduate programs. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city. St. Edward’s has been recognized for 20 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2022-2023 Best Colleges rankings, St. Edward’s remains in the list of top 10 Best Regional Universities in the West for the 4th consecutive year.

Austin and St. Edward’s University with Dr. Montse Fuentes

Submitted by ssalas10 on Tue, 06/27/2023 - 19:25

St. Edward’s University President Montserrat Fuentes is this week’s featured guest on Austin Tech Connect, the official podcast of the Austin Technology Council. In this conversation, President Fuentes discusses the mission of St. Edward’s and how the hilltop plays a vital role in the future of Austin’s ever-evolving tech community.

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