St. Mary's University, Texas

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St. Mary's University

Latin: Universitas Sancti Mariae
Type	Private
Established	1852; 169 years ago (1852)
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic (Marianist)
Endowment	$200.1 million (2020)[1]
President	Thomas Mengler
Administrative staff	212 full-time 147 part-time
Undergraduates	2,393[2]
Postgraduates	1,475
Location	San Antonio , Texas , United States 29°27′11″N 98°33′44″W / 29.4531°N 98.5623°W / 29.4531; -98.5623Coordinates: 29°27′11″N 98°33′44″W / 29.4531°N 98.5623°W / 29.4531; -98.5623
Campus	Urban, 135 acres (0.55 km2)
Colors	Gold and blue[3]
Athletics	NCAA Division II – Lone Star Conference
Nickname	Rattlers
Affiliations	ACCU NAICU
Mascot	Rattler Man
Website	www.stmarytx.edu

St. Mary's University is a private Marianist liberal arts institution in San Antonio, Texas. Founded by the Society of Mary (Marianists) in 1852, St. Mary's is the oldest Catholic university in Texas and the American Southwest. With a student population of nearly 4,000, St. Mary's is home to a College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; School of Science, Engineering and Technology; the Greehey School of Business; and the St. Mary's University School of Law.

History[]

Founded as St. Mary's Institute, the school opened on Aug. 25, 1852, with a faculty of five and an enrollment of twelve boys. In 1921 all college classes were transferred from downtown to the St. Louis College campus. In 1923, St. Louis College became St. Mary's College with an enrollment of twelve in the freshman class. Grade school and high school students remained at the downtown school, which adopted the name St. Mary's Academy. The new St. Mary's College quickly gained senior college status and in 1927 the first class of bachelor's degree candidates graduated from the newly renamed St. Mary's University.^[4]

In 1932, the high school programs at St. Mary's Academy relocated from the College Street campus to become Central Catholic High School.^[5] Personal attention and powerful academic programs have made St. Mary's, located on 135 acres (0.55 km²) 3 miles northwest of Downtown San Antonio, a nationally recognized liberal arts institution with a diverse student population of nearly 4,000 of all faiths and backgrounds. After over a century as an all-male institution, St. Mary's opened its doors to female students in 1963 and became a coeducational university. In 1987, Polish-American silent film star Pola Negri left most of her estate to St. Mary's University, including a collection of memorabilia and several rare prints of her films. St. Mary's University also set up a scholarship in her name.^[6]

Academics[]

St. Mary's is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the Greehey School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Electrical and industrial engineering programs in the School of Science, Engineering and Technology are recognized through accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Law School[]

In October 1927, the established the San Antonio School of Law, and for seven years after its founding was administered by a board of governors under the control of the bar association. Until the School of Law became associated with a physical campus, classes were held at the Bexar County Courthouse. In an attempt to maximize educational and material resources of the fledgling institution, the Board of Governors negotiated with St. Mary's University regarding a transfer of the School of Law's administrative control. The transfer was completed on October 1, 1934, and St. Mary's University School of Law was officially established.

The School of Law was then housed at St. Mary's University's then downtown campus at 112 College Street, situated near the San Antonio River Walk. Possessing several military bases, San Antonio experienced a surge of population and industry in the years immediately following World War II. This exponential growth resulted in more law students. To meet these new demands adequately, the School of Law organized itself to meet the requirements of the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools. It received accreditation from the ABA in February 1948 and became a member of the AALS in December 1949.

On December 19, 1967, the School of Law relocated from the College Street campus to join the main campus of St. Mary's. A multimillion-dollar expansion project had provided for the addition of eight new buildings to the main University campus, including a lecture hall, law library, and faculty building comprising the Law Center. The school held its first classes the next month, in January 1968.

Since 1968, the school has had several structures rededicated, renovated, or expanded, including the Law Administration Building, housing the office of the dean; the Law Classroom Building; and the Sarita Kenedy East Law Library, dedicated in 1984 after the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation gave the School of Law $7.5 million to fund its construction in January 1982.

Athletics[]

The Rattlers women's soccer team in action against the Texas A&M–Commerce Lions in 2014

St. Mary's University is a member of NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference and sponsors 12 men's and women's sports at the varsity level. St. Mary's has won four team national championships in men's basketball (1989), baseball (2001), softball (1986 and 2002), and one individual national title in men's golf (2006).^[10] In 2020, St. Mary's launched an E-Sports team.^[11]

Athletic honors[]

Buddy Meyer has also been inducted into the Heartland Conference Hall of Fame.^[12]

Mascot[]

The Rattler mascot has its own stories of how it came to be. Legend holds that the football practice field had to be cleared of diamondback rattlesnakes on a regular basis, thus leading to the designation. The truth is that Brother Kinsky thought "Rattlers" would be fitting because there was already on campus Rattler Club whose members had recently begun The Rattler newspaper. There was debate as to whether the name was being run into the ground, but the students quickly said they wanted the Rattler nickname.^[13]

Alton Seekatz (B.S.C. '32), a member of the Rattler Club, described the organization as a spirit and social organization. "It was called the Rattler Club when I got here in 1926, and I'm not sure how it got its nickname," he said, although his stories of the club members' antics and efforts to raise school spirit would certainly "rattle" some and "shake" up others.

Student organizations[]

There are a total of 68 registered organizations:

• Honor societies: Alpha Sigma Lambda, Beta Beta Beta, Beta Gamma Sigma, Gamma Sigma Alpha, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Order of Omega, Phi Alpha Theta, Phi Beta Delta, Phi Eta Sigma, Phi Sigma Iota, Phi Sigma Tau, Pi Sigma Alpha, Psi Chi, .
• Religious organizations: University Ministry, Catholic Student Group.
• Minority and international student organizations: Black Student Union, Indian Student Association, International Students Association, League of United Latin American Citizens, Mexican Student Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Students for Native American Affairs, Hispanic Law Students Association, Muslim Student Association, Safe Space LGBTQ+.
• Other organizations: IEEE Student Branch, Inter-Fraternity Council, National Panhellenic Council, Sigma Lambda Beta, Alpha Sigma Phi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Chi Phi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Phi, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Delta Zeta, Alpha Phi Omega, Omega Delta Phi, Kappa Delta Chi, Beta Sigma Phi, Delta Sigma Pi, , and Residence Hall Assoc., Student Bar Assoc., Student Government Assoc., Cheerleaders, Code Blue Dance Team, Emerging Leaders, President's Ambassadors, University Programming Council, Accounting Club, American Chemical Society of Students, Criminal Justice Student Assoc., Finance Club, Graduate International Relations Society, International Business Club, Psychology Club, Society of Physics, St. Mary's Society of Mathematicians (SM)^2, Student Educators Assoc. for Dynamic Leadership, Women in Science & Engineering, Amnesty International, Habitat for Humanity, Capoeira Club, Chess Club, Coro Santa Maria, Non-traditional Students, Society of Poets & Writers, Swim Club, Fiesta Physics, Society for Applied Ethics, Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity

Notable alumni[]

Politics, law, and service[]

• Fernando Andrade, M.A. 1979, Congressman at the Congress of the Republic of Peru (2011–2016) and former Mayor of the Miraflores District, Lima (1996–1999 and 2003–2006)
• , B. A. 1970, J. D. 1973, lawyer and retired judge of two state district courts and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; San Antonio native
• Stuart Bowen, J.D. 1991, Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
• Leonel Castillo, B.A. 1961, Houston City Comptroller, 1972, Commissioner Immigration Naturalization Services, 1977
• James R. Clapper Jr., M.S. 1970, Political Science, Director of National Intelligence
• Tom Corbett, J.D. 1975, former governor of Pennsylvania and the state's former attorney general
• John Cornyn, J.D. 1977, U.S. Senator from Texas; former justice, Texas Supreme Court; St. Mary's Distinguished Law School Graduate (1994 .
• David Alan Ezra, B.B.A. 1969, J.D., 1972, Senior Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, former Chief Judge, United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
• Rick Galindo, B.S. in Finance and Risk Management, c. 2003, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 117 in Bexar County^[14]
• Delia Garcia, M.A., 2004, First Latina and youngest female legislator at age 27 elected to the Kansas House of Representatives, 2004
• Charlie Gonzalez, J.D. 1972, U.S. Congressman
• Henry B. Gonzalez, LL.B. 1943, former U.S. Congressman
• Paul W. Green, J.D. 1977, Texas Supreme Court Justice
• Thad Heartfield, B.A. 1962, J.D. 1965, chief judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• Glenn Hegar, M.A., Texas state senator since 2007; Member of the Texas House from 2003 to 2007, candidate for Comptroller of Public Accounts in 2014 Republican primary election
• Peter Kinder, J.D. 1979, lieutenant governor of Missouri
• Nico LaHood, J.D. 2002, former District Attorney of Bexar County, Texas
• Alma Lopez, J.D. 1968, Chief Justice, Texas Fourth Court of Appeals
• Frank L. Madla, B.A. 1959, M.A. 1962, Texas state senator and representative
• Marina Marmolejo, M.A., J.D. 1996, District Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• , BBA 1959, Webb County county judge from 1991 to 2002
• Michael McCaul, J.D. 1987, U.S. Congressman
• Scott McInnis, J.D. 1980, U.S. Congressman
• Mario G. Obledo, LL.B. 1960, co-founder of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• , B.A. 1966, J.D. 1969, state court, appeals court, and probate court judge in San Antonio
• Tony Sanchez, B.A. 1965, J.D. 1969, unsuccessful candidate for governor of Texas, 2002 gubernatorial election
• Frank M. Tejeda, B.A. 1970, Texas state representative, Texas state senator, U.S. Congressman
• Alfred Valenzuela, B.A. 1970, M.A. 1979, United States Army major general
• Willie Velasquez, B.A. Civil Right Activist, Founder Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, posthumously awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom 1995
• Don S. Wenger, U.S. Air Force major general
• , B.A. 1988, Law 1991, judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in San Antonio
• Victor H. Negron, Jr., B.A. 1975, magna cum laude, J.D., 1978, former judge of the 407th and 438th District Courts of Bexar County, Texas

Business[]

• Benjamin Biaggini, B.S. 1936, former president of the Southern Pacific Company, parent company of Southern Pacific Railroad
• Felix Stehling, co-founder of Taco Cabana^[15]
• , B.S. 1960, founder of Valero Energy Corporation and NuStar Energy. The Greehey School of Business was named in his honor in 2005.

Religion[]

• Richard Gaillardetz, M.A. 1984, Joseph McCarthy Chair of Catholic Systematic Theology at Boston College
• The Most Rev. Raymond Roussin, S.M., B.A. 1960, first Marianist archbishop, Archbishop of Vancouver 2004–09
• The Most Rev. J. Arturo Cepeda, M.A. 2001, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
• The Most Rev. Bernard Ferdinand Popp, M.A. 1975, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of San Antonio
• The Most Rev. Michael Joseph Boulette, B.A. 1971, Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio (2017-)

Athletics[]

• Melvin Allys "Bert" Gallia, Class of 1911, former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns and Philadelphia Phillies
• Danny Heep, former Major League Baseball outfielder and 1988 World Series Champion
• George Koch, American football player
• Jeff Kubenka, B.A. 1996, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Robert Reid, B.A. 1977, former National Basketball Association player for the Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Philadelphia 76ers
• Marcus Session, B.A. 2004, former National Basketball Association (Pre-Season) and Player.

Arts, entertainment, and media[]

• Theodore Albrecht, B.M.E. 1967, musicologist
• Brian Anderson, broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Charles Fincher, J.D. 1971, American cartoonist ("Thadeus & Weez")
• Larry Levinson, B.A. 1979, executive producer of more than 160 made-for-television movies
• Bobby Pulido, Class of 1995, Mexican-American Tejano music recording artist
• John Quiñones, B.A. 1974, ABC News correspondent and co-anchor of ABC News' Primetime

Education[]

• José Ángel Gutiérrez 1968, attorney, co-founder of the Mexican American Youth Organization, president of Raza Unida Party, professor at the University of Texas at Arlington

References[]

External links[]

• Official website
• St. Mary's Athletics website
• St. Mary's University from the Handbook of Texas Online