VICTORIA VAN WINKLE LAYOUT & DESIGN EDITOR SPORTS – ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JAN. 31, 2024
St. Mary’s University is a private Roman Catholic university in San Antonio, Texas, founded in 1852 by the Society of Mary and is the oldest Catholic university in Texas. St. Mary’s University, a Marianist institution, incorporated the five pillars of a Marianist education into its mission: educate for formation in faith, educate in family spirit, educate for adaptation and faith, educate for service, justice, and peace, and integrity of creation, and to provide an integral quality education. St. Mary’s University has positively impacted the community of San Antonio for the past 170 years by continuing to follow its Marianist characteristics with the leadership of outstanding university Presidents.
In February 2023, St. Mary’s University’s 13th President, Thomas M. Mengler, J.D., announced that he would be stepping down from the Office of the President at St. Mary’s University on May 31, 2024. On Dec. 13, 2023, the Chair of the St. Mary’s University Board of Trustees, Lynda Ellis, announced that Winston Erevelles, Ph.D. will be St. Mary’s University’s 14th President. Joining the history of presidents at St. Mary’s University, Erevelles will also be the first president of Asian descent.
Erevelles has served as the Dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology at St. Mary’s University from 2009 to 2021. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Bangalore University in India, as well as his master’s and Ph.D. in Engineering Management. Erevelles has been working on the University’s Nursing Program and the creation of the newest building addition to St. Mary’s University, Blank Sheppard Innovation Center. In addition to these two projects, Erevelles is also a Professor of Industrial Engineering.
“At St. Mary’s University, my appointment has been in industrial engineering – a discipline that focuses on how to do something better! I have a fondness for problem-solving, data and analyses, process design and improvement, industrial automation, systems thinking, and working in teams to get complex projects done,” Erevelles stated. With 12 years of experience in leaderships as the Dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology, Erevelles plans to use those skills as President of St. Mary’s University. “While these areas appear in several undergraduate and graduate programs and I have worked in them over the years, including in our classes and labs at St. Mary’s, they have also helped me in my work when I served as the dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology. It is very gratifying for a group of colleagues to bring tools such as these to bear on an issue of significance to our community and then see improvement in that area! I intend to continue using these tools in my new role,” Erevelles continued. Erevelles is a hardworking and dedicated contributor to the betterment of St. Mary’s University. With the help of his colleagues when serving as Dean, over $40 million was raised during The Defining Moment Comprehensive Campaign for the School of Science, Engineering and Technology. Those funds significantly helped the transformation of the School of Science Engineering and Technology, especially for the innovative Drone Lab. Entering into 2024, one of the broad themes Erevelles has been thinking about going forward for St. Mary’s University is, “Raising significant funds to enable the execution of our key priorities,” Erevelles mentioned. Another theme that Erevelles has been pondering is, “Ensuring that our programs across the university are current, competitive and relevant so that our graduates are well-prepared for an excellent and meaningful future,” Erevelles voiced. With less than 6,000 enrolled students, St. Mary’s University provides students with a more personalized education and transformative experience. Part of St. Mary’s University’s mission is to become one of the finest private universities in the region while following the five pillars of a Marianist education. Erevelles highlights the importance of, “Staying true to our mission and identity as a Catholic and Marianist university,” Erevelles stated. “This defines who we are and how we approach our work. St. Mary’s University is a Catholic university, but it welcomes men and women of any or no faith. St. Mary’s University strives to educate its students to become ethical leaders, so when they graduate from St. Mary’s University, they will be capable of making the world a better place. On June 1, 2024, Erevelles will become the 14th President of St. Mary’s University, continuing the positive impact St. Mary’s University has not only locally, but nationally and globally. “We are a wonderful university, campus, and community – a welcoming place for all. I look forward to telling our story – to a wide range of audiences,” Erevelles concluded.