Essays and Memoirs on Life and Professional Experiences

By Paul Henry Rodriguez Ph.D.

This booklet of Essays and Memoirs describes personal, educational and professional experiences by the Author. One experience includes A Brand New University or The VERY FIRST Class Day at the new campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in June 1973! Other Memoirs relate to cultural, university teaching, research and personal experiences during four Fulbright Scholar Awards in Central America, Colombia and Peru. A visit to High School Days includes education, summer and mine work experiences in Grant County, New Mexico. Creighton Days summarizes a fine liberal education. Emphasized are Friendships, Colleagues, work experiences and unique relationships with the Creighton Jesuit Fathers and the Cornish Family in Omaha, Nebraska.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503579552

Paul Henry Rodriguez Ph.D.

I was born in Central, New Mexico (now Santa Clara, NM) in 1937. My parents Estella and Henry were very supportive. I was raised in a rural area of Grant County, New Mexico with eight other siblings. I have a BS from Creighton University, an MS from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in genetics and parasitology from the University of Rhode Island. I also did a Postdoctoral at the University of Notre Dame. I’ve published science articles in professional journals, and recently started publishing my poetry. I was a Professor of Genetics at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and was recently named Professor Emeritus. I have been associated with the UTSA for over 45 years; and have devoted my life to Higher Education. Also, I taught at the Texas A & M University at San Antonio and the San Antonio Community Colleges. I am now Adjunct Professor at the New Mexico State University at Las Cruces, New Mexico; and was named Professor Emeritus in 2005 by the National University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Peru while a Senior Fulbright Fellow there. I’ve received four Fulbright Scholar Awards; have taught abroad in Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Perú. I have also served as a Visiting Scientist with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This Booklet of essays and memoirs is dedicated to my son Karl Andrew, my daughters Elena Patricia and Anna Isabel, grandson Odin, and my academic daughters and sons, now as successful professionals. Both my biological and academic children from the United States and Schools abroad are and always will be extremely important. Their love, youth, courage, strength and hunger for knowledge were continuously most inspirational. This is my way of sharing their lives with the world. Special thanks to Jesus Ibarra and for the drawing and sketch of Grandma Patricia’s hotel and home. I also acknowledge the pictures and information provided by Brother George, my sisters and other family members.

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Copyright © 2015 by Paul Henry Rodriguez, Ph.D.

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Rev. date: 06/20/2015

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CONTENTS

A Brand New University

Fulbright Scholar Awards

Fulbright Scholar In Costa Rica

Fulbright Senior Specialist Scholar In Peru

Appendix

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

High School Days

Appendix

Figure 1

Figure 2

Creighton Days

Appendix

ARTIST PROFILE AND

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I WAS BORN IN CENTRAL, NEW Mexico (now Santa Clara, NM) in 1937. My parents Estella and Henry were very supportive. I was raised in a rural area of Grant County, New Mexico with eight other siblings. I have a BS from Creighton University, an MS from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in genetics and parasitology from the University of Rhode Island. I also did a Postdoctoral at the University of Notre Dame. I’ve published science articles in professional journals, and recently started publishing my poetry. I was a Professor of Genetics at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and was recently named Professor Emeritus. I have been associated with the UTSA for over 45 years; and have devoted my life to Higher Education. Also, I taught at the Texas A & M University at San Antonio and the San Antonio Community Colleges. I am now Adjunct Professor at the New Mexico State University at Las Cruces, New Mexico; and was named Professor Emeritus in 2005 by the National University of Trujillo, Trujillo, Peru while a Senior Fulbright Fellow there. I’ve received four Fulbright Scholar Awards; have taught abroad in Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Perú. I have also served as a Visiting Scientist with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

This Booklet of essays and memoirs is dedicated to my son Karl Andrew, my daughters Elena Patricia and Anna Isabel, grandson Odin, and my academic daughters and sons, now as successful professionals. Both my biological and academic children from the United States and Schools abroad are and always will be extremely important. Their love, youth, courage, strength and hunger for knowledge were continuously most inspirational. This is my way of sharing their lives with the world.

Special thanks to Jesus Ibarra for the drawing and sketch of Grandma Patricia’s hotel and home. I also acknowledge the pictures and information provided by Brother George, my sisters and other family members.

A BRAND NEW UNIVERSITY

By Paul Henry Rodríguez

T HE VERY FIRST CLASS DAY at the new campus of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in June 1973 for me was a most exciting, unforgettable, enriching and satisfying experience! A new major University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) had officially begun with classes in the Summer Term, June 1973! All offerings were first Graduate or Master-level Courses. All classes at the onset also were held at the Koger Executive Center along 410 and Babcock Road. A library, classrooms, Administrative and Faculty offices were housed in different buildings of the Center. The Koger Center was close to the already completed, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). The UTHSCSA complex includes our South Texas Medical School, a Dental School, the Nursing School, VA Hospital, and Bexar County Hospital (now University Hospital) surrounded by various other hospitals and medical facilities.

The following September 1973, our biology graduate classes and labs were held at leased facilities of the Medical School. Some of my Graduate Genetics classes were later presented at the Nursing School. Also, my first Research Lab was at a Department of Biochemistry facility at the Medical School of the UTHSCSA. Equipment and supplies were obtained with University start-up funds. Subsequently, my graduate students and I managed to publish three major Papers in mosquito genetics within that exciting period.

Lecture classes were later taught at the main campus at 1604 and Babcock, ONCE major buildings were completed. Two major Research Buildings and an Animal Housing Facility were also built at an area called the West Campus. My Research Lab then wound up there at this West Campus facility. We were housed in the Biology Building of this West Campus complex and of course had direct access to the Animal quarters. West Campus was only a short driving distance from the then two major campus buildings, Administrative and Humanities. These major campus buildings originally housed the Student Union, Library, and Administrative Offices in the Administrative Building. The Humanities housed crowded Faculty offices and classrooms. Also, our first lecture classrooms were in the Humanities Building! Parking was usually along the UTSA boulevard or wherever one was fortunate enough to find one!

General Genetics and Upper-level science class laboratory offerings were also first held at our West Campus facility. Students, other faculty and I were usually bused to Lab Classes on West Campus after all genetics class lectures at our Humanities Building. During research hours, parking was often available at West Campus; however, we always strongly recommended students to leave at night with friends or at least one partner!

West Campus was somewhat isolated at first. The mentoring and monitoring of our students was extremely critical. This became especially important as our Undergraduate classes and research programs begin to take root. Our Minority Research Programs too became