Lasting Legacies and Living History

In late October, Trinity University had the unique and wonderful privilege of welcoming back alumnus Albert Bazaldua ’54, M’58 for a journey down memory lane and to provide a moment of connection between the past and the present of the University. This event inspired a celebration of Trinity's lasting legacy of community and connection. Seventy years after walking across the stage at his undergraduate commencement ceremony, Bazaldua returned to his beloved alma mater, which shaped much of his intellectual and personal development.

His visit began at Coates Library, where students invited him to participate in an oral history interview for Conmemorando a la Comunidad: The Latinx Experience at Trinity. During his interview, Bazaldua reflected on his time at Trinity in the 1950s, sharing stories that offered a different perspective on how the University has evolved through the decades.

Bazaldua's connection to Trinity is deeply rooted in both tradition and respect. After transferring to Trinity from the University of Texas at Austin in 1952, he played a key role in relocating the University from the Woodlawn Campus to the current Skyline Campus, becoming one of the first students to attend classes on the newly developed grounds.

"[There] was quite a bit of excitement,” Bazaldua says. “We loaded up trucks full of chairs and tables and made it to the new [campus], which, at the time, had a single classroom building where we attended classes."

Bazaldua’s experience was marked with excitement and opportunities that might not ordinarily exist today. An art major, he also embraced college life by playing tennis for the University and developing a fascination with the campus's evolving architecture. He is especially impressed with the iconic Murchison Tower.

Another exciting aspect of his story was his involvement as a team member entrusted with transporting LeeRoy, at the time Trinity's live 600-pound Bengal tiger, to and from the San Antonio Zoo for major campus events and football games. They would parade LeeRoy around when the team would score.

A highlight of Bazaldua's visit was taking a tour of upper and lower campus with Kris Howland, director of Gift and Estate Planning. Howland's comprehensive tour took him by Trinity's iconic landmarks. He was surprised to learn that the Miller Fountain had been moved from its original location just off Stadium Drive to the center of campus, and seeing the bronze Bengal tiger statue that graces the Bell Center took Bazaldua back to when he and his teammates acted as the live LeeRoy's handlers for special events. He was also excited to visit the Storch Memorial Building, which used to be the University's library during Bazaldua's school days.

Howland described the evolution of the campus and the excitement for the future. There has been a remarkable amount of growth and transformation of the University in the last seven decades, and Bazaldua expressed, "The facilities we had weren't quite so expansive." From modern academic buildings to updated student facilities, Bazaldua saw firsthand how much the campus has changed while retaining the core values that have always defined this small but mighty liberal arts institution. The University's investments in its physical spaces mirror its commitment to providing a world-class education and fostering an environment where students can grow intellectually, creatively, and personally.

Another highlight of the visit was a tour of the Dicke-Smith Building, where Bazaldua had the opportunity to meet Lisa Endresen, manager of the Neidorff Art Gallery and director of the University Collection. Endresen showed him the art classrooms and exhibition spaces during the tour—beautiful facilities not yet in place when he attended the University. This moment provided a meaningful connection between Bazaldua’s time as an art student and today's thriving program. His passion for creativity has remained strong as he continues to paint regularly today.

"I spent countless hours inside and outside the classroom, and of course, I still enjoy it. I still love it," Bazaldua says.

Bazaldua's return to Trinity highlighted the timeless nature of a robust education. In his oral history interview, Bazaldua said, "Trinity has been a great asset in my life. It was a starting point to a new beginning, and it still is today." While the physical landscape of the campus has shifted dramatically, the University's core mission—of fostering an environment of intellectual rigor, creativity, and community—has remained unwavering.

For Bazaldua, his time at Trinity was foundational not only because of the lessons he learned in the classroom but also because of the relationships he built with professors, mentors, and peers, which have had a lasting impact on his long and wonderful life.

This visit was a reminder that Trinity University is a place where the past, present, and future intersect, creating a living, breathing legacy carried forward by each new generation of students and alums. Bazaldua emphasized that "one of the main things [they] were taught at Trinity was that education will always be continuous; it never stops."

Bazaldua’s return was a reflection of his journey and a celebration of the lasting impact of the education and experiences Trinity provided. As the University continues to change, the values that shaped his time here remain present, ensuring that Trinity will always be a place that nurtures the hearts and minds of those who pass through.