Alamo Community Colleges Celebrate International Education Week

International students from the CASS program join in the Alamo Community Colleges' kickoff celebration for International Education Week, November 12-16. Speaking at the event was Dr. Federico Zaragoza, vice chancellor for economic and workforce education (front row, second from right), along with Dr. George McLemore, retired associate professor from the University of Texas-Pan American (standing, 6th from right), ACCD Board Chair Roberto Zárate, and Dr. Eduardo Conrado, director of the ACCD Office of International Programs. (Photo by Michael Irizarry) See the Calendar page for additional International Education Week events.

(l to r) NVC College Desktop Publishing and Design Specialist, Yuri Martinez Ramos, NCMPR President Dr. David Ross and NVC Sr. Multimedia Specialist Shawn Harward celebrate the Gold Medallion awards won by NVC.

NVC Wins Two Gold Medallion Awards

On October 23, Northwest Vista College received two Gold Medallion Awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR). The awards were given for Northwest Vista College’s 2006 Annual Report and for the 2007-08 Catalog on a CD-ROM. The award-winning entries were a collaboration of Public Relations and many faculty, staff and students from across the college.

Sr. Multimedia Specialist Shawn Harward and College Desktop Publishing and Design Specialist, Yuri Martinez Ramos accepted the awards on behalf of the college during the NCMPR District 4 Conference in Galveston, Texas on Oct. 22-24, 2007.

Team Julia Childs beams for the cameras in a post-competition session after winning the gold medal in the St. Philip’s College Thanksgiving Culinary Competition Nov. 7 at H-E-B Central Market. Team members (left to right) were Alan L. McMahan, Phillip Jaimes, Megan Cavazos, Gina Castilleja and Efren Tavarez. (Photo by Patrick Evans)

Who wouldn’t want a free gourmet meal cooked by aspiring chefs? That’s what happened for hundreds of lucky shoppers and onlookers during St. Philip’s College’s 12th annual Thanksgiving culinary competition called the “Turkey Taste-off” at H-E-B Central Market.

Now in its 12th season, the competition is a success because St. Philip’s College has the flagship culinary arts program in the area, and many members of San Antonio’s community are great food-tasting fans. Volunteer judges from the media rated an entire class divided into three teams of student chefs who finished in the following order: Team Julia Childs (Gold medal), Team Auguste Escoffier (Silver medal) and Team Paul Prudhomme (Bronze medal). The competition is one way the college’s students and its exemplary culinary arts program help their institution meet its strategic goal of student success and access to higher education.

The team members were: Team Childs (Gold): Gina Castilleja; Megan Cavazos; Phillip Jaimes; Alan L. McMahan; Efren Tavarez; and Brady Peacock. Team Escoffier (Silver): Richard Atkinson; Arthur Balderas; Gabriel Nuno, Jr.; Emma Mathis; Lauren Swift and Michael Negron. Team Prudhomme (Bronze): Elizabeth Cleary; Stephanie Ochoa; Denis Garcia; Matthew Salazar; Denise Saldana; and Meredith Mitchell.