Goal II. Student Support
The Northeast Lakeview College Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences sponsored a presentation by the Tuskegee Airmen Association on November 7th. The event offered an opportunity to meet several local area Tuskegee Airmen while learning more on the legacy of the original trailblazers of WWII and the activities of the current national organization toward continuing their tradition of excellence and achievement. The presentation featured Mr. Marv Abrams, President of the San Antonio Chapter and Mr. Maurice Ripley, Regional Vice President and included an information session, display memorabilia, and a question-and-answer period. The event was part of the NLC Social & Behavioral Sciences Speaker Series.

Northeast Lakeview College held a Career Fair on November 15th and several local organizations attended the event. Students learned interviewing skills and the importance of a professional appearance. Some organizations conducted on-site interviews for immediate hire.

Additionally, the Business Club featured Joe Rinaldi from the Employment Guide at its meeting on November 14th. Rinaldi shared valuable information with the students about job searching, the importance of developing a quality resume, and how to construct a strong cover letter.  There were 15 students present.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
Tangila Dove, NLC Director of College Services presented to 50 Judson ISD teachers and staff at their “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” Grant Writing Workshop on November 10th.  The presentation discussed available grant funding sources, as well as the use of the Internet as one of the best tools for finding funding sources, researching backgrounds, and locating the basic information needed to develop grants. 

Northeast Lakeview College held and official announcement and press conference for The Big Read for an Enlightened Community on November 15th. The Announcement is in response to the College and its partners – Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union, Judson ISD, and the Randolph Metrocom Chamber of Commerce - receiving a matching funds grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to participate in the national Big Read program that will bring northeast Bexar county and its surrounding communities together to read and celebrate the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In attendance were representatives from each of the primary partners; Warren Von Eschenbach , Director of the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education and assistant to District 21 State Senator Judith Zaffirini; Gerardo Interiano, District Director -21st Congressional District & Assistant to U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith; Gary Beitzel, ACCD Board of Trustees; and other members of the Randolph Metrocom community.

Northeast Lakeview College will celebrate To Kill A Mockingbird from March 3, 2008 to April 15, 2008 with a full calendar of events. A kick-off event is planned for March 3rd featuring Charles Shields, author of The New York Times Bestseller Mockingbird – A Portrait of Harper Lee. Other events include a movie screening, dramatic readings, panel presentations, community discussions, and a presentation by Mary Badham, who portrayed “Scout” in the movie of the same name.

As president of the Higher Education Council of San Antonio, Dr. Eric Reno – Northeast Lakeview College President – moderated the November meeting held on November 12th as Palo Alto College. The focus of the meeting centered around the P-16 initiatives of college readiness and transition services.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
On Nov. 14, Dr. Eric Reno moderated the quarterly membership meeting of the Greater San Antonio Chamber’s Northeast Area Business Council, offered in conjunction with the Randolph Metrocom Chamber, on the topic of “Regionalism: How can it work in the Northeast?”. The event presented a forum to discuss issues on how the area’s sprawling municipalities and San Antonio can better take advantage of each others’ services, including the public transportation, libraries, parks & regional sports complexes, Northeast Lakeview College and the Randolph Metrocom growing economy.

Dr. Eric Reno presented to the Alamo Chapter of Credit Unions on November 15th. Reno discussed the development and construction progress of the new Northeast Lakeview College campus. Additionally, attendees were given information on the Lower Valley Schoolhouse historic building that will be housed on the new campus, including ways to donate individual time, talent, and dollars. Reno also discussed the Big Read for an Enlightened Community program that the College will launch in March in conjunction with the national Big Read program.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
During October and early November, over 600 students from Taft, Jay and Holmes and Clark High schools applied to NVC as part of College Connections. Results from the visits to Communication Arts and Warren High schools are not yet complete. These programs began with staff visiting each of the high schools to talk about potential majors and educational goals for the students. Students apply to NVC as a group in a comfortable setting at their campus.

On November 9th, over 125 Jay High School students visited NVC as part of the Jay Day event. Each student toured the campus, spent time in informative workshops on financial aid, explored on-line education opportunities, and observed mock classes to give them a taste for a college environment. Two students were awarded $1,000 scholarships from a random drawing of all attending students.

Goal III. Workforce Development
NVC initiated a series of financial literacy workshops for the community this month on topics that range from college financial aid to buying a home.
 
“This is an opportunity for NVC to be part of a great city-wide initiative to provide financial education for the community,” says Robert McWhorter, Chair of the Financial Literacy Committee of San Antonio Society of Certified Public Accountants and Assistant Professor of Accounting at Northwest Vista College.
 
This project is a collaboration of Northwest Vista College, the City of San Antonio, San Antonio CPA Society and Zachry Construction. Northwest Vista College faculty will conduct the training for those workshops that will take place at the College. Additional classes will be held at various sites around the city.
 
Much of the curriculum for these courses comes from Fannie Mae and Wells Fargo, says Robert McWhorter. “We chose their modules because they comply with the Texas Education Coordinating Board requirements.” McWhorter says this is phase one of a long-term project. “We’re building a foundation and setting some roots.” The next goal is to engage Northwest Vista College’s Business Student Organization in conducting future workshops.
 
One of the first sessions, offered at NVC during November, focuses on “Student/Parent Tax Issues.” The workshops are free and open to the public.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
Leadership at the recent NVC Strategic Planning Session reviewed data gathered from the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) survey of employee engagement and satisfaction. NVC has conducted the PACE survey of its employees since 1999. The instrument was designed to compare the existing climate factors at NVC to a norm base and to a range of four different managerial systems found to exist in colleges. (Climate refers to the conditions that affect satisfaction and productivity and is related to the organization’s culture.) Of the four system types – coercive, competitive, consultative, and collaborative, PACE identified NVC as a collaborative institution.

Over the years, this survey has allowed the employees to speak about a variety of issues relating to their well-being. These results have led to the development of such strategic action plans as the improvement of communication, pursuit of career ladders, new employee orientation, faculty and staff development, and leadership development.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
PAC conducted its first annual “Making Connections” Workshop in the Student Center Annex, Nov. 9. Attending the workshop were 32 educators and community representatives from the San Antonio Education Partnership; Community in Schools; and area high school Upward Bound advisors. Attendees received training sessions on the On-line Texas Common application; an overview of FAFSA; updates on scholarships and grants, and updates on new legislative issues.

Goal II. Student Support
Earl Ballou, Instructor of Protective Services, has arranged a service learning project for PAC’s forensic science students. Students will perform 60 hours of service under the supervision of the San Antonio Police Department’s crime scene investigation unit, working with homicide detectives and patrol units. SAPD is also allowing forensic science students to use their “village” to work on crime scene investigation projects.

Goal III. Workforce Development
PAC’s Corporate and Community Education Division conducted its first customized Leadership Development Training Program for the H.E.B. Grocery Administration Division. This program was designed to offer H.E.B. employees’ specific training to advance from Team Coordinators to Team Leaders. This three module course offers partners 120 total hours of training where they will learn expectations for goal setting, time management, conflict resolution, effective meeting guidelines, problem solving, making group decisions, and total quality management techniques.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
Helen Kirk, Professor of Mathematics, presented at the Teaching with Technology Symposium at the University of Texas in El Paso, Nov. 9. The title of her presentation was “The Peaks and Valleys of Curriculum Change; from Modular Instruction, Self-Paced Instruction and other Curriculum Re-Design.”

Goal V. Organizational Communication
In honor of Veterans Day, PAC recognized more than 20 faculty and staff members who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Tomás Larralde, District Director for Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez, represented the congressman at the ceremony, and played taps at the end of the event. Each veteran received a commemorative paperweight in remembrance of the occasion.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
The Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio recognized scholarship recipients for 2007 at a reception on November 15 at the Bright Shawl. Thirty students from St. Philip's College majoring in Occupational Therapy Assistant, Respiratory Care, and Physical Therapy Assistant were awarded $500 each from the Foundation for the fall 2007 semester.

The Aircraft Technology Program participated in the Randolph Air Force Base Air Show recruitment activity on November 3 and November 4 at Randolph AFB. Over 1,500 St. Philip’s College brochures and Aerospace Academy information packets were distributed to visitors at the air show.

Twenty-two sixth grade students from Douglas Academy participated in a tour of the Frank Bryant Patient Simulation Lab on November 12, 2007. Students explored various career opportunities in the health field and had the opportunity to interact with “Stan the Man,” a high fidelity patient simulator so that they might experience realistic situations in a health care setting.

Goal II. Student Support
Students in the St. Philip's College Welding Program have launched a student chapter of the American Welding Society. The chapter will be hosted at Southwest Campus and has also been approved by the Welding Advisory Committee. The chapter will be identified as the Alamo Student Chapter of the American Welding Society.

Goal III. Workforce Development
The Automotive Technology Department, in coordination with the Continuing Education Department, continued to provide training in General Motors auto service updates for auto technicians employed in dealerships throughout Texas. Last week students received both classroom and hands-on review on auto transmission and rear transaxle systems.

City of San Antonio employees from the Public Works Department attended a one-day seminar in Business Writing aimed at improving their writing skills. Students were instructed on how to write clear and effective paragraphs along with a review of the basic elements of grammar.

St. Philip's College, along with Northwest Vista College, San Antonio College, and Lakeview College, is participating in a collaborative effort with UT Health Science Center and Alamo Community Colleges to develop programs, career pathways and articulation agreements for the benefit of students seeking broader and more accessible opportunities to work in and support the healthcare needs of the area.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
St. Philip’s College participated in the Texas Association of Community Colleges Distance Learning Advisory Committee (TACC DLAC) meeting recently held in Austin to discuss updates on TACC projects including the development of a strategic plan for TACC as well as to determine the status of the collaboration of STARLINK, THECB, TCCTA, and Austin Community College to develop a state-wide repository of community college professional development programs.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
St. Philip's began the work of the Foundations of Excellence for the First Year Experience by implementing a faculty and staff survey that collected information related to their perspective of the first year experience of students at St. Philip's. A similar student survey is scheduled shortly. Data collected will help the College gain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of current programs, policies and procedures impacting first year students.

Goal II. Student Support
The San Antonio College Public Administration Club student organization. supervised by Public Administration Coordinator Sylvia De Leon, hosted the annual Henry B. Gonzalez Awards Ceremony to award scholarships and to honor leaders who have made an impact in their communities through accomplishment, dedication and service. Three $250 SAC scholarships were awarded to students from the American Sunrise Learning Center who wrote outstanding essays on the life of Henry B. Gonzalez. Recipients of the Henry B. Gonzalez awards were Luis Alvarez (former president, National Urban Fellows in New York City), James and Gina Gray (Rialto Studio Landscape Architecture), Norma V. Cantu (Law Professor at University of Texas at Austin Law School and former Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights), Tomas Campos (Director, SAC Financial Aid Office), and Gary Pinion (Brooke Army Medical Center).

The Phi Theta Kappa honors society, Beta Nu Chapter, under the direction of faculty sponsor Susan Spencer, donated four trees to Will Rogers Elementary School and helped second grade students plant them. President Robert Zeigler also spoke with the young students. As reported on KSAT-TV news, “The second grade students became junior arborists learning the roles of dirt, compost, and water. San Antonio College’s Honor society donated and planted four trees in an effort to give back to the community and raise environmental awareness.” This story was also picked up by KENS-TV news: “It’s called Operation Green, and the message is green is in. Today, members of San Antonio College’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society brought their econ-friendly message to Will Rogers Elementary…and they got quite a welcome: the drum team, cheerleaders, mascot and students were there to help celebrate the event.”

As a Service-Learning project, funded by a Learn and Serve Grant, San Antonio College Performance Dance students, taught by Kinesiology Instructor George Ann Simpson, participated with JOVEN students (ages 5 to 14) in a performance titled “Gotta Dance,” at the Arneson River Theatre at La Villita Historic Arts Village. The dances included jazz, hip-hop, ballet folklorico, and flamenco. Proceeds benefited the non-profit JOVEN agency whose mission is to develop character and resiliency in children by providing innovative and exciting programs to help them succeed.

Sylvia Lovelace, Foundations Facilitator for the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, talked with students interested in becoming classroom teachers. Ms. Lovelace’s talk, held by the Teaching Academy Program Peers (TAPP) student organization under the direction of Laurie Lopez Coleman, Norma Cruz-Gonzales, and Mary Anne Bernal, focused on how to design effective class projects, maintaining high levels of student involvement, and establishing classroom rules, procedures and management.

Retired Reading Professor Mary Jane Howe donated a live oak tree, planted near the Moody Learning Center and dedicated in a ceremony to the memory of a former student James Edward Dyer. “James showed great strength and kindness facing challenges as a double amputee in a wheel chair for more than 30 years,” said Ms. Howe, adding, “James had always felt SAC to be a warm and loving place, so it is fitting that we honor his memory at the college."

Goal IV. Capacity to Serve
On the occasion of National Distance Education Week, City Councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros presented President Robert Zeigler with a city proclamation honoring San Antonio College for its innovative SAC Online Program, which is directed by Helen Torres. The proclamation references San Antonio College as the first college in the city to offer an Internet course in 1996, a government course developed by James Perkins and Dr. Michael Berrier. Dr. Zeigler’s vision of expanding Internet instruction has since led to the college’s ranking by U.S. New & World Report in 2006 as the 6th largest online program in the United States. Today, SAC Online generates more than 21,000 student enrollments annually, including 500 out of state each semester and 100 out of the country (Chica, Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, India, among others) every semester.

A Math Review for Basic Mathematics website of the SAC Student Learning Assistance Center’s (SLAC), coordinated by Dave Elder, located at http://ww.accd.edu/ sac/acad%5Fdev/slac/services /tutorials/math/ math0300.htm, was reviewed as a “Best” site by Education World™, The Educator’s Best Friend. The review at http://www. education world.com/awards/ 2007/r0307-09.shtml states, “This math review site is a nice resource for teachers and students needing to brush up on their skills.” The review praises the site’s simple design and the online tutorial content, which includes PowerPoint slideshows and exercises “that explain such varied concepts as whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, and statistical measurement.” Students can also choose more advanced topics, and Math Worksheets offers handouts on math anxiety, helpful websites for students, and math topics.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
San Antonio College alumnus Fernando Reyes, who was a guest speaker at St. Philip’s College, was featured on KENS-TV news as “a local success story, who grew up in San Antonio, went to San Antonio College, and made a name for himself in industry.”

A San Antonio College Service-Learning program that focused on SAC Performance Dance students performing with JOVEN students was featured on KABB-TV’s morning show. Guests included Service-Learning Coordinator Audrey Grams, Performance Dance student Mary Thayer, Joven Cultural Arts Coordinator Chayo Champion, and the following students from Wright Elementary School: Mercella Villarreal (age 6), Rey Villarreal (age 7), Michael Langenburg (age 7), and Meaghan Garcia (age 7), who performed on the program.

San Antonio Express-News editorial writer Gloria Padilla wrote a feature story on the front page of the Views section featuring outstanding alumni who started at a community college and went on to earn a doctorate degree. Seven of the 12 people featured were graduates of San Antonio College: Judge Ed Prado (U.S. 5th Circuit Cout of Appeals), Bill Greehey (Chairman of Nustar Energy LP and former CEO of Valero Energy Corp), William Breit (Emeritus Professor of Economics at Trinity University), Ruben Escobedo (Certified Public Accountant), Robert Zeigler (President of San Antonio College), Steve Hilbig (Justice, 4th Court of Appeals and former Bexar County District Attorney), and Jesse Zapata (Dean of the College of Public Policy, UTSA).