Dr. Federico Zaragoza, ACCD vice chancellor for professional, technical and workforce education was recognized by the SkillsUSA state association for his leadership and support of the Texas SkillsUSA organization at an awards luncheon at St. Philip’s College on May 3, 2007.

Pictured: (l to r) Dr. Al Barringer, St. Philip's College Southwest Campus vice president of administration; Joannis K. Flatley, director of educational support services at St. Philip's College; Dr. Adena Williams Loston, president of St. Philip's College; Roberto Zárate, ACCD Board of Trustees chairperson; and Dr. Bruce H. Leslie, ACCD chancellor. cut the ribbon commemorating classroom renovations in Building 3020 at Southwest Campus (Photo by Lana Myers)

St. Philip's College (SPC) Southwest Campus recently celebrated the groundbreaking of a 20,000 square foot state-of-the-art diesel lab facility which will include 10 instructional diesel technology bays housed within a one-story building. The new lab will allow the college to provide students with the most up-to-date technological training required for diesel and heavy machinery maintenance in the San Antonio area.

The ceremony also included a ribbon cutting to commemorate several classroom renovations in Building 3020 at St. Philip's College Southwest Campus

At the first semi-annual San Antonio College Presidential Volunteer Service Awards on May 2nd, 20 students and staff were honored. The award is presented to citizens and residents who serve at least 100 hours to the community in a 12-month period. Recipients received a personalized certificate, lapel pin, letter from President Bush, and letter from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. (Photo by Leonard Ziegler)

The Quality Texas Foundation recently announced that Northwest Vista College is the recipient of the prestigious 2007 Texas Award for Performance Excellence. The award will be presented at a ceremony and banquet at the Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, TX on June 25.

The Texas Award for Performance Excellence, patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, recognizes Texas organizations that excel in world-class management, achievement, and performance excellence in applying quality and student satisfaction principles. The program is spearheaded by the Quality Texas Foundation, which was created in 1990 to establish greater awareness of quality.

In addition to Northwest Vista College, this year’s TAPE recipients include St. Joseph Regional Health Center and Freese and Nichols, Inc. Northwest Vista is the first in the Alamo Community Colleges to receive this award. As part of the TAPE process, the college participated in a rigorous evaluation, including an independent review and intensive site visit by a team of examiners from the public and private sectors. The evaluation focused on seven categories—leadership; strategic planning; student and stakeholder focus; measurement and analysis; employee focus; process improvement; and organizational results.

Northwest Vista began incorporating the Texas Award for Performance Excellence criteria in 2003. Through this process, the college assessed its strengths and opportunities for improvement, and developed teams to lead the process improvement initiatives. These efforts helped foster a culture in which faculty and staff members understand and embrace the college’s mission, vision and values.

In receiving the award, Northwest Vista College joins an elite group of past winners that includes: Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, Medical City Dallas Hospital, Richland College, Boeing Logistics Support Systems, Dell Computer Corporation-OptiPlex Manufacturing, Park Place Lexus, Texas Nameplate Company, Aldine ISD, Brazosport ISD, and John Deere Company-Dallas.

At the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) regional competition, music students Emanuel Ramirez received Honorable Mention (4th place) in the Sophomore Men’s Division, and Tristi Booth received 2nd Place in the Advanced Adult Division. In addition, Daphne Glisson, Alyscia Koepp, and Diana Rodriguez went to the semi-final.

San Antonio College Visual Arts & Technology student Josh Bernstein won a 10th District Bronze Addy Award in Ft. Worth for his South Texas Blood & Tissue Center ad campaign. According to his instructor Brook Rosser, “This campaign will run next fall in many South Texas high schools and should receive a lot of PR. It is targeted towards teenagers in the South Texas area encouraging them to donate blood due to the greatly decreased blood supply. This was a Service Learning assignment last fall. Josh competed against students in four-year colleges all over Texas and Oklahoma.”