Goal I. Access To Higher Education
During the week of April 23, 2007, Dr. Martha Trevino, NLC Director of College and Grants Development met with USDA panel reviewers to read 2007 USDA grant proposals in Washington D.C. During her stay, Dr. Trevino visited with National Program Leaders of Head Start, Title V, Department of Education (International Programs), National Endowment for the Humanities and USDA, and with Congressman Lamar Smith’s staff to introduce Northeast Lakeview College and to begin developing future federal grant opportunities for the college.

Goal II. Student Success
Northeast Lakeview College hosted a “FIESTA Student Art Show” on April 25th. The demonstration included student artwork created by students in Drawing I and Drawing II courses. Coordinated by NLC art instructors, E. Bluntzer, M. Cameo, and J. Shipp the event showcased each student’s featured piece and included a wide range of drawing traditions.

On May 2nd, Northeast Lakeview College students in Barbara Mayo’s, Humanities Chairperson, Fundamentals of Speech class participated in a project titled “The Entrepreneur’s Challenge.” Developed and coordinated by Mayo, the project required students to work in teams to first develop a company identity, create a product and present that product in a persuasive format to encourage those attending to invest in their idea. Mayo provided potential investors, who included NLC students, faculty, and staff with “Mayo Mad Money” to invest in the product investors thought had the best potential. The product that collected the most funds was determined the winner of the challenge. The Entrepreneur’s Challenge provided students with practical experience dealing with group communication and applying persuasive presentation skills.

Goal III. Workforce Development
Dr. Cindy Griffith, NLC Dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education, attended the spring conference of the Texas Administrators of Continuing Education in Austin.

Goal II. Student Success
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Don Lucas, Ph.D., was named Piper Professor for 2007 by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation. Lucas is the first professor in the history of Northwest Vista College to receive the award, the oldest and most prestigious teaching award that recognizes outstanding educators in Texas colleges and universities. The nonprofit charitable foundation has been recognizing professors since 1958.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
The Quality Texas Foundation recently announced that Northwest Vista College is the recipient of the prestigious 2007 Texas Award for Performance Excellence, the state version of the Baldrige National Quality Award. NVC submitted applications and received visits from site examiners in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Each year the College improved its results and received valuable feedback that helped us to continuously improve our processes and our service to students. The TAPE process requires applicants to assess themselves against rigorous education criteria, identify opportunities for improvement, and then embark on improvement cycles.

Northwest Vista College faculty and staff helped at a Habitat for Humanity build site on Saturday April 28. This volunteer opportunity and other ongoing community service opportunities are being organized by our new civic engagement coordinator, Susana Satrustegui.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
PAC’s Ozuna Learning Resource Center (LRC) lobby is the host location for the Congressional High School Arts Competition, sponsored by the Honorable Ciro D. Rodriguez, U.S. Congressman, 23rd District of Texas. Artwork is currently on display in the LRC from high school students in the 23rd Congressional District. The first place entry of the juried exhibit and the student artist will fly to Washington, D.C. where the artwork will join other winners from the rest of the U.S. congressional districts.

Goal II. Student Success
PAC’s “President’s Speaker Series” featured San Francisco author Malin Alegria, April 25. Alegria spoke to students and faculty members on ways to become a published author and answered questions on how to achieve life goals and ambitions. Alegria read from her novel “Estrella’s Quinceanera,” signed books, and attended a reception.

Goal III. Workforce Development
PAC’s Science and Technology Division showcased its Industrial Automation Technology; Logistics; and Business Management programs to 35 Career and Technology Education (CATE) students from Harlandale and Highlands High School during a “Tech Prep Open House” held May 1.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
PAC hosted “PACfest 2007” an official Fiesta San Antonio event, on its campus April 26. Thousands of students, faculty, staff, and community residents attended the day-long celebration to hear free entertainment such as Rick Trevino, Grupo Fantasma, and Mazz. Fiesta Royalty and Military Ambassadors also attended PACfest, which is the only official Fiesta event in south San Antonio.

Goal I. Access To Higher Education
St. Philip’s College hosted Open House 2007 for 168 future SPC students from three high schools and Gary Job Corps, as well as several individuals. Students were given an opportunity to complete the college’s application process and receive financial aid information, to learn about the numerous programs offered at SPC, to tour the automotive, nursing, and fine arts labs, to learn about our extensive student services, and, finally, to participate in CultureFest.

At the National Hispanic College Fair at Our Lady of the Lake University approximately 300 prospect cards were collected for St. Philip’s College. SPC was the only community college represented at the fair.

The Phoenix Future Fair “Mapping our Future” was held at the Southwest Campus. The Phoenix Program for high school students is one of the first programs to graduate students based on portfolios or “exhibition”.

Goal II. Student Success
This summer, the K-8 Summer Camp will provide students with a high quality, researched based, fun, academic program. The summer program begins June 4, 2007 and ends August 24, 2007. Certificated teachers will instruct academic courses. Tuition is set at a record low of $40.00 per week.

Goal III. Workforce Development
Faculty and staff of the Southwest Campus completed comprehensive LEAN process training in cooperation with the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center. This training is important for evaluating our processes to streamline and eliminate wasted time and resources.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
The faculty and staff of the Student Leadership Institute and the Alamo Community Colleges Information Technology Department are working to recreate the SLI website. The site will receive a complete face-lift and students interested in the SLI program will be able to apply for the program electronically. The site is expected to go “live” later in May.

On May 1, SPC hosted the Dual Credit Counselor Appreciation Breakfast. High Schools represented included First Baptist Academy, Canyon and New Braunfels High Schools, Sam Houston and Lanier High Schools (SAISD), East Central High School, Wagner High School, Stockdale High School, and several private schools.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board notified SPC that our application for the Summer High School Bridges Program was recommended to the Commissioner for funding.

Work is underway with the Natural Sciences Department faculty to modify the grant from the National Science Foundation for the Presidential Scholars S-STEM (Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) program to accommodate 12 entering students for Fall 2007.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
The College Webmasters are training as many department web authors as possible on the templates for the new web site prior to its roll out on May 21. The SPC Web Site Committee is putting the finishing touches on the Web procedures.

Goal I. Access to Higher Education
San Antonio College President Robert Zeigler has selected members of a Catalog Committee, which holds its first meeting this week. The purpose of the committee is to review the catalog and make suggestions for improvements, particularly modifications that will make the publication more user-friendly and helpful for students, faculty and staff.

Goal II. Student Success
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-finals.

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.”

At the first semi-annual San Antonio College Presidential Volunteer Service Awards on May 2, 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. Student awardees were: Homar Arceo, Suanne Cain, Joe Cardenas, Angela D. Cooks, Robert Dodge, Sandra Hines, Teko Hlapho, Muniba Iqbal, Adriana Lunger, Michelle O’Malley, Julienne Ponce, Lindsey Rachuig, Janice Reed, Dana Taylor, Valerie Trevino, Rachel Vargas, and Kimya Williams. Staff awardees were: Audrey Grams, Rosa Lucio, and Yvette Olivares.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
Marleen Hoover, Associate Professor of Visual Arts & Technology, has published an essay titled “Shaping American Aesthetics” in the book Searching for America: Essays on Art and Architecture, edited by Robert T. Sheardy, Jr., published in April by Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Joan Fabian, Visual Resources Specialist, is featured in an art exhibit at the Ft. Worth Community Arts Center, where a reception was held in her honor on May 4. According to Gallery Manager Elaine Taylor, “Joan Fabian’s work has been shown extensively in Texas and in many venues throughout the United States.” Fabian has studied and taught in Pakistan on a Fulbright Fellowship, and her work has appeared in exhibits throughout the world.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
The 49th Annual SAC Folk Dance Festival April 28 included workshops, performances, and an evening concert. "Dance Around the World” youth dance concert featured dance troupes from San Antonio and surrounding areas. The evening Folk Dance Festival featured groups from San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and other locations.The SAC Public Relations office coordinated TV morning show appearances by college dancers on WOAI-TV and KABB-TV to promote the festival.

Pulitzer Prize winner Brett Blackledge, reporter for the Birmingham (Ala.) News, spoke this week at the 30th Annual Edith Fox King Journalism Lecture, sponsored by the San Antonio College Department of Journalism-Photography and the campus chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Blackledge won the Pulitzer for his investigative reporting on corruption in the Alabama community college system.

The Student Affairs division held a coffee for employees, including exhibits to communicate the various activities of the division, which includes student services such as Counseling & Student Development, Admissions, Student Life, Women’s Center, among other offices.