For Immediate Release
March 4, 2003
Contact: John Hammond, Director of Public Relations, 210/733-2147, jhammond@accd.edu
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Rodriguez & Ortiz Selected Outstanding
Former Students
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| San Antonio Chief of Police Albert Ortiz and retired City Clerk Norma
Rodriguez have been selected as San Antonio College's Outstanding Former
Students for 2002-2003. They will be recognized at the college's Commencement
Ceremony on May 10, at 10 a.m, at Laurie Auditorium. Norma Rodriguez was the first Hispanic, first woman, and longest tenured City Clerk in the history of San Antonio, serving in that position for 23 years. During her tenure, she initiated and completed work on a conservation/preservation process for historical city records dating back to the 1700s and personally helped obtain more than $200,000 in grants to the city to complete the project. Rodriguez also initiated the transition of city records from a manual to a computerized system. She was honored by the National Latina Organization in Washington, D.C. as the First Woman and First Hispanic City Clerk and President of IIMC, named to the San Antonio Woman's Hall of Fame, received the Latina Honor Award from La Prensa, named the Municipal Clerk of the Year, named Grand Marshall of the Rey Feo Parade, and selected as Woman of the Year from the Nemo Herrera Scholarship Fund, among many other recognitions. She also served as president of the International Municipal Clerks Association. Rodriguez attended San Antonio College after graduating from Our Lady of the Lake High School in 1965 and taking evening courses while working at City Hall. She earned an associates degree and then went on to earn Municipal Clerk Certification at the University of North Texas. "San Antonio College gave me the opportunity to continue my education, and it also had the right curriculum for me to major in Public Administration," said Rodriguez. She recalls two outstanding professors who made a difference for her: English Professor Janice Clayton ("very supportive, a motivator") and Government Professor Glen Snyder ("a very great teacher, who shared his interest in politics"). Albert Ortiz wanted to be a policeman since he was in the sixth grade. He rose from Patrolman with the San Antonio Police Department in 1971 to Chief of Police in 2002, after years of experience and responsibility in a variety of police work. Among other accomplishments, he planned and developed the Battered Women's Advocacy Project, served on the Texas Department of Regulatory and Protective Services' original Child Death Review Panel for Bexar County, was instrumental in planning and developing the Alamo Children's Advocacy Center and served on its Board of Directors, created the Officer Involved Shooting Team, the Special Operations Unit, and the original standard operating procedures for undercover Vice operations. His many honors include Master Peace Officer Certification, the B'Nai B'Rith "Officer of the Year" Award, the Alamo Area Rape Crisis Center's "Distinguished Community Service" Award, the Texas Department of Human Services' "Contributions to Child Abuse Issues" Award, and the Alamo Area Rape Crisis Center's "Outstanding Voluntary Service" Award. Ortiz attended San Antonio College in 1971 and then returned in 1989 to earn his associates degree in Public Administration. He later earned a bachelor's degree from Southwest Texas State University, where he is a master's candidate in Criminal Justice. "I was struck by the challenge and intensity of studying the core subjects at San Antonio College," said Ortiz. He recalls the faculty as very encouraging and warmly remembers the influence of Political Science Chair J.D. Horton and Urban Affairs instructor Richard Waldman. Nominations for the San Antonio College Outstanding Former Student Award for 2003-2004 will be solicited in the fall. |
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1300 San Pedro Ave. • San Antonio, Texas • 78212-4299 • (210) 733-2147 |