SAC News Release

Scholarships totaling $140,000 will be awarded to high school seniors at the 2003 Young Women's/Young Men's Conference at San Antonio College on Feb. 22, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in McAllister Auditorium. This will be the largest amount awarded since the conference began in 1984.

For the past three years the Alamo Community College District (ACCD) Foundation, Inc., the 501(c)(3) non-profit support organization for the advancement of the ACCD colleges, has provided $60,000 per year for 20 two-year scholarships at $3,000 each. This year, an additional $80,000 in scholarships will be awarded as a result of contributions made by the San Antonio Livestock Exposition (S.A.L.E). Up to 20 two-year scholarships at $4,000 each will be awarded to students who meet the criteria for a S.A.L.E. scholarship.

"What better way to encourage student success," said Dr. Helen Vera, Women's Center & Adult Re-Entry Program Coordinator. "The conference is an opportunity for students to gain self-esteem and leadership skills, and the scholarships show them that someone believes in them."

The high school seniors who will be awarded a scholarship at the Young Women's/Young Men's Conference were required to submit an application, have a 2.0 GPA or "C" average, and write an essay about this year's conference theme - "If You Can Dream It, You Can Be It." The winners also committed to participate in the annual conference and attend one of the ACCD colleges (San Antonio, Palo Alto, St. Philip's, and Northwest Vista Colleges) in the fall semester in pursuit of an associate's degree.

"The ACCD Foundation Board of Directors feel that providing scholarship opportunities through the conference is an ideal way to ensure students are receiving the type of counseling and advice they need to successfully pursue a college degree," said Roland DuBay, ACCD Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. "Providing this kind of financial assistance would not be possible without the generosity of our private sector donors."

All scholarships are made possible as a result of major annual gifts from donors including USAA, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, and numerous other donors. College faculty and staff contributions also go toward student scholarships.

Special guests at this year's Young Women's/Young Men's Conference include Mayor Ed Garza and KABB Anchor Michael Valdes. Motivational speakers include Dr. Martin Basaldua (Higher Education Planning Committee Chair for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and SAC Outstanding Former Student), Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil ("WNBA in SA 2003" Chief Operating Officer) and Freddy Hernandez (Comedian/Educator).

Although the scholarship application process is closed, all high school juniors and seniors are invited to attend the free conference for a day of information focusing on self-esteem, leadership and career development. The conference is presented by the Women's Center & Adult Re-Entry Program at San Antonio College. For more information, call the center at (210) 733-2299.

More than 539 students, parents and counselors from 41 San Antonio and surrounding area high schools and community agencies attended last year's conference. Seventy-two percent of the seniors who attended the conference were enrolled in an ACCD college by Fall 2002.