ST. PHILIP’S COLLEGE ENTERS BIG TEAM IN EAST SAN ANTONIO RELAY FOR LIFE MAY 30

Cancer Society’s last relay of the season wraps up at YMCA near college’s main campus

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS  (May 28, 2008) --- St. Philip’s College has formed a big team to participate in the 2008 East San Antonio Relay for Life---the last of 10 relays sponsored by the American Cancer Society this year---May 30-31 at the Davis-Scott YMCA and Community Center track at 1213 Iowa Street in San Antonio.

“The relay is a volunteer-based fundraising event with the singular goal of raising money and awareness about cancer,” said SPC Relay team captain John Martin, Interim Director of Student Life at the college.

The 2007 SPC Relay team had four members, and the 2008 roster features almost a dozen: St. Philip’s College SPC President Dr. Adena Williams Loston, SPC Vice President of Student Success Dr. Patricia Candia, Vice President of College Services Dr. Benjamin Kraft, SPC staff members Allison Joubert, Mark Barnes, Kevin Schantz, Ana Lisa Garza and Valente Velez, SPC Dean of Educational Support Services Joannis Flatley, Martin, and SPC Director of Capital Improvements Julius Gordon.

The 12-hour relay featuring the SPC team begins May 30 at 6: 30 p.m. and ends May 31 at 6:30 a.m. The order of events on May 30 is: Opening Ceremony at 7 p.m.; and Luminaria at 9:30 p.m. The last order of events is the Closing Ceremony at 6:30 a.m. on May 31.

One of the most visual parts of the relay is the Luminaria on May 30. The relay site will glow when people honor or remember loved ones by lighting luminaria candles in the names of loved ones. People will get together and talk at that time. People who attend the event will have the chance to talk informally with many of the most college’s most influential members.

“This relay offers the college a great opportunity to talk about St. Philip’s College programs and connect with people who may not otherwise visit the campus, which is only three blocks from the relay site,” said event co-chairman Tracy Shelton, SPC Associate Director of Records and Registration. “The fundraiser is also a fine way for the college to partner with the YMCA,” said Shelton.

“We’re excited because the East San Antonio relay will bring a good end to our 2008 relay season,” said Betty Santiago, administrative assistant for the Relay Department at the American Cancer Society’s San Antonio office. The local relay season starts the week after Fiesta in early May and it ends just before June, said Santiago.

For information contact John Martin at 531-3241, the YMCA at 532-0932 or Tracy Shelton at 531-3290.

About St. Philip’s: St. Philip’s College was founded in 1898 by Bishop James Steptoe Johnston of St. Philip's Episcopal Church of the West Texas Diocese. Today, St. Philip's is a multi-campus institution of the Alamo Community Colleges and serves a semester enrollment of nearly 10,000 credit and more than 5,000 continuing education students. St. Philip's is a Historically Black College and Hispanic Serving Institution and is the only college in the nation that carries this dual designation. As "A Point of Pride in the Community", St. Philip's is among the oldest and most diverse community colleges in the United States.