Meet Josh Austin, dean for student success, and Steven Montemayor, dean for academic success. They are joining Robin Lund and Jennifer Comedy-Holmes, deans for student success, Yolanda Reyes Guevara, Ph.D, and Teri Dimas, interim deans for academic success, and George Gittinger, Ph.D, interim dean for performance excellence, in creating opportunities for success for NVC students.   Josh Austin Leadership Areas Student Life  Advocacy and Resource Center Conduct and Title IX Veteran’s Services  Student Accessibility Services Prior to joining NVC, Josh Austin worked at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida in various capacities, most recently as the collegewide director of student development. During his time at Valencia College, he also served students as the manager of academic learning support services for the Poinciana Campus and as a part-time faculty member for the college’s new student experience course.  ​In addition to his time at Valencia College, Josh also worked at the University of Central Florida as the director of student success and engagement at the Downtown Campus and taught a leadership and public service seminar course for the School of Public Administration within the university’s College of Education. Josh completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology and educational leadership, respectively, and is currently working on his doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Florida.  In Josh’s free time, he enjoys spending time traveling, watching college football, and attending Orlando City Soccer games as a season ticket holder.   Steven Montemayor Leadership Areas English Fine & Performing Arts Government, Humanities,  History, & Philosophy Social Sciences World Languages QEP Steven Montemayor, Ph.D, is dean for academic success at Northwest Vista College. Prior to that, Steven served as the chair of social sciences, and associate professor of speech communication at Northwest Vista College. Steven received his B.A. in speech communication from Texas State University and his M.A. from the University of Texas-Pan American. He received his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on social studies education from the University of Texas at Austin. Steven presents regularly at conferences including the College & Faculty Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies (CUFA) and the American Education Research Association (AERA). He is excited to serve as dean for academic success at NVC.

EMBARGOED RELEASE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 25, 2024, 10 A.M. CT   September 25, 2024   2024-25 Fellows of HACU’s Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo announced Northeast Lakeview College Dean for Student Success Selected to Participate   SAN ANTONIO – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is pleased to announce the 45 fellows who will make up the sixth cohort of its Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo. The program is designed to increase diverse representation in executive and senior-level positions in higher education. Northeast Lakeview College Dean for Student Success, Ms. Georgia Flores is selected to participate.   “The HACU Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo has a proven record of advancing diverse leaders within a wide range of higher education institutions, demonstrating the value of the program in expanding representation at the highest levels of college and university administrations” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “We are proud of our previous cohorts in how they have moved into the upper ranks of academia with speed and fully expect this current cohort to match if not exceed our alums in successfully breaking into leadership roles across the nation.”   Fellows participate in an array of leadership development activities preparing them for leadership roles in the full spectrum of institutions of higher learning, with an emphasis on Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Emerging HSIs.   The one-year fellowship program includes webinars and three seminars, with the first seminar held in October 2024 in conjunction with HACU’s 38th Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado. The second seminar will be held in Washington, D.C., in April 2025, at HACU’s National Capitol Forum. The third seminar will take place at a still to be determined international location.   The Leadership Academy faculty consists of current and former presidents, chancellors and senior administrators and brings over 100 years of combined experience in serving various sectors of higher education, including private/public universities, community colleges and faith-based institutions. Mentorship with a university president or senior-level administrator is a key component, as well as the development of a special project designed to have an impact at the Fellow’s current institution. The following Academy alums have attained president positions: Universidad Central del Caribe President Waleska Crespo-Rivera, Ph.D.; California State University, Fresno President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Ph.D.; Harold Washington College President Daniel López, Jr., Ph.D.; Macalester College President Suzanne Rivera, Ph.D.; New Jersey City University President Andrés Acebo, J.D.; Oklahoma Panhandle State University President Julie Dinger, Ph.D.; College of San Mateo President Manuel Alejandro Pérez, Ed.D.; and Keiser University Miami Campus President Norma Pastor.   Special thanks to Capital One, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and Carnegie Mellon for their support in providing fellowships to selected recipients.   The 2024-25 Fellows and their home institutions are:   Sylvia Y. Acosta. Ph.D., New Mexico State University Foundation Vanessa K. Arellano, Ed.D., Pima Community College* Tishra L. Beeson, Dr.PH., Central Washington University Eugene C. Berger, Ph.D., Georgia Gwinnet College Kristina Campos-Davis. Ph.D., Trinity University Belkis Torres Capeles, Ph.D., Polk State College Javier Clavere, D.M.A., University of the Incarnate Word*** Aaron Cortés, Northeastern Illinois University** Carlos J. Crespo, Dr.PH., University of Illinois, Chicago Víctor M. Dávila,Texas Lutheran University José Dela Cruz, Ph.D., Portland Community College Alejandro del Carmen, Ph.D., Tarleton State University*** Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D., Nova Southeastern University*** Jorge F. Figueroa, Ph.D., Texas Woman’s University Debra Flores, Ph.D., Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center** Georgia Flores, Northeast Lakeview College Deborah García, University of Texas at Arlington Juan Manuel González Fernández, Ph.D., Universidad de Monterrey*** Jessica González Uhlig, Ed.D., Our Lady of the Lake University** Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego Felipe Hinojosa, Ph.D., Baylor University*** Luis Juárez, Ed.D., Criswell College*** Teresita Levy, Ph.D., Lehman College, CUNY*** Alberto Mendoza González Larreynaga, Antelope Valley College Neva Lozada, Ed.D., Kean University Liliana A. Madrid, Meredith College Lorena V. Márquez, Ph.D., University of California, Davis*** Araceli Martínez Ortiz, Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio Mónica M. Medrano, Central Washington University Alejandra Villalobos Meléndez, Ed.D., University of New Mexico-Taos** Vanessa Bográn Meling, Ed.D., University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Victoria Lynn Moe, San Antonio College Jessica L. Moreno, Waubonsee Community College Victoria Obregón, Ph.D., Colorado State University-Pueblo** Irene Oujo, Ph.D., Fairleigh Dickinson University Sofia Oviedo, Ph.D., Eugenio María de Hostos Community College Olivia Padilla-Jackson, Central New Mexico Community College Jessenia Paoli, J.D., Bronx Community College Roberto G. Reyes, Dallas College Barbara L. Rodríguez, Ph.D., University of New Mexico Lorri J. Santamaría, Ph.D., California Lutheran University Nireata Seals, Ed.D., Central New Mexico Community College Leticia Villarreal Sosa, Ph.D., University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Frances Valdovinos, Ed.D., University of California, Riverside Felisha Herrera Villarreal, Ph.D., San Diego State University   *American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Fellowship recipient **Capital One Fellowship recipient ***Mellon Scholarship   More information about the HACU Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo is available at www.hacu.net/leadershipacademy.   About HACU The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain and school districts throughout the U.S. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The Association’s headquarters is in San Antonio, Texas, with offices in Washington, D.C, Sacramento, California, and Chicago, Illinois.   ###

Education and policy nonprofit Generation Hope awarded San Antonio College with the prestigious FamilyU Seal of Approval. This honor highlights SAC's dedication to supporting student parents and fostering a family-friendly campus environment. The FamilyU Seal is a national certification awarded to higher education institutions and nonprofits that demonstrate exemplary, measurable efforts in supporting parenting students, said Lina Scott, scholarship coordinator at SAC. “Receiving it is a testament to SAC's ongoing efforts to create an inclusive, supportive campus for student parents.” SAC’s efforts include a range of programs and services aimed at supporting non-traditional students, including dedicated parent parking, flexible class schedules, and access to on-campus childcare. The college also offers targeted academic advising, counseling services, and student-parent organizations that provide critical resources and a sense of community. The certification was announced on Wednesday at the start of a parenting-101 class being held in the library, where members of the campus student parent support group gathered to celebrate National Student Parent Month and learn skills that will help them succeed in the home and at school. Diana Ornela said that the weekly student parent support groups at SAC have helped her feel like she’s “not alone” as she navigates the stress of juggling school, children, and other obligations. “It gives me a sense of relief that I am not the only one struggling as I work to better myself,” she said.  Scott said that investing in innovative programs helped parenting students not only succeed in their educational pursuits but also build pathways to economic mobility and brighter futures for their families. “Our resources for student parents address helping them overcome hurdles that could keep them from achieving their goal.” Rosario Sanchez said that she has relied on SAC’s student parent support group leaders to help her access resources in times of need, including food, diaper, and clothing assistance. “They have been providing so much for my whole family,” Sanchez said. “I feel supported at SAC because I know I  have someone I can go to and feel seen and heard. Now I try to get them involved [in the support group] because it’s really helpful to even just get together at the KidSpot [in the library] and feel like we have a community.” SAC is one of six awardees to receive the FamilyU Seal, which included two nonprofit organizations and four higher education institutions. The first cohort of institutions awarded was in 2023, with Alamo Colleges District’s Palo Alto College among the recipients. “We are so proud of the work we do at SAC, and we are proud to celebrate it,” Scott said. For more information on SAC's family-friendly initiatives, visit https://www.alamo.edu/sac/experience-sac/current-students/student-parents  

National Security Agency Designation Northwest Vista College (NVC) has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency. This recognition is for the Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program of study that NVC offers. “Your ability to meet the increasing demands of the program criteria will serve the nation well in contributing to the protection of the National Information Infrastructure,” said national CAE Program Manager Renae Weathers, in a letter to NVC President Dr. Amy Bosley. “The Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program at Northwest Vista College is a leader in the field,” said President Dr. Amy Bosley. “Our talented faculty and dedicated students are making a significant impact by participating in national competitions, fostering a thriving Cyber Club, and providing valuable cybersecurity education to our community.” In 2018, The United States Government created the National Cyber Strategy to addresses the critical shortage of professionals with cybersecurity skills. The strategy highlights the importance of higher education as a solution to defending United States’ cyberspace. The goal is to create a pipeline of highly skilled cybersecurity workforce as a strategic national security advantage. As a result, Northwest Vista College students and those in similar programs throughout the nation have benefited from numerous grants and scholarships from the U.S. Department of Defense, which invests in programs from primary through postsecondary education. The National Security Agency designation for Northwest Vista College is effective through 2029. The Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program leads into the Bachelor of Applied Technology Degree in Cloud Computing at Northwest Vista College or to the Bachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity at St. Philip’s College. Students also have the option to transfer to other colleges or universities. To learn more about Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program at Northwest Vista College, see website at: https://www.alamo.edu/nvc/cybersecurity.  

Bezos Academy Application Process Closed Applications for the Bezos Academy for 2024-2025 have closed.  Lottery has been conducted.  Families whose child(ren) was selected have been notified.  For more information about the application process, eligibility, and with other questions, visit  https://bezosacademy.org/eligibility/

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Today, the Alamo Colleges District and YMCA of Greater San Antonio announced the start of a strategic partnership to help close the gap between achieving a higher education and removing barriers to childcare access faced by student parents and working families. While new YMCA on-campus day camp options have begun this summer across the Alamo Colleges, the two institutions continue exploring opportunities for partnership expansion. Across the Alamo Colleges, approximately one out of every five students are student parents, and affordable access to childcare can be a significant barrier. “We are proud to begin this partnership with the YMCA to enhance the support we offer our student parents who may be balancing a family and pursuing their educational and career goals,” said Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor. “We know this partnership may make all the difference for students, and we are looking forward to seeing how we can scale these efforts across the Alamo Colleges.” For families with young children, access to affordable, high-quality early care has economic and social benefits for children and their families, their communities, and the overall economy. Desaree Machuca, a Y summer day camp parent, said the partnership has helped her family. Machuca is a mother of six children, and the Y has become a big part of their lives that whenever her children see someone in a YMCA T-shirt or name tag, they go up to them for a greeting or for a fist bump. “They innately assume that YMCA people are their people. And I love that. It’s priceless to trust that my kids are safe and having fun while I am working. Knowing where they are and what they’re doing is a huge relief and doing things they enjoy. Thank you to the Alamo Colleges leadership team and the YMCA for providing my kids a fun and safe place this summer,” said Machuca. “The YMCA is dedicated to supporting families and removing barriers to education. Together with Alamo Colleges District, the YMCA is providing quality childcare options on campus. We are empowering student parents to pursue their educational and career goals confidently,” said Louis Lopez, CEO and President at the YMCA of Greater San Antonio. Northeast Lakeview College and Northwest Vista College students, faculty, and staff have a unique opportunity to enroll their children in YMCA Summer Day Camp for the first time this summer, while St. Philip's College is offering YMCA Summer Swim. Y Summer Day Camp is designed with the needs of busy parents in mind and is open to youth ages 5-13. The program runs weekly, from the early hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., through August 2. Field trips include visits to the Witte Museum, movie theater, and more. The Y Summer Day Camp will be closed on July 4 and 5. Non-YMCA members pay $175 weekly, but YMCA members receive a 10% discount. For more information, visit ymcasatx.org/programs/camps/summer-day-camps or contact the Y Solution Center at (210) 924-2277 or registrations@ymcasatx.org. Registration is open and ongoing at the Northeast Lakeview College campus. Join the waitlist for Northwest Vista College summer day camp at alamo.edu/nvc/experience-nvc/campus-life/summer-programs/ To register for St. Philip's College swim classes, visit https://www.alamo.edu/spc/experience-spc/campus-life/youth-programs/Kids-academy/#ymca

The Alamo Colleges District (ACD) and Texas A&M University-San Antonio (TAMU-SA) today announced an expanded transfer agreement that will allow eligible students to start at any of the five Alamo Colleges and seamlessly transfer to TAMU-SA to complete a four-year degree while having educational costs covered at both institutions. The Promise-to-Promise partnership will also allow for automatic admission from ACD to TAMU-SA. AlamoPROMISE is a program that provides tuition-free college education at one of the five Alamo Colleges to 20 school districts and partners, including 73 San Antonio-area high schools and programs, as well as private, charter, and home schools in Bexar County. TAMU-SA’s Jaguar Promise program is a transformational initiative that provides free tuition, fees, and a $300 book stipend per semester for eligible first-year and transfer students.   “The Promise-to-Promise partnership between ACD and TAMU-SA is a testament to our shared commitment to making higher education accessible for all students," said Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor. "By providing more seamless transfer pathways and covering educational costs at both institutions, we are removing financial barriers and opening doors for our students to achieve their academic and career goals." The expanded transfer agreement between ACD and TAMU-SA builds upon an agreement signed in Fall 2019 that established a formal transfer partnership between the two institutions. The Promise-to-Promise partnership is just one component of a strategy developed by ACD and TAMU-SA to provide students with a more seamless transfer pathway between the two institutions. Other seamless transfer tracks include:  Jag Path Program: For first-year students applying to TAMU-SA who may not qualify for direct admission. Students who accept the Jag Path Program offer are dually accepted to ACD for the fall term without completing an application to ACD. Jag Bound for ACD students: ACD students who apply during the fall or spring term, have yet to attend another college/university, express their intention to transfer to TAMU-SA by the end of their first term at ACD, and enroll in 60 semester credit hours.  Seamless Three Tier Transfer Program: For high school students from identified ISDs who complete dual enrollment with ACD, earn an Associate of Arts in Teaching or an Associate of Arts/Associate of Science, and are admitted to TAMU-SA to finish their Bachelor's Degree in Education, Child Development, or another agreed-upon track. Alamo Colleges transfer student Aubri Lalinde will be among the first eligible students admitted to TAMUSA under the newest Promise-to-Promise program. She is a first-generation college student who recently graduated from Palo Alto College with an Associate of Arts in Business Administration.  Lalinde said she was thrilled when she learned about Promise-to-Promise, as a way to further her education and help her and her son form a better future. “Texas A&M University-San Antonio and our great partners in the Alamo Colleges share a mission of service to students and to our community. The Promise-to-Promise partnership is a product of our mutual commitment to opening as many pathways and points of entry for students as possible to put their academic goals within reach,” said Texas A&M University-San Antonio President Salvador Hector Ochoa. “A&M-San Antonio is a place where access meets opportunity and with the Promise-to-Promise, we’re removing financial and procedural barriers to access so that these students, who come to us so well prepared by our colleagues in the Alamo Colleges, can pursue the educational opportunities that a four-year university has to offer them.” About 75% of Alamo Colleges students transfer to four-year universities to complete their degrees. During academic year 2023, 2,007 students transferred from the Alamo Colleges and enrolled at TAMUSA. Over the past five years, approximately 83% of the students who transferred to TAMU-SA were affiliated with Alamo Colleges.  The new Promise-to-Promise partnership strengthens the collaborative student support system across the partnering institutions. It will ultimately help thousands of students save money and reduce the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree. This partnership is the second such expanded partnership for the Alamo Colleges. In 2022, ACD established a similar partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Bold Promise Program. For more information, visit alamo.edu/tamusa.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON D.C., June 11, 2024 – The Aspen Institute named Northwest Vista College as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence on June 11. The $1 million award is the nation's signature recognition of strong performance among community colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success, as well as equitable outcomes for students from lower-income backgrounds. “Reaching the top 10 community colleges in the nation is an incredible achievement, and it’s just the beginning. Northwest Vista College is committed to continuous improvement and proving the best possible education to our students and their families,” said Northwest Vista College President Dr. Amy Bosley. Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding performance in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, broad access to the college and its offerings, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. The winner will be announced in the spring of 2025. NVC is one of only two community colleges in Texas to make the short list. The other Texas institution is San Jacinto College in the Houston area. The Alamo Colleges District has a legacy of being recognized by the Aspen Institute. For the fourth consecutive time, Northwest Vista College received an invitation to compete at the national level for this prestigious award. San Antonio College earned the coveted Aspen Prize in 2021, while Palo Alto College was awarded a Rising Star in the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, noted the Aspen Prize finalists not only deserve national recognition, but they also need to be studied and their successes replicated. “Working-class Americans are experiencing an economy that seems to be stacked against them, while employers are struggling to find well-prepared workers in fields such as teaching, nursing, software development, welding, and advanced manufacturing,” Wyner said. “The 10 Aspen Prize finalists demonstrate how community colleges serving urban and rural communities throughout the country can prepare many more graduates for fulfilling lives and careers in their communities. They show that excellence can be reached in any and every context.” The Aspen Prize selection process began in the summer of 2023 when Aspen analyzed data on 1,000 community colleges in key areas such as retention, completion, and transfer. In October, Aspen invited 150 community colleges to apply based on data showing high, improving, and equitable levels of student success. The 118 submitted applications went to a selection committee of 18 higher education experts who assessed each application based on extensive data and narrative answers to questions. Following interviews with leadership teams from applicants receiving top scores, 20 semifinalists were selected and announced in May. The committee continued its review and narrowed the field to the 10 finalists. Next steps in the process include: Fall 2024: Multi-day in-person site visits to each of the 10 finalists, during which the Aspen Institute and partners will collect additional information and data, including extensive employment and earnings data on graduates from the finalist colleges. Winter 2025: A distinguished, independent Aspen Prize jury will review data and qualitative summaries that synthesize each part of the 14-month analyses, then meet for a full day to select the winner and others for additional recognition. April 17 2025: Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner and celebration of the 10 finalists in Washington DC. The full list of this year's finalists and past winners can be found on the Aspen Prize webpage here: https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize/. The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium, the Joyce Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and the Kresge Foundation. Note: Colleges that have won the Aspen Prize are not eligible to apply in subsequent years The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to lead scaled, sustainable reforms, and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. For more information, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn and X. The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org. Contacts: Renata Serafin, rserafin@alamo.edu Director, Northwest Vista College Marketing and Strategic Communications Kristin O’Keefe, kristin.okeefe@aspeninstitute.org Director of Communications