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.

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.  

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  

AlamoPROMISE Student of the Month - May 2024, NVC Student, Jennifer Toledo Jennifer Toledo has always had big plans for her future and dreamed of attending college. At just 14, while living in Mexico, she told her parents that all she wanted for her 15th birthday was to move to the United States so that she would have more opportunities to attend school. Four years ago, without knowing English and without her family, Jennifer moved to San Antonio, TX. During her senior year of high school, she learned about AlamoPROMISE, a last-dollar scholarship that covers 100 percent of tuition and fees for graduating seniors from partner high schools. Excited about the opportunity to pursue her dreams of higher education without the financial strain, Jennifer enrolled at Northwest Vista College (NVC) and began studying Teaching. The support provided by AlamoPROMISE has been instrumental in making Jennifer’s dreams of becoming a first-generation college student a reality. “AlamoPROMISE has relieved a significant burden and made it possible for me to achieve my educational goals without undue financial stress. This support has not only lightened my burden but has also reaffirmed my belief in the power of community and collective investment in education,” said Jennifer.  Jennifer has attended NVC for the past two years and considers the campus a second home. In addition to her studies, she has embraced student life and is an active member of the President’s Student Advisory Council and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In October 2023, NVC staff chose Jennifer as one of only two students invited to attend the Chicago Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) conference. She is also a student employee at NVC’s Student Success. In May 2024, the Alamo Colleges District (ACD) Board of Trustees recognized her hard work and commitment to her goals and awarded her AlamoPROMISE Student of the Month. “I’m proud of what I have done here at Northwest Vista…I refuse to let language limitations define my path,” said Jennifer. “My academic achievement is a testimony to the power of resilience and an immense belief in one’s ability to succeed no matter what challenges one faces.” In Summer 2024, Jennifer will complete her last semester at NVC and earn an Associate of Arts in Teaching. After graduation, she plans to transfer to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she will pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Bilingual Education as well as a Master's and Ph.D. in Culture, Literacy, and Language. Her ultimate goal is to return to ACD as an employee so that she can help future students in their journey to achieving higher education.

Get Complimentary Tickets – Limited Space! (Available for Employees and Students) Use CUSA2024 at the Eventbrite link to get complimentary tickets. Just click here TEDxSanAntonio is a community of thinkers, explorers, makers, doers, performers, and artists who believe passionately in the power of ideas as a catalyst for positive change in San Antonio and around the world. In the spirit of TED’s mission, we aim to gather people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. Our talks will address compassionate responses to many types of human interaction: understanding and respecting of others backgrounds, cultures and perspectives social responsibility for individuals and community collective trauma and collective healing emotional intelligence Speakers: Sinclair Cesar, CEO Sinclairity Consulting. Mental health first aid through storytelling. Nishant Vishwamitra, Assistant Professor at UTSA. How generative AI could help mitigate cyber bullying. Mindy Spigel, Nurse, Speaker, Consultant, Author. Developing skills to help others feel safe in the healthcare setting and beyond. Bria Woods, Photojournalist. Advocating for policy and programming to assist formerly incarcerated individuals to land and thrive outside of custody. Amber Ybarra, Small Business Owner, Speaker, Mentor. Exploring the transformative power of collective healing in the face of shared traumas Jesse Hernandez, Therapist. Helping boys develop emotional intelligence skills, self expression, and compassion. Shirelle Zachery, Human Resources Manager. Building compassionate leaders by embracing genuine connection and prioritizing the well-being of employees. Use CUSA2024 at the Eventbrite link to get complimentary tickets. Just click here Contact: Migdalia Garcia mgarcia1295@alamo.edu 915-704-6625

Northwest Vista College students competed in the National Cyber League (NCL) Spring 2024 competition. The NCL cybersecurity competition helps students develop their skills by solving challenges in several categories including password cracking, cryptography, web application exploitation, digital forensics, and more. During the competition, NVC students competed first as individuals and then as a team against other colleges. NVC competed in the toughest division of the competition, the Experienced Bracket, against other schools with bachelor’s and master’s cybersecurity degree programs. In the Team Game, NVC Wildcats ranked in the top 8% of all teams. In the final Power Rankings, NVC ranked number 27 and number 47 in the Experienced and Standard brackets respectively. All students competing in League are part of the NVC Cybersecurity Club, established to expand the understanding of information security and assurance by empowering students and extending the education of information security technology, standards, practices, and certifications beyond the classroom.

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