From Vision to Reality: Partnerships Create Opportunities for Success Milestones – be they large or small – give us a reason to pause and reflect. This year marks 20 years since the Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees established Northwest Vista College and approved the college’s name, affectionately shortened by students to “Vista.” That’s appropriate, because the word “Vista” translates into a “remarkable view, sight or vision.” We have been fortunate enough to create a remarkable vision and fulfill our college’s mission through the work of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as our community and business partners. Our mission statement is Northwest Vista College creates opportunities for success by offering quality academic, technical and lifelong learning experiences to its diverse communities in a collaborative, student-centered, data-informed and shared leadership environment...and we are Creating Opportunities for Success one student at a time - with a current enrollment of more than 17,000* students. Our goal is to guide students in becoming critical thinkers and world-class citizens who master skills beyond the typical college classroom setting. At Vista, students are expected to become thinkers and leaders, no matter what career they pursue. Our first commencement ceremony, held in 1998, had 20 students. This year our graduates earned 2,485 associate degrees and certificates. A large percentage of NVC students continue their education with our university partners who collaborate with us to create smooth pathways from community colleges to universities. A major factor that has contributed to our students’ success was the vision and support of our donors and community and business partners.
During the first phase of our construction, classes were held at partner sites. These long-time partners continue to work with us on programs for our students and for the community. Over our 20-year history, NVC partners, donors, community leaders, legislators, San Antonio business chambers, nonprofit organizations and schools have served on advisory committees providing guidance to NVC programs to ensure students obtain marketable skills. They also keep us humble reminding us that we continually need to improve and evolve to maintain the high quality and relevance of our academic programs. They also provide internship and employment opportunities for our students. These partners and champions, in collaboration with our faculty and staff, have created a culture of courage, innovation and a “Can Do” spirit that promotes educational and economic prosperity in our community. As we embark on our third decade, our goal is to further nurture our partnerships in an effort to leverage the intellectual and financial strength of the entire community in providing a world-class educational experience for students. In appreciation to all those who champion the community college mission, we salute and thank our partners for Creating Opportunities for Success for students, their families and the community at large. May the Vista vision continue to live in our students and may their accomplishments leave a lasting impression on this community for years to come! - Dr. Ric N. Baser, President *Student enrollment includes 16,657 certified number plus 949 Fall Flex II uncertified number.
1
Northwest Vista College creates opportunities for success by offering quality academic, technical and lifelong learning experiences to its diverse communities in a collaborative, student-centered, data-informed and shared leadership environment.
As a Hispanic Serving Institution, Northwest Vista College fulfills its mission by offering the following: • Transfer education designed to provide students with the first two years of the bachelor’s degree • General education courses in the liberal arts and sciences to support all college degree programs • Career preparation provided through workforce programs to prepare students for immediate employment • Developmental studies for students to bring their basic skills to a level appropriate for college work • Continuing education, including a variety of enrichment, training, licensure and professional programs • Academic and student support services for all students, including those with special needs, that include comprehensive advising and monitoring, high-quality learning resources, assessment, counseling, tutoring, and financial assistance • Academic co-curricular activities and social and cultural activities, and information literacy
To become responsible members of our world community, we create exemplary models for: • Learning to Be… • Learning to Work… • Learning to Serve… • Learning to Lead…
Together.
The members of the Alamo Colleges are committed to building individual and collective character through the following set of shared values in order to fulfill our vision and mission. • Students First • Respect for All • Community-Engaged • Collaboration • Can-do Spirit • Data-Informed
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The endowed Marty & Rene Wender Scholarship has benefited NVC students since 2009.
Charles Martin “Marty” Wender is a visionary who will try the impossible and make it work. The reputation he has built across Texas for his determination and insistence on quality through his award-winning development ventures of the Charles Martin Wender Real Estate and Investments company has shaped San Antonio’s commercial and residential growth and brought thousands of jobs to the area. In the early 1980s, Wender collaborated with Southwestern Bell on the installation of a fiber optic network in the Westover Hills area of San Antonio, which has since attracted numerous data centers, financial service centers, and other businesses and development to the area. He was also instrumental in the planning, funding and development of State Highway 151. In 2014, Wender was recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal as a Legacy Leader for making a significant contribution to the local business community. Two decades ago, Marty and Rene walked the property along North Ellison Drive and imagined a college in that setting. Their vision soon
became reality and now Northwest Vista College celebrates the realization of that dream in the faces of more than 17,000 students and their families. “The success of Northwest Vista College is one of the main reasons the Westover Hills area has become the third largest employment center in San Antonio. The companies who have moved to Westover Hills have relied on Northwest Vista College to help train their employees. In turn, a lot of these employees have used Northwest Vista College to advance their careers.” Marty and Rene are advocates of quality educational opportunities for all students. They recognize that without the broad range of programs and services available at community colleges, many students could not attend college. The Wenders know that the capacity to produce an educated workforce is a vital element in economic development. The Wenders have created and endowed the Marty and Rene Wender Scholarship, which has benefited NVC students since 2009.
From Military to Civilian Life: Community Colleges Help Make the Transition Northwest Vista College takes pride in being a “Military Friendly” school, a title bestowed upon it by Victory Media for the last several years. Since the college opened its doors 20 years ago, it has welcomed military students and assisted them through the college’s Veterans Affairs department. In recent years, NVC has seen an increase in military students and has implemented different resources to help veterans along their educational journey. The college has an active counseling department that has helped many students. Recently, NVC opened a Veteran’s Lounge & Resource Center and established the Vet 2 Vet program – the first campus-wide Alamo Colleges program designed to connect veterans with information, opportunities and resources geared toward their needs. Air Force Veteran Rebecca Avila said making the transition from a life of structure to a more relaxed college environment can be challenging for many veterans. “In the military, you always have a network somewhere and at a community college, you can find similar networks,” said Rebecca, who is a senior pharmacy technician at Walgreens and earned transferable credit hours at NVC as a student. Since completing her associate degree, Rebecca went on to receive her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University at San Antonio and has plans to pursue a master’s degree in Education. She recently joined NVC as an adjunct faculty instructor in the Pharmacy Technology program. She received her pharmacy certification from the Air Force. Rebecca said she was reluctant to go to a big university after the Air Force and felt a
community college could help with the transition from military to civilian life. In July 2015, the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics reported that the population of post9/11 veterans is expected to jump from 2.6 million in 2014 to more than 3.6 million in 2019 – an increase of 36 percent. “Community colleges allow students to find what they want to get their degree in; and feel like they are a person within the school, not just a number,” Rebecca said. “In general, they are less expensive and I have always felt that I got more one-on-one help in a community college.”
5
April 18, 1995
1995
In 1994, World Savings donated 111.9 acres and Alamo Colleges purchased 25.5 acres for $217,000. The Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees approved the establishment of the fourth college on April 18, 1995. The name of Northwest Vista College was approved by the Alamo College Board of Trustees on June 20, 1995. The name was chosen from 258 name ideas submitted by community residents.
1996
First 12 students began classes on August 28, 1995. Classes were offered at several locations including Alamo Colleges district office near downtown San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, St. Rose of Lima Church and Northside Independent School District (NISD) sites.
Number of Students:
12
The groundbreaking ceremony was held and construction on phase one began the following year.
804 Fall Enrollment =
at off-campus sites (including Dual Credit Students)
1998
On Dec. 16, 1997, The Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Dr. Jacqueline Claunch as NVC president, who served in positions as dean and vice president at Richland College. She also taught math and literature, directed admissions and coordinated computer systems. Dr. Claunch began her NVC presidency in February 1998.
1998
1998
The first building at NVC opened in October 1998, following one of the biggest floods in San Antonio’s history. Employees helped clean out the basement of the Academic Building (now Mountain Laurel Hall) in order to open for classes. That was the birth of the “CanDo” spirit that emerged at NVC. First commencement was held at Mabee Library Auditorium at the University of the Incarnate Word.
Enrollment increases to more than
1,500
20
First Commencement
Graduates
Christine Crowley has donated to numerous Alamo Colleges and NVC scholarships and has initiated several fundraising challenges.
Christine Crowley knows “All the world’s a stage.” As an actress, director and board member of the Boerne Community Theater and the Cailloux Theater in Kerrville, Christine has played many roles. But her most acclaimed is that of a fundraising champion for Alamo Colleges and Northwest Vista College scholarships. Over the 18 years that Christine has been affiliated with NVC, she has donated to numerous scholarships including the Alamo Colleges’ Dennis Gittinger Scholarship for Math, the NVC Ashley Lynn Degerstrom Endowed Scholarship, the NVC Jack Stone Endowed Music Scholarship and the NVC Anthony Chalkley Endowed Scholarship for students in Developmental Math. For many years she also served as the chair and co-chair of the Alamo Colleges Employee Giving Campaign. Since 2011, Christine has initiated several fundraising challenges which encourage employee giving. Matching gifts – and her persuasiveness – resulted in the NVC Faculty Senate Scholarship being fully endowed. She has continued to provide challenges or matching gifts in every campaign since.
Christine Crowley’s history with NVC goes back to 1997, when she served as director of the college library, and later dean. She championed making the NVC library a place of sharing and openness where trust was at the forefront of serving library patrons. She was also instrumental in the planning and building of a new college library, which was part of the 2005 capital improvement project. Currently, Christine serves on the board of governors for the Boerne Theater where she acts and directs plays and works to develop audiences and volunteers. She also serves on the board of directors for the Friends of the Arts at Northwest Vista College (FANs). “I was raised in a family that appreciated the arts, especially the theatre,” Christine says. “Not everyone is that lucky, so our education system must often be the resource to provide this. By donating to scholarships, I hope to provide our students with the opportunity to have that exposure, regardless of their chosen field of study.”
Family Learning Together: Two Generations Graduate from Northwest Vista College Accomplishment runs in the Rico family. With two generations of students now having graduated from Northwest Vista College. The first to do so was Michael Rico, who in 2000, completed his Associate of Arts degree with a concentration in Business. While attending NVC, Michael tutored math and played on the NVC Wildcat basketball team. Also, Michael was selected to join fellow students for a week-long visit to the Technological Institute of Saltillo in Coahuila, Mexico. Michael has since gone on to continue his education, graduating from St. Mary’s University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. He is now employed at USAA as a business specialist, and detects opportunities to improve the member experience. In addition to his successes in school and at work, Michael actively competes in obstacle course races that range in distance from three to 12 miles. Michael must have been a great inspiration for his younger brother, Andrew, who began college while still a student at Communication Arts High School. There, Andrew earned 19 collegelevel credit hours through the Dual Credit program with NVC, which gave him a headstart in college. It also instilled in him a sense of confidence as he doubled up his college load once enrolled at NVC. He completed his associate degree in less than a year. Since graduating from NVC in 2010, Andrew went on to Loyola Marymount University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television Production. In 2015, Andrew completed a master’s degree program in media studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and the prestigious International Radio and Television Society Summer Fellowship Program in New York City. He published an article in the peer-reviewed
journal “Transformative Works and Cultures.” Andrew was recently hired into the Agent Trainee Program at United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills. As a proud mother of two NVC alumni, Matilde Rico earned her own Associate of Arts Degree with a concentration in General Studies from NVC in 2012. She continued her studies at UTSA, earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Matilde was also a long-time employee at NVC, and her daughter enrolled at NVC for classes as well. Matilde says she is proud of her three children and lives by the motto: “Life does not stop at 20 or 30 years old, and neither does learning!”
9
1999
2001
The grand opening was held in October with the completion of the Learning Center, now Mountain Laurel Hall, and the College Commons, now Huisache Hall.
NVC became accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges which allows the college to demonstrate effectiveness and support essential college functions, including: • Access to federal financial aid, grants, and other federal support
2002
NVC became the first community college in San Antonio to offer a CISCO Certified Networking Associate Certification.
• Ability to transfer credit to other colleges and universities.
First Internet Courses
Geology & Chemistry
Enrollment:
4,056 Students
2002
2002
NVC awarded $642,000 in jobtraining grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to train workers in the San Antonio area.
By 2001, NVC Workforce Education & Training partnered with 15 businesses and organizations and trained over 2,500 individuals.
First Title V Grant Awarded to Hispanicserving Institutions
$1.9 Million
2002
2002
NVC received the Master Naturalist award for preservation from the Texas Master Naturalist organization.
NVC was recognized as a nationwide leader in student growth by Community College Week, a national publication addressing community college issues.
7,099
Fall Students
The Ashley Lynn Degerstrom Scholarship has awarded over $14,000 and helped nine NVC students.
Retired educators Gary and Sandi Degerstrom turned tragedy into hope for others. In 2005, the Degerstroms established a scholarship at Northwest Vista College to honor the memory of their daughter Ashley Lynn, who died at the age of 18. At the time, Ashley was a student at NVC and was studying to become a teacher.
education is very important and they realize that not everyone can afford to go to college.
Since its establishment, the Ashley Lynn Degerstrom Scholarship has awarded over $14,000 and helped nine NVC students with their educational goals.
The Degerstroms continue to champion support to help their scholarship grow and ensure Ashley’s dream can live on through future generations of Ashley Lynn Degerstrom NVC students. They stay involved in the college, attend campus events and promote Northwest Vista College’s Employee Giving Campaign, an annual event to raise money for scholarships, programs and other nonprofit agencies.
Gary and Sandi are both retired teachers from the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio. For them, planting the seeds of
“More than anything, Ashley wanted to teach,” Sandi said. “This scholarship helps others who share Ashley’s dream.”
Named the NVC Ashley Lynn Degerstrom Scholarship, the award supports second-year, full-time students at NVC who have a financial need and demonstrate a commitment to pursuing a degree in teaching. In remembrance of Ashley’s compassion and willingness to help others, Gary and Sandi ask that recipients also participate in community service activities.
Steps to Success: Northwest Vista College Provides a Solid Foundation Ed Onwe is a 2009 Northwest Vista College alumnus. After earning two degress--an Associate of Science degree with a concentration in Engineering and an Associate of Arts, with a concentration in Liberal Arts, Ed’s journey didn’t stop there. He has gone on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees and currently holds a leadership role in the local aerospace field. “The classes I took at NVC equipped me with the credentials for acceptance into the aerospace engineering degree program at The University of Texas at Austin,” said Ed, who is the vice president of Maintenance and Engineering at VT San Antonio Aerospace, a company of VT Systems. “The depth and quality of the math, physics, and engineering curriculums at NVC allowed me to seamlessly transition to the advanced engineering classes at UT Austin.” Ed has an MBA and a master’s degree in industrial engineering, both from St. Mary’s University. Ed also enhanced his leadership and organization skills by completing the University of Tennessee at Knoxville’s Lean Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul program for managers and engineers. Prior to his role as vice president, Ed was the director of Aircraft Maintenance. Ed says he is glad to have made the choice to start his education at a community college because it prepared him for the rigor of higher education. According to the American Association of Community Colleges, $3,347 was the average annual tuition and fees students paid for the 201415 academic year at a public community college. This cost is nearly three times lower than a public, in-state four-year college.
“At affordable prices, (community colleges) provide a good platform for students to build on their knowledge-base, work ethic, and studying techniques, which are necessary tools for success at the university level,” he added. “For some students, the transition from high school to the university learning environment is academically and socially overwhelming. Community colleges do a good job of preparing students for the challenges at the university level.”
13
2003
2004
NVC recognized by Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSEE) for demonstrating outstanding performance on CCSSEE benchmarks of effective educational practice.
2005
NVC’s Community Health Worker program partnered with the Edgewood Family Network to help underserved residents of the West Side by offering classes at the West Side Educational & Training Center. NVC and the University of the Incarnate Word were awarded a $3 million Title V cooperative grant. The objectives of this 5-year grant included helping students declare a major, engaging them in campus activities and creating faculty initiatives to help with retention.
300 % increase in student service
learning
projects that benefit commuity
Internet Courses Available:
125
2005
2005
Bexar County voters approved a bond election for a Capital Improvement Project at all the Alamo Colleges which allowed for an increase in NVC’s physical infrastructure.
NVC launched the Academy of Lifelong Learning (ALL), a program for people 50 and older to exchange ideas, take classes and learn together.
The Community and Technology Center opens at NVC (currently known as Pecan Hall).
9,151
Fall Students
589 awarded degrees and certificates
2005
Randy Pawelek and Bartlett Cocke General Contractors created the Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Endowed Scholarship for NVC students who pursue construction as their career.
Randall “Randy” Pawelek, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, sees the fruits of his labor in every corner of San Antonio and across Texas. For over 30 years, Randy has led construction projects that include building and renovating hundreds of schools, colleges and universities as well as hospitals and other facilities.
At Northwest Vista College, Bartlett Cocke worked on the 2005 capital improvement project, which resulted in 450,000 square feet of new classroom space, the Palmetto Center for the Arts, two central utility plant expansions, parking lots for 2,500 cars and the Lago Vista lake. Most recently, the company also built the Prickly Pear parking garage for 750 additional cars.
Randy’s love for construction began in junior high when he enjoyed building and selling purple martin birdhouses. During his high school summers, he worked for Koltermann Construction Company where he landed his first professional job, even before he turned 18. Now in his leadership role at Bartlett Cocke, Randy has helped grow the company by more than 200 percent to become one of the largest general contractors in the state.
One aspect that has not been widely publicized is the company’s philanthropic effort. Bartlett Cocke supports many causes and focuses on funding student scholarships at UTSA, Texas State University, Texas A&M University - San Antonio/ College Station, and Trinity University.
Well known in the region for the past 56 years as a cutting-edge construction company with a successful record of safety, completion, cost savings and quality, Bartlett Cocke has earned the respect and trust of high profile clients in Texas including the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, the Lady Bird Johnson National Wildflower Center, and SeaWorld San Antonio.
In 2010, Randy Pawelek and his company created the Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Endowed Scholarship for NVC students who pursue construction as their career. At the Alamo Colleges, an endowed scholarship requires at least a $20,000 initial investment to produce interest that will then fund individual scholarships. “We enjoy setting up endowed scholarships,” Randy says, “because they support students long after we’re gone.”
Living by the Motto: Dream Big, Work Hard and Always Strive to Be Better Than Yesterday Northwest Vista College graduate Arantxa Loizaga is the network co-anchor for Univision News, a news division of Univision Communications, Inc., serving Hispanic America. Arantxa is co-anchor of the weekend evening newscast “Noticero Univision” which airs nationally. The 2007 NVC alumna earned an Associate of Arts degree with a concentration in Communications. She has since become an award-winning journalist who has interviewed the likes of U.S. President Barack Obama, former Mexican President Vicente Fox, and former San Antonio Mayor and current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. Arantxa recently held an exclusive one-on-one interview in San Antonio, Texas, with former U.S. Secretary of State and Senator, Hillary Clinton, to discuss the 2016 presidential campaign and the launch of “Latinos for Hillary.” Arantxa is a community college success story. At the age of 20, she moved to the United States from Mexico City with her mother and two sisters. She credits the writing and math labs at NVC with helping her succeed academically and professionally. “I spoke English, but was not fluent. The writing lab and the math lab helped me become successful so that I had the same opportunities as students who spoke English all of their lives.” Her journey of dedication and hard-work includes earning her bachelor’s degree in mass communication and public relations from Our Lady of the Lake University, while simultaneously working as a reporter and primetime co-anchor at San Antonio’s
Univision 41. She also co-hosted “Portada San Antonio,” the station’s local community affairs show. Arantxa has been recognized for the quality of work she produces. She won four Lone Star Emmy Awards from the Lone Star Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She also earned a Laurel Award from the Columbia Journalism Review. She says she lives by the motto: “Dream big, work hard and always strive to be better than yesterday.”
17
2007
2007
NVC broke ground on Juniper Hall and Redbud Learning Center buildings on Earth Day and pledged preservation alongside expansion.
The Quality Texas Foundation selected NVC as the recipient of the 2007 Texas Award for Performance Excellence.
Students that said they would recommend NVC to others:
% 96
2007
NVC became a national leader in developmental education and received the National Association for Developmental Education (NADE) recognition. At the time, NVC’s developmental math program was the only one in the nation to receive the NADE recognition at the Distinguished Level.
Fall Enrollment
11,961 surpassing the earlier projection of 11,500 by 2015
2008
NVC was recognized by the Community College Week as one of the Top 100 associate degree producers. The publication ranked NVC 10th in the nation among those colleges that saw the biggest increase in degrees between 2003 and 2007. This was based on data from the U.S. Department of Education Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, or IPEDS.
2009
NVC was recognized for exemplary practices in integrating academic and career advisement by the National Academic Advising Association, an organization that promotes quality academic advising in institutions of higher education.
NVC awards
827
associate degrees and certificates
2009
The NVC construction team successfully opened five new buildings - Redbud Learning Center, Juniper Hall, Live Oak, Cypress Campus Center and the Palmetto Center for the Arts. This added 319,947 square feet to the existing campus.
15,921
Fall Students
1,289
associate degrees and certificates awarded
Ted & Robin Terrazas established the Terrazas Family Scholarship for NVC students pursuing a business career.
Anthony “Ted” Terrazas, senior vice president of medical services for Chenega Corporation, has been named one of the nation’s most successful entrepreneurs by Hispanic Business magazine. In 2001, he founded TerraHealth, Inc., a defense contracting company that provides consulting, technology, and staff augmentation support for the federal government throughout the United States. In eight years, he grew the company from seven employees to more than 400, onefourth of them based in San Antonio. The company was ranked first in the nation among Hispanic Business magazine’s “100 FastestGrowing Companies.” Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, into a military family, Ted learned about business from his mother, who operated her own restaurant and purchased and revived restaurants. Ted knows the value of education, discipline and hard work. He was part of the ROTC program at Montana State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Political Science. He also earned a master’s degree in hospital administration from Chapman University in Orange, California.
After serving in the Air Force for 20 years, Ted launched and sold several different companies that helped to bring hundreds of jobs to San Antonio and the region. In his focus on building and growing the economy, Ted recognizes the importance of education and providing opportunities for success. In 2013, Ted and Robin Terrazas established the Terrazas Family Scholarship, a two-year scholarship for Northwest Vista College students pursuing a business career. That same year, Ted became the founding chair and completed the developmental groundwork to create the Northwest Vista College Business Council, whose focus is to create opportunities for success at NVC through collaboration, partnerships, mentorship, marketing and financial support. “Robin and I were and are impressed by the facility, staff and student population that Northwest Vista College has attracted,” said Ted. “Quality begets quality education.”
Finding Your Passion: Community College Creating Opportunities for Success Northwest Vista College 2014 Alumnus Trevor Chauvin doesn’t shy away from hard work. An accomplished professional actor, singer and dancer, Trevor recognizes and embraces the demands of the performing arts. Over the last 15 years, while attending school and holding a full-time job, Trevor performed in 55 roles in film, theater and musicals on every stage in San Antonio, including SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, The Playhouse, the Sheldon Vexler Theater and the Woodlawn Theater. Trevor has also directed 10 children’s plays and done voice-over work. “My degree from NVC has allowed me to work in a field of study I am passionate about,” said Trevor. “As Confucius said, ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’” That philosophy explains how Trevor maintains his enthusiasm and stamina as a full-time education and outreach coordinator for The Playhouse and a full-time college student. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the University of the Incarnate Word, where he maintains a straight “A” average. His work teaching arts to children and doing outreach to various schools and nonprofit programs requires working on evenings and weekends, something Trevor doesn’t mind since the job gives him the flexibility to attend daytime classes. Trevor’s long-term goal is to teach drama at the college or university level because that’s where he found his inspiration in life. “I was involved in a beautiful production of ‘Cabaret’ at Northwest Vista College a couple of years ago,” he shared. “That show changed my life and pulled things out of me I didn’t know I could give.”
Trevor went on to say, “The theater staff at NVC genuinely cared for me. They encouraged me to audition and be part of the theater community. They served as mentors and provided the guidance and inspiration to help me succeed.” After earning his Associate of Arts degree with a concentration in Drama from NVC in 2014, Trevor has become an advocate for the arts. He serves on the board of directors for the NVC Friends of the Arts (FANs). He says, “I am proud to represent The Playhouse on the NVC FANs board, and I think it’s important for members of the artistic community in San Antonio to realize what is going on at Vista.”
21
2011
2013
2012
In 2011, technology giant, San Antonio-based Rackspace, hired 15 students from NVC’s Cisco Networking program.
NVC’s Game Development & Computer program had 15 students who were among five finalist teams recognized in June as best student talent for creating their game “Time Glitch” at the Electronic Entertainment Expo College Game Competition.
Dr. Jackie Claunch retired as NVC President in August 2014, having achieved numerous college milestones. She was recognized and named as Administrator Emeritus of Northwest Vista College for her 16 years of dedicated service to NVC and Alamo Colleges.
NVC was recognized by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program for best practice in leadership and student focus.
Hispanic student population exceeds
50% (excluding dual-credit)
2014
3,000
131 %
students participated in the
NVC Dual Credit Program
from 2007-2008 to 2012-2013
2014
2015
Dr. Ric Neal Baser began as Northwest Vista College President in August 2014. He has over 34 years experience in higher education. Most recently, he was the Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Tulsa Community College.
2015
The Veterans’ Lounge & Resource Center opens in Pecan Hall. The center was dedicated to the memory of Mike Munoz, Sr., a Vietnam veteran awarded two Purple Hearts, and a longtime economics instructor at NVC. Record-breaking graduation numbers: 2,485 degrees and certificates awarded in the 20142015 academic year.
2014 Military Friendly SchoolsÂŽ Designation
5th
for consecutive year
17,606 students
Fall Enrollment
Including Flex II Courses
Northwest Vista College Administration Ric Baser, Ed.D. Amy Whitworth, Ph.D. Debi Gaitan, M.A. Erin Sherman, M.A. Patrick Fontenot, M.A. Jennifer Comedy-Holmes, M.A.
President Interim Vice President for Academic Services and Dean of Arts & Sciences Vice President for Student Success Vice President for College Services Dean of Workforce Education and Training Dean of Student Success Services
Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees Joe Alderete, Jr., Secretary Denver McClendon Anna Uriegas Bustamante, Chair Marcelo Casillas Roberto Zarate Gene Sprague, Ph.D. Yvonne Katz, Ph.D. Vice-Chair Clint Kingsbery, Assistant Secretary James Rindfuss Sami C. Adames
District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 District 8 District 9 Student Trustee
Bruce H. Leslie, Ph.D.
Alamo Colleges Chancellor
Accreditation Northwest Vista College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Northwest Vista College. (Normal inquiries about the institution, such as admission requirements, financial aid, education programs, etc., should be addressed directly to the college and not to the Commission’s office; the Commission is to be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support an institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.)
Affiliations Northwest Vista College is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges and the Education Advisory Board.
Northwest Vista College, one of the Alamo Colleges, opened in 1995 with 12 students. Currently, enrollment exceeds 17,000 students pursuing associate degrees, certificates and marketable skills achievement awards. Located in San Antonio, Texas, Northwest Vista College’s expanding agreements with business and higher education partners provide a wealth of opportunities for students and the community.
Credits President’s Report Advisory Team Ric Baser, Ed.D. Lynne Dean Shawn Harward Manny Martinez Lisa McDaniel Gerona Nylander Tiffany Rico Renata Serafin Paul Vallejo Content Writing and Editing Ric Baser, Ed.D. Lydia Beaver Manny Martinez Melissa Monroe-Young Renata Serafin Cover Layout Shawn Harward Layout, Design and Infographics Lisa McDaniel Photography Kemp Davis Liz Garza Williams Melissa Monroe-Young Ray Perez Renata Serafin Photo Coordinators Lynne Dean Melissa Monroe-Young Gerona Nylander Tiffany Rico Renata Serafin Project Leader Renata Serafin Research Lynne Dean Eliza Hernandez, Ph.D. Lisa McDaniel Melissa Monroe-Young Special Thanks Deb Morgan, Ph.D.