For many students, stepping onto a college campus is like entering a foreign country without a passport. Students can feel anxious about navigating the bureaucratic labyrinth. However, at San Antonio College (SAC) we have elevated our focus to encourage a welcoming culture for students from all walks of life. More than a mission, my passion is to ensure every student has unwavering support to pursue and complete an educational goal.  
An urban college located just north of downtown, San Antonio College prides itself in serving a diverse population of about 20,000 students each semester. The ethnic breakdown mirrors the city’s overall stats with nearly 60 percent of the student population being Hispanic. San Antonio College is also home to some 3,000 veterans and active duty military—the largest student veteran population in the region. 
Since becoming president in 2014, San Antonio College has launched a number of key student success initiatives and opened several new centers. As well, SAC continues to develop high-impact tutoring opportunities and has fully implemented the Alamo Institutes pathways model, which guides students into six institutes. 
Tracking data trends and seeking to address opportunities for improvement, we have been able to better tell SAC’s story. As a result of recent efforts, SAC has amassed multiple national, state and local recognitions for student and academic success. 
Still, like many community college students around the country, SAC students are seeking more than just a place to take classes. They want to feel a deeper connection to the institution. They want the full college experience. And they want to feel that they are home, and part of the family. 
 

A City on the Rise 

For many years, San Antonio College was the only public higher education institution in the city. Today, our growing city is home to five community colleges—including San Antonio College—that make up the Alamo Colleges District as well as two major public universities. 
The remnants of the previous era still exist, however. If you walk into any gathering throughout the city and ask the crowd ‘who attended SAC,’ it is likely you will be greeted with a wave of raised hands. 
As of 2016, San Antonio’s population was nearing 1.5 million people. However, the city still has the heart of a small town, a sentiment echoed by the College. 
To many, San Antonio College is a trusted mainstay and continues to serve as an educational incubator. With small class sizes, and a low faculty-to-student ratio, SAC is a first-choice for many first-time-in-college and returning students.   

Creating a Home for All 

While San Antonio is considered to be a ‘city on the rise,’ it is still one of the most economically segregated cities in the country. Located in an urban environment near the city’s core, San Antonio College serves one of the most impoverished zip codes in the district’s service area.   
To address a growing concern, San Antonio College opened the Student Advocacy Center, a dedicated space on campus focused on providing students access to resources, including social services, food stamps, housing vouchers, a food pantry and closet. 
The need for the Center became evident when two faculty members shared some alarming research. On average, 44 percent of SAC students are housing insecure, 42 percent are food insecure and 11 percent have experienced homelessness. How can our students possibly be successful if they don’t have basic needs like food, clothing and housing? The answer is simple, they can’t. 
Since opening about a year ago, the Student Advocacy Center is thriving. Each week, the Center serves hundreds of students with The Store, a food pantry and clothing closet, access to myriad social services, and assistance from social work interns. 
For many students, the Student Advocacy Center has become a lifesaver—and has helped them stay on path to completing their educational goal.  
 

A New Center for Military City 

The community has also taken note of SAC’s quest to provide a welcoming environment for its students—especially the veterans who account for about 15 percent of SAC’s total enrollment. 
On a tour of campus, Texas State Senator for District 26 José Menéndez witnessed how the SAC Veterans Affairs department was in need of additional space. By advocating at the state level, Senator Menéndez was able to secure a $7.6 million state appropriation to construct the SAC Victory Center. 
Envisioned as a one-stop-shop, the SAC Victory Center facility will provide targeted services for veterans and military personnel attending San Antonio College. Equipped with advisors, training rooms, and specialized programming, the Victory Center has been imagined to become a welcoming, calm and helpful hub for the students who have sacrificed so much for our country. 
In 2018, SAC will proudly open the Victory Center—cementing it as a home for SAC’s 3,000 veteran and active duty military students. The center will also provide outreach to the community at-large. 

A Journey of Excellence 

San Antonio College is on a journey of excellence and continues to receive recognitions that elevate the College on the state and national stage. 
Recently, the Quality Texas Foundation recognized San Antonio College for demonstrating strong dedication to quality and high performance. As well, SAC was selected by the Aspen Institute as one of the top 150 institutions in the nation for community college excellence. Furthermore, San Antonio College was reaffirmed, without recommendations, through June 2026 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). 
Also in 2017, SAC was recognized by Community for Accredited Online Schools for Best Online Schools in Texas, Best Online Associates Degree, Best Online Associates in Criminal Justice Degree, and Best Online English Degrees; and SAC’s own Travis Early College High School earned the prestigious National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence designation by the U.S. Department of Education citing Travis as one of the nation’s high-performing high schools. 
No award, however, can compare to the fact that San Antonio College reached an institutional record for awarding 5,531 degrees and certificates throughout the 2016-2017 academic year. 
All of this success, or what we refer to as “SAC Brags,” can be easily attributed to the amazing faculty and staff who are dedicated to creating a welcoming and nurturing home for our eager, talented and determined student body. •

President of San Antonio College, Dr. Robert Vela is also President-Elect of the National Community College Hispanic Council (NCCHC) and serves on the Board of the San Antonio Education Partnership (SAEP.)