Category: Student Events

NVC Black History Month Resources

Posted on by NVC Voice

 

  • NVC Black History Month Zoom Backgrounds: Go here.

  • NVC: Black History Month – Jeopardy –  Feb. 18

    • Test your knowledge of Black history for a chance to win! Registration required prior to the event. Teams can participate for a chance to win $200-$500. There will be 6 teams max which will consist of 2 students. Study guides will be provided to all contestants before the event, so be sure to study! Limited spots available, so register your team ASAP! Sign up via AlamoExperience. 

  • NVC: The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia – Feb. 24 from 11 am to 12:45 pm

    • Everyone is welcome to hear a talk about “The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia”, which features and extensive collection of racist objects that trace the history of the stereotyping of African Americans. He will take us on a tour of the museum from Aunt Jemima advertisements to the board game Ghettopoly, which is weaved into American popular culture. Sign up via AlamoExperience. 

  • NVC: Diversity Studies Collection at NVC Library Online. Go here to see the link.

  • More Alamo Colleges Black History Month events can be found here

 

Not Enough to be Non-Racist, WE must be Anti-Racist

Posted on by NVC Voice

On May 26, 2020, In the midst of a global pandemic, Americans all over the nation swarmed the streets in protest following the death of George Floyd by a Minneaopolis police officer.

Protests lasted weeks and resulted in civil unrest across the country. Americans were divided by those who support Black Lives Matter and those who support the police. Black Lives Matter is a renowned movement created to advocate for lives lost by police brutality. Since 2014, about 1,300 Black men and women have been murdered by police officers (Washington Post, 2020). The fight for justice and equality is often mistaken as an equal fight between two peoples, the police and African-Americans. This is not the case at all. Americans are working together to dismantle a racist system. Police brutality against African Americans has been prominent in this country for centuries. Although this movement has received outpouring support, not much has been reformed or changed. This further proves the words said once by civil rights activist and professor Angela Davis, “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist”.

Author and Historian, Dr. Ibram Kendi wrote a book titled, “How to be an Antiracist”. This book showcases the trials and tribulations of bettering yourself to be completely and wholeheartedly anti-racist. Dr. Kendi has published academic journals, written many books on racism and justice and has recently been a part of research at Boston University on how to be anti-racist. Dr. Kendi will be speaking at Northwest Vista College via Zoom on Nov. 4. For more info and to register, visit this link https://www.alamo.edu/nvc/kendi2020.

I think this event would be a great way for students and faculty to be a part of a conversation about the political inertia currently surrounding us. Personally, I enjoy learning more and I am so glad this event will be hosted by an African-American man. It is important for us to listen and learn during these times. This event will be open to the community and free for everyone to join! Once again, visit this link for more information https://www.alamo.edu/nvc/kendi2020.

By NVC Student Haneen Rafati

New Semester Tips

Posted on by NVC PR

When beginning a new semester, it’s important to establish a positive mindset. Although it may be dreadful and really stressful, it’s crucial to lay down the basis of wanting to learn and succeed.

I enjoy looking at the bright side of things. For example, school gets me back into a specific routine and makes me feel like I have my life together. It allows me to stay organized and keeps me busy so that way I prioritize important things.

At the beginning of each semester when I’m feeling down, I like to remind myself how much of a privilege education is because so many others don’t get the same opportunity. I included some tips below that may help when starting a new semester.

  • Stay organized- I like using my “reminders” app to remember assignments/exam dates etc. It’s so much easier and convenient to store things on your phone.
  • Set goals- All goals are valid, no matter how big or little. Make sure to set a few, it helps keep me grounded and focused.
  • Give yourself time- I know it’s really difficult not to procrastinate but school feels like a breath of fresh air when you don’t pile up a bunch of assignments before the due date. I like giving myself 3 days before the due date, not too soon or too late, it’s more like a meeting in the middle.

By NVC Student Haneen Rafati

Northwest Vista Singers Snag Wins at South Texas Competition

Posted on by NVC PR
National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) South Texas Chapter Spring Audition was very successful for Northwest Vista College on April 6 at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi.

Ten singers from Northwest Vista College competed against singers from colleges and universities in our chapter. NVC was recognized with four finalists and one semi-finalist:

  • Hector Tobar and Luis Gonzalez in Second Year College Men (Classical Division)
  • Lorena Del Angel and Ana Delaney in Upper College Musical Theater Women, and
  • Natalia Jasso in First Year College Women (Classical Division) as a semi-finalist.

NVC Instructor Dr. Minkyung Lee said “I am very thrilled to share this wonderful news with Northwest Vista College, and it’s such a great honor to be recognized myself as a teacher for these outstanding singers. I am so proud of all their hard work and amazing attitudes to support each other and special bonding to be proud of singers who represented Northwest Vista College.”Congratulations to all winners and participants:

  • Luis Gonzalez – 1st Place in Second Year College Men (Classical Division)
  • Ana Delaney – 1st Place in Upper College Musical Theater Women
  • Hector Tobar – 3rd Place in Second Year College Men (Classical Division)
  • Lorena Del Angel – 3rd Place in Upper College Musical Theater Women
  • Natalia Jasso – Semi-finalist in First Year College Women (Classical Division)
  • Serena Hernandez, Thalia Moreno, Kristin DeGennaro, Ashley Rodriguez, Elizabeth Potts were also recognized with high scores and only a few points away from being semi-finalists.
Dr. Lee added that “this incredibly fine day of singing couldn’t have happen without the following supporters: Special thanks to our amazing pianist, Bogum Park from the University of Texas at Austin for her fabulous performance on the piano to add artistic touchups for beautiful performances with the NVC singers. Also, we are very thankful to NVC Music Coordinator, Daniel Smith and Chair of FAPK, Karla Ellis, for a great deal of support and encouragement during this audition preparation.

NVC Psychology Students Present Original Research in New Mexico

Posted on by NVC PR

More than a dozen current and former Northwest Vista College psychology students, along with NVC psychology faculty, Anna-Marie Evans, Jen Fox, and Don Lucas attended the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) from April 5-7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Established in 1953, SWPA represents American Psychological Association members living in Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. SWPA promotes and strengthens psychology’s scientific, professional and educational facets.

In addition to attending workshops, invited talks, research symposia, poster sessions, and research paper sessions — several students presented their original research to standing-room-only audiences!

Kiana Kelley, Diane Goguen, Tailar Matthews, and Kristelle Cefre presented their research titled, “Dispelling Sexual Myths with Higher and Virtual Education.”

Areayla Jeanpierre, Valerie Ortiz, and Marin McDaniel presented their research titled, “What is Your Sex IQ?”

Maimoona Palwala, Chris Lowell, and Kristina Martinez presented their research titled, “Sexual Language is implicitly More Offensive to Females than Males.”

Ethan Berry, Christian Salazar, Jacqueline Tucker, and Jacqueline Dominguez presented their research titled, “Does Childhood Adversity Affect Overall Well-Being?”

Summaries of their research can be found at:

https://www.xcdsystem.com/swpsych/program/hZV1oUP/index.cfm

Additionally, during the SWPA award ceremonies, Ethan Berry received national recognition from the American Psychological Association and was awarded for his services in the Northwest Vista College chapter of Psi Beta.

Several students have on-going research projects they plan to present at next year’s annual meet of the SWPA, which will be in Frisco, Texas.

 

Vista Students Aim to Collect Most Items for Food Drive

Posted on by NVC PR

Northwest Vista College nutrition students are hosting a food drive on campus. Jo Ann Gonzalez’s students are working on a service project with the Guadalupe Community Center and the students chose to also participate in the 40 Cans for Lent Food Drive.

Last year, the class collected 550 pounds of food which was the second most food collected among local universities such as UTSA, OLLU, St. Mary’s (1st), and UIW. Gonzalez, NVC assistant professor of Biology, said she’s hoping the campus community can spread the word and make donations. She has a bin in her office in Live Oak, 306Q and will also have one set up at the NVC Science Festival on April 2-3.

  • 11.8% (15 million) of US households were food insecure during 2017.  (Source: Economic Research Service/USDA data)
  • Texas is ranked 2nd in the nation for food insecurity (Source: San Antonio Food Bank)
  • The cost of a meal is $2.46 however SNAP benefits cover $1.27 (48.4% not covered). (Source: https://www.feedingtexas.org/zip/78207/)
  • Many food insecure households are considered the  “working poor” in which at least one adult works, but after monthly expenses are paid there is little money left to feed everyone in the family adequately. According to the San Antonio Food Bank, 46% of their clients work.

Let Your Advisor Help with Bumps in the Road

Posted on by NVC PR

Going back to school was one of the smartest decisions I’ve made as an adult. These days, there aren’t many well-paying jobs out there that do not require a degree or specialized training of some sort.

However, life tends to throw curve balls at our plans for a better life. Not to deter us from our path but to prove to us how much gumption we have to achieve our goals; even if that means taking a break again.

This semester, life threw one of its curve balls at me. I found out towards the beginning of the fall semester that I was pregnant. Even with a rocky beginning to this pregnancy, and some professors who gave me more than enough leniency than I imagined, I persevered through.  Now, I have an even bigger decision on my hands. I already have two older children and now I’m adding a third into the mix. Did I want to add school work on top of learning how to adjust to life with two kids and a newborn? Would I have the time I needed to devote to school? I have so many questions flowing through my head and absolutely no answers. So where does that leave me?

I made an appointment with my advisor to go over the logistics of taking a break from school, but the one question was, how long of a break I needed to take is a question only I can answer. I know I won’t lose my credits I’ve earned or the grades I’ve received but I’m afraid I might lose some of the gumption I have to complete school. For now, I plan on only taking two semesters off to give me time to adjust to the new direction life is taking me and I feel like that is enough. I’m just hoping that when the time comes to re-enroll, I won’t have anymore curve balls thrown my way for a while!

As with any concerns about school, go talk to your advisor or any of the ones available. They’ve seen and heard just about every situation and know how to help you fit school around the bumps in the road.

By NVC Student Jessica Longoria

Health Professionals Inspire NVC Students

Posted on by NVC PR

Congrats to Northwest Vista College’s student club, Pre Health Delegation (PHD), of NVC’s Health & Biosciences Institute. Over 150 students attended a recent panel discussion, hosted by PHD, featuring health and science professionals who provided information on their own paths, careers, answered questions and served to inspire other students.

The panel professionals were:

  • Pharmacist- Michael James, Pharm D R.Ph.- Feik School of Pharmacy – former NVC alumnus
  • Doctor- Brian Parker, MD, MS- Assistant Clinical Professor, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
  • Flight nurse – Charles Robbins – RN/EMT-P Program Director, Air Evac 48 – former NVC alumnus
  • Scientific Researcher-  Adam Salmon, PhD- Assistant Prof, Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
  • Physician’s Assistant- Caroline M. Sipili, MPAS, PA-C Physician Assistant, Medicine-Hematology/Oncology UT Health San Antonio, MD Anderson – former NVC alumnus
  • Occupational Therapist/EMT- Brad Zirkel US Army Reserves Major, OT, EMT-B

Students asked questions and interacted with the speakers. Many students said that the panel was inspiring and important for student’s future in science and health due to the information given. Samantha (Sam) Williams, PHD’s vice president, had put together the panel and hosted the event. John Pinion, PHD’s president, had originally came up with the idea. NVC’s Health Institute funded the snacks.

Interested students are welcome to submit their applications to the PHD Club through Orgsync. Applications will be available beginning next week.

 

Students Make the World a Better Place

Posted on by NVC PR

Northwest Vista student Adam Ramirez is working to make the world abetter for cancer patients.

Ramirez, an LVN and part-time student at Northwest Vista, got together with fellow classmates Katrina Lopez, Tanner Greven and Genesis Ramiro on a project aimed at making the world a better place. The group has been tasked by NVC Professor Dr. Don Lucas with creating and executing a project that will essentially make people happy.

Lucas, is hoping to take students outside of the classroom and into the communities. “The Create The World a Better Place” assignment is all about giving students opportunities to define what the “world” is and then change that world in a fashion that makes it better,” Dr. Don said.

Dr. Don’s assignment presented Ramirez with an opportunity to realize something he had already been thinking about.

“My group and I decided we wanted to celebrate the strength of people going through cancer therapy, and this assignment was the perfect opportunity to do just that,” Adam said.

Adam and his group decided to provide an opportunity for cancer patients to receive a complete makeover. From hair and makeup, to manicures and pedicures, participants will have a chance to feel beautiful for a day.

For Adam, this project hit particularly close to home since his wife had recently been fighting brain cancer.

“After she had brain surgery she went through chemo and radiation and she lost a lot of hair. From the chemo, she also got a lot of acne and gained a lot of weight,” Adam added. “Having a friend come by and style her hair and makeup made her feel good about herself.”

He was surprised to see how just a little bit of extra attention gave her the hope and confidence she needed to continue battling the disease.

“I figured maybe we can do this as part of the school project and have it at Northwest Vista,” Adam added. “We could get others involved and make it a collaborative initiative with the schools.”

Palo Alto College agreed to do the makeup and hair of participants.

Adam welcomes the unconventional lesson, pointing out we live in a world where most of our connections are via social media.

“What is important for college students is not just to come to college and get lectured, but to come with the intent of actually using what we learned to go out and help people,” Adam added. “In today’s society, where we live in a world disconnected because of technology, we still really need that personal connection with people.”

That concept is exactly what Dr. Don was aiming to teach his students.

“Most classes have students talking about changes,” said Lucas, “my class requires students to actually make the change. And what is the ‘change?'” My students get to define that too,” he added.

“Even after teaching for nearly 30 years, it is still amazing to me—what students will do—when given the opportunity—and encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity—to learn,” he added. “It is something that I really wanted to do and I couldn’t think of a better place than at Northwest Vista.”

The makeovers will take place on Nov, 16 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Pecan Hall conference room. Those interested may RSVP starting now, until Wednesday, November 14th at 11:59pm. Please copy and paste the following RSVP link to your browser and sign up for your FREE MAKEOVER:
https://abeautifullystrong.wixsite.com/strong/event-info/a-beautifully-strong-day/form

 

 

 

 

NVC Students Travel to Morocco for Researching and Learning Culture

Posted on by NVC PR

Northwest Vista College students ventured over 5,500 miles from San Antonio to the historic region of Zawiya Ahansal in North Africa last May for NVC’s first Adventure Science experiential learning project.

The first leg of their trip landed them in the city of Marrakech in Morocco. Professor Scott Walker of Geography, and Adam Aguirre of Anthropology then led the six students on a five-hour trip to Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains for field work, trekking, community service, and an incredible cultural immersion experience. This area is relatively isolated from the rest of Morocco due to its unique geography.

NVC student, Farhana Khan said, those “two weeks in Morocco were not an average study abroad program…our learning took place at the airport, on bumpy roads, around campsites, and in the river—literally.”

Students, who were enrolled in Physical Geography (GEOG 1301) for the journey, learned how to measure the water flow and discharge of the local river that is used to irrigate subsistence crops by the people of Amazigh, a village in the Morocco mountains. The Taghia River was a crisp 49° F according to their measurements taken while standing knee deep in the water.

Two of the students, Farhana Khan and Marcella Palaferri, with the help of Professor Walker, leveraged the river data into a community service project. They spent the rest of the summer back home crunching numbers to develop a professional 24-page hydrology report they have given to the Atlas Cultural Foundation in Zawiya Ahansal, a region of the mountains that encompasses several villages. This is only the second study of the Taghia watershed ever conducted due to its remote mountain location. The students determined this year’s water flow was up to 542 times more than that found in a previous 2016 study by a professional hydrologist.

Link to report https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xLnOFY4EmaAkSBu63XhMzyddUMnc5tiA/view?usp=sharing

“The project our team completed was an excellent opportunity to understand how important the river systems are for this region,” said student Marcella Palaferri. “It is truly the lifeblood for subsistence farming practiced by the people. The information in our report will be extremely helpful for them for future comparative studies.”

Marcella, Farhana, and Scott will be presenting the results of their work at the 2018 Southwestern Association of American Geographer’s meeting in Baton Rouge, LA next month.

In addition to getting wet and dirty, students conducted interviews of local residents for their Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 2351) class. Each student covered a particular cultural aspect of the community such as religion, the local monetary exchange system, or kinship.

“We were humbled by the simple and family oriented life of the Berbers [Amazigh people] and questioned our rat race for more material goods.,” said Farhana.

Marcella added we “were completely immersed in to the culture for the entire 15-day period.”

The students also worked in two rural schools teaching English to middle and high school-aged students who speak French, Arabic, and Tamazigh. The program’s mountain guides doubled as Arabic and Tamazigh language instructors, teaching NVC students basic survival phrases such as “mashi moshkil” (no problem) and “la la bzaf” (no that costs too much), among other things like how to count to ten. Scott is working with the Atlas Cultural Foundation to plan another adventure science field study project in 2020.

Contributed by NVC Geography Professor Scott L. Waker, ScEdD.