Category: Student Events

New Psychology Honor Society

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

Northwest Vista College has a newly created chapter of a Psi Beta Honor Society – a national honor society for psychology students.

On Thursday, April 16th, the charter members of this honor society were inducted in a candlelight ceremony which featured guest speaker – Don “Dr. Don” Lucas, Ph.D, professor of Psychology and coordinator of NVC’s Psychology department. Inductees were presented with certificates, pins, and honor cords to be worn at graduation.

Jennifer Fox and Cynthia Jacox are the faculty advisors for this new organization which recognizes the academic achievements of NVC psychology majors.

New Psychology Honor Society

NVC Sports Teams Sustain Winning Streak

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

NVC Sports Teams 2014

Go Wildcats! The NVC sports teams – women’s and men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and the cross country team have ended the fall semester on a high note.

The current team rankings to end the fall semester are:

  • The men’s basketball team are undefeated at 7-0
  • The women’s basketball team are 6-1
  • The women’s volleyball team are 6-2
  • Ten members of the Co-ed cross country team competed in the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon on Dec. 6.

Support your Wildcat Sport teams at their next 2015 spring semester home games.

  • Men’s basketball, Jan. 28,  Our Lady of the Lake Univ @ 8pm
  • Women’s basketball, Jan 28, Palo Alto College @ 6pm
  • Women’s volleyball, Feb 12, Univ. of Incarnate Word @ 7pm

Tryouts are open for the women’s basketball team starting Monday, Dec. 15 to Thursday, Dec. 18 at 4:30 p.m. You must have taken 9 credit hours and have a 2.5 GPA and available for practice on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 4:30 p.m. Games are typically on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Coach Daniel Johnson at 486-4003 or [email protected]

To learn more about the sports teams, visit http://www.alamo.edu/nvc/current-students/sports/Wildcats/

Tough as Stone

Posted on by NVC PR

By Brian Carlisle

Imagine you’re at the pinnacle of your career. Whether it be a writer, professional athlete, teacher or musician it doesn’t matter, you’re living your dream and you’re at your peak.

Then one day something happens and you’re injured to the extent that you can no longer live out your dream. To make it worse someone intentionally did this to you to better themselves. How would you recover? Would you sulk and blame the world or would you be strong and overcome? 

This is what happened to semi-professional Ugandan soccer player, Stone Kyambadde, whose knee was injured intentionally by another player during a match. This ended Stone’s career at its peak.

But as if he were the star in an underdog sports movie, Kyambadde was down but not out. Instead of slipping into depression and self-loathing, Kyambadde found a way to bring together the needy and abandoned youth of Kampala and established a soccer team called the wolves in 1989 that he continues to coach to this day. The boys he mentors are often from rival communities.

The nation of Uganda is war torn by these rivaling factions, but Kyambadde has found a common interest for the boys through soccer and brings them together to teach them love and forgiveness.

Students and the public will have a chance to hear Kyambadde’s message of forgiveness during his visit to Northwest Vista College on April 28 and 29.

“We hear stories like this from around the world that don’t seem real to us but they are and with Kyambadde we get to experience what he lived through,” said Valarie Fluellen, the Intern Organizational Learning Coordinator at NVC and the person responsible for Kyambadde’s visit.

Kyambadde’s story inspired Stephen Covey to include it in his “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” workshop. Kyambadde is a speaker of Habit 1- Be Proactive, in the “7 Habits” and travels internationally to speak at conferences, colleges and various groups. Habit 1 teaches to be proactive, or to assess the situation and develop a positive response not just reacting to events. 

On April 28-29, Kyambadde will be visiting NVC to meet with students, faculty and staff about his approach to leadership. He will spend time on April 29th with NVC’s fourteen Leadership Lab participants to help strengthen leadership skills in the area of deployment and execution of plans, both locally and globally. The public may attend Kyambadde’s lecture from 11:00am -12:00pm and he will engage in dialogue in the form of questions and answers from 12:00pm– 12:30pm.

Brian Carlisle is a Northwest Vista College student.

NVC’s Dance Ensemble Takes Show on the Road

Posted on by NVC PR

By Graciana Rodriguez

The Repertory Dance Ensemble is preparing to take the show on the road for all to experience. Students are preparing a touring schedule that includes three venues around San Antonio plus one on- campus performance.

Being a part of NVC’s touring repertory dance ensemble, students create and stage innovative and fun dances with faculty and guest artists, and experience a variety of dance styles, performing in theatres, schools and community centers throughout San Antonio, plus they earn transferable college credit in repertory and performance dance.

Guest choreographer Ruben Ornelis from New York City composes Folklorico dances adding his own spice to the act. Beatriz Ayi from Uganda choreographs Temperance and African dances from her native land. This diversity adds to the program’s success.

“It’s a diversity of dance languages,” says program director Jayne King. Before coming to NVC, King owned her own studio in California and now teaches fulltime at NVC.

On March 29 the group will be at Jumpstart Theatre. In April they will perform at Kriewald Road Elementary School and Southwest High School. The last scheduled event will be at NVC on May 6 at the Cypress Campus Center patio. Participating in the event will be local senior citizens who will join in a variety of activities, including student dancing, workshops, and judging.

Graciana Rodriguez is a Northwest Vista College student.

Diversity Conversation This Friday

Posted on by NVC PR

by Brianna Luna

Diversity Conversation is an open seminar for NVC students. Dr. Jackie Claunch, president of Northwest Vista College will be attending the March 11 campus event. NVC students have a special opportunity to have a professional conversation with the president, and their peers about how to improve diverse communities.

Diversity is a broad term that can mean a variety of things, but the fun of this seminar is that students have the freedom to talk about anything. They might want to discuss opportunities to improve students’ lives and how to make a difference in the NVC community.  

 “Diversity Conversation is an open, new technology to create latitude for people to find their passion and communicate with the president, the dean and students,” said Sabrina Carey, event coordinator for Northwest Vista College.

 This seminar will allow students to think outside the box on diversity topics, and may even help build leadership skills.

“The idea is to be uncensored AND professional,” Carey said.

After the event, Dr. Claunch and the diversity team will review all the diversity topics with an eye to develop solutions.

This event can help students to be more involved in the NVC community and make a difference in themselves and fellow students. Join us Friday March 11 from 9:00am-12:30pm in the Cypress Campus Center Lago Vista room 121-122.

Brianna Luna is a Northwest Vista College Student  

Student Ambassadors Get Leadership Experience

Posted on by NVC PR

by Alexia Hall

When NVC’s Student Leadership and Activities Coordinator  Darryl Nettles  was asked to make-over the student ambassador program at NVC  6 years ago, he had a quite a task.

The program was small and hadn’t made much progress in comparison to similar programs in other educational organizations. Today, the program has grown to 21 ambassadors.

“We had so many good applicants, so many good people,” Nettles said. “We were originally funded for only 15 ambassadors, but we made room.”

It might be NVC’s best kept secret. Ambassadors volunteer their time for a chance to represent the school in a variety of ways; they may be asked to give campus tours, serve on committees, organize a school function, or even usher at a Wildcats game.

All in all, ambassadors must put in 48 hours of service by the end of the year. That averages out to 3 hours per week. Ambassadors who complete their service receive a $500 dollar scholarship for the year, $250 for each semester.

But Nettles insists that’s not why most ambassadors give their time.

 “I’m amazed at the amount of time some of our student ambassadors put in. I mean, you’re talking about students who have a family, work full time, and go to school full time, yet they love the program and NVC so much, that they put in the extra time. They tell me they’re not doing it for the money.”

“The program has so much intrinsic value,” Nettles says, “Students have networking opportunities, and they develop marketing and leadership skills they might not otherwise get.”

Nettles stated that his staff is looking for a variety of students. “We’re looking for enthusiastic people, not necessarily stellar students who have a 4.0 GPA. We’re also looking for those students who we can help to grow through this opportunity.”

Applications for next year’s ambassadors start April 1. Interested students should apply at the Cypress Center RM 126. The deadline for applications is April 19.

Alexia Hall is a student at Northwest Vista College

NVC’s Got Talent Debuts Next Week

Posted on by NVC PR

By Ashley Ramos

The 3rd Annual Northwest Vista College’s Got Talent show is getting closer as production is under way for the big night on March 11 in the Palmetto Center of the Arts Theater.

The talent show is being hosted by The Cat Crew Programming Board, a group of students who put together entertaining programs on campus and will be hosted by Comedian BT. Performances will range from singing and dancing to reciting poetry and even band performances. Granted to the winners will be a $1000 scholarship to first place, $750 to second place, and $500 to third place.  

Scholarship money is the focus for at least one contestant, Alex Cavazos.

“I saw a flyer and saw that scholarships were going to be given to winners,” said Cavazos, the drummer from the Indies band Tokyo Nights, “I thought let me use my talents, I’m a drummer. I pay for school out of pocket with a little help from Financial Aid, but I could still use this scholarship.”

He and lead guitarist Justin Campbell; lead vocalist Vanessa Hernandez, and bass player Bob Flores composed an original song in just 1 night to perform at the show in hopes of becoming a contestant. And they succeeded. 

Other contestants are joining simply for the entertainment. Kevin Kyle Laurente, last year’s NVC’s Got Talent first place winner, knows what to expect.

“A variety of talented individuals, including Allison Valdivia and Cassandra Woodbum are both amazing people, and gifted in their own way,” said Laurente. This year Laurente will attempt to top his first place winning performance by partnering with Adam Blanco for a hip-hop inspired dance piece.

Kelly Blanco, Assistant Coordinator of Student Leadership and Activities, estimates that the Palmetto Theater will be full with around 400 people attending, similar to last year’s talent show. So whether you go to the NVC’s Got Talent show to perform or to have a fun night out, Blanco guarantees that you will be entertained.

“The talent we have here at Vista is amazing,” said Blanco.

Friday, March 11, Palmetto Center of the Arts Theater at 6 PM, don’t miss it.

Ashley Ramos is a Northwest Vista College student.