Category: Student Issues

NVC Scholarships & Undergrad Research Projects in Nano Program

Posted on by NVC Voice

The NanoEngineering program at NVC will be offering undergraduate research projects and workshops in fall 2021. The students who are enrolled in the Nano program and/or are taking nanotechnology courses can participate in these workshops and will receive a stipend up to $1,800. Students will be trained on using microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, biomedical engineering projects, and nano-electronics.

This is a great learning opportunity and also helps students financially. If there are open slots, other NVC STEM students may be considered. To receive the stipend, students must successfully complete and participate in the workshop. 

Space is limited so if you’re interested in these workshops, please email Dr. Neda Habibi, coordinator of NanoEngineering program at [email protected].

 

NVC Grad Among Elite Group of Barry Goldwater Scholars

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Congratulations to former Northwest Vista College graduate Adam Hooker for being in an elite class to be named a Barry Goldwater Scholar.

According to a story in UTSA Today: Adam is one of only four UTSA students out of 409 national recipients to receive the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which is the most prestigious national scholarship awarded to undergraduate students engaging in research in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. Many of the Scholars, including Adam, have published their research in leading professional journals and have presented their work at professional society conferences.

UTSA Today noted Hooker is the first electrical engineering student to win the Goldwater Scholar award at UTSA. He is also the first transfer student from UTSA to win the award. Last year, the Goldwater Foundation increased accessibility for the scholarship, allowing universities to nominate a fifth student, as long as they transferred from a two-year or four-year institution.

While at NVC, he earned two associate degrees. In 2014, he received an Associate of Art (Business Administration and Management), and in 2018 he earned an Associate of Science (Pre-Engineering). Adam said he hopes his achievements will motivate others at NVC that there are many opportunities open to them.

“Through the elite quality of instruction I received from all of my professors at Northwest Vista College, I have the tools to succeed in my field. As I am finishing my undergraduate studies and am beginning the transition into the workforce and my graduate program, I am given reassurance by the skills I developed during my early coursework,” Adam said. “I am incredibly thankful for all the resources that were made available to me during my time at Alamo Colleges and in particular by the Math department of Northwest Vista.”

At NVC, Adam participated in Alamo College’s CIMA-LSAMP (for STEM students) program and has since worked as an electrical engineering intern with Southwest Research Institute and Allosense. Recently, he was hired by NASA – Armstrong Flight Research Center for a 2021 summer internship.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

 

NVC Music, Pharmacy and Psychology Students Making Waves

Posted on by NVC Voice

Congratulations to several Northwest Vista College students for their achievements.

NVC Music Students

NVC singers recently participated in the 2021 South Texas NATS Chapter Auditions. Dylan Ramirez took home the First Place in Lower College Musical Theater and Elizabeth Potts received Second Place in Upper College Musical Theater.

“What a fantastic accomplishment! I am so proud of their unlimited effort, putting in extra hours of rehearsing and showing incredible patience in recording their videos and reviewing with me. Again, Congratulations!” said Dr. Minkyung Lee, NVC Assistant Professor of Voice/Director of Choral Activities.

Pharmacy Scholarship

Jessica Remmers was recently selected as a Pharmacy Technician Certification Scholar. Jessica is one of only 30 students to receive Phi Theta Kappa’s Fall Walgreens Pharmacy Technician Certification Scholarship! NVC’s

Dr. Lisa McGoldrick is the advisor for the NVC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, which is an honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders.

NVC Psychology Graduates Present Original Research at Psychology Conference

Two Northwest Vista College psychology graduates led presentations of their research at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) on April 11.

Kristelle Cefre, who recently graduated with a psychology degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio, presented a research talk titled, “Science-Based Higher and Virtual Education Decreases Sexual Prejudices and Discrimination,” and Madison Stout, a junior at UTSA, majoring in psychology, presented a talk titled, “Biological Sex and Sexual Orientation Affect Sexual Consent.”  Other researchers contributing to these studies, include NVC psychology graduates Diane Goguen, Ashley Richardson, and Ashley Schultz, as well as NVC psychology professor Dr. Don Lucas.

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.

Click for virtual versions of Kristelle’s and Maddie’s presentations.

Get Connected With Your Peers

Posted on by NVC Voice

As a sophomore at NVC, I have experienced a good amount of college life. It has been a drastically different experience than it was in high school for me, whether it be from the way classes are set up or the overall difficulty.

Through these two years and change, I have realized that there’s a great importance when it comes to your community at college. If I could give myself one piece of advice when I first started at NVC, it would be to make friends and get acquainted with your peers.

Now, that is a lot coming from an introvert. As someone who finds it rather difficult to talk to new people and make friends, that would definitely be the advice I would give myself and anyone else in college. My first semester was rough just because I had trouble fitting into the classroom and the debates. I found myself shying away from discussions and groups because I had no idea who anyone was.

But trust me, it is well worth making friends when you can. First of all, you won’t have that weird awkwardness of walking into class and feeling like everyone else is involved except for you. Even just one friend to sit beside and talk to makes the day go by a lot better! And there is a lot more than just the classroom chatter, but help on assignments when you are in a bit of a pinch. I cannot tell you how many times I have been stuck on that one question, or missed a day due to hospital visits or unexpected situations, only to be saved by that friend I made. No more scrambling around for what we did the day you were missing when you can just ask your newly made friend!

Also, making connections is extremely important when it comes to what you want to do later on in life and getting a job. Say you are looking for something related to photography but you are having trouble how to start or get involved. Remember that student in your photography class who already had experience and works for a small business? Talk to them and ask them questions and maybe they might even be able to get you set up somewhere!

College is meant to be a fun experience to pursue what career you would like to do, and get in touch with your community. You are not alone in the struggle that is school and picking out your major to decide what you want. Everyone else around you is in the same boat, trying to figure out how they want to live their lives so don’t be afraid to reach out to your peers.

By NVC Student Gina Briggs

 

 

 

Making the Decisions that are Right for YOU!

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I remember sitting in my high school class, it was the day when our counselors were helping us decide what we were going to do after graduation. Where we were going to transfer, what we were going to do, and how to pay for everything. It was an extremely stressful point in my life having to decide everything there, and I remember wanting to go to NVC first before anything else so that I would be comfortable.

To my surprise, it seemed as though the counselor pushed for a university instead. She said it’d be better off than going to a community college if I have great scholarships. I thought it’d be okay, but I didn’t quite understand everything completely when I enrolled and found myself miles and miles away from home without a single person I knew around me. Overwhelmed with anxiety, I found the stresses of money and home sickness were affecting my mental health greatly.

I had eventually withdrawn within the first two weeks and enrolled into NVC since it was just a few minutes away from home, and that was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Instead of feeling isolated and alone, I was met with familiar faces and friendly new ones who were willing and wanting to help me through the process. There was no confusion as to what I was going to do and how I was going to do it, because the staff were with me all the way. To me, it was the best way for a high school graduate to get integrated into the new life of a college student.

Going into college life isn’t easy but it’s important you make a decision that’s right for you. Don’t feel peer pressured by others to push you in a direction you may not want to take. There’s not a single part of me that regrets withdrawing from the university and spending my time with NVC. I’m happy to be a Wildcat and to be able to experience college the right way for me.

 By NVC Student Gina Briggs

Easing Anxiety with the Help of NVC

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Can you imagine wanting to attend your favorite class, filled with your favorite people to learn about your favorite subject? But just as you’re standing outside the door of the class, suddenly you’re overwhelmed with the feeling of regret, fear, and your stomach starts churning? Being someone with anxiety, this is something I struggle with daily.

Anxiety is an enemy of public places, especially colleges and their campuses. When I want to focus on the information and having fun with my fellow peers, that is instead surrounded by a sea of uncertainty and a strong desire to flee away to be by myself. It made my entry into college life very difficult for me because I often thought about ways to distract myself or spend all day fidgeting in class.

But things took a great turn when I decided to gather up my courage and head for NVC’s Mental Health Counseling. I thought at first it wouldn’t help, but because it’s a resource we have available, I thought I’d give it a try. And let me tell you, I don’t regret it in the slightest. I remember being so nervous and uncomfortable, waiting to be seated with a counselor. What if I was going to be judged? What if they couldn’t understand what I was going through? A lot of these thoughts burdened me in that waiting room until a counselor finally approached me and led me into her office. You wouldn’t believe that just after a few minutes, my worry was swept away.

My counselor was very understanding of my situation, and knew exactly what I was going through. They listened to everything I had to say and made sure that out of everything, I was comfortable. They provided small exercises to suggest helping my anxiety, and even offered to schedule future appointments to talk about my progress and how my day was going.

I was initially worried my experience would be somewhat like an interrogation. But I was far from the truth, it felt like I was talking to an old friend of mine. Ever since, I felt more comfortable approaching that office to talk about my problems with anxiety, and are working hard to work alongside my anxiety so that I can have a great college experience. I strongly recommend giving them a visit if you have any concerns with your emotional or mental health. You won’t regret it!

To learn more about counseling, call the NVC Advocacy Center at 210-486-HELP (4357), or email [email protected]. Students can also complete some initial intake forms by going to the Advocacy website.

By NVC Student Gina Briggs

 

The Little Things Mean so Much

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You really start to miss the little things when it’s been taken from you. You start to notice things you silently appreciated when you had them and how empty it feels without it. When COVID-19 hit and schools transferred to being remote-only, I thought nothing of it. In fact, I was almost excited at the thought of waking up in the comfort of my home to only walk like three feet over to my computer to attend class, and I’ve realized how much it’s impacted my school life.

It’s been almost a year now of living through this pandemic, something I thought I’d only read about in history books. All of my classes have been remote only and there’s something I have to say. Although we’re trying our best to stay safe from the virus and protecting not only ourselves but others, there is an emptiness in watching faces on a screen instead of in person.

You can only know so much about your fellow peers or your community behind a camera. It took away one of my favorite things about a new class, and that was meeting new people. I learned a lot about others by talking to them face to face, experiencing new things and ideas, and especially just making new friends. I can’t help but feel like I have taken it for granted now that I don’t have it. I am looking forward to things opening up when it’s safe for everyone to live life like normal again.

But even through all of this, remember that there are still ways to get involved with your campus and your peers. Reach out to them, reach out to the school and attend some of the events. Stay updated with your community and remember to stay safe. If we all team up to stay masked and keep our distance, the sooner we’ll be able to enjoy the little things that mean so much to us.

By NVC Student Gina Briggs

STEM Careers Pandemic Proof

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STEM workers are in demand! Engineering and STEM-related jobs will take precedence in the employment industry through 2029 according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — professions are expected to increase 8% between 2019 and 2029, compared to just 3.4% for all other careers. Even more impressive, the median annual STEM wage is $86,980 a year, compared to $38,160 for all non-STEM jobs.

Also WalletHub.com ranked four Texas cities in the top 60 of its list of the Best Cities for STEM jobs. Although San Antonio ranked No. 58 on the list that was released last month, Austin ranked No. 4, and its proximity to San Antonio is beneficial.

This is good news for engineering students in Northwest Vista College’s new partnership with UTSA called TATE which stands for Transfer Academy for Tomorrow’s Engineers program. It allows NVC students to co-enroll at both institutions and take engineering courses taught by UTSA and NVC faculty. Upon completion of the NVC component and an associate’s degree in hand, students will continue courses at UTSA to obtain their bachelor’s degree in any of the six UTSA engineering degree programs, which includes Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Civil Engineering. UTSA also has a partnership with Lone Star College, a community college in Houston.

Students interested in the TATE program are welcome to attend a virtual meeting on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 3:30 pm. To sign up and get Zoom details, go here.

What are some of the benefits of TATE? First, students will be able shave off about $8,800 from their tuition and fees by attending a community college first.

Second, students in this program will be the envy of their peers at summer internships. Many of the summer jobs are from companies that pay about $18 an hour – more than doubled the current minimum wage in Texas. Just in the Lonestar State, there are nearly 100 companies that offer summer internships and many are in the San Antonio area, such as U.S. Air Force, Valero Energy, H-E-B, Intel, CPS, USAA, IBM, Accenture, and Proctor & Gamble. After graduation, UTSA says the starting salary for engineers averages about $60,797.

Third, this joint program opens the doors for many students who don’t have the resources to purse an engineering degree. NVC students who are on financial aid can participate in the AlamoPromise program, that along with other financial resources, can end up making college free.

Finally, the partnership allows students to strengthen their math skills to get calculus ready for their final two years at UTSA. With NVC’s strong math department and tutoring program, it can transform students who started in lower-level math development courses and get them calculus ready in their first two years at NVC.

To learn more about the program and its requirements, which includes being calculus ready, visit the NVC website at https://www.alamo.edu/nvc/academics/tate/

Work Study Position Provides Life Skills and Finance Help

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The Federal Work-Study program is a government funded program that provides students with employment on colleges campuses. It is essentially a way for low-income students to receive extra financial assistance during their higher education. I was lucky enough to be able to work and attend my classes all at Northwest Vista College.

Work-study has not only relieved my financial burden but has also allowed me to grow professionally. I have compiled a list of how the work-study program has helped me during my two years at Vista.

  • Familiarity– Since I began working a week prior to the semester beginning, I had a chance to get familiar with the campus and buildings. This saved me a lot of time when I went to my classes (pre-pandemic). By the end of my time there, the NVC campus felt like a second home to me.
  • Important dates– Working behind the scenes really helped me remember important dates. Such as when registration begins/ends, payment deadlines, holiday breaks etc.
  • Developed Skills/Experiences- During my time as a work-study, I worked with marketing contracts, invoices, and advertisements. I assisted in planning events. I had the privilege of seeing Congressman Joaquin Castro speak at an event at NVC. I also developed excellent communication skills and how to properly work in a collaborative work environment. I bettered myself as a writer and a critical thinker.
  • Finances– I was able to purchase my own laptop, phone, pay for my monthly phone bill and gas for my car. I paid out of a pocket for a summer class because my FAFSA wouldn’t be ready by the payment deadline. I was able to do all of this because of my work-study job.
  • Better Student– My work-study job made me an overall better student. I developed excellent time management skills and was able to properly manage my time at work and my time with classes. The stress of finances was a relief which allowed me to focus better on my education.

As I get ready to move on, I remember how much I may have taken this job for granted. Working and going to school is not easy. It’s one of the hardest two things a person can do simultaneously. Work-study can make it slightly easier and convenient for students by grouping your studies and work into one spot.

I am definitely not calling work-study “easy” but I know my work-study job was worth it. It was worth waking up early, long meetings and sometimes boring tasks. I walked into the office as a teenager who was afraid and unsure of my place there. Now I am walking away from the (virtual) office as a young adult who has accumulated a lifetime of experience and life skills from a small fraction of my life that I will remember forever.

By NVC Graduate Haneen Rafati

Don’t Let Others Hinder Your Goals

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When I told my high school librarian I was planning to attend a community college, she gave me a strange look, sighed, and then led me to her computer. She began showing me local universities that I may like. I asked her if she thought I was making a bad decision by choosing to go to a community college. She told me, “well you’re going to start at a community college, but what are the chances you will finish and eventually transfer?”

As I registered for classes at a university this past week, I couldn’t help but remember this conversation. I wanted to attend a community college for many reasons. Affordability, staying close to home, smaller classes etc. The idea of graduating high school and moving away to attend a big university wasn’t my ideal beginning to my higher education. Looking back, I am so glad I made the decision to start my education with a community college.

Transferring to a university to receive a bachelor’s degree was always my top priority after I completed my associates degree. There are many benefits to transferring to a four-year university and receiving a bachelor’s degree. Below, I listed a few.

  • Widens your career opportunities – After taking basic courses at a community college, you will be able to take more advanced courses at the university level and eventually receive hands-on experience in your field of study.
  • More marketable as an experienced student- Since you are entering the university as a transfer student, a four-year college will look forward to your contributions to the campus. This is a great opportunity to get involved in clubs and groups that will enhance your experience and allow you to meet new people!
  • Job Opportunities- With both an associates degree and a bachelors, you will have better experience entering the job force. Most well paying jobs require you to have a college degree, and having two will give you a better chance of getting the job.

I am eager to continue my higher education. Beginning college wasn’t easy and transferring to a four-year university will have its challenges. Something I learned along the way is; the first step of achieving a goal is to start, and then you make a goal to complete it. I am grateful I didn’t let other people’s doubts hinder me from pursuing my path to a higher education on my own time and preferences.

By NVC Student Haneen Rafati