Tag: NVC

Why NVC Wants You to Complete a Degree?

Posted on by NVC Public Relations
NVC President Dr. Ric Baser

You may have heard Northwest Vista College faculty and staff members say that earning your associate degree before transferring to a university gives you confidence and motivation to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Completing your associate degree also ensures the acceptance of your general education or “core” courses. In addition, getting a degree from NVC will increase your earnings while pursuing a bachelor’s degree. If you are enrolled in one of NVC’s outstanding Associate of Applied Science programs, completion of the degree increases your employability and opportunities for promotion.   

NVC faculty and staff understand and care about your success and they want you to transfer successfully. We also know that the costs of attending a university are much higher than attending a community college like NVC.

We know that if you complete your degree at NVC prior to transferring, you will receive an exceptional education that will save money. These are just some of the reasons why you should get an associate degree from NVC, which is the No. 1 ranked community college in Texas.

NVC faculty and staff wish for you to stay at NVC long enough to earn your degree, which usually means a minimum of 60 credit hours. If you have 60 credit-level hours or more, I urge you to speak with your academic advisor today or in the next few days. Set up an appointment with your academic advisor.  The deadline for summer degree completion is Thursday, June 29. 

Remember that the awarding of degrees is not automatic. You have to apply with your advisor who will evaluate your transcript and degree plan.

To find out who your advisor is:

  • Go to ACES
  • Click on “My Page”
  • Your advisor’s picture and contact info will be there

To find out how many hours you have completed at NVC:

  • Go to ACES
  • Click on “My Page”
  • Click on “Unofficial Transcript” to get completed hours
NVC President Dr. Ric Baser Congratulates Recent NVC Graduate

NVC Male Students Learn About Discipline Thoughts

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

On May 6, nine Northwest Vista College students attended the 7th Annual Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence (EMBODI) conference at St. Philip’s College. The theme was: Disciplined Men with Disciplined Thoughts Taking Disciplined Actions.

The nine students who attended the conference came from NVC’s initiative to empower young men, called MSI for Male Success Initiative. The group has 28 members and started with only 10 at the beginning of the spring semester. NVC’s Daniel Johnson is the advisor of the group.

All of the nine attendees summited a scholarship essay and completed a minimum of six hours leadership training. Each of them received a $200 scholarship.

Daniel says, “Our guys stood out at the conference in several ways. Initially, by the way they looked. All of the guys, except two, were wearing MSI Polos and received several compliments from conference sponsors; and during the break-out sessions, our students asked and answered questions and participated in the discussions through-out the sessions.”

Norberto “Norbe” Salazar, who’s back at NVC working on an associate degree in Personal Fitness, said it was worth his Saturday to go to the conference.

“It was very informative from learning about leadership skills to being disciplined in order to get stuff done,” Norbe said. “I always thought of the word discipline as punishment, but the conference opened my eyes to see it differently.”

The attendees were:

  • Robert Medellin
  • Camron Bowman
  • Christopher Jones
  • Gustavo Salinas-Pinal
  • Jeffrey Long
  • Norberto Salazar
  • Troy Martinez
  • Alejandro Mendez
  • Robert Shaw

 

NVC Men

Design the 2018 NVC & FANs Fiesta Medal and Win a Scholarship

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

Northwest Vista College students are invited to submit designs for the 2018 official NVC and Friends of the Arts at NVC (FANs) Fiesta medal.

Designs should feature something reflecting the arts, NVC and should include the year. The Fiesta medal is an official project of the Friends of the Arts at NVC (FANs) and is the only approved Fiesta medal for NVC.

Prizes will be awarded to the top two finalists in the contest. The winner of the design contest will receive a $250 scholarship and be recognized as the designer of the 2018 medal. A $100 scholarship will be awarded to the student whose design is selected as the runner-up.

The deadline to enter the design contest is Monday, April 24, at 2 p.m. Designs must be submitted to Mimi Duvall in the Palmetto Center for the Arts, Room 118. Those interested in entering the contest may contact Dr. Duvall for additional information on the specifications for the design. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Members of the FANs Board of Directors will select the winning design.

The 2017 NVC and FANs Fiesta medal was designed by NVC student Pablo Frontaura and is currently available in the NVC Bookstore or can be ordered online at www.alamo.edu/NVC/FANstore.

Saving Money

NVC Psych Students Making Waves

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

Mental Health Header

Northwest Vista College’s Psychology students are making waves across the city:

Gerona Nylander and Callie Roberts (NVC graduate and senior at OLLU) presented research titled “A Sexual Vocabulary Test: How Much Do We Really Know About Sex” lead by NVC Professor of Psychology Dr. Don Lucas and instructor of NVC Psychology Jen Fox at the 2nd Annual OLLU McNair Scholars and Student Research Symposium on April 20, 2017.

  • The research explored the knowledge of human sexuality by evaluating responses to 10 vocabulary words
  • Their research was previously presented at 2017 SWPA in San Antonio
  • Out of 40 presentations, the NVC alumni won 1stplace and $300 grand prize

Additionally, four NVC Psychology students, Kathleen Lozano, Patrice Gibson-Scott, Linda Rangel, and Alejandra De Leon represented Northwest Vista College in a friendly psychology jeopardy competition against UTSA psychology honor students earlier this month.

NVC Psychology instructor Jen Fox said the NVC students “gave them a run for their money.”

We were leading by 1,000 points at one point. However, we missed two of the Motivation and Emotion questions, which allowed UTSA to catch up with us. The final question worth 500 points was asked, and UTSA answered first, which gave them the win. The final score was 5,400 to 5,700.

“Our students were disappointed but extremely proud of how well they did, “said Jen. “I think that this is an excellent testament to how well our psych faculty are doing and the amazing students that we are blessed to forge relationships with.”

Mental Health Students

NVC Student Artists Invited for Chalk-a-Lot with Fiesta Theme

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

Student chalk artists can take over the sidewalk and patio of the Cypress Campus Center April 23-27 for the return of Chalk-a-Lot. This year, the chalk-art event is asking artists to develop work with a Fiesta theme. The competition is a collaborative project of the NVC’s Fine and Performing Arts and Kinesiology faculty and staff, Community Development at NVC and the Friends of the Arts at NVC (FANs).

Classes and individuals may reserve sidewalk space for their chalk designs by contacting Mimi Duvall at 210.326.2622 or emailing her at [email protected]. Classes may reserve up to four spaces and individuals or small groups may reserve one space. Chalk will be provided.

Judging of the completed designs will take place on Thursday, April 27, between 11 and 11:30 a.m. with winners announced at noon at the completion of the NVC Staff Council’s Shortest Fiesta Parade. FANs members are serving on the judging panel.

First prize for classes is a pizza party provided by the Friends of the Arts at NVC (FANs) and free one-year Student Membership in the Friends of the Arts at NVC for each participant. The top two individual or small group designs will receive $25 NVC bookstore gift cards. Each class and individual or small group will also be encouraged to collect donations for scholarships through the FANs as votes for their design. The design team which raises the most funds will also receive a $25 bookstore gift card.

Contributed by Lynne T. Dean, Director of Institutional Advancement

 

NVC Sports Teams End Season on High Note

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

This past weekend, two club sports team competed in the Texas Collegiate Club Sports league final four championship games.

  • On Saturday, the NVC volleyball team lost the semi-final game to the eventual league champions, Trinity University. NVC Student Gabriella R. Burnett was selected as the league MVP for the 2016 – 2017 season, and NVC Coach Annette Berain was selected as Coach of the Year.
  • On Saturday afternoon, the NVC women’s basketball team won their semi-final game vs Palo Alto College and advanced to the championship game. On Sunday, the NVC women lost a hard-fought championship game to Victoria College. NVC Coach Daniel Johnson was selected as Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. The team ended its season with 17 wins and three losses.
  • The NVC men’s basketball team, coached by Curtis McGlown, ended its season with 10 wins and 9 losses and was unable to make the league playoffs.

In NVC soccer news, the women’s soccer team, coached by Leland Hammonds, was in Corpus Christi last Saturday and played Stephen F. Austin that ended in a draw (0-0). The NVC team defeated A&M Corpus Christi 5-0.  So far this season, they have four wins and one tie.

The NVC men’s soccer team, coached by David Galindo, finished its season with a record of three wins, one loss and one draw. The only defeat came at the hands of UT-Austin in Austin. Before that loss, the team was undefeated in 11 straight matches dating back to last season. This season’s MVP award will be going to Hector Sandoval. The team will start up again with a pre-season camp in August which is open to all prospective players and mandatory for returners. This season was good preparation for the coming fall season in the Texas Collegiate Soccer League, which will provide the first opportunity to qualify for the regional tournament and compete against not only teams throughout the state but throughout the south region.

Several NVC players made the All-Academic teams for their respected sport:

NVC Volleyball

  • Aria J. King – 3.40
  • Gabriella R. Burnett – 4.00
  • Julia L. Baltazar – 3.36
  • Rosario Hartman – 3.05

NVC Men’s Basketball

  • Elijah W. Eriksson – 3.33
  • John D. Kersey – 4.00
  • Rolando Villalobos – 3.32

NVC Women’s Basketball

  • Brittany T. Bazo – 4.00
  • Sydney T. Schmitt – 3.21
  • Jennifer M. Enriquez 3.43
  • Emily R. Castor 3.37
  • Treasure D. Riven – 3.71

Congratulations to all the players and coaches for all their dedication and hard work in the classrooms and on the court.

 

NVC Sports

Taking Online Summer Classes Provides Flexibility

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

With the summer semester at Northwest Vista College looming, the question that you always get is “so are you taking classes?” Whenever I hear this question, I always go through a range of emotions to whether or not I need a break, how fast I want to finish my degree or where funding will be coming from. When I think about summer classes, I think about taking online classes to maintain my flexibility while continuing my education.

Online classes offered at Northwest Vista give us the freedom to study however our schedule see fits, it could be at 2 am or 3 pm. Online classes offered during the summer allow you to complete coursework while maintaining a healthy balance so you are able to spend time with your family and still have time to get work done.

Many people always assume that they will be extremely busy and will not have time to do the work, but if you pace yourself and manage your time wisely, you will be ahead when the fall semester rolls around. Taking classes in the summer is also a great way to get ahead and graduate earlier than expected. Even though classes are online the summer months allow more one-one-one with instructors since there’s fewer students enrolled in the summer.

Don’t think of summer courses as being hard and a waste of time, look at it as an opportunity to continue your education and graduating faster. To learn more about summer registration and deadlines, go here: http://www.alamo.edu/main.aspx?id=61032

By NVC Student Percy Bustamante Gooden

Online Summer Classes Banner

Balancing College, Work and Life

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

Student Library ComputersDo you ever think to yourself, “how am I going to get through this semester”? Every one has their own way to manage their time and it’s really important for you to find your own way, too. If you’re a college student like me, who’s also going to work full-time while still trying to maintain a social life you may find this a bit difficult, but don’t worry you’re not alone.

Almost everyone that’s going to school is feeling the same way as you but may not show it because they have created a sort of system to survive the semester. I would like to discuss four ways on how we, as college students, can make it through the semester with less tears and headaches than our last semester.

  1. Prioritize what would be the most important thing to do at the beginning of your week to the least important.
  2. Dissect your week into time frames (this way you might be able to do two of those things you need done that week in one day).
  3. Make sure you leave some time to take a break whether that’s meeting up with a friend for lunch or taking your dog out for a walk.
  4. Try to submit the majority of your homework at the beginning of the week so it’s not piling up for you to do later. Another reason to submit work early is so you can get feedback from your professors or if you’re having trouble understanding an assignment, you’ll be able to ask your professors for help earlier in the week to make sure you get that high score.
With these four ways listed hopefully it gives you an idea of how you can manage your time this semester. The idea is to be stress free, and to be more involved with your school work. Always remember to work hard now, so you can play more later.
by NVC Student Noemi Solis, 1359
School & Life Balance

Resilient Students

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

For many, college can be both a rewarding and stressful experience. As a student attending Northwest Vista, I like many other students have experienced challenges in my day-to-day routine that could potentially impact my school life. School for many can create a sense of excitement and can also build up anxiety. There are many factors that could cause this, such as new surroundings, and more responsibilities when it comes to academics.

If we are moving away from home to attend school this can also add stress by having to meet new people. Even though I live in San Antonio and commute to and from the campus, I have seen several students that are not from the local area that are homesick. For some, being away from home, and having to figure life out on your own for the first time can create stressors in personal and professional lives. This can potentially cause people to have a lack of motivation, loss of focus during classes, and even depression. We can see this the most when we have students that are away from home for certain holidays. Being that San Antonio is Military City USA, we have a lot of locals that attend our school to help give advice on how to cope.

Some ways that we can overcome the stress of being homesick, is to stay in contact with people from home. As students we can also look out for one another and if we see someone that is not acting normal or looks distant. We can reach out and give them some attention even if it’s just to say hi. It is okay to be homesick, but we should balance our feelings and emotions to become productive students. Another thing we as students could do is participate in school activities to help get us involved in the community.

No one said being away from home and attending college was going to be easy, but we should be resilient to accomplish a goal and set ourselves up for a better future.

Tips to Cope from Being Away from Home

https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-college-experience/2011/09/28/5-ways-for-college-students-to-survive-being-homesick

By NVC Student Percy Bustamante Gooden

NVC Campus Students

Depending on Your Instructors

Posted on by NVC Public Relations

“Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” –Solomon Ortiz

Whether or not you may believe it, but having support from your instructors really does change your outlook on school. I don’t mean when they cut you slack, give you an A just because, or allow you to miss days; no, this does not help. However, if you are a student who is really trying your hardest and really want to make something of yourself, some instructors will provide you the ability to move toward your goals even if they do not make it known.

I say this because it has happened to me more than once. I must say it was a shock to me at first because I never paid much attention to my instructors when I first started college, I just wanted to pass the class and move on. But sometimes I would try to find a way to connect with my instructors and see them as someone who used to be in my shoes. One of my instructors once said, “I used to eat Top Ramen too!” That was hilarious to me because we have all been there. This is a prime example that before they were teaching the class, they were attending class.

I supposed over the years, I became more mature, because I was able to see them as someone trying to help my future rather than someone making my life miserable with homework. I never took the time out until recently to appreciate the work they put in for me to get where I am today. The instructors that I had from various subjects have made a positive impact on me so much that I decided to change schools and my major because I knew they were leading me in the right direction.

Some students may feel as if they are here every day on campus to fend for themselves. Your instructors are here for a reason, as much as you depend on your scientific calculator in that overwhelming math class, you should be able to depend on your instructor. Not for an easy way out of course, but to guide you in the right direction. All you have to do is ask, they will have the answers or will try to help you find them.

By NVC Student Traishelle Armstrong

 

NVC Sign