SPC Celebrate Legacy Day

The Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees, Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores, President Dr. Adena Williams Loston and St. Philip’s College leadership joined community leaders and neighbors this morning to celebrate the completion of multiple state-of-the-art facilities at the St. Philip’s College MLK Campus. 

Alamo College District Board Chair Roberto Zarate (Dist 5) and Board Trustee Gloria Ray (Dist. 2) spoke and Board members Joe Alderete, Jr. (Dist. 1), Dr. Gene Sprague (Dist 6), Dr. Yvonne Katz (Dist 7) and Student Trustee Cara Sullivan attended. 

The Legacy Day special ceremonies included an oak tree dedication in honor of the late Col. Roy W. Burley with remarks by Lt. Gen. John R. Evans, Jr., U.S. Army North and music by 323rd U.S. Army Band “Fort Sam’s Own.”

Ribbon cuttings took place for three new buildings, and one renovation. The college also unveiled a street sign for “Saint Philips Way,” formerly a portion of Mittman St. 

Speakers included The Venerable Mike Besson from the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, Rev. Mikel Brightman of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Robert Melvin, CEO for San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, and Edwin K. Miles, Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce Chairman. Soloist Cristal Smith Byrd and Milton H. Wilson, Sequential Drums provided music.

The event day coincided with Feast Day, annually held on August 18, which honors the leadership and lifelong service of St. Philip’s College founding president, Saint Artemisia Bowden, named a Holy Woman by the Episcopal Church in 2015.

Dr. Flores recognized Dr. Loston, with a Living Legacy Award, honoring Dr. Loston’s contributions at the helm of St. Philip’s College and the connection between our current president and founding president, Artemisia Bowden.

The Bowden, Norris, Hudgins and Burley families took part in Legacy Day events. The new buildings will accommodate learners from different backgrounds, fields of study, and academic disciplines, who are part of St. Philip’s College and the Alamo Colleges District community.

Highlights from each new state-of-the-art building include:

Saint Artemisia Bowden Building

• The 25,000-square-foot, two-story building doubles the footprint for the Business Information Solutions Department, Corporate and Entrepreneurial Training Center, and the Microsoft Testing Center for Microsoft Office Specialists. A new cyber range gives faculty the flexibility to mimic cyber scenarios in a variety of industries, preparing students for many IT career pathways. The cyber range was built with the support of the Department of Education HEERF Funds.
• Programming supports the high demand for cybersecurity graduates to fill positions in San Antonio, the nation’s second-largest cyber hub, and supports the college’s plans to offer a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree in Cybersecurity in the future.
• The building will support 800 students and includes classrooms, computer labs, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Center, where student volunteers support the community by providing no-cost tax assistance

Clarence W. Norris Building

• The 71,000-square-foot building is four stories of fully-renovated space that can support up to 795 students.
• The building will house the Reading and English departments, Instructional Technology and the Information and Communication Technology department. It will also host the Learning Lab, Reading Lab, Tutoring and Technology Center (TNT) and the Rose R. Thomas Writing Center. SMART® Classrooms and training labs are located throughout the building.

William Allen Hudgins Health and Wellness Building

• The 57,000-square-foot building will replace the existing college fitness center built in 1949. These efforts were funded by the Department of Education Federal Funds under Title III, Parts B&F.
• The two-story gymnasium and natatorium will include an elevated track, short course swimming pool, therapy pool, weight and cardio training spaces, aerobic studio, a cardio studio, teaching labs for kinesiology, first aid/ CPR, massage therapy, gathering spaces and staff offices.

Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts Building

• The Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center of Excellence is a four-story, state-of-the-art facility that is vital in supporting San Antonio’s $15.2 billion tourism, hospitality and culinary industry.
• The 61,000-square-foot building features two student-run restaurants. Artemisia’s, on the fourth floor, is designed to give guests a fine dining experience and a gorgeous view of downtown. 1898, on the first floor, is a working kitchen and lab for culinary, pastry and hospitality management students.
• The building supports 600 students, with the target goal of 1,000 students. It includes a 100-seat lecture hall, seven new kitchens, a dedicated hospitality classroom complete with a mock front office hotel desk, walk-in coolers and increased refrigeration and storage areas. Culinary supplies are supported by the Department of Education Federal Funds under Title III, Parts B&F.

“With these new facilities, we are investing in St. Philip’s College to serve more students and expand their services than ever before as San Antonio continues to grow,” said Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor. “New facilities, such as these, make sure that we are preparing to serve students for the future and creating paths for high-wage, high-demand jobs.”

In May of 2017, Bexar County voters approved a general obligation bond and awarded St. Philip’s College $82 million to make necessary improvements to current buildings and add new facilities.

For more information on capital improvement projects on the St. Philip’s College MLK and Southwest campuses, visit http://hdsdc.aplrealestate.com/spc/cip or http://hdsdc.aplrealestate.com/spc/legacy-day.