Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to speak about NVC Workforce programs on News4SanAntonio and Fox San Antonio.
The information I shared was directly linked to the marketability of NVC programs such as Advanced Materials Technology (nanotechnology), Clinical Research Coordinator and Water Resource Science. Our goal is to continue spreading the good news about these and other NVC Workforce and Liberal Arts programs that offer opportunities for success for our students, their families and the community.
In preparation for these TV segments, I’ve come to further appreciate the work of our faculty and staff whose expertise and passion make these programs possible. Creating and nurturing in-demand programs is a good stewardship of our resources and of the investment that students make in their learning. Further promoting these programs is not only my role and that of the program coordinators, but also of all faculty and staff who work at NVC. Many of us have stories of meeting NVC students, alumni and their families in the grocery store, at a restaurant, at the soccer field or a doctor’s office. Others attend conferences or professional development workshops where they meet colleagues on a local, regional and national level. All those are great opportunities for us to polish our elevator speech and be an ambassador for NVC.
This is especially important as we embark on our upcoming strategic planning process and our next five-year strategic plan. A part of our sustainability will depend on how relevant our programs and initiatives will be to the success of our students and their post-graduation success. Our alumni are our best advocates and we need to ensure that we, too, serve as college ambassadors. We should not become complacent about our No. 1 ranking and being ideally located in the growth corridor of San Antonio. We know our reputation did not just happen and that it will require more focus and hard work to sustain our enrollment, retention and graduation rates.
I was pleased to hear that four academic departments have volunteered for HalloVISTA, our educational outreach to promote the unique culture of Northwest Vista College through Halloween activities for children and their families. Thank you to the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Advanced Materials Technology as well as English/Reading for sponsoring hands-on activities during HalloVISTA that will introduce these NVC programs to children, young adults and their families. Also for the second year in a row, the NVC Staff Senate is sponsoring the HalloVISTA Hall of Trick-or-Treating and is also providing a food booth.
As we strengthen our work as ambassadors of the college, I encourage you to become involved in promoting NVC to our community. Tell your friends and family what a great place NVC is and continues to be. Be proud to wear your NVC t-shirt! Be proud of what you have created and continue to create at NVC!