ALAMO COLLEGES --- ST. PHILIP’S COLLEGE COMPLETES EXCITING DEDICATION CEREMONY FOR THREE NEW BUILDINGS

$49 million construction project results in high-performance health sciences, library, admissions buildings

SAN ANTONIO (April 29, 2009) --- Three new buildings for 10,000 college students in the San Antonio area were opened to the public for the first time during a dedication ceremony today at the Alamo Colleges --- St. Philip’s College Martin Luther King Campus (see images).

“The taxpayers have given us the resources to celebrate the opening of new buildings that enable every student to obtain the education they require, graduate, transfer and find employment,” Alamo Colleges Chancellor Dr. Bruce R. Leslie explained to the dedication audience. “The buildings we dedicate today are significant parts of the strong fabric of St. Philip’s College,” said Dr. Leslie.

“The gateways to a lifetime of learning, opportunities and choices await our students,” St. Philip’s College President Dr. Adena Williams Loston told the dedication audience as she gestured toward the new buildings. “These two new Centers --- Health Sciences and Learning Resources --- are connected in spirit and mission with the new Welcome Center that greets all students in one place, serving their multiple needs --- from admission and testing to graduation and transfer to other colleges and universities,” Dr. Loston said.

“Now we finally have the facility we dreamed of,” said Alejandro Soto, a member of the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee. “We ensured St. Philip’s college has an incredible facility!” Soto said.

The new $49 million multipurpose academic complex was funded as part of a $450 million bond package approved by voters in Nov. 2005 to both construct new Alamo College facilities and renovate existing college buildings. A special highlight of the dedication program was the presentation of a $50,000 donation by HEB grocery company to fund scholarships at St. Philip’s College. A special acknowledgement also took place for alumnus and doctor Frank R. Bryant in whose name the patient simulation center at the college is dedicated.

“I’m flabbergasted,” Bryant’s widow Gloria said while visiting the center. “I was expecting a patient simulation center less than half this size,” said Gloria Bryant. “My husband is truly worthy of such an honor,” Bryant said. “He was a faithful graduate who appreciated his time at St. Philip’s College,” Bryant explained.

The Alamo Community College District is the project owner. The architects are Saldana & Associates and Pfluger Associates Architects. Parsons is the program manager and Skanska USA Building, Inc. is construction manager.

CAPTIONS: (Images by Greg Jones) 1. 1. St. Philip’s College President Dr. Adena Williams Loston hosted the program as three new buildings for 10,000 college students in the San Antonio area were opened to the public for the first time during a dedication ceremony at the Alamo Colleges --- St. Philip’s College Martin Luther King Campus. Image 1

2. St. Philip’s College President Dr. Adena Williams Loston hosted a dedication ceremony for a $49 million complex of academic buildings at the Alamo Colleges --- St. Philip’s College Martin Luther King Campus. Image 2

3. The dedication program for a $49 million complex of three new buildings on the Alamo Colleges --- St. Philip’s College campus included the presentation of a $50,000 scholarship donation to St. Philip’s College by the HEB grocery company. Accepting the donation were (from left) Alamo Colleges Chancellor Dr. Bruce R. Leslie, St. Philip’s College President Dr. Adena Williams Loston, Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees Chairman Denver McClendon, and representing the donor, HEB Public Affairs Director Dya Campos.Image 3

4. The dedication of a $49 million academic complex on the Martin Luther King campus of Alamo Colleges --- St. Philip’s College included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with participants (from left) Vernice Warner, Clara Etta Williams, Rev. Antonio Regist, Alma Curl, John Strybos, Dr. Adena Williams Loston, Dr. Bruce Leslie, Weston Martinez, Charlie Conner, Roberto Zárate, Denver McClendon and Gary Beitzel. Warner is the college’s oldest graduate at age 93. Williams is a member of the college’s first nursing class of 1949. Regist is Rector at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. Curl is a member of the college’s second nursing class (1952). Strybos is the Alamo Colleges Associate Vice-Chancellor of Facilities. Loston is President of St. Philip’s College. Leslie is Alamo Colleges Chancellor. Conner and Zárate are Alamo Community College District Board of Trustees members. McClendon is Chairman of the Alamo Community College District Board of Trustees. Beitzel is Vice-Chairman of the Alamo Community College District Board of Trustees. Image 4

Websites/Resources related to this story include:

1)Alamo Colleges-St. Philip’s College;2) HEB

About St. Philip’s: Bishop James Steptoe Johnston of the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church of the West Texas Diocese founded Alamo Colleges—St. Philip’s College in 1898. Today, Alamo Colleges—St. Philip’s College is a multi-campus institution of the Alamo Colleges and serves a semester enrollment of nearly 10,000 credit and more than 6,000 continuing education students. Alamo Colleges—St. Philip’s is a Historically Black College and Hispanic Serving Institution and is the only college in the nation that carries this dual designation. As “A Point of Pride in the Community,” Alamo Colleges—St. Philip’s College is among the oldest and most diverse community colleges in the United States.