Welcome Alumni & Friends 

We are excited to present our first revised edition of the PAC Alumni Newsletter for July 2013. Hope you enjoy!   

On Thursday, May 23rd, Harlandale ISD Board of trustees voted to approve an early college high school program with plans to partner with Palo Alto College and Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The program, expected to launch in the 2014-2015 school year, would allow students to earn an associate's degree by the time they graduate from high school.  Click here to read the story on mySA.com, written by Francisco Vara-Orta of the San Antonio Express-News.

Summer programs in full swing at PAC!  

 

A student's success in college depends upon the connection among many people - families, students, instructors, and school personnel. Testaments to this fact are Daniel Limon and his mother, Gina Limon who are both May 2013 Palo Alto graduates. This mother and son team relied on and supported each other while pursuing their Associate's degrees from PAC.

Tell us about your family upbringing.

What made you choose PAC to start your undergraduate studies?

Gina: The idea of college has always overwhelmed me. I chose Palo Alto, because I had heard good things about the college. Several people that I have known have graduated from Palo Alto have been successful and have loved their learning experiences at the college. I loved the fact that Palo Alto was on the south side of town, thus making it easier for me to attend evening classes. I liked the layout of the campus, which helped me out a lot when I began attending classes there.

Daniel: Right out of high school I actually did one year at San Antonio College since all my friends applied at the college,  but I quickly found that actually getting to that campus from where I lived was difficult at times. When I applied to SAC, I did not know much about the other Alamo Colleges. It wasn't until I visited Palo Alto College on my own that I changed my mind and decided to attend PAC. Not only was it much closer to where I lived, but I thoroughly enjoyed the environment, class sizes, flexible class schedules, and the faculty and staff. It was honestly one of the best decisions that I ever made to transfer to PAC.

What challenges did you encounter in your college career?  

Gina: I think the biggest challenge was my age and believing that I could still attend college with younger students. I didn't think I could handle a full time job and attend evening classes as well. One of the biggest challenges was being able to stretch myself between work, homework, and my kids. I am the mother of two, my son Daniel and my daughter Lori. I also had guardianship of three girls. Being able to provide the necessary time for my daughter who is special needs has always been an important factor in my life. When I began at Palo Alto, I was afraid I would not find a school schedule that would accommodate my busy life. As much as I enjoyed Palo Alto there were times that I thought I just couldn't do it. Sometimes I found myself up till 2 in the morning doing homework, only to wake up at 6 to get ready for work. I think discipline was the biggest challenge I faced. Getting myself together, prioritizing my time was a big challenge, but with the help of the educators at Palo Alto I was able to succeed.

Daniel: The biggest challenge I would say that I faced would be maintaining a full-time job as well as full course load. Having started in the Alamo Colleges right out of high school I did not have any employment responsibilities, just school. Therefore doing anything less than four classes a semester was out of the question on a personal level for me. Once I got a full-time job I still kept that mindset and even completed a twenty-one hour semester while dually enrolled at Palo Alto College and Texas A&M University - San Antonio. Because of my employment, I purposely took evening and Saturday classes at PAC to accommodate my work schedule. I appreciated that PAC offered a wide selection of evening and Saturday classes to accommodate non-traditional students like myself who have a lot more on their plate than just school. I enjoyed and appreciated that my instructors understood the make-up of their classrooms when it was a night or Saturday class.

Are there any words of advice you share with your students that you wish someone would have told you when you were in college?  

Gina:   On the contrary I think I would pass along the words of encouragement that I was given during my college years. It is important to stay true to yourself and the goals you have set for yourself. And the most important advice I would give is that it is never too late to go back to school. I am 46 years old, and my dreams are finally coming true.

Daniel: I think the best bit of advice I could share is that you have to talk to your fellow classmates and create a support system. I was lucky enough to transfer to TAMU-SA with friends that I made at PAC which made the transition a lot smoother. Having a support system allowed all of us to help each other. The people that I have met through my college career have helped me finished what I set out to do. It goes above just making friends and having a good time, these are people that all have the same desire to finish and accomplish their goals. I remember being annoyed at an activity that I had to do for a student orientation class when I first started college, where we had to get the names and contact info of at least five people. If I knew how exactly important that activity was I would have definitely taken it to heart immediately.

Health & Wellness

Tips for keeping you & your family safe:

• Keep hydrated! Drink water every half hour, even if you don't feel thirsty. Limit caffeine, alcohol and sugary drinks.
• Wear light colored, loose fitting clothing.
• Avoid sudden changes in temperature (for instance, air out your vehicle before entering.)
• NEVER leave a child or a pet unattended in a vehicle, even if for a short period of time!
• Try to stay in the shade between noon and 4 p.m. as much as possible. If you must be in the sun, take frequent breaks to cool off.
• If the temperature is very high, reduce your outdoor activities to fifteen minutes at a time.
• Know the symptoms of heat related injury which may include headache, dizziness, nausea, or pale skin.

If you recognize any of these symptoms in someone immediately move them to a cooler environment. Spray or sponge cool water onto their skin. If attempts to relieve symptoms fail or if vomiting and the appearance of sleepiness occur, call 911 for emergency medical assistance.

12 Tips for Generating Strong Job Leads  

Employment Opportunities

San Antonio Housing Authority - Multiple Openings

San Antonio Housing Authority of Bexar County is seeking qualified candidates to fill multiple full-time and part-time positions within the agency. To learn more about the positions and to apply, please visit http://saha.iapplicants.com/searchjobs.php 

Providence Place - Multiple Openings

A 118 year old non-profit agency has an immediate job openings. Check the link for more information

• Older Child Adoption Counselor
• Development Officer 

http://www.provplace.org/contact/employment/  

Positions available until filled

Health Collaborative - Education Program Specialist/Health Educator

The Health Collaborative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy in San Antonio.

Job Summary: Responsible for providing youth health education services in schools and community agencies.

Application Procedures: Please email a cover letter describing interest and qualifications, a resume, salary history, and a list of 3 to 5 references to Densie Bennett Programs Manager, denise.bennett@healthcollaborative.net

More info here: Healthcollaborative.net  

Children's Shelter - Parent Educator

Since 1901, The Children's Shelter has been giving children the chance to dream. With emergency shelter services, residential treatment, basic and therapeutic foster care, special needs adoption, teen parenting services, and abuse prevention programs, the shelter helps create brighter futures for children every day.

Job Summary: The Compadre Parent Educator delivers essential parenting education, information and referral, and case management services to fathers enrolled in the Compadre y Compadre program.  The position works with eligible fathers in Bexar County.  Services will be conducted in the clients' home, community and/or The Children's Shelter facilities.

To Apply: To learn more about the positions and to apply visit our website www.chshel.org or  http://www.childrensshelter.org/employment  

Healthy Futures of Texas - Development Coordinator

Healthy Futures of Texas is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy in Texas.

Job Summary: Responsible for coordinating fund development activities for Healthy Futures of Texas. More info here 

Application Procedures: Please email a cover letter describing interest and qualifications, a resume, salary history, and a list of 3 to 5 references to info@HealthyFuturesTX.org

IBC- Multiple Openings

IBC is seeking qualified candidates to fill multiple full-time and part-time positions within the company. To learn more about the positions and to apply, please visit https://www.ibc.com/en-us/Careers/Pages/JobListingResults.aspx?c=33

Ion Media Network - Master Control Operator

Ion Media Network(Television Station) is seeking a qualified candidate to fill part-time position within the Station.

Job Summary:

This position must monitor master control equipment to ensure that the correct program is running on the air and complete regulation paperwork as required.

More info here:

http://www.ionmedianetworks.com/careers/job-listings?job=1494 

Goodheart- Multiple Openings

Goodheart creates custom, high quality, hand-crafted proteins, sauces, and meal kits for retail deli, foodservice, and food manufacturer customers nationwide. Currently, Goodheart is seeking outstanding people hungry for challenge and growth. Goodheart is seeking qualified candidates to fill multiple full-time positions within the company. 

To learn more about the positions and to apply, please visit http://goodheart.com/about-us/employment/