Dr. Francisco Solis, San Antonio College President, and Hot Mustard talk about the 10th anniversary of the Scobee Education Center. The Center has engaged and inspired the community, especially students, on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through education on astronomy and space. The Scobee Education Center is made up of several different parts, including the Scobee Planetarium, Scanlan Observatory, the Challenger Center, and the Santikos Micronaut Center. The oldest part of the center is the planetarium, which opened its doors in 1961. Since then, a million visitors have visited the facility, most of them school-aged children who came during field trips. the Scobee Education Center will hold a party from 6 to 10:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1. Tickets for three planetarium shows will be reduced to only $3 and will be available only online. For a link, visit https://www.alamo.edu/sac/Scobee

The SAC mortuary science program has been reaccredited by American Board of Funeral Service Education Committee on Accreditation. The reaccreditation is for seven years, the maximum accreditation term. It also comes with no stipulations on any changes. This speaks to the quality of the academic program that it received such high reaccreditation standards.

More information on the Mortuary Program is available at https://www.alamo.edu/sac/academics/program-index/allied-health-and-kinesiology/mortuary-science/

Residents can find more information on the San Antonio College Mortuary at https://sacmortuary.com/

It’s the Last Week of Early Voting. All registered voters in Bexar County can cast their ballot at SAC’s Victory Center. Hours for voting are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 1. County residents who want to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, can also use the Victory Center. Polling hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election day.

Dr. Francisco Solis, San Antonio College President, and Hot Mustard talk about enrollment. SAC reaches a milestone enrolling more than 20,000 students for the fall 2024 semester. After a fall off for enrollment due to the pandemic, SAC’s numbers reached a record total. Employers and transfer schools know that we are offering a great education and look for our students.

SAC offers a new way for students to get to graduation, enrolling in eight-week terms. Instead of a student taking four to five courses during a 16-week semester to receive 12 to 15 hours, the student takes two to three courses for eight weeks, and then another two to three courses for another eight weeks. They then end the 16-week semester by completing at least 12 hours. Research has shown that students have a better completion rate when they are enrolled in an eight-week course. Students interested in the eight-week model can talk to an advisor to take advantage of the program.

Early Voting has begun. All registered voters in Bexar County can cast their ballot at SAC’s Victory Center over the next two weeks.

The President’s Office has begun its annual Holiday Card Competition for SAC students. All students are invited to create a digital card that will be sent from SAC at the end of the semester. The student who designs the winning entry will receive a $500 scholarship. The deadline to submit a digital card is Friday, Nov. 8. More information and guidelines at https://www.alamo.edu/sac/news-events/events/holiday-card-competition/

Dr. Francisco Solis, San Antonio College President, and Hot Mustard start the program talking about a recent study on cell phone usage in the classroom. The study, published in Frontiers in Education, found college students that get short phone breaks in class get higher scores on tests and use their phones less during lectures. The study suggests that one minute breaks are the perfect amount of time.

San Antonio College Observes National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. Every year, our Empowerment Center sponsors several events to remember the victims of domestic violence and to stop the silence that keeps the community from addressing the issue. Events and exhibits are available here: https://www.alamo.edu/sac/news-events/events/domestic-violence-awareness-month/

Alamo Colleges is a partner with Ready to Work, an educational and job placement program to help San Antonians improve their quality of life. This one-of-a-kind program provides guidance and resources to education. The goal of the Ready to Work program is to get people into a career they will love. For more information, call 210-486-9675 or visit alamo.edu/readytowork