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Mission of the Alamo Colleges
Empowering Our Diverse Communities for Success.
Mission of Northwest Vista College
Northwest Vista College creates opportunities for success by offering quality academic, technical and life-long learning experiences to its diverse communities in a collaborative, student-centered, data informed and shared leadership environment.
PURPOSE
As a Hispanic Serving Institution, Northwest Vista College fulfills its mission by offering the following:
- Transfer education designed to provide students with the first two years of the bachelor's degree
- General education courses in the liberal arts and sciences to support all college degree programs
- Career preparation provided through workforce programs to prepare students for immediate employment
- Developmental studies for students to bring their basic skills to a level appropriate for college work
- Continuing education, including a variety of enrichment, training, licensure, and professional programs
- Academic and student support services for all students, including those with special needs, that include comprehensive advising and monitoring, high-quality learning resources, assessment, counseling, tutoring, and financial assistance
- Academic co-curricular activities and social and cultural activities, and information literacy
Vision of the Alamo Colleges
The Alamo Colleges will be the best in the nation in Student Success and Performance Excellence.
Northwest Vista College Learning Vision
To become responsible members of our world community, we create exemplary models for:
Learning to Be…
Learning to Work…
Learning to Serve…
Learning to Lead…
Together.
Values
The members of the Alamo Colleges are committed to building individual and collective character through the following set of shared values in order to fulfill our vision and mission.
- Students First
- Respect for All
- Community-engaged
- Collaboration
- Can Do Spirit
- Data-informed
Northwest Vista College Touchstones
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We, the students, faculty, and staff of the Northwest Vista College community, are committed to making a difference through learning and through service. To that end, we are guided and inspired by a unifying set of touchstones.
| Learning: |
| We strive to create a quality learning environment in which each of us grows in effectiveness as a worker and citizen while acquiring knowledge and understanding of self, community, and our cultural diversity. |
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| Community: |
| We strive to be a community in which all members are empowered to contribute as learners and leaders, practicing mutual respect and building mutual trust. |
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| Caring: |
| We believe in caring - for ourselves, for each other, and for this place - and exhibit that caring through service to others. |
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| Synergy: |
| We work together to make our shared vision a reality, recognizing that the whole we can create together is greater than the sum of its parts. |
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| Diversity: |
| We value diversity, appreciating different ways of knowing and ways of living and recognizing that our diversity is a source of strength. |
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| Creativity: |
| We think beyond the usual parameters to engage in and support innovations that continually recreate our learning community as a model of excellence in higher education. |
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| Openness: |
| We engage in open and honest communications that create an atmosphere of trust and an openness to change for the benefit of students. |
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| Integrity: |
| We act with integrity, placing high ethical standards before personal gain and modeling that behavior for others. |
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| Joy: |
| We value laughter and play that enriches our work and live. |
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Historical Sketch
Northwest Vista College is a college of the Alamo Colleges along with its sister colleges that include Palo Alto College, St. Philip’s College, San Antonio College and Northeast Lakeview College. The five colleges serve Bexar County and the surrounding areas.
The Alamo Colleges District is the largest provider of higher education in South Texas with over 90,000 students enrolled in more than 300 degree and certificate programs through the five colleges. Northwest Vista College student enrollment was 18,542 in the Fall 2020 semester.
Established in 1994, with a donation of approximately 137 acres from World Savings and Loan Association, Northwest Vista College began holding classes in off-campus locations in the fall of 1995 with an enrollment of 12 students. The college began construction of its campus in July 1997 and Mountain Laurel Hall opened to students in October 1998. The campus celebrated its grand opening in October 1999 with the completion of Manzanillo Hall and Huisache Hall. Pecan Hall opened in 2005 and currently houses programs for children as well as academic classrooms and labs.
In 2008-09 academic year, NVC opened four new buildings: Juniper Hall Academic Building, Redbud Learning Center, Live Oak Hall and Cypress Campus Center. Palmetto Center for the Arts was completed in August 2009.
Facilities
Located on 137 acres, Northwest Vista College is comprised of ten buildings: Manzanillo Hall, Mountain Laurel Hall, Huisache Hall, Pecan Hall, Texas Persimmon Physical Plant, Redbud Learning Center, Juniper Hall Academic Building, Live Oak Hall, Cypress Cultural Center, Palmetto Center for the Arts.
Manzanillo Hall houses the college’s administration offices that include the President and some Vice Presidents’ Offices, Public Relations, Community Development, Alumni Relations, Grants Development and College Services which include Institutional Research, Budget, Purchasing and Information and Communication Technology. The building also includes an Innovation Center, Faculty and Staff Development, Civic Engagement, Dual Credit and Distance Learning.
Mountain Laurel Hall is the home to our workforce programs that prepare students for immediate employment upon completion of their certificate or degree. Classrooms, laboratories and faculty offices in that building also support our customized training programs for individuals retraining for new careers or employers who need additional training for their staff.
The Huisache Hall Health and Wellness Center includes a gymnasium that accommodates seating for more than 300 fans. The building also houses Student Leadership and Activities programs. It has a banquet room, one classroom, a kinesiology area, lobby, a concession area and a fitness center for students and employees. A running track is located above the gym.
Pecan Hall is home to Community Education programs for kids as well as seniors and classroom space for business and government programs. It also includes a dance studio and computer labs as well as new Microsoft Datacenter Academy.
Juniper Hall Academic Building has 42 classrooms where students study reading, English, mathematics, and interdisciplinary programs. Computer learning labs allow students to supplement classroom instruction using computer technology and tutoring assistance. Two faculty suites accommodate 50 instructors.
Redbud Learning Center houses the library and 12 classrooms. It also has five group study rooms. The computer help desk allows lab assistants to help students with printing, using computers, and maintenance of equipment hardware. The third floor of the building includes state-of-the-art classrooms and labs for digital media and cinema production instructional programs.
The Cypress Cultural Center is currently under renovation. It previously held student services which have now been moved to a new building — Desert Willow Welcome Center.
Live Oak Hall has a total of 40 classrooms and labs, as well as two faculty work areas. It houses social sciences programs such as history, psychology, government, sociology, anthropology and speech. Live Oak is also a hub for natural and physical science programs that include biology, chemistry, geology, physics and engineering.
Palmetto Center for the Arts houses all fine and performing arts classes under one roof. Fine arts classes range from design and photography to sculpture and ceramics. A growing performing arts program includes a full range of music, theater, and dance programs. Facilities include a 400-seat proscenium theater, a 2,500 square-foot dance studio, recital halls, a black-box theater and art exhibit space.
Desert Willow Welcome Center is the newest NVC building that includes all student services in one facility. This building includes a bookstore, cafeteria, advising, financial aid, enrollment, bursar, counseling, disability services, testing center, and career and transfer services.
Ceder Elm STEM Center is currently under construction and it will house NVC’s science, technology, engineering and math courses.
Calendar
Northwest Vista College operates on a semester calendar. Fall and spring sessions consist of 16-week terms, two eight-week flex terms as well as wintermester and other condensed-format options. The summer sessions range from three-week to 14-week terms.
For more information, see Academic Calendar.
Degrees
Northwest Vista College offers an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science degrees as well as certificates.
For more information, see Programs of Study.
Financial Aid
Financial assistance for students is available to qualified students through scholarships, grants, loans and on-campus employment.
For more information, see Financial Aid.
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