Community Column: Resilience will carry us forward in 2021

The year 2021 has arrived 和 with it a new opportunity to look to the future. 毫无疑问, the year gone by has tested us all, but it has also taught us important lessons on resilience — a quality that will carry us forward in 2021.

As a beacon of hope for the South Side community since 1985, 帕洛阿尔托 大学 remains committed to keeping students first as they work to fulfill their educational goals. While we cannot know what 2021 will bring, we can control our attitude, approach, 和 response. Our faculty 和 staff continue to come together to provide strength 和 resilience as our students 和 community look to us for hope 和 opportunity.

As the first institute of higher education south of highway 90, 帕洛阿尔托 大学 has helped over 150,000 students obtain a college degree or certificate. Our decades of dedication to our students have not gone unnoticed. 帕洛阿尔托 大学 has risen to be named one of the top community colleges in the nation 和 the best in Texas — receiving recognition as a “Rising Star” award winner of the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community 大学 Excellence 和 one of the top 150 colleges in the country invited to apply for the 2021 Aspen Prize.

We were recently honored with an eight-figure gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott — a monumental achievement that has once again put our college on the national stage. This generous donation will allow us to enhance support for students in different areas, including scholarship assistance, student 和 community advocacy, 和 continued access to higher education.

These designations 和 our perseverance propel us into the new year as we continue to provide our students with a first-rate education 和 connect with our community. We welcome you to learn more about our college, how we can be of service to you 和 your family, whether through our virtual after school programs, a virtual theatre performance, or just figuring out how to get back in school. We are here to help, no matter where you are in your journey.

每学期, a growing number of people trust 帕洛阿尔托 大学 to educate 和 prepare them for personal 和 professional development. If you’re interested in exploring our programs 和 continuing your education, visit 阿拉莫.edu/pac or call our Welcome Center at 210-486-3100.

This column by Dr. 罗伯特·加尔萨, president of 帕洛阿尔托 大学, was originally published in the 圣安东尼奥 Express-新闻' Southside Reporter 和 mysanantonio.com.