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News and notes from around the College

Aspen Institute names San Jac among Top 10 The Aspen Institute named San Jacinto College as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a $1 million award recognizing top community colleges for student success and equitable outcomes. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels...
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Former engineer finds second career in cancer data management

Roland Rodriguez loved being a chemical engineer. Frankly, after three decades in the petrochemical industry with a good paycheck, he wasn’t considering a change. Then came 2020. COVID-19 suspended projects at his Houston engineering firm, and without projects to manage, Rodriguez got laid off. A year later, no new jobs had turned up. “That’s when I started reevaluating the role of...
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Toro triumphs over setbacks to chase nursing career

San Jacinto College student Ana Toro’s journey from Ecuador to the U.S. shows perseverance in the face of adversity. After earning two degrees from the College, she plans to pursue nursing next spring. In a country that faced political and economic challenges, Toro and her family were forced to leave their home to seek a better life in the U.S. “My family always valued education very...
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Nursing graduate proves ‘any dream is within reach’

Lying on a gurney before surgery, teenager Tori Thomas didn’t realize her life was about to change. The nurse anesthetist who appeared beside Thomas was pretty and kind … and looked like her. “I never thought somebody like me could be in a role like that,” she said. Today, Thomas wears nurse scrubs herself, thanks to finishing San Jacinto College’s licensed vocational nurse to...
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Tonja Conerly, San Jacinto College sociology professor

Practice what you teach: Conerly brings sociology to life

To Dr. Tonja Conerly, sociology is not just a subject but a lens through which students can better understand the complexities of human behavior and the social structures that shape the world. The San Jacinto College sociology professor believes this information is valuable to people in any industry as most jobs require at least some interpersonal communication, something she knows from...
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Transform your passion into a career with San Jac’s dance instructor program 

Do you have a passion for dance and a desire to inspire others? San Jacinto College’s dance instructor technical program is your gateway to turning that passion into a rewarding career. Through this specialized program, guided by expert instructors and held in the College’s dance facilities, you’ll gain the essential skills and experience to become a successful studio dance...
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Service is lifestyle for Army veteran

Robert Charles remembers Sept. 11, 2001, as more than a dark day. It was the day he glimpsed his future. Eyes glued to the TV screen at his elementary school, Charles watched the Twin Towers fall and learned about the other hijacked planes. If he had been 18, not 8, he would have enlisted on the spot. “I’ve always had the urge to be in uniform — to protect and serve — because of that...
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Tidwell oversees launch of San Jac’s new online campus

San Jacinto College will launch its newest campus, San Jac Online, in fall 2025 with Dr. Ken Tidwell as the chief officer for online learning. Tidwell joined San Jac in March 2020, a week before the COVID-19 shutdowns. Over the past four years, he has served as the dean of workforce development and the interim associate vice chancellor for the Maritime Campus. His journey into online...
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Honors program students experience the rich culture and history of Spain

Every year, the San Jacinto College Honors Program offers its students an opportunity to explore international destinations and immerse themselves in diverse cultures. This year, led by North Campus government professor Cody Pogue, the program embarked on a journey to Spain. “There is a big world outside of Houston,” Pogue said. “It’s easy to get in our little bubble and think the whole...
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Center for Entrepreneurship provides resources for small business success

The Center for Entrepreneurship at San Jacinto College’s Generation Park Campus offers budding entrepreneurs the resources and guidance they need to launch and grow their small businesses. “The Center for Entrepreneurship is designed to act as a catalyst to assist small business owners and entrepreneurs in gaining access to knowledge necessary for developing, strengthening, and growing...