Jeri Rae Venegas never imagined her pet portrait paintings would lead to collaborations with luxury brands like Marc Jacobs and David Yurman. Now based in Austin, the San Jacinto College alumna balances commissioned work with her own artistic projects. Q: How did you get started in art? A: I grew up mostly in Friendswood and attended San Jac for about four years, taking only a few...

Lenny Gordon has been crazy about cars since childhood, when he shadowed his dad at a car dealership. As a teen, Gordon was tinkering under the hood of his own Chevy Camaro and interning at Monument Chevrolet through a high school auto tech program. It was Monument’s owner, Carroll Smith, who encouraged him to continue his studies at San Jacinto College. The College’s General Motors...

San Jacinto College’s close partnerships with industry leaders play a critical role in keeping academic programs aligned with workforce needs. One example is Andrew Pakkala, an engineering design graphics graduate whose career has come full circle — from student to industry professional to advisory committee member helping guide the program’s future. Pakkala earned his Associate of...