San Jacinto College has been awarded the Education Champion Award as a part of the 41st annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards. This award honors the College’s commitment to service learning and its impactful community service initiatives that provide students with hands-on experiences while benefiting the local community. The volunteer awards are presented by OneStar Foundation in partnership with the Office of the Texas Governor.
Photo courtesy of OneStar Foundation
Service learning addresses community needs while offering students opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. One of the College’s most impactful initiatives is the See to Succeed eye care clinic, a collaborative effort with the Houston Health Department that provides vision care for students in Pasadena Independent School District.
Each year, San Jac eye care technology program students assist with exams, guide children in selecting frames, and help process prescriptions. More than 1,000 students receive comprehensive eye exams, with hundreds of glasses prescriptions filled.
“Service learning transforms both our students’ educational experiences and the lives of those in our community,” said Dr. Brenda Hellyer, Chancellor. “Through projects like See to Succeed and many others, our students gain valuable hands-on skills while making a real difference. We are honored to receive the Education Champion Award and remain committed to fostering civic engagement and academic excellence.”
See to Succeed 2025
Since 2013, San Jac has embedded service learning into various academic programs, offering students opportunities to participate in projects that range from environmental conservation efforts with the biology department to historical oral history projects conducted by the history department. The English department’s writing project, launched in 2022, has engaged students in addressing social isolation among seniors by sending nearly 8,000 handwritten cards to adult-living facilities statewide.
Hosted by Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, the Governor’s Volunteer Awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that have significantly contributed to their communities through volunteerism and service. San Jac’s selection as the Education Champion Award recipient highlights its dedication to fostering student engagement, civic responsibility, and workforce readiness.
San Jac eye care technology students continued their tradition of service in February 2025, when they volunteered at the See to Succeed clinic, further demonstrating their commitment to education, health care, and community impact.
For more information about San Jac’s service learning initiatives, visit sanjac.edu. To learn more about the Governor’s Volunteer Awards, visit onestarfoundation.org.
By Jacquelynn Conger
