Alamo Colleges-Palo Alto College

Palo Alto College was officially chartered in March 1983 by the Texas state legislature. Classes began in September 1985 with an attendance of 231 students dispersed in high schools and military installations. The administrative offices were located at Billy Mitchell Village, outside Kelly Air Force Base. Bexar County voters - through a bond issue - made possible the construction of a $13 million campus. The mission-style campus officially opened its doors in January 1987. Its physical outline is inspired by 18th century Spanish mission architecture, principally by Mission San José’s cupola, façade, and its granary’s distinctive cylindrical shape. Adorned tiles embedded in buildings throughout campus convey and reaffirm the spirit of Spanish Colonial architecture. In 1989, the college achieved full accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which was most recently reaffirmed in June 2012.

Founded on the belief that education is the central element of improving lives, Palo Alto College continues to be an institution of high academic standards. It serves a growing student body with an increasingly diverse curriculum that features two-year course plans in the arts and sciences and many technical and workforce programs. Through Palo Alto College, students can earn certificates or complete the first two years of a four-year degree plan for transfer to a university. The college is continually receiving accolades from four-year universities commenting on the high caliber of preparation the students who transfer have attained.

Today, Palo Alto College strives to take into account cultural distinctions as well as contemporary academic needs. Palo Alto College continues to make a difference, always moving forward and always sharing its campus and its resources to improve San Antonio’s growing community.

Palo Alto College

Mission Statement: To inspire, empower, and educate our community for leadership and success.

Core Values: Students First; Respect for All; Community-Engaged; Collaboration; Can-Do Spirit; Data-Informed

Strategic Directions:

Community Empowerment

Palo Alto College is dedicated to promoting a college-going culture for the community it serves by engaging and educating community members and creating access to teaching and learning resources.

Goals

1. Increase success rates in existing community programs
2. Increase access to teaching and learning resources for the community
3. Promote the college-going culture in the community

Employee Empowerment

Palo Alto College strives to maintain a culture that promotes professional growth, clear and transparent communication, and cross-college collaboration.

Goals

1. Sustain an organizational culture that supports and encourages equitable professional growth in alignment with the College’s mission
2. Nourish and strengthen a culture of inclusiveness through clear and efficient communication
3. Foster an environment of shared contribution and collaborative effort in which innovation is encouraged

Maximize Capacity to Serve

Palo Alto College is dedicated to maximizing existing resources, diversifying funding streams, establishing new partnerships, and enhancing our infrastructure to support the community.

Goals

1. Develop a Palo Alto College budget model that is driven by a measurable, multi-year, planning process that includes a focus on enrollment, contact hours, and strategic fiscal stewardship
2. Secure alternative funding sources to aid in supplementing institutional activities and supporting growth
3. Develop and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships with industry, government, and non-profit sectors
4. Strengthen infrastructure by applying strategic budgeting principles to fund technology priorities and innovations, and minimize facilities’ deferred maintenance costs

Student Empowerment

Palo Alto College is committed to empowering students to explore educational opportunities, identify career and transfer pathways, and discover high-wage, high-demand careers. Palo Alto College meets students where they are by providing tools and strategies to address students’ unique interests and to help them succeed academically and professionally.

Goals

1. Increase student completion
2. Increase opportunities for students to explore careers pathways
3. Increase student transfer outcomes and improve workforce outcomes 
4. Close equity gaps across student sub-populations
5. Increase student proficiency in learning outcomes