Community Column: Exposure to a college atmosphere can change lives

As a community college that serves the southern most sectors of 圣安东尼奥 和 Bexar县, we believe supporting students of all ages influences the path toward a successful life.

I didn't visit a college campus for the first time until I was a senior in high school. That visit was the first time I thought college could be a possibility, 和 it caused me to reevaluate my goals 和 possibilities for my future. Access to higher education changed the trajectory of my life 和 that of my family.

帕洛阿尔托学院 has maintained a long-st和ing practice of creating access points 和 opportunities for our entire community to join us on campus. One of our top priorities has been to engage future Palominos from a young age, so that our college feels like a natural next step after high school graduation. We do this through various events, 资源, 和程序, such as Learn to Swim, which brings second graders from local school districts for swimming lessons in our Olympic-sized swimming pool.

On Tuesday, we officially opened Palomino Park on campus. It's 关闭 to the fitness trail 和 adjacent to the campus's Aquatic 和 Athletic Center 和 Ozuna 图书馆, with community access from Villaret Boulevard.

Through a grant awarded by the 圣安东尼奥 Sports School Parks program, 和 with funding from the City of 圣安东尼奥 Parks 和 Recreation Department 和 support from the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation, a 圣安东尼奥 Area Foundation fund, 帕洛阿尔托学院 dedicated the park - a community area that includes a playground, 野餐桌, 还有木炭烤架. The new space was created to provide a family friendly environment for children 和 their families; its aim is to encourage community fitness 和 educational awareness.

This year, the 帕洛阿尔托学院 Alumni & Friends Association will host the inaugural Palomino Pumpkin Patch in the Central Courtyard of our campus. The community-wide event is from 10 a.m. 到2点.m. 十月星期六. 19, 和 Sunday, Oct. 20. It will feature a hay maze, 秋天工艺品, 在脸上画画, 和 other fall fun activities for the whole family.

Our hope is that our neighbors know 帕洛阿尔托学院 is a place where we build up our community through learning 和 engaging with one another. With the support of dedicated faculty 和 staff who care deeply about our community, 帕洛阿尔托学院 will remain a place of hope 和 will continue to serve as champions for educational access for all.

这是博士的专栏. 罗伯特·加尔萨, president of 帕洛阿尔托学院, was originally published in the 圣安东尼奥 Express-新闻' Southside Reporter 和 mysanantonio.com.