Community Column: PAC named among top in nation

As president of 帕洛阿尔托 大学, I've seen firsth和 the incredible work that my colleagues do each day to support our students 和 our community. Whether students are the first in their family to attend college or are looking to improve their educational attainment, we have always believed that education should be accessible to everyone.

4月2日, the Aspen Institute's 大学 Excellence Program announced that 帕洛阿尔托 大学 was named a Rising Star award winner of the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community 大学 Excellence, the nation's signature recognition of high achievement 和 performance among America's community colleges.

From an original pool of over 1,000 community colleges nationwide, 帕洛阿尔托 大学 has been able to achieve something many might not have thought possible when we opened in 1985: being one of the top one percent of community colleges in the nation.

I am proud to share that the Aspen Institute recognized 帕洛阿尔托 大学 for our work in building clear pathways to degrees 和 transferability, exceptional student advising, 和 strong partnerships with K-12 systems, which have resulted in remarkable improvement in the graduation 和 transfer rate over four years, from 28 percent to 47 percent.

This recognition is more than just an award. It validates the shared commitment of our dedicated faculty 和 staff in creating hope 和 opportunity for our students 和 our community. Without collaboration among colleagues throughout the 阿拉莫大学 区, K-12 school districts, 和 our industry partners, we would not be able to do what we do.

Representing the 阿拉莫大学 区 和 community colleges across the nation at this level is an honor.

Keeping students first is a core value of 帕洛阿尔托 大学, 和 this collective thought has created a place where our community 和 students can achieve their dreams 和 aspirations for a better life. What was once considered the best kept secret in south 圣安东尼奥 is no longer a secret to the nation.

This column by Dr. 罗伯特·加尔萨, president of 帕洛阿尔托 大学, was originally published in the 圣安东尼奥 Express-新闻' Southside Reporter 和 mysanantonio.com.