By Edmond Ortiz
In September 1925, the University of Texas rolled out operations of University Junior College in San Antonio.
As it would become known today as San Antonio College, the institution is one of Texas’ community colleges and one that has enrolled more than 500,000 students through the help of a history of affordable tuition and wide access to a range of academic degree programs and other opportunities for pupils to extend their educational pursuits.
Current leaders of San Antonio College, as well as past college and civic leaders, present students, alumni and others gathered at the Midtown campus on Sept. 20 for a celebration of the college’s 100th anniversary.
The perspective
Famous past students have included former U.S. Congress members, an astronaut, renowned radio personality and public speaker Sonny Melendrez, current Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, and SAC’s current president, Francisco Solis.
San Antonio College’s enrollment again is estimated at more than 20,000, with that number expected to increase by 4,000 over the next four years. Along the way, SAC has received numerous educational institution awards and other honors.
What they’re saying
According to Solis, SAC continues its tradition of expanding affordable collegiate educational opportunities through programs such as Alamo Promise, which offers free tuition to eligible local high school graduates.
Solis said San Antonio College prides itself on serving a wide range of student populations, including military veterans – to a point that the institution opened a specialized Victory Center in 2018 to better serve its military student population.
Additionally, Solis said, it’s a source of pride that SAC frequently transfers students to a number of prominent four-year universities around Texas and beyond, including Ivy League schools.
“Our students are as competitive as their native students and are as successful as those students as well,” Solis said in a press release. “We’ve demonstrated through data that our students can and do perform.”
What’s next
San Antonio College is planning to offer a slate of public events to mark the institution’s 100th anniversary throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. SAC’s centennial celebration is taking place as the Alamo Colleges District marks its 80th anniversary.
According to Solis, SAC aims to get ahead in certain high-demand academic and industry fields with the start of a new AI degree program this fall, the recent opening of a life sciences academic building, and the launch of a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
“Right now, across the country, everyone is questioning the value of higher education in general,” Solis said in the release. “Today’s students don’t want debt. They want to compete in university-level programs and get a well-paying job.”
