St. Philip's College (SPC)

Located on San Antonio's east side, St Philip's College is the country's westernmost HBCU and a member of the Alamo Colleges District, a network of five community colleges within the area that confer associate degrees and certifications. The school has two major campuses and several subsidiary locations, with the east side campus acting as the main campus, and the Southwest campus serving as the hub for SPC's technical training programs. For students wishing to transfer to a four-year institution, there is a core set of requirements that provides a common academic foundation and basis of transferability; the school was recently awarded a $75,000 grant to increase adult student enrollment, one of only 20 community colleges in the country to do so. The Applied Science and Technology division offers programs that train students for direct entry into the workforce but includes general education requirements; programs include Vision Care Technology, Electrical Trades, and Hotel Management. The Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialist program received National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Program of Study Validation from the NSA, affirming the school's high-quality training in the field. SPC tutoring centers also offer help in a variety of disciplines, as well test prep courses, Seminars on Success (mini-workshops on study and organizational skills), and a book loan program.