Howard Payne University offers scholarships to SWTJC students

Scholarship awards of up to $31,000 per year at Howard Payne University are available for SWTJC transfer students. Award applications are open to SWTJC students with a 3.40 GPA or higher. Applications should be submitted to Juanita Reed (jreed@swtjc.edu) in the SWTJC President’s office no later than March 6.

Located in Brownwood, TX, Howard Payne University is a faith-based private liberal arts institution offering Bachelor and Master’s level degrees in such fields as Art, Accounting, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Computer Information Systems, Criminal Justice, Math, Education, Music, various foreign languages, Social Work, Theater, Theology, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing beginning in Fall 2014. (Click here for a full list of degree offerings at HPU.) Student life at HPU is vibrant with multiple housing options, various student activities, and thriving intramural and collegiate-level sports events. DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

Nursing program accepting applications for fall 2014

Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) School of Vocational Nursing in Uvalde, Del Rio and Eagle Pass is currently accepting applications for the fall 2014.  The deadline for applications is April 1, 2014.

The Vocational Nursing Program is delivered in a clinically intensive certificate program of approximately one year in length. The college accepts a total of 90 students (30 in Uvalde; 30 in Del Rio; and 30 in Eagle Pass) every year.  The Texas Board of Nursing, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approve the program.

Registration underway for Spring Mini-mester courses

Registration is under way for SWTJC's Spring Mini-mester classes.

The mini-mester classes begin March 17 with eight-week courses available online and on campus in Uvalde, Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Crystal City.

Classes available include english, biology, nutrition, child development, computer science and humanities.

SWTJC is also offering a three-week May-mester, which begins on May 14 and ends May 29.

May-mester classes include developmental education, english, psychology and more.

Registration for May-mester courses begin April 1. For a detailed class schedule click here.

College day attracts big crowd

Approximately 400 high school seniors from fifteen high schools attended the spring college day at SWTJC Uvalde on Tuesday, Feb. 18. PHOTOS

The students were taken on a tour of the campus and later attended breakout sessions on admissions, financial aid and student support services throughout the morning.

"It was a good turnout and I want to thank all the faculty and staff for all their work in putting together another great college day," said SWTJC outreach coordinator Damacio Sanchez.

Cowboys defeat OLLU in OT

The SWTJC Cowboys downed Our Lady of the Lake University, 84-80 in overtime. Andre Thomas led the Cowboys with 19 points. Other top scorers were Rudy Ortiz with 14 points and Mychal Sanchez with 13 points.

Next up for the Cowboys is a trip to Big Springs where they will face the School for the Deaf on Sat., Feb.15.

In women's basketball, the Cowgirls will be on the road for their next two games, first stop is Howard College on Feb. 14 and the School for the Deaf on Feb. 15. 

The Cowboys and Cowgirls will return to home action when they host Northwest Vista College with a 6 p.m. tip for the women and the men playing immediately after on Wed., Feb. 19 at La Forge Hall Gym.

Knippa ISD partners with SWTJC for Early College High School

Knippa Independent School District superintendent Jeff Cottrill and Southwest Texas Junior College President Dr. Hector Gonzales met in the SWTJC Matthews Student Center Ballroom Wednesday morning. After a brief statement by each leader, they signed a memorandum of understanding instituting an early-college high school: Knippa Collegiate Early College High School. 

Gonzales, who opened the meeting by noting that “today is the first day of a great partnership,” explained that this agreement will allow students to graduate from high school with an associate’s degree. 

The Knippa Collegiate Early College High School (KCECHS) represents robust integration between Knippa ISD and the SWTJC dual credit articulation program. It includes the cooperation of course designers, teachers and instructors, and program evaluators. As a result, students who graduate from KCECHS also graduate with an associate’s degree from SWTJC. This initiative gives high school students early access to college. Increased income opportunities, a benefit of degree attainment, are also available to KCECHS students. 

A study emphasizing the highest net benefits for students who first earn an associate’s degree at a community college before earning a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution was recently published by Columbia University’s Community College Research Center. Graduates from KCECHS are ideally positioned to achieve these net benefits. “Core” college credits earned from SWTJC can be transferred and applied toward a bachelor’s degree program at any public Texas institute of higher education. Further, KCECHS students are eligible to participate in SWTJC’s many 2x2 transfer agreements with four-year colleges and universities. 

“We are looking forward to enhancing education in our area,” Gonzales said. 

Cottrill echoed Gonzales’ enthusiasm: “this agreement is setting our students up for that much more success.” In offering both a high school diploma and associate’s degree, KCECHS is held to the standards of the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and SWTJC’s regional accreditor: the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges. 

Early college courses will begin at KCECHS in fall of 2014.

Highlighting the cooperating parties from both Knippa ISD and SWTJC, Cottrill expressed his appreciation for all parties involved in the KCECHS initiative. 

“This is a great program that required thinking ‘outside the box’ – we are excited to see it become a reality.”

Student Life Department sponsors essay contest for Black History Month

The SWTJC Student Life Department is sponsoring a Black History Month Essay Competition.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners.

The competition is open to all currently enrolled SWTJC students.

All essays must be printed and submitted to Jessica Nunez-Gonzalez located in the Mathews Student Center.

Entries should be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 24. Click on the link below for official rules.

Essay Competition Rules

February is Financial Aid Awareness Month

Southwest Texas Junior College financial aid staff members have been diligently working on providing financial aid information to area high school seniors and their families since mid-January and have a full schedule of visits planned in the month of February.

“Every year our advisors are very active in providing valuable information to area seniors and their families by going into their communities and meeting with them, “ said Financial Aid Director, Yvette Hernandez. “We work with area high schools to schedule times convenient for families so we can better explain the process of financial aid and the importance of completing a FAFSA.”

According to Hernandez, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an important tool for anyone considering enrolling in college classes.

The Financial Aid staff encourages families to be prepared when coming to a FAFSA Lab Night by having these items needed by students to complete the 2014-15 FAFSA are: Student’s Driver’s license and Social Security Card; Parent’s Social Security number and dates of birth; W-2 forms and other records of money earned in 2013; 2013 US Income Tax Return (IRS Forms 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ or 1040TEL); Records of untaxed income such as welfare, Social Security or Veteran’s benefits.

SWTJC Financial Aid staff members will be visiting high schools in Pearsall, Del Rio, Hondo, Dilley, Crystal City, Sabinal, Bracketville, Eagle Pass and Uvalde.

Click on the link below to view a complete schedule of the upcoming FAFSA nights.
FAFSA Nights schedule