Ash Wednesday

Financial aid advisor Madeline Lester prays Feb. 17 during the Ash Wednesday service sponsored by the San Antonio College Catholic Student Association in the Craft Room of Loftin. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of lent, a period of 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter observed by believers with repentance and fasting to strengthen their relationship with God.

Radio-television-film sophomore Michael Contreras, prays.

Theatre sophomore Lupe Zapata recieves ashes from sociology sophomore Brother Jonathan Irrobali.

Recent from the Ranger

This is my finally updating the blog with news and feature photos:


Corinet player David Jellema and drummer Michael Waskiewicz of the ragtime band Second Line perform during Fat Tuesday Feb. 16 in Loftin. The band's name refers to the group of rowdy fans and admirers that follow the front line during parades in New Orleans.



Housekeeper Juanita Hernandez exits Chance Academic Center after her shift ended Feb 2. Plans are currently in progress for the loss of six housekeeping employees.


International student portraits:


Yonggun Lee, South Korean international student and engineering sophomore, poses with the flag of South Korea east of Moody Jan. 21. Lee moved to San Antonio from Incheon, South Korea, in 2005.

Anesa Sankar, nursing sophomore and international student from Trinidad, holds a postcard of her native country Jan. 22. Sankar moved to the U.S. in 2006, and plans to graduate next year.


Business sophomore Allen Evans talks with Shannon White, program and clinical director of the Center for Family Relations during the service-learning and volunteer fair Feb. 10 in Candler. After recently being laid-off, Evans sees community service as a way to give back while unable to donate funds to the church.

Opening of the Chill Lounge:



Architecture sophomore Carlos Montalvo, along with his wife Felcia and 18-month-old daughter Isabella, pose for a picture taken by architecure sophomore John Silva Friday during the grand opening of the Chill Lounge, on the first floor of Chance. Carlos Montalvo and Silva were part of the 14-student team who began designing the lounge in Professor Isabel Garcia's fall 2008 Architecture 2470 class.

Richard Castillo finishes his drink in the limo before entering the Black and White Ball hosted by the Gay and Lesbian Association.

Marketing sophomore Caitlin Taylor laughs during the Black and White Ball hosted by the Gay and Lesbian Association,at Koehler Cultural Center. Taylor said she purchased the suspenders off ebay for $10.

A hole drilled through the second-story balcony doesn't drain enough water Feb. 3, at the Jean Longwith Radio-Television & Film Building.


After waiting in line for 45 minutes, biology freshman Ji-ae Im and laboratory science sophomore Hana An of Korea are told by admissions clerk Dana Arnold that they are in the incorrect line for receiving a parking permit Monday in Candler.

single accreditation

The community rose to the defense of St. Philip's College, calling it the pride of their east side that the board of trustees continued to exploit: single accreditation of the five colleges would cause the college to lose $7 million in grant funds and it's status as a historically black institution.


Denver McClendon, Chair of the Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees, emphasizes that no decision on single accreditation will be made during the meeting Jan. 12 at Killen. Members of the community and organizations spoke for up to five minutes following a Citizen's To Be Heard format.

Concerned citizen Nettie Hinton speaks against single accreditation, to the applause of those in attendance at the board oftTrustees public hearing Jan. 12. Hinton said the board had "raped" St. Philip's College of it's programs and students' ability to perform at the highest potential.



Chancellor Bruce Leslie watches as Chair Denver McClendon lowers the gavel in the unanimous decision against single accreditation of the five colleges Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Killen Community Education & Service Center.

Rusty Boyd, networks training specialist at st. Philip's College, texts her friend the news about the Alamo Board of Trustees' unanimous vote against single accreditation of the five colleges Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Killen Community Education & Service Center.

61st Stock Show and Rodeo

Nursing sophomore Jennifer McClean rides the mechanical bull during the Wild West Rodeo Roundup Feb. 10 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin.



Agriculture science sophomores Jason Brister and of Palo Alto College identify the different pig meats for Sage Sale, 14, of Nueces County during the swine skillathon Feb. 9 at the 61st Annual Stock Show and Rodeo. 18 students of agriculture Instructor Weldon Riggs at Palo Alto College volunteered to help run the skillathon, which tested youth through age 18 on their knowledge of pigs, awarding the most skilled senior a $12,000 scholarship.





Powe Acosta and her sister Carmen ride Power Feb. 6 at the fair grounds of the 61st Annual Stock Show and Rodeo, in the parking lot of the AT&T Center.

Clark Toalson, 13, washes his cow Lindsey Feb. 6 in Cattle Barn 2 at the 61st Annual Stock Show and Rodeo, in the parking lot of the At&T Center. After drying her with a hair dryer, Toalson will enter Lindsey into the American Brangus show.

Ashley Bennet and Trey Russel kiss on the ferris wheel at the fair grounds of San Antonio's 61st Annual Stock Show and Rodeo Feb. 6, at the AT&T Center parking lot. Bennet and Russel came to see the rodeo from Ingleside, Texas.