ACD Receives Two Prestigious UPCEA 2025 Association Awards

The Alamo Colleges District has been recognized nationally with two awards from UPCEA, affirming its leadership in innovative educational practices and international partnerships. UPCEA is an online and professional education association.

Announced earlier this month, the Alamo Colleges District earned the UPCEA Innovation in Alternative Credentials Award for San Antonio College’s marketable skills badges and the UPCEA International Program of Excellence Award for its global collaboration in nursing education sponsored by St. Philip’s College.

“These awards highlight the Alamo Colleges District’s dedication to accessible, high-quality education that prepares students for today’s dynamic workforce,” said Dr. Mike Flores, Chancellor of the Alamo Colleges District. “We are honored to be recognized for these transformative programs that align with our moonshot of partnering to end poverty through education and training.”

Innovation in Alternative Credentials Award: San Antonio College Marketable Skills Badges

San Antonio College received the UPCEA Innovation in Alternative Credentials Award for its work in digital badges. This marketable skills program has awarded over 170,000 competency-based credentials to more than 8,000 learners across eight pathways.

The badges, developed in partnership with the Alamo Colleges District  Instructional Technology team and the Skills Lab, are tailored to the needs of today’s workforce, showing achievement in areas such as ethical decision-making, communication, and healthcare teamwork.

Rosalind Ong, Interim Dean of Performance Excellence in the Office of Integrated Planning and Performance Excellence, said that digital badges can help make learning inside and outside of the classroom visible to students, increase self-efficacy and motivation, and support student success.

“The Alamo Colleges and SAC have put in extensive work to understand exactly what skills are in demand and to design our badges around those needs,” Ong said. “Digital badges, micro-credentials, and alternative credentials are more than just a trend – they are an essential solution for people looking to gain new skills and strengthen their resumes rapidly.”

The program’s success aligns with SAC’s mission to deliver accessible, high-quality education and bridge the gap between academic achievement and career readiness.

“It is an honor to be recognized nationally for our commitment to innovative, career-focused education,” said San Antonio College Interim President Dr. Francisco Solis. “This award is a testament to our faculty and staff’s leadership and dedication to expanding access to skill-based education and student success.”

International Program of Excellence Award: Collaboration with Methodist Healthcare System and Universidad Tecmilenio in Mexico

The Alamo Colleges District also received the UPCEA International Program of Excellence Award for innovative collaboration with the Methodist Healthcare System and Universidad Tecmilenio in Mexico. With St. Philip’s College serving as the badge issuer, this program enhances global healthcare by providing alternative credentials for international nurses that represent the marketable skills needed to succeed as a nurse in the United States.

“This award recognizes a program demonstrating innovation, creativity, and commitment to achieving international impact and contributes to furthering the internationalization of the field of professional, continuing, and/or online education and can be replicated or adapted by others,” said Chris Metsgar, Dean for Academic Success at St. Philip’s College.

For a full list of 2025 UPCEA Association Award Recipients list, click here. Award recipients will be honored at the 2025 UPCEA Annual Conference, which will be held March 24-26, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.