San Antonio College Opens New Victory Center to Support Veterans and Active Duty Military Students

Alamo Colleges District - San Antonio College celebrated the opening of its newest building on campus, the $7.6 million Victory Center, which will enable and support veterans and active duty military who come to college. A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Tuesday, May 1, in conjunction with the start of Military Appreciation Month.

"San Antonio College is dedicated to providing a high quality education for our veterans and active military personnel and ensure they have the resources to succeed," said Dr. Robert Vela, President of SAC. "With the opening of our Victory Center, we are providing them a beautiful building that is easily accessible to make them feel welcome and assure them they are an integral part of SAC."    

"The concept is for the Victory Center to serve as a one-stop shop for veteran students and military students," added Tammy Micallef, director of the Victory Center and a Navy veteran. "We will be providing as many services as possible so the veterans can come to one location and receive maximum services."

The Victory Center will be the home to the Office of SAC Veteran Affairs which includes a team of 19 staff members; the VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) program, a national program out of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; a disability claims representative from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization; and the TRIO Veterans Student Support Services grant, Project VALOR, which provides additional support to 120 student veterans. In addition, the new facility includes a Transfer and Career Center, a tutoring center, and three classrooms for on-going training opportunities. Other services include specialized case management and mental wellness counseling.

About the Facility  

The SAC Victory Center is a 22,500 square foot, two-story structure. The first-floor entry features a circular staircase surrounded by polished concrete, touch-screen interactive directories, a coffee bar, and seating for students awaiting assistance from administrative personnel.

The second floor features an elevated walkway open to the atrium that leads to a study lounge, private or open study rooms, and classrooms with operable partitions, glass projection screens, and state-of-the art retractable projectors.

A central courtyard features rock gabion walls to complement the landscape and provide an outdoor respite between classes.

The Victory Center Construction project was announced in July 2015 by Texas State Senator José Menendez, who championed the funding of the facility. A groundbreaking took place in February 2016.

The Victory Center was built by Vaughn Construction and designed by Alamo Architects.