Alamo Colleges District Names Welcome Center at ACCESS in Honor of the Carlos Alvarez Family

The Alamo Colleges District has named the Welcome Center at ACCESS the Carlos Alvarez Family Welcome Center, honoring more than two decades of generous support from the Alvarez family and The Gambrinus Company to expand access to higher education and create life-changing opportunities for students across San Antonio.

“On behalf of the Carlos Alvarez family, we are deeply honored to be part of this moment,” said John Brozovich, president and chief executive officer of The Gambrinus Company, which his late father-in-law, Mr. Alvarez, founded in 1986. “We believe that education is the most powerful tool to open doors to a better future. When you invest in a student, you invest in a future filled with possibility.”

Brozovich said the family’s support has always been rooted in relationships with students and their families.

“What means the most is not the recognition; it’s the relationships,” Brozovich said. “We have cherished every opportunity to meet the students whose lives were changed through our scholarships, to hear their stories, and to celebrate their dreams. In those moments, Carlos and Malú felt, and we all feel, that we truly were the fortunate ones to share in their successes.”

The new name recognizes the Alvarez family’s longstanding commitment to Alamo Colleges students, with lifetime giving totaling more than $3.5 million in support of scholarships and student success. 

Their generosity has positively impacted nearly 1,000 students and counting, with support that will continue for years to come through the endowed Gambrinus Scholarship and ongoing investments in AlamoPROMISE. 

“The Alvarez family has been a transformational partner in advancing our moonshot to end poverty through education and training,” said Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor. “Their support reflects a belief in the power of education to change lives, strengthen families, and uplift our entire community. The Carlos Alvarez Family Welcome Center will stand as a lasting tribute to their legacy of access and opportunity."

The Welcome Center at ACCESS opened in 2025. The center is designed to connect individuals with the many opportunities available across the district’s five colleges and programs, serving first-time college students, returning learners, adult learners, and individuals seeking new career pathways.

More about the Alvarez Family Impact Across the Alamo Colleges

The Alvarez family’s support of the Alamo Colleges District began in 2002, when the late Carlos Alvarez made one of the first leadership commitments to the Alamo Colleges Foundation by establishing the Gambrinus Scholarship Endowment with a $500,000 matching grant. The endowment now stands at $1 million and continues to provide annual scholarships in perpetuity.

Since 2007, the Gambrinus Endowed Scholarship has awarded more than 411 scholarships to Alamo Colleges students, totaling an estimated $700,000. In addition, the Gambrinus Company has contributed $155,000 over the years to the Alamo Colleges Foundation.

In 2020, Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez continued their commitment through the $1 million Alvarez Matching Grant Challenge in support of AlamoPROMISE, the district’s tuition-free program. The challenge grant helped the Alamo Colleges Foundation raise an additional $1.8 million.

Most recently, the Carlos Alvarez Family and Impetus Foundation personally pledged an additional $2 million to AlamoPROMISE, strengthening the program’s ability to help students pursue higher education without the burden of tuition and required fees.