NVC Retrospective : National Acclaim and Strategic Expansion
January 12, 2026
(2019-2022)
Northwest Vista College (NVC) experienced significant growth and earned various accolades between 2018 and 2022, notably adopting the Guided Pathways "Institutes" model to boost student success, achieving a high graduation rate, and earning national recognition as a 2019 Aspen Prize Top 150 Finalist. This era concluded in 2022 with the retirement of NVC President Dr. Ric Baser.
Institutes and Graduation Rates
Institutes were designed to keep students on an educational path to graduation and possible transfer, including the use of new transfer advising guides (TAGs). The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board reported that NVC had a three-year graduation rate of 30.32% for 2014-2017; the average three-year graduation rate for community colleges in Texas was approximately 19.4% to 20.3%.
EcoLab and SALUTE
During this time, the college signed a unique memorandum of understanding to establish an Archaeology Field School in Von Ormy, along the Medina River, and later added a second field school outside of Bandera, Texas.
In 2019, NVC became the first college in the Alamo Colleges District to establish a local chapter of the SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society, which serves student veterans and active military at two- and four-year institutions of higher education.
Top Rankings
NVC was ranked No. 1 among Texas community colleges and No. 6 in the nation on Niche's 2019 Best Colleges in America list. Additionally, NVC became a Top 150 Aspen Finalist in 2019, making it the only community college in San Antonio and one of eight in Texas to be invited to compete for the next Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. From 2019 to 2022, NVC was invited to compete twice for the Aspen Prize for community college excellence.
Pandemic Learning and Commencements
In March 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, NVC moved all classes to remote learning after an extended spring break. Following rapid training by IT on Zoom and Canvas, the college operated under this remote learning and business model until Fall 2021. Despite the pandemic, NVC's fall 2020 enrollment reached 18,542. Commencement was celebrated with a drive-in graduation at Fiesta Texas. In 2021, NVC held a “Cruise-Thru” Commencement event, with students in graduation gowns driving through NISD Farris Stadium while NVC faculty, staff, and students cheered them on.
P-TECH, Disc Golf, and Grants
NVC partnered with Boerne ISD to establish P-TECH, an early college high school dual enrollment program focused on cybersecurity. Separately, the NVC Disc Golf Course (18 holes, 4,000 feet) reopened in August 2021 with an updated design. The college also announced over $5 million in federal grants in 2021 to support various STEM programs.
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NVC President Retires, Peace Center, and CESC
The year 2022 saw significant shifts. In January, NVC President Dr. Ric Baser announced his retirement to take effect in June of that year, after eight years at NVC and a total of 41 years in higher education. In May of 2022, NVC opened the new 52,550-square-foot Cedar Elm STEM Center (CESC), which earned an architectural award for design excellence. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Peace Center found a new home at NVC, and Debi Gaitan, who served as the Vice President for Student Success during that time, was named Interim President after Dr. Baser’s retirement and while a presidential search was underway.
True Wildcat
On the Wildcat front, NVC mourned the passing of its beloved cat Kitty (also known as Kiki) whose home was at the back entrance of Manzanillo Hall, facing the campus. Beloved and well fed by students, faculty, and staff, Kitty was a unique cat that embodied the Wildcat spirit, greeting and mewing at everyone who walked by as if to say, “Welcome to NVC, the home of the Wildcats!”
Watch for the next Retrospective: 2023 – 2025 and Beyond!
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Northwest Vista College, part of the Alamo Colleges District, opened in 1995 with 12 students and has grown to more than 22,000 students. Located in Westover Hills, NVC’s expanding agreements with business and higher education partnerships provide a wealth of opportunities for students and the community.