NVC President's Office Business Council

President's Office Business Council

Mission

To help create opportunities for success at Northwest Vista College through collaboration, partnerships, mentorship, marketing and financial support.

Vision

Northwest Vista College will be the leading model of collaboration among businesses, organizations and educational institutions in San Antonio.

Shared Philosophy

  • Align with the Chancellor’s moonshot to decrease poverty in San Antonio.
  • Increase philanthropic support to help advance access to higher education through scholarships and innovative programmatic support. 
  • Provide life-changing gifts that help students come in, stay in, and achieve their dreams of a college education.

1920x1080-POBC-NVC2021-grp10.jpg

Opportunities for POBC Members to Partner:

Speaking Opportunities

Speaking Opportunities

Here are some examples:

  1. Wildcat Days Celebration. Welcome NVC students on their first day of classes. 

  2. Student Involvement Fairs and Career Fairs.

  3. NVC Community Homecoming Court and Parade.

  4. 3k Zombie Run. Would you like to have a booth with access to a community-wide scholarship fundraiser?

  5. Keynote or Guest Speaker for NVC Faculty/Staff Employee Development Day.

  6. NVC's Got. Would you like to sponsor or be a judge for this event?

  7. Holiday Social Party.

  8. New Year Social.

  9. Shark Tank sponsored by GM Financial.

  10. Career Speed Dating.

  11. Frisbee Golf Tournament.

  12. GradFest. Have access to all of NVC's graduates.

  13. Commencement Keynote or Celebration Tunnel. Would you like to submit a video congratulating our students, donate swag items to the graduates and the graduates’ families, or participate in the graduation celebration?
Internships

2022 Internship Opportunities

 

Opportunities to Provide Internships

Students need field experience and experiential learning. They are seeking to contextualize their career path with actual jobs in San Antonio.

Would you be willing to have a student learn from your organization through an internship?

  • Spring 2022 - Fashion/Personal Shopper Internship with the NVC Advocacy Center/Clothing Pantry

  • Your business can work with students approximately 10 to 12 hours per week for the 16-week semester. Internships can be paid or unpaid. The internships will be offered as part of a course in the program – BMGT 2388 Internship – Business Administration and Management.

Here is a description of the course:
A work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory skills and concepts. A learning plan is developed by the college and the employer to include but not limited to:

  1. Administrative support for the company
  2. Shadowing specific personnel for learning purposes in a call center, retail or other
  3. Business environment
  4. Greeting customers and answering phones
  5. Assisting with projects and or coordination of events
  6. Observe and/or assist on budgets or financial documents
  7. Observe and/or assist on cash register or cash handling
  8. Performs other duties as assigned
Job Shadowing

Job Shadowing and Similar Opportunities

Students are interested and curious as to what types of jobs are available in their majors. They are seeking to connect what they are learning in their courses to what a career in the field would entail.

  • Would you be willing to have a student learn from you for ONE day this Fall?

Apprenticeships:

Students need field experience and experiential learning. They are seeking to contextualize their career path with actual jobs in San Antonio.

  • Would you be willing to have a student learn from your organization through an apprenticeship?

Externships:

Students need field experience and experiential learning. They are seeking to contextualize their career path with actual jobs in San Antonio.

  • Would you be willing to have a student learn from your organization through an externship?

  • Veterans externship available through GM Financial

Job Board: Handshake

Find jobs, internships and connect with employers.

Mentoring/Coaching

NVC President’s Office Business Council (POBC) Career Coaching Program

“If you cannot see where you are going, ask someone who has been there before.”

- J. Loren Norris

Click Here for the Career Coach Application

(Download, complete, and email to: Dr. Lisa McGoldrick, lmcgoldrick2@alamo.edu)

 

Welcome to the NVC Business Leader Career Coaching Program!

The goal of the NVC President’s Office Business Council (POBC) Leader Career Coaching Program is to connect students and business partners to enhance the educational, professional, and ethical development of NVC students and provide an opportunity for leadership to the business community. The Business Leader Career Coaching model provides a learning experience for our students outside of the classroom, so they experience what is expected in the working world. The coaching relationships are meant to be:

  • professional in nature
  • allow students to explore possibilities via the experiences and advice of their business coach
  • offer an opportunity for professional development (internships), networking (facility tour), and an exchange of ideas between seasoned professionals and the next generation of workforce
  • help business coaches enhance their leadership and mentoring skills
  • identify potential future employees

Get to Know the Class:

  • Discuss your background
  • Discuss your goals for the semester
  • Ask students about their educational endeavors and history
  • Complete the Business Coaching Student questionnaire

Business Leader Career Coach Role:

  1. Exchange contact information with your instructor that allows each of you to be in contact quickly.
  2. Establish with your instructor the dates and times of your four sessions for the semester. The timeline is ( late August – early December). If there is difficulty with scheduling or contacting your instructor, please keep us apprised.
  3. Your total time commitment is about six to eight hours for both preparation and presentation.
  4. Provide students with your experience and knowledge regarding your educational and professional career journey.
  5. Each meeting should have a specific topic for discussion. Decide with your instructor what topics are of most interest to you or topics for which you can provide the most insight.
  6. Conversations between students, coaches, and instructors are confidential.
  7. For your personal safety, face-to-face meetings with students should transpire in public places.
  8. Should you need to miss a session, please contact your instructor in advance, if possible, and try to reschedule.
  9. If you are having challenges with your instructor, please contact Dr. Lisa McGoldrick, lmcgoldrick2@alamo.edu (252) 626-3361.
  10. Discussion Topic Suggestions (but are not limited to) Career Goals, Resume Writing, Interviewing, Goal Setting, Financial Literacy, Communication Skills, Diversity, Ethical Challenges, etc.

Career Conversations:

  • Discuss and have the class list their talents, skills, and educational interests
  • Discuss the role of educational preparation in your field
  • Discuss how personal and professional life fit together and are challenged
  • Discuss the possible challenges transitioning from school to work
  • Research with the class job resources for future reference
  • Create work scenarios that allow students to brainstorm solutions to a problem
  • Present about a variety of work environments and styles and explain how each works differently and yet toward shared goals
  • Share insights regarding individual work values impact career choices
  • Provide an article book for students to read and discuss it in class
  • Host an event to introduce and discuss proper business etiquette
  • Set- up a company tour or Career Shadow day

Financial Literacy:

  • Create a sample budget worksheet
  • Discuss the importance of establishing credit and maintaining a healthy credit score
  • Review a pay stub and discuss concepts such as salary vs. hourly wages

Resume/Interview Exercises:

  • Provide feedback on a resume and/ or cover letter
  • Share your resume
  • Provide a copy of your business job application and have the students fill it out, then discuss
  • Assist the students in completing a job application
  • Have class create an e- portfolio
  • Practice mock job interviews
  • Suggest or compile a list of contacts the students could benefit from talking with about their career or educational interests

Ethical Decision Making:

  • Explore everyday ethical dilemmas and have students decide how they would respond
  • Give examples of workplace and educational scenarios that allow students to explore options

Student Forms:

 

Board Members

Carolyn Sartori | Chairperson; VP Consumer Services for GM Financial in San Antonio, TX

Carolyn Sartori

Carolyn Sartori
Chairperson for POBC
Vice President, Consumer Services for GM Financial in San Antonio, TX

Originally from New Hampshire, Carolyn attended Keene State College, where she completed degrees in Business Administration and English before moving to Boston, MA and then Colorado Springs, CO. Carolyn has worked as a leader in operations since 2000 for several institutions and locations in North America. 

Carolyn has been with GM Financial since 2006 where she lived and worked in Charlotte, NC as a leader within the organization. In 2013 she was promoted to Assistant Vice President at the Chandler AZ location and moved to San Antonio, TX with her family in 2016 to establish and lead GM Financials newest operation center - located next door to Northwest Vista Collage. Carolyn currently leads company strategy and initiatives to optimize portfolio and center performance.

"Since our arrival in San Antonio it was clear that working with NVC was going to be a huge benefit to GM Financial. Since 2017 we have hired over 500 team members into the center – many who have attended or are currently attending local colleges and universities. As an employer and a member of the President’s Office Business Council (POBC) we are working to create partnerships that give students additional guidance and resources from within our own local business community. Our partnership is one that we continue to value as we work together guiding students towards graduation and career preparedness."

– Carolyn Sartori 

Kenny Vallespin | Vice Chair; Vice President for The Bank of San Antonio

Kenny Vallespin

Kenny Vallespin
Vice Chair for POBC
Vice President for The Bank of San Antonio

Kenny Vallespin is a man of faith, with a heart to serve. He is married to his beautiful bride, Diana Vallespin, for over 12 years and has 2 beautiful daughters, Kathrynn and Kalista. Kenny served a Sergeant in the US Army for 4 years in the Communications field and another 4 years in the Texas National Guard on Active Duty overseeing the Human Resources department.

After his time in the Military he pursued higher education, receiving an Associate’s Degree in Business Management, a Bachelors Degree’s in Professional Development, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Ministry & Theology from Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He also received a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Finance and Health Care Management from Colorado Technical University.

Kenny has been a part of building churches throughout the Philippines and has taken multiple teams from America to the Philippines for conferences, providing goods and services to poverty stricken parts of the Philippines. Kenny started in ministry while still in the army in 2006 as he became a youth pastor on the Southside of San Antonio, and has been on fire to spread the Gospel ever since!

He is proud to serve on the Pastoral team at Summit Christian Center, and is honored to serve the community by spreading good news. In addition to ministry Kenny is the Vice President of HR for The Bank of San Antonio and serves on multiple non-profit boards around the city. He is a proud pastor and marketplace leader!

Amber Ringo | Treasurer; VP Consumer Services for GM Financial in San Antonio, TX

Amber RingoAmber Ringo
Treasurer for POBC
Vice President, Consumer Services for GM Financial in San Antonio, TX

Amber Ringo has been Vice President - Consumer Services since June of 2019. She oversees performance for the San Antonio Servicing Center and strategic execution of Company initiatives. This includes cultivating departmental and individual employee development to reach business efficiency and growth. She is a promoter of community investment and instills the importance of committing resources to university relations and local non-profits.

Previously, she served as Assistant Vice President – Servicing Operations, a role she assumed in September of 2013. Ms. Ringo joined GM Financial in July of 2003 as a part of the Arlington Servicing Center. During the 17 years, she has worked for several business operations across the North America organization.

Christina Gonzales

Christina GonzalesChristina Gonzales

Christina Gonzales is a Diversity Campus Manager for Dell Technologies. She joined Dell Technologies in 2017 as the North American Field & Partner Marketing Event Manager, managing national conventions and conferences, then moved to Talent and Development, working with recent graduates that joined the Products & Operations group, to provide networking and career advancement training. As a Diversity Campus Manager, she is part of a larger team that is responsible for developing the talent-attraction strategy for African American and Hispanic students in a new initiative called Changing the Faces of Tech. Their scope includes mentoring, internships and full-time opportunities. Additionally, Develop with Dell is a new program that provides students with skills that will provide them with an edge in the competitive workplace.

Christina Gonzales is a results-driven professional with 25+ years of multicultural and diversity marketing, public relations/media, special events and community outreach/grass roots experience.

She is an avid, lifelong learner committed to helping others via training and mentorship. Christina is passionate about creating innovative development experiences and relationship building as a pathway to meaningful and productive partnerships.

Christina Gonzales is servant leader, and holds an MA in Communications, Summa Cum Laude, from University of the Incarnate Word and a Bachelor's Degree in English-Communication Arts from St. Mary’s University. While at St. Mary’s University, she was engaged in the English Communications Arts Honor Society and the Delta Zeta Sorority.

Members

Aisha Thomas

Aisha ThomasAisha Thomas

Aisha Thomas is an Organizational Development & Leadership Consultant and Professional Speaker. This award winning Executive Trainer aims to develop leaders and teams to improve resiliency, workplace culture, emotional intelligence and diverse talent management. She has excelled in multiple leadership roles, managed numerous high performing teams, and developed leaders from the first tier to executive level. As a Senior Leader in the United States Air Force, she has proudly served her country during peacetime and global conflicts. Aisha’s solution based approach has been recognized for improving organizational breakdowns and practices. She also is a staple in her community by developing the next generation of leaders, today’s youth. Aisha has reached thousands nationwide and continues to transform multiple industries and individuals one solution at a time.

Christopher J. Rodriguez | North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Christopher J. Rodriguez

Christopher J. Rodriguez
Board Chair for Innovative Leadership
North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Christopher (Chris) Rodriguez has over twenty years of experience in strategic consultation, human resources, and organizational development.  Chris has held HR and management roles in various industries ranging from healthcare, long-term care, medical insurance, including owning an approved Career School and College specializing in healthcare training and job placement assistance.

Chris is an active member amongst various professional groups that focus on addressing the needs of our community.  Chris is the current Board Chair for the Innovative Leadership program for the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.  Chris also serves on the Leadership Lab Alumni Board, San Antonio Human Resources Management Association, Better Business Bureau Advisory Council, and Northwest Vista’s President’s Office Business Council.

Chris further supports his community through his work with Family Service, where he has been employed since 2014.  In his role as Director of Human Resources and Talent Management, he is responsible for leading Family Service’s strategic objectives, specifically pertaining to learning, growth, and wellness.

Chris graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word majoring in Human Resources, Organizational Development, and Business Administration.  Chris is a proud father of four children and committed to making our community stronger for our future generations.

Rosantina Aranda | Vice President, MidFirst Bank

Rosantina Aranda

Rosantina Aranda
Vice President
MidFirst Bank

Rosantina is a highly experienced senior commercial lender and Vice President at MidFirst Bank in San Antonio. With an impressive career spanning more than 30 years in accounting, finance and banking, Rosantina is a seasoned professional who has honed her skills to acquire, manage and grow profitable account relationships with business clients. Her expertise lies in proactively assessing her clients’ financial needs, formulating a comprehensive business plan, and delivering a diverse range of financial products and services to help them succeed financially. Rosantina’s commitment to delivering exceptional service to her clients is a testament to her professionalism and unwavering dedication.

Rosantina earned her Bachelor in Business Administration in accounting from the prestigious University of Texas at San Antonio, which equipped her with a solid foundation in accounting and finance. Her educational background, coupled with her extensive experience, has made her a valuable asset to the banking industry.

When not helping her clients, Rosantina enjoys giving back to the community by volunteering for the Northwest Vista College Business Council, where she encourages local businesses to pay it forward through scholarships and student mentoring. She is also an avid traveler and loves listening to live music. Rosantina is a proud mother of two amazing adult children, Jacqueline and Jonathan, who are themselves successful in the world of business. Her unwavering dedication to her work, combined with her passion for helping others, makes her an outstanding leader in the banking industry.

 

Wayne Epps

Wayne EppsWayne Epps

Since taking on a new name, the NVC President’s Office Business Council has also attracted a new member – Wayne Epps from Dell Technologies in Oklahoma. Wayne has come in with a Texas-Size bang! As a new Platinum member and a $20,000 donation, the POBC is now trying to establish a Dell Endowment Scholarship fund at the Alamo Colleges Foundation.

The POBC’s mission is to help create opportunities for success at Northwest Vista College through collaboration, partnerships, mentorship, marketing and financial support. Formerly called the NVC Business Council, it has a shared philosophy with the Alamo Colleges District, which includes providing life-changing gifts that help students come in, stay in, and achieve their dreams of a college education.

Just recently, nine Northwest Vista College students were surprised when their student accounts went to zero. The POBC donated a little over $1,000 to help the students receive their diplomas. Students who have a remaining balance on their accounts, are unable to receive their diplomas. Dell has also partnered with NVC’s Men of Vista Engage (MOVE) and Student Life, launched the Develop with Dell credentialing program, and is currently working with the NVC Deans to provide externships for Northwest Vista Students!

Wayne Epps is currently a diversity campus manager for University Relations at Dell Technologies. He joined Dell Technologies Talent Acquisition Team in 2020 to help launch their DE&I program for community colleges. That program is also responsible for developing the talent-attraction strategy for African American and Hispanic students in a new initiative called Changing the Faces of Tech. Their scope includes mentoring, internships and full-time opportunities. Additionally, Develop with Dell is a new program that provides students with skills that will provide them with an edge in the competitive workplace.

Born and raised in Lawton, Oklahoma, Wayne has an MBA from Southern Nazarene University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. In 2015, he began his career at Dell in Client Technical Support through the University Relations program. Throughout his tenure, he’s served in various roles, including server engineer, midrange storage engineer and program/project management.

Click Below for Palmetto Center for the Arts Events:

NVC EVENTS CALENDARS