Alumni Spotlight Over the Years – Tino and Millie Duran
January 16, 2026
Note: First published in a San Antonio College alumni magazine in 2016, this story is being reshared during SAC’s Centennial year to honor Florentino “Tino” Duran and Amelia “Millie” Duran.
Together, they strengthened community voices through bilingual journalism and expanded access to higher education. Tino Duran passed away in 2017 and Millie Duran 2022.
Their legacy lives on through the Tino and Millie Duran Welcome Center at San Antonio College, which reflects the Durans’ legacy of service by helping students and families navigate the college enrollment process and access opportunities at San Antonio College.
A San Antonio native, Florentino “Tino” Duran is a proud alumnus of San Antonio College.
Duran, determined to succeed, did not have an easy childhood. He started out as a first-generation born in the United States and an Alazan-Apache Courts kid who was kicked out of six elementary schools because he had a “discipline problem.” In fact, it was not a discipline problem – he just didn’t know English.
Eventually mastering the English language, Duran quickly became a leader in high school. He was the Student Body President, a Colonel in ROTC, and served as a newspaper editor.
Duran went on to serve four years in the United States Air Force after high school. After the military, Duran attended San Antonio College where he worked for the illustrious Ranger student newspaper. After attending SAC, Duran went on to receive a bachelor’s in Political Science and a master’s in Public Administration at St. Mary’s University.
After graduating from St. Mary’s in 1963, Duran worked in various civic positions, including as an Executive Assistant in the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration.
In the 1980s, Duran continued in the newspaper industry and became a general manager of El Sol de Tejas in Dallas. After that, he became president and CEO of El Informador Hispano in Fort Worth. Finally, in 1989, Duran returned to San Antonio and re-established La Prensa.
La Prensa is San Antonio’s only bilingual publication, and is focused on providing news about the community, for the community. Published semi-weekly, Duran founded the publication with his wife, Amelia “Millie” Duran.
In 2015, San Antonio College proudly announced the name of the new Welcome Center would be called the “Tino and Millie Duran Welcome Center,” in honor of their charitable contributions to San Antonio College—and all of the Alamo Colleges.
Located on the SAC campus, the Duran Welcome Center is located on the corner of N. Main and Park Ave. In line with the La Prensa Foundation’s mission, the Duran Welcome Center provides prospective students assistance with enrolling in college.
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