St. Philip’s College Celebrates Legacy Day

St. Philip’s College celebrated its legacy and future during Legacy Day, bringing together college leadership, community partners, elected officials, donors and supporters for a day of milestones recognizing continued investment in the college and its students.

The celebration featured a groundbreaking for the new Cafeteria and Veterans Hall, a beam-signing ceremony for the H-E-B Black Box Theater at the Watson Fine Arts Center, and a ribbon-cutting for the Engineering Technology Building.

President, Dr. Adena Williams Loston, along with college leadership, was joined by members of the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees, including Board Chair Joe Alderete Jr., Gloria Ray, Dr. Gene Sprague, and Student Trustee David Bermejo; Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores; Senator José Menéndez; and City of Live Oak Mayor Mary Dennis. Project partners and supporters also attended, including LAN Project Manager Samantha Selorio, representatives from Stantec, architect and designer Aline Yoldi, and contractors Vaughn and Flintco. Members of the President’s Advisory Board, including Tom Dobson, Rosaland Anderson and Mark Metcalfe, also participated, along with Student Government Association President Jackson Marshall and St. Philip’s College cheerleaders.

Rev. Joyce Wilkerson of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church offered a blessing during the Legacy Day celebration, honoring the significance of the occasion and the legacy of St. Philip’s College. The college was also joined by members of Saint Artemisia Bowden’s family. Legacy Day is held on the Feast Day of Saint Artemisia providing an opportunity to honor her enduring legacy of faith, service and commitment to education while celebrating the continued growth and future of the institution she helped establish.

The day began with the groundbreaking for the new Cafeteria and Veterans Hall. The facility will replace the former Health and Fitness Center, originally constructed in 1942 and remodeled in 1999. The project is supported through U.S. Department of Education Title III, Parts B and F funding and will provide new space designed to support students, campus life and veterans.

Guests then participated in the beam-signing ceremony for the H-E-B Black Box Theater, a 20,000-square-foot addition to the Watson Fine Arts Center featuring a 200-seat black box theater, dressing rooms and dedicated set and costume storage areas. Sonia Canales of H-E-B joined the ceremony, along with partners from H-E-B Store No. 211. Attendees had the opportunity to sign the beam before it became part of the completed facility, leaving their own mark on the next chapter of St. Philip’s College.

The celebration continued with the ribbon-cutting for the Engineering Technology Building. Completed in December 2025, the renovated facility serves as the home of the college’s engineering program and includes classrooms, laboratories and dedicated spaces for students and faculty.

During the Engineering Technology Building celebration, St. Philip’s College also unveiled a quilt donated by Phillip Peacock Bakke. The historic quilt was professionally framed and installed in the newly renovated building, providing a meaningful connection between the college’s history and its future.

Legacy Day also highlighted the generosity of the college’s supporters. Check presentations included a $100,000 donation from Tom Dobson and the Tres Grace Foundation, a $5,000 donation from the Boulé Foundation of San Antonio and a $25,000 gift from Robert Gamez to establish an endowment in honor of his parents, Bobby and Mary Gamez.

Throughout the day, guests received commemorative giveaways connected to each milestone. The Cafeteria and Veterans Hall celebration featured coasters representing each branch of the military. Blue markers were provided during the beam-signing ceremony, allowing guests to leave their signatures on the theater’s structural beam. At the Engineering Technology Building, guests received glass mugs engraved with the building.

The day concluded with breakfast and refreshments, providing an opportunity for guests, college leaders, partners and members of the St. Philip’s College community to gather and celebrate the significance of the day.

Legacy Day served as a reflection of St. Philip’s College’s enduring legacy while highlighting the investments, partnerships and people helping shape its future. From new learning spaces and student facilities to philanthropic support and community partnerships, the day demonstrated a shared commitment to creating opportunities for generations of Tigers to come.