SPC to Host Spring 2026 Jessica’s Project Symposium

St. Philip's College (SPC) will host its Spring 2026 Jessica’s Project Symposium, themed “Living Donation: Life Given, Life Gained,” focusing on organ donation.

The event was established in 2012 by Professor Dr. Solomon Nfor. The initiative was inspired by the diagnosis of a 10-year-old girl, Jessica, with celiac disease. Jessica, the niece of the college’s then-Natural Sciences chair, received her diagnosis, and within a week, Dr. Nfor quickly organized student groups to research the condition and create resources to help Jessica and her family understand and manage it.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people, where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide, but only about 30% are properly diagnosed.

Jessica’s diagnosis became the catalyst for what is now a collegewide, internationally recognized academic and community engagement model. Students created an informational video for Jessica, who responded with a video of her own, asking additional questions. At the end of the semester, the class hosted an information session and presented Jessica with two large baskets of gluten-free foods and a buffet featuring safe meal options.

“Can I eat ALL of those things?” Jessica asked at the event, a moment that solidified the project’s purpose and impact.

Since its beginning, Jessica’s Project has continued each semester, centering on student-led research into various diseases and disorders. The initiative has grown to involve the entire college community, including the entire Natural Sciences department, other college academic programs, and outside community organizations.

Jessica’s Project is dedicated to empowering instructors and students with the resources to actively engage with the community through education, prevention, and service-learning initiatives. Each semester, the symposium provides faculty with workshops and training while preparing students to carry out professional research and showcase their findings through academic posters. The program emphasizes problem-based learning and case-study approaches to medical conditions, fostering the practical application of classroom knowledge through collaborative research experiences that reach beyond the campus.

Reflecting on the program’s growth, Dr. Nfor said, “My vision was to take students out of the comfort of their classroom, provide them with civic engagement opportunities, and research illnesses and diseases that affect our community, then share the knowledge they’ve gained at an event open to all.”

For more information or to participate in Jessica's Project, please contact Professor Dianna Garza at dgarza358@alamo.edu or Professor Patricia Lamson at plamson@alamo.edu.

Event Details:
Date: April 9, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Bowden Alumni Center, Sutton Learning Center (College Map)