Josiah Rodriguez has a clear memory of the fall of 2024, when he dropped off his mother, Roxann Monrreal, at San Antonio College on her first day of school.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very full circle because I did this sign with my hand, like a peace sign. She always used to do it with me in pre-K,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cI then got a text saying \u2018I ran to the restroom and started crying.\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With the guidance and encouragement of her son, Monrreal, 41, returned to school a year ago to pursue a GED. On Wednesday morning the mother and son \u2014 both now pursuing associate degrees at SAC \u2014 shared a snippet of their story with about 200 Alamo Colleges District leaders, staff, students and community members at a kick- off ceremony to commemorate the district\u2019s 80th anniversary at the district\u2019s ACCESS building near downtown.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AlamoColleges80thCelebration_Students_JosiahRodriguez_MonicaMonrreal_AmberEsparza.jpg\")
Alamo Colleges Student Trustee Josiah Rodriguez and his mother Roxann Monrreal speak during the Alamo Colleges\u2019 80th anniversary celebration on Wednesday. They are both currently enrolled at San Antonio College. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n
Fighting back tears and with her 5-month-old grandson Zediah Rodriguez in her arms, Monrreal said there were times when a higher education degree seemed impossible, but she never lost hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had Josiah when I was 17, just five days before my 18th birthday\u2026 Like many other young parents, I had to put my education on hold,\u201d Monrreal said. \u201cI always believed I would go back someday\u2026 Watching Josiah achieve his dreams gave me the push that I needed to go back and earn my GED.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chancellor Mike Flores acknowledged the success of all five Alamo Colleges \u2014 San Antonio College, Palo Alto College, St. Philip\u2019s College, Northwest Vista College and Northeast Lakeview College \u2014 in reaching students like Monrreal and Rodriguez with opportunities to find their way into higher education.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year, Alamo Colleges District reported its highest student enrollment in history, reaching nearly 88,000 students this fall<\/a>, an increase of more than 20,000 students over the last three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis anniversary is really about the lives that we\u2019ve all changed together,\u201d Flores said. \u201cThose of us here at each one of the colleges, at the centers, at high schools, connecting individuals with opportunities.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The chancellor pointed to programs like AlamoPROMISE<\/a>, which covers the tuition of qualifying high school students enrolling across its colleges, as well as wrap-around services such as AlamoBOOKS+<\/a>, which provides textbook rentals and digital materials, as key elements to ensure students find less barriers along the way.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we know the difference between struggle and success is a credential, a post-high school certification that our students can take to the bank for a brighter future for themselves and their families,\u201d Flores said.<\/p>\n For Rodriguez, 23, these barriers were not only financial, but also mental. He described battling\u00a0 through fear, self doubt and imposter syndrome to enroll and later attend a college not far from his neighborhood on the West Side of San Antonio.<\/p>\n He and his family now take advantage of Alamo Colleges resources including mental health services, their campus food pantry and even utility assistance as needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rodriguez is now less than two semesters away from graduating from SAC; he\u2019ll then be transferring to University of Texas at San Antonio to pursue a degree in public administration.\u00a0<\/p>\n In his pursuit to give back to his community, Rodriguez is also dedicating his last year at SAC to serving as student trustee on the Alamo Colleges District board, representing students like him, his mother, and his sister, Amaryllis Rodriguez, who is also now seeking a degree at SAC.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cGrowing up in the Cassiano apartments, I noticed that so many people gave back, and these are people who don\u2019t have anything,\u201d Rodriguez said, referring to the public housing project. \u201cSo that\u2019s always been so inspiring seeing how people could really come (together) as a community. I found that here at Alamo Colleges which has inspired me and kept me going.\u201d<\/p>\n The celebration of 80 years of service also included a ballet folklorico performance by Palo Alto College students to the sound of \u201cEl Son de La Negra,\u201d a proclamation presented by state Sen. Jos\u00e9 Men\u00e9ndez and remarks by Alamo Colleges Board Chair Clint Kingsbery.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AlamoColleges80thCelebration_ChancellorMikeFlores_AmberEsparza.jpg\")
Alamo Colleges Chancellor Mike Flores addresses the crowd during the 80th anniversary celebration at the Alamo Colleges District Access Building on Wednesday morning. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AlamoColleges80thCelebration_Students_MonicaMonrreal_01_AmberEsparza-1.jpg\")
San Antonio College student Roxann Monrreal with her 5-month-old grandson Zediah, who she watches while her daughter is in class. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n