2018 Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence

ST. PHILIP'S COLLEGE BRINGS A 2018 GOVERNOR’S AWARD FOR PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE TO SAN ANTONIO

The Alamo Colleges District team recognized member institution St. Philip’s College for making corporate quality industry history this summer by earning a Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence award that separates the best of the best from the merely outstanding organizations in Texas.

Employees at the 120-year-old college formally received mementoes commemorating their award from the statewide foundation that represents the national Baldrige program in Texas during the Texas Quality Foundation Conference June 24–26 at the Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel and Conference Center. Memorial Hermann Memorial City and St. Philip’s College were Texas’ sole Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence recipient organizations in 2018. The college was further recognized internally for this institutional excellence achievement during the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees July 24 regular meeting.

With continuous improvement efforts that impact innovative student and community success-building operations that span from the Eastside of San Antonio to China, Mexico, France, Brazil and Colombia, St. Philip’s College is using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria for performance excellence to realize its vision of achieving excellence in student and community success. During the award journey, the college achieved record numbers of degrees and certificates awarded to students among a bevy of best-practice achievements, partnerships and activities underway.

Few colleges or corporations can claim the distinction of having a former president recognized as a saint for her corporate leadership of their institution. Only one can claim the distinction of traditionally operating their 120-year-old business as the world's only Historically Black College and Universities member institution with Hispanic Serving Institution status. That institution is St. Philip's College.

And after becoming president of St. Philip's College in 2007, San Antonio Women’s Hall of Famer Dr. Adena Williams Loston has been the college’s corporate leader for her institution’s Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence journey.

This award has been a nine-year journey. A Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence takes six-to-ten years to achieve. Through several cycles of learning and strategic planning, the college systematically built its organizational effectiveness and narrowed its focus to hone in on its core competencies — quality instruction, student engagement and community engagement, Loston and her team have shared.

St. Philip’s College submitted its application for the Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence in October of 2017, and joined the entire Alamo Colleges District system of which it is a member institution in applying for a National Baldrige Award in May of 2017. 

To follow the college's quality journey, view its Texas Award for Performance Excellence web page, view the college on the foundation’s 2018 recipient list, and keep an eye out for information on the college's latest TAPE achievements when new content is archived later this year. For details on the conference, visit the foundation web page at www.texas-quality.org. The archival video stream of the July 24 Regular Board Meeting is also available to review.

CAPTION: St. Philip’s College was recognized during the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees July 24 regular meeting for making corporate quality industry history this summer by earning a Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence award that separates the best of the best from the merely outstanding organizations in Texas. While serving as president of St. Philip's College since 2007, San Antonio Women’s Hall of Famer Dr. Adena Williams Loston (at podium at center with one of the awards) has been the college’s corporate leader for her 120-year-old institution’s Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence journey. (Image courtesy SPC | Julysa Sosa)