Source: Palo Alto College
Palo Alto College announced a new community effort, Educate South. This new initiative will focus on beginning educational awareness at the earliest years of school by building public and private partnerships that create and sustain a college-going culture in south Bexar County. In December 2020, the College announced an eight-figure gift from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, $1 million of which is being allocated towards this effort.
“Palo Alto College has remained dedicated to ensuring educational access for students of all ages,” said Dr. Robert Garza, president of Palo Alto College. “With Educate South, we will continue to set the expectation that a post-secondary education is for all students, while tapping into the time, talent, and treasure of our southside community.” 
Through a collective impact model, Educate South seeks to fundamentally change the approach to social change in the community by bringing people together under a common agenda, shared measurement, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and a dedicated team to guide the work of the group.
“Though we have a strong framework in place, we cannot do this alone,” said Garza. “It takes a community of strong, visionary leaders to help us on this journey of setting the expectation that a post-secondary education should be open to anyone, and, by working collaboratively, we can uplift our southside community towards a better future for themselves and their families.” 
As an institution of higher education, Palo Alto College is deeply committed to eradicating poverty through the transformational power of education. During the event, the College laid out three guiding principles – Exposure, Exploration, and Experience – through which it plans to strengthen a college-going culture within the community. These include existing programs like PACfest, Palomino Pumpkin Patch, Winter Wonderland, Summer Programs, Extravaganza, and the development of new and innovative ideas.
To learn more about Educate South or how to become a partner, or match our contribution, visit alamo.edu/pac/educate-south. 
