Thomas Mullins – Class of 2015

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What Dreams are Made of
Contributed by Katharine Cartwright, for the Alamo Colleges International Programs newsletter

Thomas Mullins spent one intensive life-changing week abroad this summer as the 2015 A-JAM delegate to the prestigious international jazz meeting of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ), held this year in Lisbon, Portugal. It was the 25th anniversary of the unique global jazz meeting and an unforgettable experience for all involved.

Hosted by a different member school each year, students, teachers, and school representatives from all over the world gather to learn, perform, exchange ideas, and generally live and breathe jazz. Fresh from the trip, Mullins shared some of his insights and experiences.

“My participation at the 25th Annual IASJ Meeting was unlike anything else I’ve experienced in all my life,” he said. The sights of the city were like stepping into a postcard. Everyone involved was unbelievably welcoming, eager to share their friendship and love of music. There, I met people from all corners of the world, brought together by the uniting force of music. I had the privilege of talking with David Liebman, founder of the program. When I commented on what an amazing experience he has provided to all with the talented students and educators, he responded, “Good people, great music. Where else are you going to get this?”

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t overwhelmed at times,” Mullins continued. “There I was, far from home, surrounded by unfamiliar sights and faces. I would leave the master classes feeling as though I knew nothing about music. I would leave rehearsals thinking we would never make the deadline. My mind was constantly screaming, ‘Fight or flight! Given that the flight was a literal 19-hour flight, fight it was. I would find myself questioning my abilities and my right to participate with this caliber of musicians, but through my conversations and experiences with my fellow students, I learned that I wasn’t alone. And that was the beauty of it all. None of us were truly alone, despite what we felt at times. We were together in our pursuits, ambitions, struggles, and triumphs. The international meeting is what dreams are made of.”

Mullins, a 2015 graduate of Northwest Vista College, entered the UTSA music program with a full scholarship in composition in fall 2015. A student of classical guitarist Dan Smith, Thomas auditioned on guitar. He studies trombone and improvisation with Armin Marmolejo of Palo Alto College. As a composer, Mullins received a Jack Stone Award for New Music in 2013, while at Northwest Vista.

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NVC Grads Talk Giving

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This year’s Northwest Vista College Employee Development Day included a welcome home for a group of four NVC graduates and scholarship recipients.

Jesse Salazar, III, class of 2012, Gladys Torres, class of 2013, Santos Jimenez, class of 2011, and Daniela Magnone, class of 2013, contributed to a discussion on how donations made by faculty and staff during the annual NVC Employee Giving campaign can impact a student’s future.

During the session, named “Impact Stories: Conversations about Making a Difference,” the group shared how NVC scholarships helped provide not only financial support, but a high level of confidence that they each carry today.

“I cannot forget how helpful scholarships were during my stay at NVC,” said Gladys, who earned her associate degree in Allied Health at NVC and is currently in her third semester of the Nursing program at San Antonio College.

This is the first year that NVC Alumni have been invited to participate as guest speakers at Employee Development Day.

“I love coming back to campus,” said Santos. “It still feels like home to me.”

Among those in attendance were Dr. Robert Marbut, NVC Government faculty, who said, “these students have great stories and more people need to hear them. When you listen to these students, you get a better understanding of how contributing to scholarships in any amount can have such an impact on a student’s educational journey.”

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Jesse Salazar, III, graduated with an associate of arts in new media communications and a certificate of achievement in digital video and cinema production. He attended the University of Texas in Austin where he received his bachelor’s in radio-television-film. Jesse is an independent Texas filmmaker making an impact on South Texas digital video, film and journalism.

Gladys Torres, graduated in 2013 and was the first recipient of the NVC Alumni Scholarship. She earned her associate degree in allied health and is currently enrolled at San Antonio College in the third semester of nursing school. During her time at NVC, she received the T-STEM scholarship as well as a Faculty Senate Scholarship.

Santos Jimenez graduated in 2011 with dual degrees in science and general studies. While attending NVC, he was employed as a work study and received both the NVC Brackenridge Scholarship and the 21st Century Scholarship for Young Men. Santos earned a bachelor’s of science in respiratory care and cardiopulmonary physiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). He is in his final year of the master of healthcare administration (MHA) program at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW).

Daniela Magnone, is a tutor in the Northwest Vista College Math Lab. You might remember her as the unforgettable speaker at the 2013 NVC graduation ceremony. She has been the recipient of the La Prensa Foundation Inspirational Student of the Month Award and the Conceptual Mind Works Scholarship. A self-proclaimed lover of math, Daniela is a proud single mother of two daughters and currently attends the University of Texas at San Antonio. She earned her associate degree in mathematics.

Employee Development Day is held annually by Northwest Vista College, and the Alamo Colleges, to encourage employee collaboration through a day of personal and professional enrichment sessions.