St. Philip's Mourns Passing of Former President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matari Jones-Gunter, College Director of Community and Public Relations
(210) 531-3260
mgunter@mail.accd.edu

FORMER ST. PHILIP’S COLLEGE PRESIDENT DIES
She was the third woman to lead college in 100 years

SAN ANTONIO (May 5, 2008)– Words like “gracious” and “down-to-earth” were used to describe former St. Philip’s College President Dr. Angie Runnels. Dr. Runnels died Friday after a lengthy illness. She was 70.

“It is a sad day for St. Philip’s,” said Dr. Adena Williams Loston, the current president of St. Philip’s College. “Dr. Runnels left a lasting impression on the field of education and the extended St. Philip’s College community,” she said. “My heart goes out to her family,” Loston said.

Dr. Runnels passed away at home with her daughter by her side.

”On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Alamo Community Colleges, I want to extend our deepest sympathy to the Runnels’ family and the St. Philip’s College community for the loss of former president, Dr. Angie Runnels,” said Dr. Bruce Leslie, Chancellor of the Alamo Community Colleges, of which St. Philip’s is a member. “Her strong and skillful leadership helped guide the future for St. Philip’s,” he said.

Dr. Runnels served as President of St. Philip’s College from 2000-2006. Prior to arriving at St. Philip’s College, Dr. Runnels served as executive district director of educational partnerships for the Dallas County Community College District where she was responsible for developing educational partnerships and alliances with public schools, colleges and universities, corporations, business and industry and other community colleges.

“Dr. Runnels was a lady – gracious and wise,” said Kitty Flores who served as Dr. Runnels’ administrative assistant for six and a half years. “She will be truly missed,” she said.

It was a sentiment expressed by others.

“She was always a lady,” recalled Pat Williams, an archive assistant at St. Philip’s College, who knew the president for six years. “I cried when I first heard the news, at least she won’t be suffering anymore,” Williams said.

Dr. Runnels earned a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s degree in education at East Texas State in Commerce and a bachelor’s degree in English from Butler College.

Her family plans to establish a St. Philip’s College scholarship in her memory.

A memorial service is planned for this Thursday, May 8th at 12:30 p.m. at Restland Wildwood Chapel in Dallas.

About St. Philip’s: St. Philip’s College was founded in 1898 by Bishop James Steptoe Johnston of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church of the West Texas Diocese. Today, St. Philip’s is a multi-campus institution of the Alamo Community Colleges and serves a semester enrollment of nearly 10,000 credit and more than 5,000 continuing education students. St. Philip’s is a Historically Black College and Hispanic Serving Institution and is the only college in the nation that carries this dual designation. As “A Point of Pride in the Community,” St. Philip’s is among the oldest and most diverse community colleges in the United States.
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