Clergy, delegates and guests had the privilege of hearing Dr. Adena Williams Loston, President of St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, during Diocesan Council 2025. Providing an overview of the rich history of St. Philip’s, Dr. Loston discussed the bond that remains between the Diocese of West Texas and the College beginning in 1898 when Bishop James Steptoe Johnston, the second bishop of West Texas, founded St. Philip’s Normal and Industrial School. Steptoe, Confederate veteran, wished to see greater equality between whites, blacks, and Mexican-Americans. The school was designed to educate and train recently emancipated slaves. Opening March 1, 1898, the school started as a weekend sewing class for six black girls, taught by Miss Alice G. Cowan, a missionary with the Episcopal Church.
St. Philip’s Church, which was established in 1895, in an old German Methodist church in downtown San Antonio, now well recognized as La Villita, actively participated with Bishop Johnston in founding of St. Philip's College. In its early years, the College was housed at the church.
In 1902, Artemisia Bowden, daughter of a former slave, joined the school as administrator and teacher. She served St. Philip’s College for 52 years. Under her leadership, the school grew from an industrial school for girls into a high school and later a junior college. During this period, the institution was known as Bowden's School.
Beginning in 1917, several locations served in turn as houses of worship for St. Philip's Church, and the College re-located to its current campus. In 1927, after several building additions, St. Philip's College became a junior college for the black community of San Antonio and the area.
Due to financial constraints during the Great Depression (1930’s), the diocese was unable to continue financial support for the school it founded. Bowden, the president of St. Philip’s College, fought to keep the school afloat. Considered the savior of St. Philip's College, she frequently used her own money to pay teachers and to keep the doors open. To raise funds, she traveled around the country with a quartet of singing students soliciting donations for the historically black college.
The 1940’s and 1950’s were a time of growth for the College. In 1942, The school, retaining the St. Philip’s Junior College name, affiliated with San Antonio College and the San Antonio Independent School District, marking the end of the college’s era as a private institution. An elected district board of trustees, named the San Antonio Union Junior College District (now Alamo Community College District), assumed administration of the two colleges
In 1963, St. Philip’s Church was erected on Pecan Valley Drive remaining the only predominantly African American church in the diocese until 1964. The church became a full parish in 1967. Though St. Philip’s Church was not officially affiliated with the College, it continued to provide support in the community, and in 2007, St. Philip’s Church and St. Philip’s College re-established a relationship.
A continued period of growth for St. Philip’s College occurred in the 1980’s and 1990’s with the addition of programs and an expansion of the campus. A multi-million-dollar capital expansion added major buildings including a state-of-the-art theater complex, the Northeast Learning Center, and the Learning and Leadership Development Center. In 1998, St. Philip’s College reached a historic milestone, celebrating its 100th Anniversary!
In 2015 during the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church and nearly 50 years after her death, Artemisia Bowden, was recognized as a Holy Woman, adding Bowden's name to the liturgical calendar in "Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints." August 18 is her designated feast day.
St. Philip’s continues its growth and is now recognized as one of the best community colleges in the nation. The College has state of the art curricula in programs including Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Hotel Management, Health concentrations, and more. It is the only college to be federally designated as a historically black college and a Hispanic-serving institution.
Joining the institution in 2007, Dr. Loston serves as the 14th President of St. Philip's College. Her strategic leadership and management has resulted in academic excellence and recognition for the College including the Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence and the national Malcolm Baldrige Award as one of the Alamo Colleges. She has instituted the Planning Budget and Assessment Cycle, Resource Allocation Processes, President’s Academy, Department Chair Academy, Good to Great Strategic Planning Process, three Centers of Excellence; and provides oversight for $500 Million in new construction and renovated facilities. St. Philip’s College was named among the Best Community Colleges in Texas in 2023, named among the Most Promising Place to Work in 2021, 2022, and 2024; and named #4 on the Top Best HBCUs in Texas in 2022.
In 2023, the Diocese of West Texas received an original painting honoring Saint Artemisia Bowden from Terry Gay Puckett. Members of the diocese and the community are encouraged to learn more about St. Philip’s College’s history and programs and to offer prayers of gratitude for the work of Bishop Johnston, Saint Artemisia Bowen, Dr. Loston and others instrumental in the founding and growth of this vibrant institution that serves the needs of students throughout the San Antonio and surrounding communities.
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The Diocese of West Texas thanks St. Philip’s College providing historical information contained in this article. Click here to learn more about the history of the College.
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