UIW School of Professional Studies Celebrates 30 Years of Adult Education

UIW SPS is also Celebrating 25 Years of Online Education Excellence

San Antonio – November 10, 2025 – “The individualized guidance and the welcoming, student-centered culture at UIW made it clear that this was the perfect place to continue advancing my education.”

There was a time when Cynthia Silva believed the dream of a college education had passed her by. That was until her son, Douglas, encouraged her to go back to school. She earned her bachelors and master’s at other institutions, but when the decision came that she and Douglas would now both work on getting their Doctorate in Business Administration, their extensive research led them to the School of Professional Studies (SPS) at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW). Now Cynthia, well into her sixties, and Douglas have taken every class together at UIW, even though she lives in Katy, Texas and he resides in McAllen, Texas. They will both cross the stage here in San Antonio this December as SPS graduates.

“Through it all,” says Cynthia, “we’ve discovered that we are both lifelong learners who continue to challenge each other to make the most of the blessings God has given us.”

The Silva’s story is unique, as is every SPS student, and treating them with personal attention and genuine support has been a hallmark of what makes SPS unique, as well. It’s one of the reasons the UIW School of Professional Studies is able to now celebrate 30 years of adult education this year.

With literally tens of thousands of students served since its inception, the University of the Incarnate Word is proud to be a leader in adult education and online service to students. The School of Professional Studies, as it is now known, started as the Adult Degree Completion Program, or ADCaP, in 1995 with one goal in mind… to open doors to higher education for non-traditional students.

“I began the ADCaP with only a phone recorder as an assistant,” recalls Denise Doyle, longtime UIW educator, who was one of the trailblazers of the program. “When I would return from class, there would be 10 or 12 messages from people who wanted an appointment or more information. It was clear that our early advertising had hit a nerve with many working adults who hadn’t finished a degree. I advised them, set-up classes, found faculty and even took their payments. But best of all, I got to know them and how they felt about being without a degree, as in many cases, they were already successful in their areas of work.”

And, long before the COVID pandemic made online degrees popular, UIW was already leading the way in this field as well. This year, SPS is also celebrating 25 years in online education excellence.

“This online program was one of only a handful of programs across the US that offered totally online degrees,” recall Cyndi and Vince Porter. “It was quickly extended to the military populations as one of the founding schools in eArmyU with the United States Army. We quickly became providers to the other service branches proving that UIW was an innovator.” The Porters helped lead SPS for over a decade and in that time worked closely with the military to grow the program exponentially with that cohort.

Even those who teach within SPS believe it is a special place where personal growth and personal missions are fulfilled.

“Teaching in ADCaP was almost like teaching graduate courses,” says Michael Tallon, UIW professor of Spanish. “The students were awesome. They always attended class, were actively engaged throughout the class, completed all their homework and were just a true joy to teach. These adult students understood how important a college degree can be and, having made the decision to return to college to finally get that degree, worked very hard to achieve their goals. It was truly an honor and a privilege to get to work with them.”

The School of Professional Studies now offers 20 different degree programs, including 4 associate degrees, 9 bachelor’s degrees, 6 graduate degrees and 1 doctoral degree. It also offers career training certification and professional and continuing education in 6 categories.  And the future of SPS is even brighter, with upcoming collaborations with the H-E-B School of Business and the Dreeben School of Education, a new partnership with the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions, a new certification in Artificial Intelligence and more. It’s your education on your terms.

“For three decades, SPS has stood at the forefront of innovation, anticipating change, embracing emerging trends and responding swiftly to the evolving needs of our community and industry partners,” says Dr. Eva Fernandez, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “In this moment of significant change in higher education, SPS continues to forge innovative educational opportunities centered on students and their needs, opportunities that always ensure that learners thrive in a dynamic world.”

“I made wonderful friends through the ADCaP! They still are grateful to UIW for starting the program and for facilitating the accomplishment of a very personal goal,” says Doyle. “It was particularly important for those who were parents. They wanted an education so they could encourage their kids to do the same. Some ADCaP students went on to complete higher degrees and even return to teach at UIW. My years in the ADCaP were some of the happiest years in my professional life. And it all started 30 years ago.”

“Earning our Doctor of Business Administration degrees has been a true blessing,” concludes Cynthia. “It has deepened our mother-son relationship and given us a richer understanding of who we are and how we think as adults.”

Students who are interested can visit our site at School of Professional Studies (SPS) | UIW or call or text at… Phone: (210) 757-0202 Text: (210) 817-0779.