Community Impact: Two new trustees, including one student, join Austin Community College board

Two new Austin Community College trustees—including one current student—took their seats for the first time Monday after being sworn in to the college’s governing board.

Place 5 trustee Nicole Eversmann and Place 6 trustee Nora de Hoyos Comstock will serve six-year terms and were elected at-large by voters Nov. 8.

Eversmann is the first student trustee elected to the board and has been at ACC since fall 2013. She has taken classes at seven of the college’s 11 campuses, was an officer with the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and a Futures Institute member.

She said her plan is to complete her degree at ACC, transfer to a four-year college, earn a bachelor’s degree in economics and eventually earn a Ph.D in education policy.

“I am passionate about education and excited to serve on the board,” Eversmann said in a news release.

Comstock replaced current Place 6 trustee Guadalupe Sosa. Comstock defeated Douglas Gibbins with 58.2 percent of the votes in the Nov. 8. election. 

The national and international founder of Las Comadres Para Las Americas, Comstock was named a Woman of Distinction by the Texas Mexican American Chambers of Commerce in 2015.

“Education is the single most important factor that can transform a community, ” she said in a news release. “I’m grateful to the voters for their support and look forward to working with my fellow trustees to enhance opportunities at ACC and expand access across our region.”

Monday was Chair Victor Villarreal’s last meeting. He did not seek reelection after serving six years on the board.

Allen Kaplan, who currently serves as vice chair, will become acting chair until the board’s Jan. 17 meeting, when trustees will be elected to board positions.

Election runoff

ACC trustee Places 4 and 9 are still up for grabs, with two candidates running for each position.

Sosa will face off against Julie Ann Nitsch for the Place 9 election. Sosa was elected to ACC board of trustees Place 6 in 2010, and Nitsch is a former ACC student and employee.

Candidates Sean Hassan and Michael J. Lewis are vying for the Place 4 seat. Hassan is cofounder of Texas Education Partners, and Lewis is the former Texas Education Agency auditor.

Early voting continues until Friday, and the election takes place Dec. 13. A list of polling places can be found here. 

Tags: Community Impact