College Collaborations

National Hispanic Heritage Month

by Melanie Laporte

National Hispanic Heritage Month actually started off as only two days. During the 1960s civil rights movement, Californian Congressman George E. Brown California wanted to recognize the role Hispanics played in the United States. He was behind a law stating the president would issue annual proclamations for September 15 and 16 be observed with “ceremony and activities.”

President Lyndon Johnson issued the first week-long proclamation in 1988 then President Reagan signed off on a full month of National Hispanic Heritage lasting until Oct.15. Every president thereafter has annually signed the proclamation.

Mexican bread of the dead on clay dish with candles and flowers

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the contributions, achievements, and histories of men and women of Hispanic origin as well as recalling the work of the early Spanish explorers and settlers.

Now, National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The observance starts in the middle of September to commemorate anniversaries of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as well as Mexico’s independence.

In everyday life, people on the East Coast tend to identify as Hispanic whereas West coast residents use Latino according to the US Office of Management and Budget. But what is the difference between Hispanic and Latino/LatinX?

Latino is anyone of Latin origin or ancestry in the Western Hemisphere including Brazil where Portuguese is the official language.

The Census Bureau categorizes Hispanic is anyone with lineage from a Spanish-speaking country regardless of race: Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Nicaragua, Argentina, and Cuba. Hispanics are linked by similar traditions of music, food, dance, culture, and one language: Spanish. Note, LatinX is the gender neutral term.

According to the Pew Research Center, there is a tendency to not identify as Latino as children assimilate into the US cultural melting pot. To not identify as “other” or foreign and the first thing people let go is language. It happens in almost every immigrant group.

When a community loses what makes them different and unique, the entire country loses. It’s important to keep a strong identity and rich traditions then teach others about culture through music, dance, and pop culture to foster understanding and appreciation.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for all people to celebrate Hispanic history and community, culturally and economically. Firstly, start by supporting local Hispanic small businesses such as restaurants and speciality stores. Develop your spanish speaking abilities and donate to philanthropic groups like CASA and Somos.

How to observe National Hispanic Heritage Month or Learn about the LatinX Community

Austin Community College

Take a Spanish language class for credit.
Attend the annual September ACC Díez y Seis event honoring Hispanic Heritage.
Take advantage of resources provided by Latino/Latin American Studies Center or El Centro increasing understanding of the broad Lation X community at ACC and in Central Texas and Ascender: Catch the Next, a campus program offering educational support, scholarships, and mentoring opportunities.
Apply for a scholarship from Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
LatinX Student Union (LXSU) student organization to connect with others and create relationships.

City of Austin

Meals on Wheels help deliver meals to hungry seniors as well as keeping them company.
CASA be an advocate volunteer to help abused and neglected children.
Latinitas give to or volunteer with the first digital magazine made by and for young Latinitas empowering all girls to innovate through media and technology.
Mexic-Arte Museum walk around the Official Mexican + Mexican American Museum of Texas to buy Made in Mexico embroidered Covid masks and see modern Latin art expositions.
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center – watch films from Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema like Cantinflas, browse impactful art exhibits, make sugar skull masks, and learn from the online courses about Hispanic culture such as Lowriders: All about Austin’s Chicano Lowrider Culture.
Puerto Rican Cultural Center join them for Fiesta Boricua and the Paseo podcast with highlights from the Puerto Rican community
Esquina Tango take Spanish language and Argentine tango dance classes.
Somos Austin contact them to celebrate the city’s vibrant Latio community.
Young Hispanic Professional Association of Austin gain leadership and professional development opportunities as well as scholarships and mentorship programs withYHPAA.
Hispanic Impact Fund give what you can or volunteer to the fund helping lift Hispanics in early childhood education, health and wellness, and develop critical job skills.

ACC Fashion Design makes COVID-19 Masks for Essential Staff

Written By Emily Pesina

Aspiring, stylish, and essential一the fashion departments at Austin Community College have cultivated Austin once again. From bringing awareness to heart health with the Red Dress campaign, to an expected Corset-making for Breast Cancer Awareness, this year’s big project: to create COVID masks for essential employees who continue to work on campus. ACCENT sat down with the working riverbats who were there that day to reminisce over their experience with the face cloth that was to be produced, times a thousand.

When the ACC district closed its doors due to the pandemic, Victoria Taylor, professor and head chairperson for the fashion and design department at ACC, immediately reached out to campus operations. “When this pandemic started, I was reaching out right away to my dean and my vice president saying ‘we have fabric, I have stitchers [and] students who can make masks. How can we help?”” said Taylor. It turned out that the head of campus operations, Sharrion Jenkins, had the same idea. Both women, having worked together before with their knowledge in the fashion lab and its equipment, were connected in thought when this idea was emerging. Taylor and Jenkins put their resources together. The space and equipment was already there, now all that was needed were working hands for the project.

Victoria Taylor, one of the working riverbats for the thousand-mask creation.

“The way the project came along was, it had to do with the need. We could not find masks when it became apparent that COVID had hit the U.S… being in operations, we were responsible for the COVID response”, said Jenkins. At the start of the project, Taylor juggled the needles of meeting her students’ needs and being available for the mask-making project, and Jenkins faced a shortage of thread. However, supply of thread was found in the most unlikely places, which was necessary in order to produce quality masks. With the fabrics already there, which were provided by donations from the fashion and design department, the mannequins were set aside and social distancing guidelines were put in place to create a safe and working environment. Once the facility support, under Jenkin’s wing, clashed in the working space, then it was time to get started.

With challenges overcome, the project was on the road in no time.

“Even though it was stressful because we didn’t really know what was going on with this virus, we felt like we were doing our part”, says Jenkins. Sitting a machine apart and working one person at a table, she noted that her workers kept a positive attitude in this. Jenkins explains that many of the workers knew how to legitimately sew, and everyone was excited about this project because they got to do different things rather than the same procedures everyday, which made the experience not monotonous at all.

All kinds of fabric flooded the tables. The working riverbats were the hardworking wheels for this project.

With the working women sewing inside, other employees, notably the campus managers across the district, wanted to help. Packs to make ten masks were placed inside a plastic bag with all the pieces included, and were safely distributed to helpers who would come pick it up. They would then take it home to sew all the pieces together, and bring it back to campus once all the pieces were joined together. “Everybody was amazed at the end… there was never a time when we said we couldn’t do it”, mentioned Jenkins. Summing up the experience as “fun” and “togetherness”, she mentions that even though nobody knew how the project would end up, the initial goal of one-hundred masks, which then turned into five hundred masks, became a long and hardworking thousand for essential employees who continue to work on campus today.

An ACC helper picks up a packet of masks to sew at home.

For Victoria Taylor, she sums up her experience assisting with the masks as “proud”. Taylor pushes her students to not only keep your focus on what’s on your desk, but extend your vision

into the world to be aware of what’s going on, and how you can give back to the community. That is the oath that student Isabella Collins went through. Collins, a second-year Fashion Design student and employed by the Fashion Incubator, has aspiring ambitions to start her own brand. After being left jobless for several months since she had quit her salesperson job to fulfill an internship that would be interrupted by COVID, Collins was called in for a project that involved lots and lots of facemasks. Having prior experience in crafting and selling masks on the side as a means to make some cash, becoming part of the Fashion Incubator’s thousand-mask creation一a separate project than the Fashion & Design’s department一threw Collins into a cycle of sewing, mistakes, frustration, ripping seams, starting over, sticky needles, and surprises that put her skills, equipment, and patience to the test. Fortunately, her understanding boss allowed her to produce masks on site at the Fashion Incubator, which was a real improvement as far as her progress.

Victoria Taylor and Isabella Collins, a second year Fashion Design student.

“I’m a very determined person,” says Collins, “but I do get frustrated doing the same thing every day, so it definitely taught me to stick with it and to have self-control… even when you’re good at something, mistakes still happen.” After being able to transition from working at home to on site, her new durable equipment that could produce masks much faster still posed challenges to her and her team. Her mental and physical health, as well as her schedule, were put to the test. Yet she was able to stick to a schedule that allowed her to balance her schoolwork and her job. Keeping herself motivated through exercise and her teammates, the stress that the team felt was worked through to meet their daily goals, which in turn became a three month project with a thousand and one masks produced.

Collins’ workspace before she transitioned on site. The dresses hanging on the window are her original designs.

With unique materials to create this two-color sided mask, Collins says that even though it was mentally challenging, the experience in working with the Fashion Incubator to create its own thousand-mask creation definitely toughened her up, which is why she sums up her experience working in the fashion incubator as “perseverance.” After months spent producing the same mask, Collins is grateful to have been part of this project and challenge, as she calls on others to take similar steps. “Take opportunities that may not be what they seem. You can learn so much from jobs that you don’t expect will help you… me getting a window sales job, that does not seem like a job that a designer would want, but I learned so much about the process…” Collins believes that every opportunity and job that you go through can benefit you in some way. “Don’t look down on yourself because you can’t get that high end job, because everything you go through will help you later on.” Life is a teacher and we are its students embarking on our own journey.

The masks produced at the Fashion Incubator by Isabella Collins and her team.

Visit the ACC Fashion Design Website for more details about the area of study.

University Transfer Tips for ACC Riverbats

Written By Grant E. Loveless

Hello Riverbat! Ready To Leave The Nest & Transfer?

Students every day attend community college for a number of reasons, but one of the top reasons is to better prepare themselves to attend and get a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university. If this is your ultimate goal, then you’re probably wondering whether the process of transferring will be difficult or easy and the answer is that it is simple with planning, preparation and patience.

As said above, students attend community college for a number of reasons and most of the time the reason is to use their time as a stepping stone and learning opportunity for the next step up towards a 4-year degree. If you want to take this path, here’s what you should do:

Do Not ‘Go With The Flow,’ Create A Plan!
- Talk to an academic advisor.
- Find resources, tools and more on ACC Transfer’s website! (Do not forget to schedule an appointment!)
Decide If You Want To Obtain An Associate’s Degree
- Obtaining your associate’s degree can prove quite useful and fulfilling in the long run helpful for a number of reasons:
  1. Degrees often transfer more easily than individual courses
  2. An associate’s degree certifies that you have completed all of your general education requirements (be sure you have a basic understanding of the general education requirements at the school to which you are transferring).
  3. An associate’s degree provides you with a credential to fall back on should you need to put your bachelor’s work on hold for any reason.
Do Your Research & Search For A New Home!
- Research the university you want to attend and speak to an admissions advisor. Let them know you’re interested in transferring and see if there’s any information they can provide to help. It could also be helpful to network with professors and see if there are any programs you could participate in to make yourself stand out.
  1. Define your educational goals. (i.e: What kind of degree do you want to get? What do you want to major in? What kind of career and job do you want after you graduate? … etc.)
  2. Think about which universities you’d want to transfer to. It’s important to plan for this ahead of transferring because every school has different requirements. You want to make sure that everything you do during your time at community college will help you get accepted to your university.
  3. Talk to your community college advisor and tell them about your plan to transfer to a university.
Communication Is Key!
- Communicate with your community college advisor (and university transfer advisor) regularly to make sure you’re taking the right classes and doing the right things to make your transfer possible.
Apply for FASFA or TASFA Before Application Deadline!
- Apply for financial aid when you’re in community college and when you plan to go to a university. Your school might have scholarships available specifically for transfer students, so make sure you know about them.

All this information can look stressful or make you anxious about transferring to a university from a community college, BUT you will succeed if you follow these tips and head over to view ACC Transfer’s website! It will be a smooth and easy process if you follow these tips and do well in your classes, good luck and I assure you that you will be great.

Student resources listed on austincc.edu

Advising-Area of study advisors will help you select your classes, stay on track for your degree program, and make decisions about your educational and career goals.

University Transfer & Equivalency Guides– Alist of four-year institutions with links and guides to help students plan their transfer to a four-year degree.

Transfer Services– There are many ways to transfer to a four-year university via ACC. Transfer Services will help you navigate the possibilities. The department can also answer your questions about earning some credits here while you’re enrolled at another institution.

What I Learned from Online Tutoring

Written by Marissa Greene

The need to make assignment deadlines, ace quizzes and exams, and overall perform well in each enrolled course can sometimes be overwhelming for students. Especially when you are taking a class that you may find challenging to do well in. Thankfully, there are some knowledgeable individuals dedicated to helping you improve as a student. They are called tutors and you should definitely meet with one. Here are five things that I learned from online tutoring at Austin Community College.

Tutoring is for Everyone
Online tutoring is a great tool for any student aiming for success this semester. Whether it’s understanding the calculus homework, perfecting that one essay, or even needing some guidance in your courses if English isn’t your first language, ACC online tutoring has you covered! Many times, students assume that tutoring is the last resort to take when your grades start going south. However, at the beginning of each semester, many professors from all areas of study encourage students to familiarize themselves and utilize tutoring in order to maintain those high grades from the very start.

Finding Your Tutor is as Easy as 123
Don’t think online tutoring can help you? The dynamic and versatile team of six online tutors might ask you to reconsider. From a specific class subject to general test taking strategies, students have the opportunity to browse through the online tutor’s profile and find the tutor best suited for their academic needs. While reading through their bio’s you’ll learn how dedicated they are to helping Riverbats succeed and even pick up some special learning methods that they can apply to other classes in the future.

Planning for Tutoring Sessions
Want to make the most out of your tutoring sessions? Planning and preparing for each session is just as important as the tutoring itself. Before your meeting with an online tutor, create a few measurable goals of what you would like to accomplish by the end of the session along with some questions regarding the course material that can help you get there. Have your notes, textbook, and any other course materials within an arm’s reach. Create an organized and quiet space to conduct the session. For tips on this, read ACCENT’s tips on how to create a remote workspace.

Unlimited and Free ACC Tutoring
ACC online tutoring is completely free and every riverbat has an unlimited number of tutoring sessions that they can schedule. Another resource that ACC students can take advantage of is receiving live online assistance with a tutor from Brainfuse, one of Austin Community College’s partnerships to create a more enriching learning experience. Every student is allotted 300 minutes (five hours) of online Brainfuse tutoring.

Online Tutoring Adapts to Your Needs
Students who are in need of an interpreter, seeking to learn studying habits that can reduce academic stress, and wanting to feel more confident in a specific subject can all benefit from online tutoring. The tutors who are excited to help you better understand concepts so that you can do your best this semester.

To get started, complete an online tutoring request form located at https://www.austincc.edu/students/tutoring/online

Being on the Front Lines of Advocacy, Change and Justice

We Are Here & We Will Be Seen

By: Grant E. Loveless

In America we are young, tired and traumatized. We are tired of validating our space, our existence and the reason why we should have a seat at the table. Youth are continuously ignored, being dismissed, and unheard. Stereotyping youth as “too young” or “not experienced enough” has been a
consistent strategy to devalue the movements that we create.

Youth are dying. Bullets piercing our skin, the hands of our “ protectors ” bruise us, while the weight of our own communities burden us with expectations that we, as a future generation, are expected to embrace.
Not only do we confront our internalized trauma while witnessing the oppressive realities of our world, we also resist the tendency to reduce youth experiences into pure statistics, devoid of socio-political meaning. We know that if we die at the hands of police, justice will not be served within the “ justice ” system and will be left as a number to the added list of Black and brown bodies whose blood is stained in our streets at the root of America’s issue: racism. We should not have to experience the moments that are supposed to be the cornerstone of our lives in fear and uncertainty.
However, we conjured our power to disrupt the day-to-day uncertainties, disadvantages and injustices. We as youth have blossomed into an impalpable force to where youth advocates like Nahjah and Nashon Wilson in Stafford, VA; the four women who built the Teens4Equality organization in Nashville, TN; Mical Juliet, Franki Phoenix, Zauvier Fenceroy and myself in Austin, Texas continue to push for public and social policy reform, collaborative change and economic justice. With our efforts being recognized it is imperative that we continue to prepare youth for what is to come. As U.S Senator Cory Booker said, “ You don’t have to be one of those people that accepts things as they are. Every day, take responsibility for changing them right where you are.”

Below are five tips for youth I have created from my experience as a Youth Advocate and Student Leader in the City of Austin to begin their journey into advocacy, community activism and social entrepreneurship.

You are your Number One Priority
If you do not take care of yourself how can you serve others at the best capacity you can. Self care is about self-reflection and it’s a journey. Learning and establishing a self care routine does not happen overnight, it takes time. You may be thinking, what does self care mean? Well, self care is ambiguous. Self care means knowing who you are and understanding
your limits; developing a good sleeping pattern and eating habits; constructing ways to decompress and realign your mind, spirit and energy; taking time to know yourself, your goals and how you want to manifest the change-maker you want to be; identifying what you love and hate or what motivates and discourages you. Self care can be simply defined as self love,
but on that journey to that you first must identify your “why” and thrive.

Find Your “Why” and Your Vision
To find your “why” and your vision you must: identify your core values;
discover who inspires you, who motivates you to be the catalyst of change in your community; and understand that your vision takes time to develop and grow. It will change, shift and possibly renew itself over time. With developing your “why” and vision you cannot put your hands in multiple pots, overwhelming and stressing yourself. Take your time and volunteer with local organizations,reach out to community members whose interests align with yours and ask questions or do a journey of self-discovery and read books, articles or blogs to gain knowledge on your interests and whichever topic you feel touches your soul start pursuing it. However, with this journey you must understand not everyone will agree with your stance nor stand with you when you need support.

Be Aware of Who Is For You and Against You
In the world of advocacy and on your way to achieving justice and change you will have your allies and opposes. Not everyone will agree with your values, ideas or your right to have a seat at the table. You must be prepared for that realization and “no” to your cause. However, this should never discourage you. Utilize your colleagues, close peers, past and current employers, teachers or anyone who is interested in investing in you and form a community. Once you have a community backing you up, you will be unstoppable. If you are not given a seat at the table build your own table and create the change you want to see. Your existence does not need validation, you are a force and a resistance.

Time Management
Do not overwhelm, stress or burden yourself trying to take advantage of every opportunity and the issues damaging your communities. Establish a foundation for your brand and the issues you want to solve in your community as well as using your local community members and organizations to further your goals. When you use time managing tools like Trello, Asana, Google Calendar or even the Reminders app on your phone you can then begin implementing strategies to your success on how much time you are allocating for the issues you want to solve and the commitments you are going to take on.

You Are NEVER Alone
You are never alone. Whatever country, state, city or town you reside in there are organizations and individuals who will support, uplift and cherish the work you do. Remember it doesn’t matter what platform you use, it’s about the work you produce and the presence you create when you walk into a room. You will never be alone, we are here always.

I urge you to utilize these tips and start generating the momentum you want to see your community taking in approaching and addressing structures of ageism, racism, xenophobia or any sign of inequity. Start now.
Author a call-to-action plan. Engage with your communities. Mobilize and create change.

How to Create a Remote Workspace

By Marissa Greene

Seven tips from an Academic Coach to get you through this semester

COVID-19 has changed the way we work, grocery shop, learn, and overall living. In a time of social distancing, students need to work on their education behind a screen rather than a classroom setting. For some, this may be a piece of cake, but for many others, this could feel frustrating, stressful, and even discouraging at times. ACCENT sat down with Austin Community College Academic Coach, Thomas Blain, to get some insight on how students can successfully adjust during this Pandemic.

Set Up a Consistent Location.
Look around your place and try to find the best work from home space. Whether that is working at a desk, a space in your room, or a counter in your home, this should be the place you can feel most productive in. If you live with family or roommates try to find a place that is the least distracting from others. If you have children at home, depending on their age, this may be something to coordinate with them or others in the home. Children could be working at the dining table while you are in the living room or vice versa.

Sitting While Working.
Who knew something as small as your position could play such a big role in your school performance? Although it may be tempting to lay on the couch or in your bed while doing school work, it may not be the most productive. ACC academic coach, Thomas Blain, recommends sitting upright while doing classwork.

“If I was to lie down while I was I work, I think I’d fall asleep,” Blain said

Sitting upright can help concentration while keeping you in the balance between feeling too cozy and too uncomfortable.

Confining Your Space.
Look at your workspace and what do you see? Are there papers filled with notes all over the place? Do you have pens, pencils, and your calculator scattered around you? If so, this tip is for you. Take a step back from where you are working and look at it. Is there a way you can confine or organize this space? The answer is yes! By keeping your place tidy you will be able to find your school work/supplies much easier and save you the time you would be looking for that one notes page you need and more time on using it. If you ever have seen the movie “Ratatouille” think of what Colette said to Remy in the kitchen “Keep your station clear!”

Visual Reminders.
As we get closer and closer to semester final exams, you may be feeling overwhelmed and/or unprepared. A helpful way to keep yourself ahead of the game is to create visual reminders of important dates or when specific classwork is due such as quizzes, tests, and exams. These visual reminders could be physical, digital, or a mixture of both.

“When I am at my desk I have a semester calendar in the back which just has some important dates,” Blain said.

By being prepared for summer registration, FAFSA applications, and final exams, you start to feel more in control of your academics. Reminders such as sticky notes, Google Calendar notifications, or even looking at your ACC Planner every day can help better plan for what’s to come and more importantly be prepared.

Blocking the Noise.
Whether your distractions are the noises from your family members, your roommates who are also working from home, or the elephants that just moved in the apartment above you, find a way to minimize distracting noise. One way Blain recommends is by listening to music or something that can cancel out whatever noise is distracting you.

“I like listening to KUT sometimes because that is not as distracting for me,” Blain said.

However, if you find yourself spending more time belting your heart out to “Material Girl” by Madonna or “The Anthem” by Good Charlotte rather than memorizing all the organelles in a cell earplugs may be better for you. Blain recommends purchasing some earplugs at your local grocery store if possible to help those who work better in a space free from all noises.

Removing the Distractions You Can Control.
It’s okay to admit that scrolling through your Instagram feed is more interesting than the 20 pages of book reading you have to do, but which one is more important? Removing distractions such as your phone from your workspace can help improve your productivity. This could be physically placing your phone across the room, turning it off, or even just flipping it face down. If the distractions are on your computer, Blain recommends removing tabs or browsers from your computer while working. This could look like opening two different windows on your device and dedicating one to work and the other to your personal interests.

Sticking to a Routine.
Whether it was the routine you had at the beginning of the semester or one that better fits your lifestyle now, finding a routine and sticking to it is a major factor in your academics.

“Once you get a routine it kind of helps you with the procrastination piece,” Blain said.

Routines can help create order and discipline in your learning environment. Your daily routine can look very different compared to your classmate but it is so important to find something that works for you. A method that Blain discusses is the 45/15 minute studying rule. With this method, you would ideally study for 45 minutes and give yourself a 15-minute break in-between.

“If you do hour upon hour of work you are going to get burnt out,” Blain said.

Taking breaks can be equally important as the time you are dedicating to work. This allows you to feel refreshed and recharge. During your breaks find ways to disconnect from your studies. This could be scrolling through TikTok, going for a walk, or even taking a moment to make something to eat.

“Be realistic about what your habits are and give yourself that time to relax,” Blain said.

Don’t feel that you have a working space?

It is important to understand that this can be a stressful time for a multitude of reasons. If you are feeling discouraged about creating an effective workspace form home Blain suggests the idea of having a conversation with whoever you are living with about the importance of your studies.

“Have a diplomatic conversation with whoever you are living with,” Blain said.

Although it may not look like you are still taking classes to whomever you are living with, a conversation may help address any distractions you face while trying to study and work towards a solution.

https://youtu.be/F1bgjmz375g

A Salute to the Veterans Resource Center

The Place for Students Who Served

Story by: Jace Puckett

Veteran students are able to receive academic, financial, and personal assistance while enrolled at Austin Community College through a resource known as The Veterans Resource Center located at Highland Campus.

Located in building 4000, the first thing a student will see when they walk in the center is the open lounge area for a place to engage with other Riverbats.

“The Veterans Resource Center is a place for veteran students to connect with each other and with our VA [Veterans Affairs] staff,” said Bethann Warwick, the veterans outreach coordinator for all ACC campuses.

“We want a safe place where students can come and study and just be who they are,” said Warwick.

In addition to the lounge, this 4,000 square-foot-center also has rooms that can be utilized as a quiet place to study, Warwick explained.

“We have space for students to study in a quiet conference room with desks and comfortable chairs, and we also have computer stations where individuals can do their homework or print out things they need for free.”

Veteran students who are planning on transferring to other colleges or universities can receive help from the center as well.

“Every spring, we host a veteran transfer fair. What makes it different from the other transfer fairs is that we actually invite the VA person from other campuses and the veterans can come and meet that VA person and the recruiting officer from the institution they want to transfer to so they can find out exactly how they need to transfer their benefits over to make it a lot smoother when they transfer over.”

Other resources the center offers include help with writing applications for colleges and universities, as well as writing resumes. Even students who are looking for textbooks or a little cash are also in luck at the center.

“If students need assistance in finding books, or if they need a little gas money until their next paycheck, I can reach out to the community and find those services for them.”

The center even has resources for students who need counseling with their personal lives.

“Our VITAL (Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership) coordinator, Jeff Mo, does counseling here at the center. He can do counseling with students to discuss stressors that they have day to day in their classrooms and their personal lives as well. He meets here on Wednesdays from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, and he can be seen by appointment.”

The environment at the center is warm and welcoming, according to Warwick.

“There’s always laughter and students are always hanging out. Sometimes they bring food for each other or they help each other with certain situations.”

Laura Maldonado, a student veteran who served in the Marines, talked about how she enjoys connecting with other veterans as well as the VA staff.

“I like how approachable everyone is. Everybody’s eager to help.”

Army veteran Raymond Cathey mentioned how useful the center has been for veteran students like him.

“For veterans who don’t know, there are counselors in the back who tell them about the benefits that they qualify for. One example is the Dependent Education Assistance program. If a veteran has a certain disability, they’ll get a stipend to go to school.”

Learn more on how to get connected by visiting one of the Veteran Affairs offices located in the Highland, Northridge, Riverside, and Round Rock campuses. Or they can visit the Veterans Resource Center located in building 4000 of the Highland Campus.

ACC Encourages Students to Utilize Resources to Combat Food Insecurity

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The ACC community sheds light on the silent issue of food insecurity amongst its students.

Story and video by: Marissa Greene

How can a house stand tall when it is built on sand? Similarly, how can a student achieve success when lacking the physiological needs such as food, shelter, and sleep? According to the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, 48% of the 86 thousand community college students who responded to the center’s survey face food insecurity.

For 22 year old ACC student, Damienn Alcala, this is more than just a statistic; it’s a reality. Making the choice between paying for books, tuition, and transportation, housing can often appear more vital for students than a month’s worth of groceries.

“College is so expensive, and it’s an investment,” Alcala said. “With the average college debt being so high, where does that leave money for students to buy their own groceries?”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy life. When a student is food insecure, a number of other challenges can also cause an impact on their life.

“When students are food insecure it’s like a ripple effect. If you’re hungry then how can you study?” says Student Life Coordinator, Jennifer Flowers. “It also has an effect on graduation rate too. So if you are missing that basic need and cannot go to class, then how can you graduate?” Flowers says.

Students are able to utilize the food pantries in the student life lounge of every campus. The food pantries provide students with canned goods and other non-perishable items without a dollar sign associated with it.

The food pantry’s purpose is to help students during times of immediate hunger in order to better themselves when on campus. As an additional resource, student life partners up with Central Texas Food Bank on the fourth Friday of every month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Riverside campus to supply groceries to students. On that day, students are able to walk into the student life lounge at the Riverside Campus and receive a ticket. That ticket will tell them when to come out into the parking lot, where they are greeted by volunteers, reusable bags, and a line of tables with an abundance of food choices.

As the student walks through the line, they receive two reusable bags for their items and can pick anywhere from chicken, canned goods, fresh produce, and even bread. After their selections, these students are able to receive assistance carrying these groceries back to their car or the bus stop.

Earlier this year, Sara Goldrick-Rab, the founder of the Hope Center for College Community and Justice spoke with ACC staff and faculty about how obstacles like food insecurity plays a role within the college. According to their most recent survey, 42% of students just at ACC alone are food insecure. Which comes at second place following home insecurity, which is nearly over 50% of Riverbats.

“We don’t do things unless we are personally affected by them,” Goldrick-Rab says. “Having a student program that students don’t know about doesn’t make it effective”

Alcala believes that in order to get more students involved, both students and faculty must first get the conversation started about food insecurity. During the first week of each semester, Student Life organizes a welcome week where students can orient themselves within Student Life and become more aware of the resources available to them.

“When talking to students even more, when they use the food pantry, when we wheel in the carts of food at the food distribution, the students are thankful that they don’t have to worry about groceries for that month,” Flowers said.

With all that the food pantry and distribution has to offer, Flowers recognizes how having these conversations with each other also creates a bond between students in the community.

“This is when conversations start to open up about their own struggles,” Flowers said. “Every single staff member in our department is all about student success.”

Flowers hopes that talking about food insecurity encourages all departments to want to get to know their students more beyond the ACCeID.

For students like Alcala, they don’t let the statistics get in the way of striving for not only a better education, but also for the betterment of the ACC community.

“For someone who is like me, just know that it’s okay, that is why we are here at ACC,” Alcala said. “To come together and say, ‘Hey, we may not have that much money, but we have each other to help out.’ That’s what I feel is the real message of ACC.”

If you are someone you know could benefit from the Student Life food pantry or monthly food distribution, visit your campus’ Student Life lounge to learn more, or visit austincc.edu/[email protected]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA-rGnAmzdc” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Student Mentors – The Riverbat Ambassadors

Story by: Ruben Hernandez

Each ACC campus has its very own Student Life lounge. Students are more than welcome to come in, relax, and chill in between classes or get ready for that big test they’re about to take. There are many resources that can be taken advantage of provided by Student Life within these lounges. One resource in particular is the presence of the Riverbat Ambassadors.

“A Riverbat Ambassador is a mentor to students,” Round Rock Riverbat Ambassador Ashley Vasquez said. “They help plan events, or help students in need when they come in with questions. RA’s are also required to do 2 ‘Real Talks’ a semester. The purpose of a Real Talk is to create a intimate environment for students to feel comfortable, open up, and ask questions.”

Ambassadors carry knowledge about campus events and are able to travel campuses to table and fulfill a variety of duties. Not only that, if you don’t feel comfortable about where you are on campus, they can help you with that.

“We serve as a source of information and support for students,” Vasquez said. “You can tell some students don’t feel comfortable enough to ask certain questions or even come in. Part of your job is to notice that and be able to approach certain people when you can or help when they seem lost. It’s a big role.”

First-year college students tend to be shy about what they’re doing or when looking for new friends. Ambassadors are there to give them that little bit of confidence.

“We can also be a person for someone to talk to,” Vasquez said. “That’s why being able to read a student’s body language and how they approach can be important. Sometimes you can tell that they need someone to talk to and you can try to go off of that. If they continually come in but don’t talk or make eye contact, just ask how they are or if they need anything. Give them consistency to ensure that they feel welcome enough to come back.”

Vasquez says since she’s fairly new to being on campus physically since she took online courses last semester. So, she has been in the same boat as many students are now about having a comfortable space to be in.

“I know what it’s like to feel so lost as a student,” Vasquez said. “I’ve been in those shoes, and I feel like that’s what drew me in. It’s weird to have a place without support. I thought this would be a great role for me because I want to help support other students in their success. It feels nice to let them know that everything is going to be okay. We’re going to struggle, but we’re all in it together.”

Becoming a Riverbat Ambassador isn’t something too difficult either.

“Anybody can be a Riverbat Ambassador so long as they are receiving financial aid,” Vasquez said. “You apply through financial aid, and if you get approved you can apply. You have the option to be either a Campus or Riverbat Ambassador.”
Maintaining a light atmosphere in the Student Life room is also something that is of importance. It’s a place to relax, so it is necessary to make it feel as such.

“It’s important to keep a cool atmosphere in the Student Life room because some students just need a break,” Vasquez said. “Some people are so used to being either in a classroom or studying somewhere. It would be nice to have a place to get out of your head. People come in, they chat, they play games or whatever makes them comfortable.”

While the Student Life lounge is meant to be a space for students to relax, it is also headquarters for many workshops and informational events. All you have to do is keep yourself updated.

“There are a lot of connections students can make through student life,” Vasquez said. “Even just attending a Success Series or certain events, or talking to advisors and counselors who come in is beneficial. There are so many resources to help you through, and there are many avenues that will help you get to where you’re going. It’ll help you along your path and maybe even give you an idea of where you want to go.”

Campus Org Profile: Phi Theta Kappa

Story by Shannon Mullery, Reporter

At the beginning of each semester, college students receive invitaions via mail, e-mail and word of mouth to join a multitude of clubs, groups and fraternities or sororities. One that students at ACC receive is a little yellow invitation in the mail for a group called Phi Theta Kappa.

While some students, understandably, have the impression that this organization is a fraternity or sorority, it is actually an honors society that extends to community colleges everywhere in the United States, as well as internationally.

“I like to say we’re more geek than Greek,” Daniel Chitty, ACC’s Alpha Gamma Pi Chapter Presi- dent said. “But I’m not gonna say it’s not at all social, because we do like to have a good time.”

Each chapter of Phi Theta Kappa is very unique. At ACC, the Alpha Gamma Pi chapter focuses on community service, academics, and some research activity. Students with 12-23 hours and a 3.5 GPA, 24-45 hours and a 3.4 GPA, or over 46 hours and a 3.25 GPA all qualify to apply for membership.

Students also need to be enrolled in at least six credit hours the semester they join, and have a declared major. Bronze members only need to attend a new member orientation meeting, and pay the membership meetings. Silver members can expect some active involvement, and gold members should expect to devote a fair amount of their time to the organization.

Shortly after joining Phi Theta Kappa in the fall of 2011, Chitty volunteered to fill in for a campus vice president, who had stepped down in the organization. He moved up quickly, becoming Phi Theta Kappa’s international president in Apr. of 2013.

“Campaigning for the office and holding the office are two very different experiences. Win or lose, you always grow from the campaign experience,” Chitty said. Joining Phi Theta Kappa has not changed his long-term goals, which include getting accepted into dental school, but it has helped him broaden his perspective.

“I feel like it has helped to prepare me much better than any classroom could to enter into a much more professional realm.” Chitty will be attending the School of Dentistry at the UT Health and Science Center in San Antonio next year.