{"id":37357,"date":"2015-12-11T15:00:04","date_gmt":"2015-12-11T15:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=37357"},"modified":"2015-12-14T20:05:02","modified_gmt":"2015-12-14T20:05:02","slug":"2015-in-review-something-exciting-is-starting-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/2015\/12\/11\/2015-in-review-something-exciting-is-starting-here\/","title":{"rendered":"2015 in review: Something exciting is starting here"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ACC_FA15_Year-in-Review_HPbanner\"<\/a>2015 might be considered a year of transition for Austin Community College, as several of the year\u2019s activities set the stage for great things to come. Following are some of the highlights.<\/p>\n

Special events<\/h2>\n

Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden and U.S. Under Secretary of Education Dr. Ted Mitchell toured the Highland Campus <\/a>ACCelerator in March<\/strong>. Biden later praised ACC\u2019s math initiatives in a national speech<\/a> promoting President Barack Obama\u2019s free community college proposal.<\/p>\n

\"Biden\/Mitchell<\/a><\/p>\n

Second lady Jill Biden shared her passion for community colleges during a visit to the ACCelerator.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

While fall 2014 commencement obviously wasn\u2019t in 2015, the address delivered by Victor Hwang<\/a> was talked about well into this year. The website GraduationWisdom.com<\/a> identified Hwang\u2019s commencement speech as one of 2014\u2019s best, making ACC the first community college to be included on a list of speeches spanning 40 years.<\/p>\n

November 18<\/strong> was proclaimed \u201cACC Riverbat Day\u201d in the City of Austin as the college and community marked the fifth birthday of ACC\u2019s beloved mascot<\/a>, RB. Students, faculty, and staff dressed in Riverbat purple while RB motored around the city to celebrate ACC and higher education. See video and photos from the day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More accolades for the ACCelerator<\/h2>\n

In December<\/strong> ACC was selected as a finalist for a 2016 Bellwether award<\/a> for the courses and support offered in the Highland Campus ACCelerator.\u00a0 The prestigious award recognizes innovation in community college programs and practices.<\/p>\n

Helping students jump-start their college career<\/h2>\n

\"ECHS<\/a><\/p>\n

The first Early College High School grads show their Riverbat spirit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In spring ACC celebrated the first high school students to graduate with a high school diploma<\/a> and an ACC associate degree. Thirteen students from Austin\u2019s John H. Reagan and Lyndon B. Johnson high schools earned the privilege to walk the stage with fellow ACC grads at the Erwin Center.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, ACC is helping more high school students earn college credit and become workforce-ready through new dual-credit opportunities. ACC expanded its Early College High School<\/a> programs to seven schools (an eighth is planned) in the fall and added an option for independent\/homeschooled students<\/a>. ACC also launched the first of several planned career academies with an IT Academy enrolling Austin and Del Valle ISD students.<\/p>\n

\"ACC-College-Desitination-Center-BC\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Advisors at the College Destination Center provide one-on-one assistance to students and families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In June ACC opened the College Destination Center @ACC<\/a> at Highland Business Center and in August<\/strong> held the first Destination ACC: Saturday<\/a> open houses to allow students to apply and register for classes in one stop. ACC also expanded its popular ACC 1-on-1<\/a> program offering prospective or current students individual help from an ACC advisor by phone, email, or in person at the HBC center.<\/p>\n

Also in August<\/strong>, ACC and several community businesses and organizations announced the Direct-to-College Achievement Plan<\/a>. The groups want 70 percent of area seniors to enroll in college right after high school.<\/p>\n

A Manor ISD partnership that launched in this fall<\/a> allows high school students to take ACC Continuing Education courses in electronics, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technology, mechatronics, and PC technician. Students can convert CE units to college credit upon completing appropriate certification.<\/p>\n

Bond projects get underway<\/h2>\n

\"santachair\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A community member purchased the Santa chair once used at Highland Mall.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The college went to work on the multiple capital improvement projects approved in 2014\u2019s $386 million bond referendum. In April<\/strong> ACC and the Austin community bid a bittersweet farewell to Highland Mall, which closed so crews could begin preparing the structure for phase II of the Highland Campus. A sale of mall remnants<\/a> generated more than $25,000 for the college.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the existing Highland Campus continued to rack up local, state, and national awards<\/a> including LEED Gold certification<\/a> for sustainable building design.<\/p>\n

In addition to hiring architect and construction teams, the college in November<\/strong> moved forward with the land-banking portion of the referendum by purchasing 124 acres in southeast Travis County<\/a> for a future career-technical training center.<\/p>\n

Preparing for a new era<\/h2>\n

The 24 faculty, staff, and student members of the Futures Institute began work on proposals<\/a> to restructure college programs and services into guided pathways. In spring 2016 they will work with the college community to convert their recommendations into a strategic, measurable plan that will begin implementation in fall 2016.<\/p>\n

In February<\/strong>, the state of Texas awarded ACC $4.9 million to develop a biotechnology research lab<\/a>, known as a wet lab. The Advanced Commercialization ACCelerator, scheduled to open in late 2016 at Highland Campus, will provide much-needed resources for Central Texas\u2019 growing biomedical industry and internship opportunities for students.<\/p>\n

\"ACC-EPIC<\/a><\/p>\n

A $1.7 million Texas Workforce Commission grant will enable ACC to help hundreds of EPIC Piping workers upgrade their skills.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This fall the U.S. Department of Education awarded ACC $1.7 million to develop financial literacy programs<\/a> for students through a new Office of Student Money Management. The grant is one of several the college received<\/a> that will provide opportunities for students and develop the local workforce.<\/p>\n

ACC shows its giving spirit<\/h2>\n

Without a doubt, ACC is a caring community. Throughout the year, students and employees gave their energy and resources to help those in need. Following are some of this year\u2019s charitable initiatives:<\/p>\n