{"id":52377,"date":"2025-09-24T14:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T19:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=52377"},"modified":"2025-09-24T14:00:42","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T19:00:42","slug":"acc-launches-paths-program-with-communities-in-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/09\/24\/acc-launches-paths-program-with-communities-in-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"ACC Launches PATHS Program with Communities In Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New partnership expands support for students facing barriers to higher education at ACC\u2019s Hays, Highland, and Riverside campuses.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Austin Community College District (ACC) is breaking new ground in student support with the launch of the Providing Access To Holistic Supports (PATHS) program in partnership with Communities In Schools (CIS) of Central Texas. The partnership was announced on Wednesday, September 24, at ACC Highland Campus. <\/p>\n

The new initiative will serve 180 students facing some of the greatest barriers to higher education, including housing instability, homelessness, and parental incarceration.<\/p>\n

“Students can\u2019t succeed if they\u2019re left to navigate barriers alone,” said ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. “This partnership with CIS ensures students have the support they need to not just get to college, but through college. Together, we are creating a model for how colleges can transform lives and communities.”<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the majority of our students are who growing up with economic barriers never make it to college, we are facing not just an education gap, but an economic crisis,\u201d said Sharon Vigil, CEO of CIS of Central Texas. \u201cOur region is one of the fastest-growing areas of the country\u2014and yet so many of our young people are being locked out of that growth. Education is the economic engine that sustains communities. If we want to see Central Texas thrive, we have to make sure our students thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

PATHS provides dedicated spaces and tailored case management at ACC\u2019s Hays, Highland, and Riverside campuses. Students will receive one-on-one guidance, access to resources, and mentorship to help them persist, complete, and thrive in college.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we wrap our students in support, they complete at a higher rate, and they actually matriculate into family-sustaining wages. They’re meeting the employee demand and employer demands in our community,\u201d said Lowery-Hart, \u201cWhat’s going to get them from enrollment to success is relationships with people that can help them navigate the systems and deep, intentional systemic supports around basic needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt definitely always felt like a support system was there. I very much feel like I try to be outgoing, but deep down I’m very afraid of reaching out, and it feels like they’re [CIS] always there, you know, pushing me and encouraging me to step out of my boundaries and reach for the stars,\u201d said Reyes Cosme, ACC Culinary Arts student. <\/p>\n

CIS and ACC developed the PATHS program to create support for students\u2014removing barriers and creating a seamless transition from high school to college\u2014with funding from the Greater Texas Foundation and the Sooch Foundation.<\/p>\n

The program reflects ACC\u2019s commitment to removing barriers outside the classroom, connecting students with resources such as housing, food, child care, transportation, and mental health support so they can stay focused on their education and future careers.<\/p>\n

For more information about the PATHS program, visit austincc.edu\/paths<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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\n30500 - ACC & CIS Launch PATHS Program<\/a>