This regular feature recognizes the achievements, activities, and accolades of Austin Community College District (ACC) faculty and staff. To submit news or suggestions, see the contact information below.
ACC Fashion Incubator Director Nina Means is on the cover of February’s Austin Woman Magazine. The magazine also featured three up-and-coming designers from ACC’s Designer-in-Residence program.
ACC Biology Adjunct Professor Dr. Rodney Rohde shared his expertise as a featured contributor for Cardinal Health. His article, “Navigating the respiratory season: updates and trends for flu, RSV and COVID-19,” was published on January 15, 2024.
ACC Great Questions student Astrid Perez was one of 24 undergraduate students selected to to attend the 2024 Association for Core Texts and Courses Undergraduate (ACTC) Conference in March at American University. The students will participate in a weekend of presentations, conversation, and opportunities to get to know each other. Each of them will present a paper that develops the conference theme, Does Technology Change Human Nature, and participate in round table discussions over the course of the weekend. Astrid will present her paper, “The Codependency Issue: An Insight Into The World Of Communication, Internet Identity, and Essence,” which discusses our reliance on technology, particularly the Internet.
ACC’s Drama Department was awarded a $12,000 Humanities Texas grant. The grant will be used to fund a symposium that will be part of the Drama Department’s October performance of “Appeal: The New American Musical of Mexican Descent,” which focuses on the professional life and personal accomplishments of Gustavo “Gus” Garcia. Congratulations to Drama Department Chair Dr. Marcus McQuiter for receiving this grant.
ACC Geology Adjunct Faculty Leslie Davis was selected as the 2023 winner of the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award for her efforts to support and engage geoscience students at ACC. This award is given by the Geo2YC Division of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, and funds are graciously provided by McGraw-Hill.
ACC Teaching & Learning Excellence Division (TLED) Instructional Designer Stephanie Bogdanich will present a virtual workshop through National Institute for Staff & Organizational Development (NISOD). The workshop, titled Prompt, Play, Learn: An Interactive Generative AI Workshop, will discuss the artificial intelligence (AI) challenges educators face, explore solutions, tour the major AI tools, dive into the ethical and practical layers of Generative AI, and provide hands-on training for crafting prompts.
The 2023 ACC Veterinary Technology graduates attained 100% Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) pass rate status. American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities schools are required to maintain a 50% VTNE pass rate to prove the curriculum is maintaining industry expected educational standards. The average first-time pass rate is 62%.
ACC Highland Campus, Building 2000 was featured alongside a residential hall at George Washington University in an article that featured examples of adapting older buildings to contemporary needs in ways that are sustainable and striking, opening up more confined spaces into bright, light-filled ones. The article, titled “Reuse and renovation projects create thriving higher education spaces,” was shared nationally by the U.S. Green Building Council. ACC Highland, Building 2000 was awarded Gold LEED certification in March 2022.
Do you know a student, faculty, or staff member who has accomplished something notable outside the classroom or in their community? We want to hear about them. Contact Victoria Garza Gonzalez, ACC internal communications coordinator, at [email protected].