Austin Community College District (ACC) partnered with The University of Texas at Austin (UT) to redesign UT’s online interactive campus map, transforming it into a more intuitive, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-powered tool that improves navigation, accessibility, and day-to-day operations.
UT hired a team of ACC GIS student interns to help rebuild the map using ArcGIS Experience Builder. The students led the development of a new amenities point layer, which included cataloging key campus destinations such as buildings, elevators, food locations, parking areas, and event venues.
“ACC students played a big part in building this new experience from a user-centered perspective,” said Sean Moran, ACC GIS Professor. “This is the kind of experience that makes students job-ready—and makes a difference in the community.”
They based their work on peer institution research, internal UT needs, and a student-centered design approach. The result was a standardized, searchable dataset that improves usability and supports campus decision-making.
Former interns Ashton R. and Izzy G. leveraged experience gained on the UT project to advance to full-time GIS positions with Halff Engineering and Recurrent Energy. The second year of the project welcomed interns Kelsey G., Brian C., and Laura C., who continue to work to improve the UT campus map and related applications.
In addition to mapping content, the students contributed to improving the user interface. Their work enabled UT’s geospatial team to focus on strategic refinement and collaboration with university stakeholders.
The upgraded map is now live and serves as a digital gateway for UT students, faculty, staff, and visitors. It supports a wide range of campus functions, from planning and accessibility to safety, utility mapping, and facilities management.
About Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
GIS is a technology that collects, manages, and analyzes data to inform better decision-making. By layering information about terrain, infrastructure, population, and services, GIS maps help users identify patterns, optimize responses, and plan smarter, supporting fields such as construction, transportation, emergency services, and urban planning. GIS is critical to modern infrastructure and plays a growing role in shaping resilient, data-driven communities.
For more information on GIS, visit austincc.edu/gis.