At Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Rio Grande Campus, the Center for Government & Civic Services (CGCS) is quickly becoming a vital resource for connecting classroom curriculum with real-world application. The Center offers new opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with interdisciplinary initiatives and events focused on building leadership skills, developing professional relationships, and serving our communities. 

During fiscal year 2024, the Center hosted more than 136 events, equaling 678 event hours and serving approximately 9,600 participants. 

Following a busy summer of successful initiatives — including a student-led Central Texas Climate Summit, AI training programs, and a collaboration with a nonprofit dedicated to combating human trafficking — the CGCS is expanding its programming for the fall 2025 semester.

A Resource for the Entire College

The Center is built on three core pillars: civil leadership, public service, and citizenship and technology. Its primary mission is to empower students to become effective civic leaders, and it actively seeks collaboration with students, faculty, and staff from across the district to achieve that goal.

“We want faculty to see us as partners,” says Cate Thomason, Strategic Planner at the CGCS. “If someone has an idea for an event, a simulation, or even just wants to test out a new way to get students engaged, we’re here to help make it happen.”

The Center is uniquely run by a team of student employees under the direction of Bryan Port, a 30-year veteran of the federal government. These students conceptualize and lead the Center’s initiatives, in the process building skills and relationships while serving the College and our community. 

Bridging the College and the Community

Partnering with public and private sector entities — with an emphasis on nonprofits and local government — is a key approach the CGCS employs to design and implement initiatives. These collaborations enrich the student experience and solidify ACC’s role as a civic hub in the Austin area.

“Our events aren’t just for students,” says Allan Hsiao from CGCS’s Business Operations team. “They’re designed to bring together everyone who cares about the future of our city — students, faculty, community leaders — and make sure we’re all at the table.”

One of the Center’s most impactful approaches is its civic leadership simulation series. These events allow students to step into roles such as public officials, concerned citizens, advocates, or emergency planners to tackle complex, real-world scenarios. The simulations are designed to build skills in multiple areas, including strategic communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, critical thinking, and strategic planning. The simulations offer a compelling way for faculty to add an experiential learning component to their courses — and the CGCS is eager to partner with specific faculty members to custom design simulations to fit their needs. 

“Our vision is a college that doesn’t just talk about community, but helps build it,” says Austin Wells, CGCS Community Relations Manager. “We want CGCS to be the bridge that connects ACC students and faculty with the issues, leaders, and opportunities shaping our world.”

CGCS Expands Programming This Fall

New this October is The Central Texas Journalism Summit, an event designed to explore the intersection of information, technology, and community decision-making. With an emphasis on student journalism, the summit will bring together journalists, students, and faculty to plan a year-long initiative to build a more cohesive and empowered network of student journalists in Central Texas. 

The CGCS is closely partnering with ACC’s Service Learning Program to develop new credit courses. One course would build a generative AI application for a local or state agency focused on social issues. A second is intended to combat human trafficking. 

The center also intends to develop a podcast series that will feature students, local organizations, government representatives, and civic leaders in in-depth conversations about the pressing challenges facing our communities. Designed by students, for students — and for anyone invested in democracy and public service — the podcast will serve as an ongoing platform for learning, storytelling, and cross-sector dialogue.

Additionally, CGCS is creating badges, and ultimately microcredentials, to formally recognize students’ commitment to public service and applied learning — all part of its ongoing mission to connect education and civic life through real-world practice. The Center is starting with Technology and Civic Leadership badges on Suitable.

Other upcoming plans include student-led civic leadership simulations and a student-led “RiverHacks” hackathon in partnership with a NASA project. 

Get Connected

To support its growing work, the Center has launched its own website. The site serves as a central hub for upcoming events, program news, and blog posts highlighting partnerships and programs across the district. Faculty and staff can also use the website to book the CGCS space for events, simulations, or workshops.

Learn more about the Center’s mission, upcoming events, and opportunities to get involved at cgcsacc.org.