National conversations about the future of higher education are highlighting the transformative power of teaching. Austin Community College District’s (ACC) very own Ted Hadzi-Antich Jr. and the Great Questions seminars are being recognized as part of that conversation.
Big Ideas Are Not Just for Rich Kids
David Brooks’ recent essay in The Atlantic spotlighted educators across the country who are helping students engage with life’s biggest questions through humanistic education, civic thought, and character formation—including Hadzi-Antich Jr.
Brooks writes: “Ted Hadzi-Antich Jr., who teaches at Austin Community College, decided that big ideas shouldn’t be just for rich kids, and began teaching a seminar called ‘The Great Questions.’ He then formed the Great Questions Foundation, which has trained more than 140 faculty at community colleges across the nation on the art of leading big-ideas seminars.”
Hadzi-Antich’s work continues to align with ACC’s belief that education is about more than preparing students for a career. It’s about helping students discover purpose, think critically, engage with their communities, and build meaningful lives.
Read the full story in The Atlantic here.
ACC as a Model for Discussion-Based Learning
A new feature in The Chronicle of Higher Education spotlights the growing national movement around discussion-based learning, and includes ACC as part of the conversation.
The article also highlights Hadzi-Antich Jr. and the College’s Great Questions initiative as a model for helping students engage more deeply with learning through conversation, critical thinking, and big ideas.
Key highlights:
- ACC’s Great Questions seminars have reached thousands of students.
- About 160 ACC faculty have completed training to teach discussion-based courses.
- The model has expanded to 70 community college campuses nationwide.
- Students explore transformational texts and ideas through dialogue, not lectures or memorization.
The article explores how colleges across the country are rethinking education in an AI-driven, transactional era with more focus on human connection, curiosity, and meaningful discussion.
ACC’s work is helping lead that conversation nationally.