This regular feature recognizes the achievements, activities, and accolades of Austin Community College District (ACC) faculty, staff, and departments and will be updated regularly. To submit an accomplishment for yourself or a colleague for consideration, fill out this form.

ACC has earned Gold-Level Certification from the Mayor’s Health & Well-Being Council, and Employee Wellness Program lead Mauri Winters has earned the Moving the Needle Award for Physical Activity, highlighting the College’s commitment to creating a healthier workplace culture.

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Culinary Arts Professor Craig Sowell has written an historical fiction novel. “Further Beyond: The Odyssey of a Silver Dollar” follows a silver dollar as the main character, and the reader travels through 250 years of history, from the coin’s minting in 1776 to the present day, retelling the history that the coin has seen.

The novel came about from an idea Craig, a lifelong coin collector, had with his sister and niece one evening: “My niece asked me what I enjoyed most about coin collecting, and I told her that I look at each coin as a piece of art, and that I look at an old, historic coin and wonder what stories it could tell, what history it has seen, and what hands it has passed through. With my passion for history and coin collecting, it was a perfect recipe—to borrow a culinary term—for historical fiction.”

Craig enjoyed the writing journey, which included about a year spent writing and about two months in the editing and design process. He is already working on a new book series, and he hopes to have the first book out sometime next year.

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ACC Biology Associate Adjunct Professor Dr. Rodney E. Rohde was featured in The Pathologist’s Power List 2026: Leading Voices. This year’s list includes 50 laboratory professionals from five continents and every career stage who editors believe are doing the most to effect positive change across pathology and laboratory medicine. 

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ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart has been invited to be part of a panel during the Austin Business Journal’s “Austin’s Health Care and Life Science Boom” event on November 18. Russell joins industry leaders from Austin Regional Clinic, the Texas Hospital Association, and Ascension Texas to explore the healthcare breakthroughs, partnerships, and market opportunities shaping the region’s future.

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Marisa Rodriguez Serrano, regional director of Transfer Services at ACC, has been recognized as a WGU Transfer Champion. Marissa is the first to receive WGU’s Transfer Champion Award in Texas. WGU Partner Success Manager Ivetter Morales shared: “As WGU recently transitioned our entire team and extended territories, it’s been challenging at times to connect with partners. Marisa made the transition seamless, easing any stress or difficulties in continuing our partnership with ACC. She consistently made herself available for meetings, spoke highly of prior WGU events, and passionately supported student and staff engagement opportunities. When it came time to choose someone for our WGU Transfer Champion Award, Marisa was the very first person on my mind.”

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Emergency Medical Services Professions (EMSP) Associate Professor Ginger Locke-Floyd has been named the 2026 National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) EMS Educator of the Year. She has taught EMT and paramedic students for more than 20 years and has helped develop innovative online continuing education for EMS professionals. Among her greatest professional joys is mentoring ACC graduates who have gone on to become EMS educators themselves, extending her impact across future generations of the profession. Locke-Floyd will travel to Orlando to accept the award in October. 

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Associate Vice Chancellor of Special Projects Susan Warner-Sanchez was named a 2026 Woman of Distinction by the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC). She was selected as one of 12 “Texas Latinas whose leadership, dedication, and accomplishments are making a lasting impact on our communities, businesses, and the future of Texas.” She will be honored at a luncheon in September.

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Biology Department Associate Professor Jaime Cantú presented remotely at the 16th edition of The Future of Education International Conference, which took place in Florence, Italy, and online, June 17–19. His presentation, “AI-Powered Chatbot Assessments in Online Anatomy & Physiology: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Pilot Study,” shared research conducted with ACC Anatomy and Physiology students. The study explored how structured AI chatbot conversations could be used as an alternative assessment format, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding through explanation, application, and patient-friendly communication rather than relying only on traditional exams.

Read the published conference paper here and watch the presentation below: 

Updated Thursday, October 22, 2026