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 Associate Dean of Health Sciences Estrella Barrera has been appointed to the Texas Board Of Occupational Therapy Examiners by Governor Greg Abbott. She is a member of the Texas Occupational Therapy Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association. Read the press release here.
ACC Institutional Research and Analytics Vice Chancellor Jenna Cullinane Hege served as the expert for “How Continuing Ed Fits in with The Overarching Institution” with The EvoLLLution, a higher education online newspaper. Read her article here.
ACC Culinary Arts Program has received an exemplary rating from the American Culinary Federation during its 5-year accreditation site visit. This is their highest possible rating.
ACC Jewelry Adjunct Professor Gay Isber is a recipient of Nest Foundation grant aimed at helping female makers grow their businesses. She was subsequently one of 23 handmade businesses to be accepted to participate in the Nest and BNP Paribas Business Strategy Series. The business-focused enrichment program teaches female entrepreneurs how to grow their businesses by providing a business mentor and offering group sessions led by experts on topics such as banking, marketing, sales, pricing, and more.
The ACC Honors Program received a $25,000 grant from the Moody Foundation for its Honors scholarship fund. The fund, established in 2021 through the ACC Foundation, was designed to reward students who are on track to complete the requirements for the program’s new Honors Scholar tier. In its first year, two students were awarded a $1,000 scholarship. The new grant dollars will allow the scholarship to continue over the next 3-5 years.
ACC Accounting faculty and alumni won big at the TXCPA Austin chapter awards. ACC Accounting Professor Dr. Larry Stephens was awarded CPA of the Year, ACC Associate Accounting Professor Dr. Tracie Miller-Nobles won Business & Industry CPA of the Year, ACC alum Julie Sigety was named the Young CPA of the Year, and alum Angie Hardy received the President’s Service Award
ACC Biology Adjunct Professor Dr. Rodney E. Rohde published “What is Monkeypox?” in ASBMB Today, the member magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The article answers the question: “What exactly is happening in the current outbreak, and what does history tell us about monkeypox?” Read it here.
Dr. Rohde was also interviewed by Forbes for an article titled “We’re Facing A Critical Shortage Of Medical Laboratory Professionals.” Read it here.
Geographic Information Systems Department Chair Stephanie Long won the Mary Beth Booth Award for Outstanding Service at Texas State University’s Geography and Environmental Studies program. Long has done incredible work for ACC’s GIS program, including creating a Competency-Based version of their level one certificate.
Ten ACC Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) students and Marketing/Fashion Marketing Professor Kathy Walton participated in the International Collegiate DECA Career Development Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. They brought home several awards and recognitions, including:
– Jessica Gallardo – 1st place – Professional Sales
– Lettie Hastings – 2nd place – Emerging Technology Marketing Strategies
– Erick Garza – 3rd place – Financial Accounting
ACC’s Biotechnology Laboratory Technician Associate of Applied Science Program has been recognized for integrating the Biotechnology and Biomedical Skill Standards for Research and Development into the curriculum. The Texas Workforce Investment Council has renewed the program recognition until December 31, 2025. As part of the process, the college’s program representatives developed assessments to measure students’ performance of the skill standards’ competencies. The assessments requirement ensures that graduates have the competencies specified by industry in the standards, thus enhancing program integrity and credibility.
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2022 ACC Awards! If you missed the ceremony, you can view the whole thing, along with excerpts of our winners accepting their awards, here.
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 at [email protected].