Issue 91                     

February  2015   

ACC to Host Annual Big Band Concert on February 7

Jazz and swing dance enthusiasts will get their chance on the dance floor during the Alvin Community College Big Band Concert on February 7. The 16th Annual  Evening of Big Band Music with the Alvin Community Band will begin at 7 p.m. The last dance will be
at 10 p.m. in the Nolan Ryan Center. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information about the event, call 281-756-3600. Tickets can also be purchased online at the ACC Marketplace.


ACC student Cody Castro, of Alvin, plays on the new foosball table in the Game Room, which opened on January 20.
ACC Board Receives Audit Report

 

ACC received high marks for its financial practices in an audit report presented to the Board of Regents on January 22.The audit by the firm Belt, Harris, Pechacek, LLLP issued an "unmodified opinion" regarding the college's accounting procedures. Read the full story about the meeting. Regents will have their next meeting on February 26 at 6 p.m. in the Nolan Ryan Center. 

Julie Schell discusses various methods to increase student engagement.
Faculty Workshop Focuses Student Engagement

Faculty members attended a spring workshop that focused on ways of engaging students in the classroom on January 14. The workshop was conducted by Dr. Julie Schell, Director of OnRamps and Strategic Initiatives at The University of Texas at Austin's Center for Teaching and Learning. Schell. One strategy that Schell encouraged was trying different methods of presenting material to see what works for students. That may include asking questions of students that are not too difficult or too easy for them to solve. Read more about the different methods Schell discussed.
ACC Registration for Second Spring Mini Opens Feb. 16

 

Registration for the second 8-week mini semester in the spring will open on February 16 and end March 9. Second mini semester classes start March 12. For more information about spring registration visit the ACC website or call 281-756-3531.

The Fantasticks Are Coming

Performances of the spring musical, The Fantasticks, will begin on March 7. The musical is the story of a boy and a girl who fall in love, fall out of love and then try to reconnect. It is the world's longest running musical. Performances on March 7 and 12-14 will be at 8 p.m. There will be a 2:30 p.m. performance on March 8. All perforamces will be in the ACC Theatre. Visit the ACC website to purchase tickets online or call 281-756-3606. 

Baseball, Softball Teams Kick Off 2015 Season

The Baseball and Softball teams started their 2015 spring seasons with many new faces that bring fresh talent to the squads. The Lady Dolphin Softball team opened its spring season on January 31 against Rose State College in the Galveston College tournament. The Baseball team also started on January 31 against Temple College in Alvin. Click for team schedules. 

 

 

 

Local Officials Tour Continuing Education and Workforce Development

Several local officials including Mayors, County Commissioners and economic development professionals got a glimpse of Continuing Education and Workforce Development programs during a tour on January 27. The group viewed the facilities for Dental Assisting, X-Ray technician, Welding, Massage Therapy and more. 

ACC Staff Volunteer for Tax Assistance Program

Volunteers throughout Brazoria County, including ACC staff members, will help taxpayers file their returns for free. Again this year, the United Way of Brazoria County will provide assistance to ensure tax forms are filed properly during the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program event on Saturday, February 7. The event will be at the Alvin Family Community Center,1031 West Sealy St. in Alvin,  for citizens who make less than $53,000 a year. For more information visit the United Way of Brazoria County website or call 979-849-9402 or 800-971-6677. 
Physical Plant Director Mark Putnam poses with Dean of Financial and Administrative Services Karl Stager with a check from Texas New Mexico Power.
College Receives Rebate on Energy Costs

Texas New Mexico Power issued a rebate check to ACC for $174 after the college reduced its energy use through variable frequency drives. The drives are installed in air conditioning units to limit energy consumption. To date the reduced energy at ACC is equivalent to 5.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide or the emissions from 591 gallons of gasoline.Learn more about the program and to reduce emissions.
Give Your Heart For Valentine's Day

 

The Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography program is now offering heart scans to be used for Valentines. The annual event helps raise money for student scholarships and lab supplies. It also raises awareness that February is Heart Health Month. The heart scans are a simple capture of the person's heart. It is not intended to be used for any diagnostic purposes. Participants also will be able to add a personal message on the printed scans such as "You are here" or "My heart Beats for You." A scan takes up to five minutes. Scanning is open at different times throughout the day and will be available until February 12. Call 281-756-5625 for times or visit the ACC Marketplace

ACC Starts Spring 2015 Semester

 

 

ACC students returned to class for the spring 2015 semester on January 20. The certified enrollment was
4,940 with 893,304 contact hours. Student Activities also opened a new game room at the Student Center on the first day of class.
The new room includes pool tables, foosball, ping pong and a TV available for video game consoles. President Dr. Christal M. Albrecht stood alongside college staff as well as members of the Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce to cut the ribbon for the room in the Student Center. The room is open to all students from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. It will close at noon on Fridays.

Art Department to Host Workshop

 

The Art Department will hold a guest workshop on March 2-3 at the pottery studio. Artist Randy Brodnax will demonstrate his techniques with throwing pottery, firing methods, Raku pottery and more. The event is free and open to the public. The public can attend the workshop between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on both days. The workshop is sponsored by the ACC Foundation through an Innovative Initiative Grant. Learn more about Randy Brodnax and view some of his works at his website. For more information call 281-756-3605

Calendar of Events
President Forum
February 17, 12:30 p.m.
C-227
February 3:
Community College Day, Texas Capitol, Austin

February 3-12:
Culinary Arts Club Chocolate Strawberry Sale, Student Center

February 7: Big Band Concert, 7 p.m. Nolan Ryan Center

February 9: ACCEOP Bake Auction, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. A-221

February 10: Dolphins Lead, 12:30 p.m. C-227

February 16:
Registration for second mini semester opens

February 17: Presidents Forum, 12:30 p.m. C-227

February 20:
TCCTA Convention, no day classes, campus closes at noon

February 23-26: Job Readiness Week

February 26:
Board of Regents Meeting, 7 p.m. Nolan Ryan Center

March 2-3: Guest Artist Pottery Workshop, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. J Building

March 2: PTK Induction, 7 p.m. Nolan Ryan Center

March 6: Application Deadline for Spring Commencement

March 7: Dolphin Dash 5K Fun Run, 9 a.m. ACC Campus

March 7-14: The Fantasticks, 7 p.m. ACC Theatre

March 9: Registration deadline for second mini semester

March 12: Safe Spring Break Bash, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Student Center

March 16-20: Spring Break, ACC offices closed

March 24: Board of Regents Meeting, 7 p.m. Nolan Ryan Center
Message from the President of ACC

With our soggy spring semester well underway and our winter break a distant memory, we are as busy as ever serving our nearly 5,000 students. For many of our students, this will be the last semester with us, as they complete their degree programs and graduate in May. For others, it may be their first semester on campus, and everything is new and unfamiliar. No matter new or seasoned, our students are here to learn. How wonderful that we are privileged to be part of their academic and career development. I hope you are enjoying the semester!


 

Fins UP!

Dr. Christal M. Albrecht
Program Spotlight
STRIVE students

ACC launched the Skilled Training Rewarding Independence and Vocational Education (STRIVE) program in the fall which provides vocational training for adults with intellectual disabilities with an end goal of transitioning students into the workforce.The program was developed with the following goals: provide adults with intellectual disability a college experience along with vocational training. STRIVE instructor Mary Vlahovich said the program aims to have the students employed by the time they finish the two-year program. For more information, please contact the program coordinator, Rhonda Boone, DC, at [email protected]  or 281-756-3805.

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