Weekly (sort of) Newsletter

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Summer Registration/Advising

**We have added an identical section of SPCH 1311, HIST 1302 (DLS, MW 1:30-3:40 pm, 10 weeks), and PHIL 2306.   

Please use the registration request form to select your courses.

If you'd like some help planning your schedule, our dedicated Honors advisor Jana McCarthy (jana.mccarthy@austincc.edu) would love to talk with you. This is your opportunity to speak with an ACC Master Advising Specialist about your Honors course planning, transfer goals, and more. Feel free to set up an appointment here. (If you can't get an appointment, she recommends emailing her.) 

Full course list 

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Honors Program Info Session Recording

Did you miss the Honors info session last Friday? Catch up here with the recording.  

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Honors Ambassador Application Open

Have you taken (or are taking) at least one Honors class? Are you at least 18 years old? Would you like to speak with other ACC students about the transformative experience of taking Honors classes? 

Then come work for us! We'd like to hire 1-2 reliable, enthusiastic Honors ambassadors to join our current team who will primarily work in the Fall and Spring semesters. (We'll also select two alternates; we almost always wind up hiring our alternates.) We work around your class schedules, and if you're transferring, you can still work for us up to one year after transfer. Becoming an ambassador can satisfy the leadership requirement for the Honors Scholar tier. Past ambassadors have reported that this position has opened a number of doors for them, including jobs, prestigious internships, and admission to university programs. Of our current ambassadors, Fatimah Shah was accepted to the CDC John R. Lewis Public Health Scholars Program at the U of Michigan. Sofia Pascacio Caraza was accepted to Emerson College in Boston with a substantial scholarship, and Parker Garcia was one of four Honors students chosen (out of 24 nationwide) to attend the Summer Scholars program at the Chautauqua Institution in July. You can read about the four summer scholars here.   

We will conduct initial interviews in April; candidates should be available in early summer (late May or early June) and late August (prior to the start of classes) for two training sessions. Hourly pay is $23.

Apply here by April 16th. Please read the instructions carefully and note that you will also have to apply through the Human Resources portal. If you have questions about becoming an ambassador, please contact our ambassador coordinator Samy Ráez: samantha.raez@austincc.edu.

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LBJ Public Service Weekend Application, July 2025

UT's LBJ School is a top-ranked graduate school for Public Affairs, and beginning in Fall '25, they will be offering a Bachelor of Public Affairs degree. To position ACC Honors students so that they can learn more about the bachelor and graduate degrees, we are working with the school to design opportunities for those who are considering careers in public service. (Public service employers might include schools, colleges, federal government agencies, the military, court systems, emergency management, fire services, hospitals, city and state government, and non-profit organizations. ) 

The LBJ School is generously offering six ACC Honors students the opportunity to become Public Service Leadership Weekend Scholars this July, for their annual Public Service Leadership Weekend conference. Last year, five ACC Honors students attended for the very first time. Only 46 undergraduate and graduate students from across the south and southwest will be selected this year. I don't think I need to emphasize what an amazing opportunity this is, but I'll do it anyway: it's huge! The primary goal of the conference is to "introduce students to topics in the field of public policy through academic research and policy training," but that only scratches the surface of what is being offered. If you're interested in how to achieve real and positive societal change, this event serves as your introduction.  

The details: The conference will take place from Thursday, July 17th-Sunday, July 20th at the LBJ School. (Thursday evening is a meet-and-greet, I believe, whereas the 18th-20th are the program dates.) The LBJ School will provide accommodations for ACC students in UT dorms and all meals will be provided.  

LBJ PSLW Description:

The Public Service Leadership Weekend (PSLW) is a dynamic, three-day conference designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in public policy and public affairs. Hosted by the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, this immersive program empowers future public service leaders by equipping them with the tools, networks, and skills necessary to drive meaningful change in their communities.

This program will allow 46 emerging college leaders from across Texas, the South, and the Southwest to convene to explore innovative solutions to today’s most pressing public policy challenges. Through interactive workshops, expert-led discussions, and hands-on policy training, participants will develop the knowledge, confidence, and network to translate ideas into action. 

Eligibility: applicants must be current ACC students who are interested in a career in public service and have taken at least one Honors course (or are registered for Summer 2025 Honors courses). 

Preferred but not required: First generation college students (meaning parents did not complete a bachelor's degree) or Pell Grant-eligible students

Participation in this event fulfills the leadership requirement for the Honors Scholar tier, and of course it's a nice addition to résumés and transfer applications.   

Application: Let me be very blunt here–do not use AI. The reviewers expressed dismay last year at the number of AI-generated applications they received. UT wants your authentic voice/experience–warts and all–and will disregard clearly AI-generated answers. Apply here by April 21st. The deadline is generous to accommodate those of you who are registering for your first Honors class in the summer, since we won’t start registering everyone for summer courses until 4/4.

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ACC Philosophy Club Seeks Members and Officers

The ACC Philosophy Club is a place to gather, read, and discuss—philosophy! We’re an active (for now unofficial) student-led group that meets weekly (in-person and remotely) to explore the great ideas, writers, and occasionally receive guest lectures from faculty experts. As an Honors student, if you’re interested in engaging with philosophy, this is a great opportunity to do so with other passionate students. For April, to close out the spring semester, we’re reading selections from the philosophy of nature of John Dewey and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Joining the club offers great benefits, including:

• Meeting like-minded students who share an interest in philosophy.

• Learning from guest speakers who are experts in their fields.

• Gaining extracurricular experience.

For that last point, we’re also seeking students interested in leadership opportunities in the club! It’s a great way to engage with the student community, build relationships with students and guests in the field, and pad your college résumé in the rare area that is philosophy experience!

To contact us about joining, reach out to our officers:

daniel.chapman3@g.austincc.edu

joseph.coleman2@g.austincc.edu

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HSO Relay for Life Service Opportunity, 4/11

The Honors Student Organization is excited to announce our participation in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Fundraiser this year! Relay For Life is more than a walk – it’s a chance to come together in our local communities to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against every cancer! 

Just about everyone has had their lives affected by cancer, either personally, or through a family member, and the HSO Officers are no exception to this. Alyssa Walker, our Social Media Officer, has lost both of her biological grandmothers to different forms of cancer. Bryce Bakman, our President, while growing up lost both his biological grandfathers to two leading forms of cancer, colon and prostate, and spent high school with his mom battling breast cancer, becoming a survivor he’s proud to walk in celebration of.

Watching helplessly, as somebody you would do anything for goes through this terrible process, is a feeling no one should have to make sense of. This is our chance to do our part towards finding a solution and making a difference.

You can help our team contribute in the fight for an answer and eventually a cure to the health epidemic that is cutting short the lives of so many beautiful and special people. We humbly ask for your support in taking action against a health problem that seems to be affecting people at an even younger rate these days as well. Together as a community, we here at ACC, have the opportunity to join the fight against cancer and challenge anyone who can to get involved alongside us as a team or donate as a supporter to the cause.

How To Help:

• Join the Relay team and walk with us that night. 

  • It’s a TON of fun! 

  • See more! 

• Donate and help us reach our Fundraising Goal. 

  • You don't have to be a team member to seek donations - but team members get prizes from Relay if they earn certain levels of donations.

• Share Our Page With Your Friends and Family!

Every action, big or small, makes a tremendous contribution as we are all in this together and grateful for your support!

Questions? Email our HSO Advisor, Jana McCarthy, who has participated in multiple Relays over the last 15 years! jana.mccarthy@austincc.edu 

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Your Honors PSA: Scam Honors Orgs

Perhaps "scam" is a harsh word, but If you have received invitations either from the Honor Society or National Society of Collegiate Scholars, please note that these are not supported at ACC and there are no chapters here at the college. We are not affiliated with these organizations for good reasons, so please don't give them your money. If you want to join a club/organization that supports ACC students specifically, please join Phi Theta Kappa, which collects dues (although these dues can occasionally be waived) or the Honors Student Organization (HSO), which does not. The National Society of Leadership and Success is also a legitimate organization with an ACC chapter. 

Also, as you likely know, the ACC Honors Program will never ask you for dues. We are an academic program rather than a society or an organization. 

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Green Career Fest: 4/19

Our friends from the Youth Forest Council would like to invite us to the second Green Career Fest. Please see details below by Honors Alum Lydian DiDonato:

I’d like to extend an invitation to you and your students to participate in the 2nd Annual Green Career Fest, hosted by the Emerging Green Leaders program. This event is designed to inspire and empower young adults (ages 16-24) to explore exciting career opportunities in the green industry and become environmental leaders.

Event Details:

• What: The Green Career Fest will feature hands-on workshops, environmental speaker sessions, a job fair with green industry employers, raffles, and more!

• When: Saturday, April 19th, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

• Where: Permitting and Development, City of Austin, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752

This free event offers an excellent opportunity for students to learn about sustainable careers, network with industry professionals, and gain valuable career development experience. We’d love for your students to be part of this exciting event.

Job vendors at the event include organizations like the City of Austin Parks and Recreation, Youth Forest Council Internship, Austin Youth Riverwatch, American Youthworks, Davey Tree Company, YMCA Camp Moody, and many more.

Register here!

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L'SPACE Applications Open: Summer '25

ACC Honors alum Theodore Courtois is now Program Coordinator for the NASA L'SPACE Program at Arizona State University, and he wanted to make sure that you all knew about the next opportunity for this wonderful program. See his message below:

Applications for the NASA L'SPACE Program Summer 2025 academy opportunities have now opened! The program received a record number of applications for the Spring semester and after opening applications yesterday, we have already received over 200 applications for the Summer programs. This means it is important that any students interested in participating for the Summer 2025 semester submit their application as early as possible for consideration - don't wait until the deadline! Both of these 15-week academies are fantastic opportunities for Honors Program students interested in a future in the space industry. The academies are open to students from all majors as they are placed in interdisciplinary teams for the duration of the program. Students should expect to spend 6-10 hours per week participating in program activities and completing related work.

Mission Concept Academy (MCA):

Participants in the Mission Concept Academy will learn space mission development skills by developing a preliminary mission concept that follows the NASA mission life cycle. Students will have the opportunity to learn from NASA and industry professionals while developing a foundation in mission design, technical writing, and NASA review procedures. By the end of the academy, students will have developed a complete Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for their mission concept that can be used to showcase technical skills in internship and job interviews.

NASA Proposal Writing & Evaluation Academy (NPWEE):

Participants in the NASA Proposal Writing & Evaluation Academy will work in a team to develop innovative solutions to NASA pain points. Students will learn how to formulate a new technology proposal while competing for $10,000 in funding to develop their team's proposed idea. Previous winning NPWEE teams have gone on to secure additional NASA funding of up to $200,000 and several winning proposals are being considered for inclusion on upcoming space missions. Let this inspire, not intimidate - multiple ACC students have worked with winning NPWEE teams!

I hope that Honors Program students at Austin Community College will continue to take advantage of these free NASA workforce development programs - Riverbats belong in aerospace! My participation in these programs has been instrumental in my understanding of the complex challenges of the space industry and the knowledge and skills that I gained from these academies and my continued involvement with the NASA L'SPACE Program have been an incredible catalyst to my space industry career. If students have any questions related to these academies, they are always welcome to reach out to me directly via email at tcourtoi@asu.edu.

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Call for Submissions: A Collaborative Culture

A Collaborative Culture magazine seeks submissions from students, faculty, staff, and community members on the theme of Community: Past, Present, & Future.

What does the future look like to you? What have you learned from your past that you can implement in your present to build toward the future you want?

Find details and the submission form at https://sites.austincc.edu/acollaborativeculture/submission-form/

Link to Call for Submissions Flyer

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