Weekly (sort of) Newsletter

Monday, August 26th

Welcome back, everyone! We're trying out a simple newsletter format this year so that we don't constantly bombard you with individual emails. The plan is to provide you with information about events, opportunities, student org happenings, and features about your peers. (Check out the Student Spotlights if you haven't already--we love to brag about you!) If you have something you'd like me to share in the newsletter, please contact me: athomas2@austincc.edu. 

For general questions about the Honors Program, including registration, please contact honors@austincc.edu. Our support staff members Professor Melissa Foote and Professor Marcel Pons Ventura are eager to help. 

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Service Opportunity: Become a Peer Mentor (RRC, HLC, or SAC)

Are you interested in becoming an Honors Scholar but haven't yet found the right service opportunity? Do you need to fulfill service requirements for other student organizations? If so, we have an opportunity for you.

The Integrated Reading and Writing department coordinates a program in which their INRW 0420 students are co-enrolled in a Humanities 1301 (Great Questions) course. These students are learning foundational skills in reading and writing, and they will need a robust student support ecosystem, part of which includes tutoring. Tutors will be matched with tutees based on their availability. They will serve as a resource to first-time-in-college students who need help with navigating college (policies, services, study habits, etc.), and may also sometimes provide guidance on class assignments. Training will be provided in early September (and counted toward your service hours), so previous tutoring experience is helpful but not necessary. Returning peer tutors are also welcome.  

The commitments are as follows: tutors must meet with INRW students a minimum of two times throughout the semester, for a minimum of 30 minutes each session. This is an in-person commitment, and tutors may meet students at RRC (Round Rock Campus), HLC (Highland Campus), and SAC (South Austin Campus).Tutors/INRW students are of course welcome to arrange additional meetings throughout the semester, and Honors students can serve as tutors to more than one INRW student. 

Applicants must have taken at least one ACC Honors course (or must be registered for Honors courses in Fall 2024) to be considered eligible. Priority consideration will be given to current peer tutors, and we can accept a maximum of 15 tutors. 

If you are interested in becoming a peer tutor, please fill out this short form by Saturday, 8/31. (Use your ACC email account, please.)

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KOOP Radio Service Project Deadline: 8/27

The deadline to apply for the KOOP Radio service project is tomorrow. A refresher:

We are continuing our service initiative with KOOP Radio, and this year we are broadening its scope. In addition to the variety of opportunities in broadcast media, students now have the option to be integrated into the station's writing team, creating original content ranging from "Destination Austin" spots highlighting KOOP's independent take on Austin to news programming. (English, Creative Writing, and Journalism majors take note.) Students can also help with organizing the station's major community celebrations, working with local nonprofits and members of the community to celebrate culturally significant events.    

Selected students must commit to serve at least 12 hours with the station. Not only will students learn new skills working with seasoned KOOP programmers, but they will also fulfill the service requirements for the Honors Scholar tier. If you are interested in a unique service experience with KOOP, please fill out this form by T 8/27 (Please use your ACC email address.). Applicants must have taken at least one Honors course (or be registered for Honors courses in Fall '24). Members of KOOP will select students based on available positions.  

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Big Ol' Honors Party! HSO Welcome Reception, 9/17

The HSO is putting on a party, and they want y'all to come! (If you're new to Honors, this is an excellent opportunity to connect with other Honors students and learn about the HSO.) Also, the HSO serves much nicer food than the Honors Program does (alas!) Here is your formal invitation:

The Honors Student Organization cordially invites you to their first annual Honors Welcome Reception with Special Guest Keynote: Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. This networking social is open to all ACC Honors Program Students, Phi Theta Kappa Members, and Members of The Scholarship Society. Also invited are Honors Program Faculty & Staff, ACC Academic & Student Affairs Leadership. Come celebrate the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, meet others in your programs, and network with ACC Faculty and Staff. Food and refreshments sponsored by the Student Affairs Office of Student Engagement & Academic Success and ACC Associate Vice Chancellor, Dr. Willie Martinez. *Business Casual attire recommended and RSVP is required.

*Dr. T aside here: if you don't have business casual attire, come anyway!

Date/Location:

Monday, Sept 29, 2025, 5:00pm-8:00pm at ACC Highland Campus, 

Building 2000, Presentation Hall and Mural Space (Rm 1550)

6101 Highland Campus Dr, Austin, TX

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Host a Bat Chat, Get a Leadership Credit

Are you looking for ways to fulfill the leadership requirements for the Honors Scholar tier? Here's one from Student Life:

🎙️ Discover Bat Chats: Your Chance to Inspire, Lead, and Empower! 🎙️

🦇 What are Bat Chats? 🦇

Bat Chats are thrilling and interactive student-led speaker sessions, inspired by TED Talks! These unique events offer you the opportunity to join your fellow students in engaging discussions on topics that matter most to you. 

💡 Be the Voice! 💡

Calling all passionate students! Do you have a topic close to your heart that you want to share with your peers? Here's your chance to shine! We are seeking enthusiastic individuals to be a Bat Chat student host. Showcase your ideas, experiences, and insights and lead the way to inspire others. We will have regular planning meetings to ensure your success as a Bat Chats host! 

🗓️ Mark Your Calendar! 🗓️

Bat Chats will take place 2 times per semester, providing a perfect platform for you to share your story and ideas. Each event lasts 1-2 hours, packed with interactive discussions and group activities that promise an unforgettable experience.

🔍 How to Apply 🔍

Ready to be a Bat Chat student host? It's simple! Just submit your application with your preferred topic and vision for your Bat Chat. We're looking forward to hearing from you and making this event series extraordinary together!

Check out some sample topics here, or create your own!

ℹ️ For more information visit https://sites.austincc.edu/sl/development-and-recognition/

📧 To apply visit https://austincc.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/develop

📅 Application Timeline: August 26 - September 29, 2024 (Closes at 11:59pm)

For more information, reach out to recognition@austincc.edu

Let's light up the stage with Bat Chats! 

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Honors Program Scholarship Is Open: Deadline 11/1

The ACC Honors Program Scholarship is open, and applications are due by November 1st. This scholarship is awarded in the spring only, and we will award at least 5 scholarships of $1000 each. 

In order to be eligible for the scholarship, you must 1) have taken or be currently taking at least one Honors course, 2) declared your intention to become an Honors Scholar with honors@austincc.edu (just email us and say you'd like to become one), and 3) have at least a 3.5 GPA. That does not mean that you must have fulfilled all of the Honors Scholar requirements at the time of application; you just need to be heading in that direction. (The idea is that the scholarship money can help you to complete your remaining requirements by paying for additional courses.) Students who have already received a $2500 ACC Foundation Open Scholarship for the 2024-2025 are not eligible to apply, unfortunately.

What is the purpose of the Honors Scholar tier? We wanted to provide students with an "Honors portfolio," of sorts, which will make them even more competitive transfer/job applicants. Right now, everyone who takes an Honors course has that course designated as Honors on their transcript, but if you become an Honors Scholar, you'll receive what is known as an endorsement on your transcript (basically a fancy stamp that signifies completion of a special initiative/program of study). You will also receive a microcredential that you can use for LinkedIn, transfer applications, etc. The endorsement demonstrates a level of rigor and involvement that university admissions committees tend to find very attractive--especially when paired with an application essay that highlights your leadership and service activities as an Honors Scholar. Also, admissions offices are familiar with this kind of tier; Honors Scholars are common at many community colleges and universities.

Here is where you'll go to fill out the general application--make sure you check the box that asks if you are in the Honors Program--and here is the scholarship itself. You will not be competing with the entire ACC population; you'll be competing with Honors students who have registered their intention to become Honors Scholars only. (That's a relatively small pool!) The applications will be reviewed by a committee composed of Honors faculty and an Honors advisor. To register your intention to become an Honors Scholar, please contact honors@austincc.edu. You'll receive instructions about how to proceed.

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Four NEW Honors courses in Spring '25

• MATH 2415, "Honors Calculus III with Data Science Applications" (Gustavo Cepparo, HLC) 

• PSYC 2301, Introduction to Psychology: "Psychology with AI" (Sadaf Sajjad, CYP/Hyflex)

• PHIL 1301, Introduction to Philosophy: "The Philosophy of Horror" (Melissa Foote, HLC)

• GOVT 2306, Texas State and Local Government: "Why You Can't Skip This Class: How Texas Policies Affect Us" (Carrie Laughlin, HLC)

We'll also be adding sections of Calculus I and Engineering Physics I. This schedule is not yet finalized because it does not include all of the additions, but it's helpful nonetheless.

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Spotlighting Fall 2024 Graduates

ACC Communications plans to highlight a series of students who will be graduating in December, and they would specifically like to write stories about students who have taken/are taking Honors courses and are also involved in Honors Program or other college activities (Think YCS Fellows, peer tutoring, HSO, SGA, PTK, etc.). Or, hey, maybe you're an Honors Scholar. If you're graduating and any of these descriptions fit, please reach out to me.: athomas2@austincc.edu

From Communications: We would love the share their stories and help promote programs throughout the semester, especially leading up to the ceremony. Students will have multiple opportunities throughout the semester, including video, photography, writing, social media, and more. We will work directly with students to determine what is best for them.

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Nominate Yourself for the Chancellor's Student Achievement Award

Last spring's CSAA went to Theo Courtois, Honors Program student and the president of the HSO, and we'd love to see more Honors students win this award. Here are the details from Student Life:

We are excited to announce that the Fall 2024 Chancellor's Student Achievement Award nominations are now open, earlier than usual this year! This provides a fantastic opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of our students.

The Chancellor’s Student Achievement Award symbolizes academic excellence, commitment to community service, and dedication to ACC's values and vision. The award brings a $600 check, a letter of recommendation from our Chancellor, a commemorative plaque, and the honor of delivering student remarks at commencement. To be eligible, students must meet these criteria:

- Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA

- Enrollment at ACC for a minimum of two consecutive semesters

- Graduating in Summer / Fall 2024

 (Student Life Staff will verify eligibility upon submission. Don’t worry about checking these yourself)

We encourage you to join us in honoring our exceptional students by submitting nominations. All ACC community members, including faculty, staff, and students, can nominate deserving individuals. Students can even nominate themselves! Remember, the more nominations, the better! Access the nomination form here: Fall 2024 Chancellor Student Achievement Award Nomination Form.

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Meet the Honors Ambassadors

We have a new ambassador team for the 2024-2025 school year, and they're eager to get to know you. You'll be seeing them around the campuses, but feel free to reach out to them individually via email. 

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New Texas Tech Honors College Transfer Agreement

Who's up for Lubbock? No? You may want to reconsider. Not only does Texas Tech have a well-funded Honors College that provides students with a variety of paid experiential learning/research opportunities (and extracurricular activities), but the Honors College administrators are extraordinarily nice people--who want to provide a pathway to ACC Honors students because they're impressed by the Riverbats who have already transferred there. 

We'll set up some virtual transfer sessions this fall, but here are the details of the transfer agreement:

ACC Honors students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above would be appealing candidates for the Honors College at Texas Tech, with our holistic review of applicants. As you are initiating the application process, please contact Honors.Admissions@ttu.edu to request a waiver of the $35 application fee.

Upon admission to the Honors College, up to 12 semester credit-hours of ACC-approved Honors credit (with a grade of B- or higher in each class) can be transferred towards the completion of 24 Honors SCH at TTU needed to graduate with Honors.

ACC Honors students can be considered for recruitment scholarships offered through the Honors College, in addition to merit-based aid offered through Texas Tech, if you’re applying for the fall term and submit an application prior to our annual priority application deadline (of December 1st).

Questions? Contact Assistant Dean Chad Cain: Chad.Cain@ttu.edu

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