Weekly (sort of) Newsletter

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Volunteer Opportunity: Micro Aid Dinner 12/17

From Honors student and Micro Aid Volunteer Coordinator Raghad Alhussein: 

I’m reaching out to share an exciting volunteer opportunity for honors students. The Student Government Association (SGA) is organizing the Micro Aid Dinner on Tuesday, December 17th, which aims to raise funds for the Micro Aid Fund—a student-managed emergency fund that helps ACC students facing urgent financial needs.

Here's the website to learn more about micro aid fund: 

https://micro-aid.org/.

We are currently seeking volunteers to help with event set-up, guest support, and tear-down to ensure the evening runs smoothly.

Volunteers can express their interest in participating through this form.

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Officers (and Members) Needed for a New Astronomy Org

From Honors student Angel Sanchez, who hopes to found a new student organization and needs both members and a slate of officers: 

Goal:
Our aim is to rediscover the wonder of the most astonishing image of the natural world—the night sky, to regain our knowledge of the stars and celebrate interesting astronomical phenomena. Like our ancestors, we hope to identify major constellations, planets, and seasons, and navigate using the stars through regular observation, visits to relevant places, and discussions. Additionally, we seek to understand the practical consequences of the laws that govern the motion of planets, stars, and the expansion of the universe.

Mission:

• Organize regular star parties where students can come together to reflect on the magnificence of the universe through direct and aided observation.

• Arrange conferences with faculty members, enthusiasts, or professionals in the field.

• Connect with other astronomical organizations for collaboration and joint activities.

• Track and publicize events to mark major and interesting astronomical occurrences.

• Raise awareness about the effects of light pollution and how urban settings have changed our sense of wonder and self-perception.

Launching: January, 2025

Advisor: Dr. Michael Endl, Associate Professor in Astronomy & Physics

Contact:

• email: angel.sanchez6@g.autincc.edu

• discord: https://discord.gg/hwtJWU7F

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Opportunities in December with the Center for Government & Civic Service

From the center's Director: 

On December 17th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, we have the next installment of the Design Jam which brings in a nonprofit for an evening to discuss an issue or problem with a community of professionals, designers, students to work out and present potential solutions. The event is not posted yet, but you'll sign up here. (Service credit for Honors Scholar tier)

And finally on the 19th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, we host our monthly session of LangChain's AI Meetup Group which is a group of folks of all skill ranges who discuss the use of GenAI and present projects they are working on that use AI applications to address real world issues. Details are here. 

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HSO's 4th Annual White Elephant Party: 12/12

The Honors Student Organization (HSO) is hosting a white elephant party, and you're invited! Celebrate the end of the semester with your fellow Honors students. Food and drinks will be provided. 

Thursday, December 12th, 6:00-10:00 pm

HLC Building 1000, Room 2210

RSVP here

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Welcome to Spring '25 YCS Fellows

A record 47 Honors students were accepted to the Spring '25 Youth and Community Studies Fellows Program, facilitated by UT's College of Education faculty. On Friday, December 6th, we welcomed both the new cohort and UT faculty for a luncheon at the HLC Welcome Center. Students met and networked with Dr. Arcelia Hernandez, Dr. Monica Neshyba, and Dr. Brian Cabral; they got to know each other through a couple of guided activities; and they learned about expectations for the workshops in the spring. All students took home UT swag, but a few lucky raffle winners received additional merch. Congratulations to our new Fellows!   

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Summer Scholars Program at the Chautauqua Institution: Pre-apply Now

OK, y'all, this is one of the best deals we offer: a week-long, all-expenses-paid educational and enrichment trip to the Chautauqua Institution. It's called the Summer Scholars Program, and over the last three years, we have sent seven ACC Honors Program students (which is actually a large number when you consider that the opportunity is only available to 24 students nationwide every July).  Please see November 25th's newsletter for information about Liana Lopez's experiences as a summer scholar last July.  

Intrigued? OK, check your eligibility. Do you meet the following requirements?

• Have taken at least one Honors course or are registered for a class in Spring '25 (Organizers will verify with us)

• A first-year Community College student in an Honors program who intends to transfer to a 4-yr institution to complete a Bachelor's degree

• Pell Grant-eligible (per FAFSA)

• a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who is 18-25 years of age

• Intellectually curious & interested in meeting new people & forming new connections

• Participating (or interested) in extracurricular activities, research, community service, etc.

• Able to walk 2+ miles per day

If you're eligible, pre-apply today. Put my name down as the person who referred you: Dr. Anne-Marie Thomas

From the organizers: pre-applications are being accepted now and processed on a rolling basis through mid-January. If students demonstrate real interest and seem to be a good fit on their pre-application, they will be invited to complete a full application. Those who pre-apply early receive greater consideration.

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Cooke Transfer Scholarship Is Open

In 2023, Honors student Amber Traylor won the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship; she's now attending Rutgers University as a Chemistry major. 

The Cooke Transfer Scholarship aims to provide Scholars with the opportunity to graduate from college with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can provide as much as $55,000 per year to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited undergraduate institution. Scholars also receive comprehensive educational advising, career and graduate school preparation -  including the opportunity to apply for internship stipends, conference stipends, and the Cooke Graduate Scholarship, as well as access to the thriving Cooke Scholar community.

To be eligible to apply, students must:

• Be a current student at an accredited U.S. community college with sophomore status by January 1, 2025, or a recent graduate, with plans to enroll full-time at a four-year college in fall 2025.

• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher.

• Have no previous enrollment at a four-year university.

• Demonstrate unmet financial need. Students with an annual family gross income of up to $95,000 are eligible.

The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship application is open until January 9, 2025. Students can apply via Common App for Transfer.

Please email us at scholarships@jkcf.org with any questions about the program or application. Click here to find a program flyer with more information.

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Showcase Your Research: Curiositas and Research Symposium

The Liberal Arts Gateway program, whose stated goal is to "provide a platform for students from diverse disciplines to present their research projects, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange," is sponsoring two opportunities to showcase your research. The first is the student journal Curiositas, whose submission requirements you can find here (The deadline is January 14, 2025.)

The second is a Student Research Symposium ot be held on Friday, April 18th. As with publishing in Curiositas, presenting in this forum will provide a nice line on your résumé and enhance your transfer applications; feel free to use projects from this semester. Submission details are here, and the deadline is February 29th. 

Projects for all ACC courses will be considered. Several Honors projects were showcased last year, so we'd love to see even more this time. 

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Spring '25 Honors Registration: Yes, Waitlists Work 

'Tis the season where students start rearranging their spring plans, which means we've been reaching out to several of you on the Spring '25 waitlists. We also still have classes that are open with no waitlists: ENGL 1302 (Magical Realism, Hyflex/CYP), ENGL 1302 (Queer Writings, RGC), SPCH 1311 (Developing Leadership Communication Competencies, RRC), HLC), and SPCH 1315 (Environment, Rights, Humanitarianism & the Rhetoric of Change, DLS)  

Are you hoping to fulfill the Honors Scholar requirements and need a service opportunity? Professor Louisa Spaventa's "Queer Writings" ENGL 1302 (Composition II) course will be a designated service-learning class in the spring. Students will collaborate with Talk About It Texas.

You can see all of the Spring '25 Honors courses on the college's course schedule page. Please fill out the registration request form to ensure your spot in the courses offered. Remember, only Honors Program staff can register you due to the restricted nature of these courses. If you need some guidance about what courses to take, our Honors advisor Jana McCarthy can help you out: jana.mccarthy@austincc.edu.   

For general questions about 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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Ivy League Info Sessions: Columbia U General School

Columbia University General School 

A number of ACC Honors students have transferred to the General School, including Marc Stoyer and Matthew Wilds. If you're interested in the possibilities, plan to attend one of their upcoming online information sessions:

GS Undergraduate Online Information Session

Wednesday, December 11, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Friday Forum: Academic Interest - Humanities and the Arts

Friday, December 13, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

As always, if you apply and are accepted, let me know! We will co-host a transfer panel event with Transfer Services in February featuring Honors students who have transferred to highly competitive universities: UT's Journalism Program, Columbia University, and Brown University. 

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NASA L'SPACE Program Applications Open for Spring 2025

Folks, these opportunities come to us courtesy of Honors Program alum Theo Courtois and Program Coordinator at the NASA L'SPACE Program at ASU. Let us know if you apply and are accepted!

I wanted to reach out to let you know that the applications for the NASA L'SPACE Program academies have opened for the Spring 2025 semester! Applications for the programs are reviewed on a rolling basis, so interested students should apply as soon as possible. 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.

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.

I hope that Honors Program students at Austin Community College will continue to take advantage of these free NASA workforce development programs. My participation in these programs has been instrumental in my understanding of the complex challenges of the space industry. 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 questions related to these academies, please let them know that they are welcome to reach out to me directly via email: tcourtoi@asu.edu.