Weekly (sort of) Newsletter

Competitive University Transfer Panel Recording

Did you miss last week's transfer panel with ACC Honors Program alumni (currently attending UT, Brown, Rutgers, and Yale)? We have a recording for you, but keep in mind that the event starts about 44 minutes in:

https://austincc.zoom.us/rec/share/QNxiGiagbOkEEOfvgjFut_Ii2m8VbbNvWKoa7xsstIe7VTAjqXDY-ZTzp0zW-S-P.tMve-aCmO_rplLS9

Passcode: 7g.B6YYM

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Question about Honors Scholar Status

We've been getting a number of questions about how to become an Honors Scholar, what qualifies as leadership experience, etc. All of the information about leadership, service, etc. is on this page, and if you scroll down toward the bottom, you'll see instructions for how to submit your activities to Suitable, which is the online platform we use for awarding of the Honors Scholar microdcredential. (We have a physical seal for transcripts.) For questions, contact honors@austincc.edu.

In this newsletter, you'll often read about opportunities that can satisfy leadership or service requirements (such as those provided by the Center for Government and Civic Service below)

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Student Spotlights Are (Finally) Up

Apologies for taking so long, NASA folks! You'll find your spotlights here under both 2025 and 2024. 

Did you get accepted to a cool undergraduate research experience or internship? Are you presenting your work at a national conference or exhibition? Win a major scholarship? Get accepted to a highly competitive university or program? Let us know!

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Nonprofit Education Paid Internship

From our friends at ACC's Center for Nonprofit Studies:

E3 Alliance is piloting a new paid internship program this Spring - the Susan Dawson Fellowship. The fellowship "will be a 10-week, hands-on, engaging experience for students to gain insights and exposure to career opportunities in nonprofit education data, including data research, data visualization and storytelling, and data utilization to improve outcomes."

They are currently looking to fill 2 positions this Spring 2025 semester, and any interested students can apply here.

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Help Us Help You: Financial Basics

The University Federal Credit Union, which now has a full-service branch at the Highland campus, would like to offer a targeted financial workshop this semester for interested ACC Honors students. They also want to do something more helpful than the same old, same old, so they're asking for your input. Please let us know what topics you'd like to see covered in this form. Part of the workshop will be devoted to an interactive financial game that allows participants to see the impact of various financial decisions.

This workshop will likely be around 4:30 (after the branch closes), so they'll throw in some pizza for you (and a door prize or two). We would host this event at the Highland Campus Welcome Center.

Let us know what you want!

**Update: So far, investment and budgeting appear to be the most popular topics

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Scholarship Opportunity for Students Enrolled in ACC Baccalaureate Programs

Are you working on your bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, RN-to-BSN, or Software Development at ACC? The scholarship opportunity below is for you:

The scholarship amount for this year will be $2,500. The scholarship is dedicated to recognizing and assisting students who have already demonstrated academic excellence and are enrolled as adult undergraduate students in four year colleges and universities in Travis, Hays, and Williamson Counties. The award will be announced by April 2025. Since the award is for the purpose of furthering the recipient's undergraduate education, students graduating in May 2025 are not eligible.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

(1) Are enrolled at Concordia University, Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward's University, Texas State University, Southwestern University, Austin Community College, or the University of Texas at Austin

(2) Are seeking a first baccalaureate degree

(3) Have earned more than 30 credits

(4) Are at least 24 years old

(5) Are pursuing an academic program that includes liberal arts and sciences

(6) Have demonstrated academic excellence

(7) Submit their application no later than March 3, 2025

The application can be found on our website: https://pbkaaga.wildapricot.org/

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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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New Honors Courses: Fall '25

We'll be offering some new courses in the Fall, two of which are approved by the college, and five on the verge of being approved:

• ENGL 1301, Composition I: Pop Culture (HLC, Dr. Brinda Roy)

• SPAN 1411, Spanish I: Mis chulas fronteras: The Music, Images, and Language of the Mexican and US Border (HLC, Ramiro Juarez)

• PHIL 2306, Ethics: Health, Sickness, and the Mysteries of Living a Good Life (TBD, Dr. Aran Gharibpour)

• BIOL 1406, Cellular and Molecular Biology: SEA-PHAGE Discovery (TBD, Dr. Kissaou Tchedre)

• ECON 2302: Principles of Microeconomics, Microeconomics in a Global World (HLC, Dr. Iris Diamond)--this course will replace the current Honors ECON 2302 course focusing on Entrepreneurs. 

• BIOL 2401, Anatomy & Physiology (RRC, Dr. Bryan Hudson)

• Paired BIOL 1308 and BIOL 2401, Integrated Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Biology (TBD, Dr. Matthew Belzer)

Honors courses take a loooooooong time to develop and to be approved, so as much as we'd love to offer you more opportunities, doing so takes a bit more time and effort than you might expect. The good news is that we're growing, and more faculty are interested in offering these courses. 

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Paid, Two-week Summer Program at the U of Chicago

Please see the message below from Oliver Eagan, who is coordinating a summer workshop for students interested in deepening their knowledge about the philosophy and practice of "thinking" in public. Participation in the workshop will count for college credits, granted by the University of Chicago. Last year, our own Marisela Perez Maita was one of 16 students selected nationwide for this workshop. This year, they're offering two workshops, so they will be selecting more students. If you apply and are accepted, please let me know! 

Dear ACC Riverbats, 

I encourage you to check out The Point magazine’s Summer Workshop on public thinking and writing (co-sponsored by The Point and the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse at the University of Chicago). This fully-funded, two-week program is designed for undergraduate students interested in journalism, criticism, politics, art, and nonprofit work who want to learn about and practice engaging the public through dialogue and writing. This year, The Point will host two workshops at UChicago. The first, on “Art and Immorality,” will be taught by philosopher and Point editor Anastasia Berg and Point editor Jon Baskin. The second, on "Democracy and the Elites," will be taught by philosopher Agnes Callard and political scientist and Point editor Jonny Thakkar. Both workshops will take place at the UChicago campus from August 4th–August 15. You can apply to one or both workshops in the Point-specific section of the application. Applicants may apply to their desired program, but if they wish to be considered for both programs, they may choose so in the application portal. Students who are open to participating in either program do not need to fill out an extra application. Applications are due by March 5.

If you’re interested in learning more, register for one of our Zoom information sessions, which will take place Tuesday, February 4 at 11 AM ET and Tuesday, February 11 at 3 PM ET here or contact workshop coordinator Oliver Eagan with questions at oeagan@thepointmag.com.

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Great Questions Community Seminar, 2/18

Join members of our community in asking the Great Questions of humankind through discussions of transformative texts. Community Seminars include opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members to discuss Great Questions, guided by transformative texts that productively raise them. Community Seminars are interactive and fun. They begin with free tacos and hopefully end with greater wisdom. 

This event is free and open to everybody, but an RSVP is required HERE (https://forms.gle/ZctnK96vUbBdeaVw7) to attend. 

On Tuesday, February 18, the Great Questions Community Seminar will focus on a sermon Dr. King delivered on or about November 17, 1957 to a congregation in Montgomery, Alabama. While the audience of this sermon is a Christian church, King’s words speak powerfully and truly to readers who profess other faiths or none at all. In our politically polarized and socially divided times, we may benefit from putting into practice the lessons King teaches in this sermon. Join us for a discussion of this powerful work! 

You can find the reading assignment and discussion questions here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U0kuJqZytjHCi4BTPCYkRTnldnr-h80OZKwzdsSWa1g/edit?usp=sharing This event will be meaningful if everybody does the reading. Please help us make it meaningful by reading the text selection before you attend.

While all are welcome to attend, this RSVP form is required. We need to get an accurate headcount for food, as well as to put you in small discussion groups. You'll also need to complete the short reading assignment from the text before coming, which is available at the above link.  

RSVP HERE (https://forms.gle/ZctnK96vUbBdeaVw7)

Important Note: this event will be at ACC San Gabriel in Leander, TX. The exact location of the event on the SGC campus will be sent to those who RSVP. 

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Center for Government and Civic Service Leadership Credit

Are you looking for a way to fulfill the leadership requirement for the Honors Scholar tier? We've teamed up with ACC's Center for Government and Civic Service at the Rio Grande Campus to provide students with new opportunities. They'll be running their second leadership simulation on March 10th, and any student can join this environment of experimental learning, expert mentorship, and fun role-play.  

If this opportunity sounds intriguing but you'd like to learn more about what's involved, the Center will be holding a skill-building workshop on tactics for strategic communication to help students prepare for the simulation on February 26th. 

More info and registration for the simulation:  https://forms.gle/GxZi4Ct7WbJ1bWVk9 

More info and registration for the workshop: https://forms.gle/LcgtnBhund4x74zL6 

**Did you participate in the first simulation in November? If you participate in three of these simulations (taking on at least two primary roles), you'll receive the Honors Scholar leadership credit.  

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Showcase Your Research: 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 a Student Research Symposium to 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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HSO Spring Schedule

The Honors Student Organization (HSO) is raring to go for spring. Join up now and get to know your fellow Honors Riverbats! 

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Submit to the Hothouse Literary Journal (UT)

Hothouse Literary Journal, the official literary journal of UT's Department of English, is currently requesting submissions. Last year, Honors student Genevieve Kent Elbaor published a poem in the spring edition. From Editor-in-Chief Charlie Sharpe: 

Dear undergraduates,

We're happy to announce that the official literary journal of The University of Texas at Austin’s Department of English, Hothouse, is accepting submissions for the 2024-2025 print edition! We accept submissions from undergraduate students all over Texas. We are looking for fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.

Though we accept submissions on a rolling basis, you must submit your work by March 15th, 2025 to be considered for the print journal.

If you would like to review the full guidelines, including how to format your writing, you can find them on the Hothouse website, https://hothouselitjournal.com. 

If you have any questions about the submission process, feel free to contact us at uthothouse.editor@gmail.com.

We look forward to reviewing your submissions!

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(Paid) City of Austin Internship: Youth Forest Council

For the last couple of years, the City of Austin has been recruiting Honors students to serve as student interns, and they report that the interns from Honors are some of the most engaged and involved. Here are the details from coordinator Britney Huynh: 

Our program is open to young people in Austin between the ages of 16-20. Interns get the opportunity to do service projects that support our urban forest and build professional skills, while earning $21.63/hr. Applications are due March 15, 2025. We’d love to have more ACC students apply!

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Student Life Awards: Nominate Yourself or Another Student

Did you know that you can nominate yourselves or other students for these awards? Check it out:

Nominate an outstanding graduate for the Chancellor's Student Achievement Award by March 28 or nominate an impactful student leader for a Legacy of Leader: Student Leader Award (various categories) by March 23rd! Learn more below! 

The Chancellor’s Student Achievement Award s a highly regarded accolade bestowed upon a graduating student who exemplifies exceptional academic achievements, a strong commitment to ACC's values and vision, and outstanding service to the college and the broader community each fall & spring semester.

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 Spring 2025

 (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 graduating students by submitting nominations. All ACC community members, including faculty, staff, and students, can nominate deserving individuals. Students can even nominate themselves! You can access the nomination form here: Spring 2025 Chancellor Student Achievement Award Nomination Form.

Additional details and nomination guidelines can be found at austincc.edu/csaa or by contacting csaa@austincc.edu.

Each year, Student Life recognizes the excellence and efforts of student leaders and the faculty/staff that support student success within Student Life at Austin Community College. All nominees will be celebrated with a special invitation to the Student Life Legacy of Leaders event in April, where their achievements will be recognized, and the award winners will be announced.

We encourage you to join us in honoring our exceptional student leaders by submitting nominations. All ACC community members, including faculty, staff, and students, can nominate deserving individuals. Students can even nominate themselves! You can access the nomination form here: 2024-2025 Legacy of Leaders: Student Leader Awards Nomination Form

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Consider Swarthmore University

Known as a "Little Ivy" and ranked #3 Liberal Arts College in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Swarthmore is one of the nation's most diverse colleges, and the administration is committed to meeting 100% of determined financial need through loan-free financial aid awards. Below are some reasons you might consider applying.  

We waive the $60 application fee for community and junior college transfer students. Students simply choose the “Community College Fee Waiver” on the Common Application or Coalition Application when they apply. Additionally, students attending four-year colleges who receive the federal Pell Grant or are first in their family to attend college may also receive a fee waiver. They can complete SwatPass to see if they are eligible.

Standardized test scores are optional for transfer students. We accept self-reported scores from students who wish to share their test results, but testing is not required.

We meet full determined financial need with loan-free aid. We practice need-blind admissions for domestic applicants and award loan-free financial aid decisions (grants and work study) that meet full determined financial need. These distinctive commitments apply to any student who is a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or is undocumented and has graduated from high school in the U.S. International students who require financial aid are not eligible for transfer. Additionally, we reduce hidden fees by eliminating some of the costs of college, like tutoring, printing, laundry, and tickets to campus events.

We waive the enrollment deposit for financially eligible students. In addition, we do not ask for a housing deposit.

Transfer students benefit from our transparent credit transfer policies. Our goal is for transfer students to graduate on schedule without having to retake course material. Typically, general education courses in the liberal arts (English and humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and natural sciences) are more likely to earn transfer credit than technical, vocational, and specific-topic courses. Admitted transfer students receive credit evaluations along with their admission decision in May.

We take a holistic and contextual approach when reviewing applications, and good-fit candidates tend to be:

• Intellectually curious and enthusiastic about learning

• Generous towards others and civically engaged

• Willing to work hard and seek help when needed

• Achieving mostly A’s in a rigorous liberal arts or general education curriculum

Questions? Contact us at transfer@swarthmore.edu. 

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