Transform_Ed is a year-long research initiative designed to anticipate and shape the future of change across diverse academic and student affairs areas at ACC. Each year, a cohort of members from the College's Instructional, Student Affairs, and Teaching & Learning Excellence Division (TLED) areas are selected through an application process. They are tasked with developing cutting-edge ideas, called products, that present opportunities for innovation, growth, and connection designed to elevate the teaching and learning experience.
Embedded Files
We are thrilled to share the results of our recent voting and celebrate the incredible dedication of our fellowship participants and voters alike.
First, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who took the time to participate in the voting process. Your engagement and thoughtful consideration of each team’s work demonstrates the collaborative spirit that makes our educational community so strong.
We are thrilled to share highlights from the Riverbat Experience 3.0 and the results of the product voting! It was an inspiring event filled with energy, innovation, and collaboration alongside ACC colleagues, students, community members, and industry partners.
Product proposal rankings from the 2024–25 Transform_Ed cohort are:
1st Place – VIDA: Virtual Intelligence Driving Achievement
Student Affairs Team: Renee Burrell, Oddett Garza-Weatherspoon, Youssef El-Hage, Luc Jones, David Zuñiga, McKayla McCarty, Hilda Gartzke
2nd Place – Take Flight: A New Framework for Engaging at ACC
TLED Team: Dr. Cori Coburn, Andrea Heckler, Manal Mahmoud, Dr. Shih-Ting Lee, Bethany Swoveland
3rd Place – Student Success Through Future Ready Skills
Instructional Team: Dr. Samuel Echevarria-Cruz, Laura Jacob, Silke Morin, Gary Mott, Nathan Pasley, Erica Wright
However, as we reflect on this year-long fellowship journey, we want to emphasize something far more significant than any single placement. Each of our three teams has demonstrated remarkable growth, innovation, and commitment to student-centered approaches throughout this transformative year. The real victory lies not in rankings, but in the profound learning experiences, collaborative relationships, and educational insights that have emerged from each group’s unique journey.
Our fellowship participants have engaged in deep reflection, tackled complex educational challenges, and developed innovative solutions that will benefit students for years to come. They have pushed boundaries, supported one another, and remained steadfast in their commitment to putting students at the center of everything they do.
The process itself has been transformative. Through monthly workshops, peer collaboration, action research projects, and continuous reflection, each team has contributed valuable perspectives and practices to our broader educational mission. The relationships built, skills developed, and insights gained represent the true measure of success.
While we celebrate today’s results, we recognize that all of our participants are winners. Their dedication to student-centered learning, their willingness to take risks and try new approaches, and their commitment to continuous growth exemplify the very best of educational leadership.
Thank you again to our voters, our cohort participants, and everyone who has supported this journey. Together, we are creating lasting change that puts our students first.
Congratulations to all of our Transform_Ed cohort participants – your efforts to help advance the ACC North Star are truly immeasurable! I appreciate you for having the Courage to Go First!
In collaboration,
Dr. Monique Reeves
Futurist / Executive Vice Chancellor, Office for the Future
The inaugural Transform_Ed cohort consisted of 17 members from the College's Instructional, Student Affairs, and Teaching & Learning Excellence Division (TLED) areas. They were tasked with developing cutting-edge ideas, called products, that present opportunities for innovation, growth, and connection designed to elevate the teaching and learning experience
The cohort came up with eight different products. Links to the presentation videos are below:
Housing Connect | Student Affairs: Dr. Traci Allen, Vincent Bustillos, Jana McCarthy, Patricia Phea, Karen Serna, Eriko Tyner
Art is for Everyone | Instruction: Sami Froncek, MM
Faculty to Faculty Guide to Teaching Success | Instruction: Dr. Marilyn Yale
Yes to Success | TLED: Stephanie Bogdanich, Daniel Chupe-O’Hanlon, Toyya Cisneros, Dr. Theresa Glenn, Dr. Susan Warner-Sanchez
Cultivating Austin Community Educators | Instruction: Tammy Nettles, Instructional Faculty Member (PSS)
ACC’s First Global Community & Public Health Clinical Offering | Instruction: Emily Grigsby, MSN, BSN, RN
FIONA | Instruction: Stephanie Long, Associate Dean, Faculty Center for Learning Innovation
3T Exchange | Instruction: Felecia Williams-Dennis, Instructional Faculty Member (PSS)
Find all of the product presentations on Panopto HERE.
Employees were asked to rank the products based on which ideas they think will most benefit and impact student success in alignment with the ACC North Star.
We are very excited to announce the winners from the 2023-24 Transform_Ed cohort are:
Housing Connect (Vincent Bustillo, Dr. Traci Allen, Jana McCarthy, Karen Serna, Patricia Phea, Eriko Tyner)
Art is for Everyone, ACC is for Everyone: Building a Performing Arts Center (Sami Froncek)
ACC’s First Global Community and Public Health Clinical Offering (Emily Grigsby)
These cutting-edge product proposals developed by the inaugural Transform_Ed cohort present opportunities for innovation, growth, and connection designed to elevate teaching and learning in higher education and beyond.
According to the voting results, these are the top three products that will benefit and impact student success in alignment with the ACC North Star and will receive support for further product development.
Page updated
Report abuse