2023

The Houston Community College Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Hub, HR Houston and the SHRM Foundation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance workforce development and promote human resource apprenticeship programs in the Gulf Coast region.

The Houston Community College (HCC) Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Hub has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Exemplary Program Award by the National Council for Workforce Education. The recognition highlights HCC's remarkable efforts to expand registered apprenticeships and promote workforce development in nontraditional sectors.

Houston Community College (HCC) is set to host the second annual Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Summit and Awards Nov. 13-15, 2023, at the HCC West Houston Institute at 2811 Hayes Road in Houston.

The region’s top apprenticeship providers will be honored tomorrow at the 2nd Annual Houston Community College (HCC) Gulf Coast Region Apprenticeship Forum in recognition of their outstanding contributions to fostering skills development and advancing individuals into careers through apprenticeships.

With the help of HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences, HCA Houston Healthcare is solving a shortage of computed tomography technologists by upskilling some of its general radiologic technologists. This local initiative has taken root and already reached other cities.

The Houston Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to name Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D., as sole finalist to serve as the institution's next Chancellor. Dr. Ford Fisher has served as HCC's Interim Chancellor since Sept. 1, 2023.

Houston Community College was named a Star Award recipient for 2023 by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The board recognizes exceptional contributions toward achieving one or more of the goals of the state strategic plan for higher education. The awards were established by the state agency in 2001, marking their 22nd anniversary this year.

Houston Community College (HCC) was selected by the American Association of Colleges and Universities for its inaugural Institute on Digital Equity. HCC has been opening all-inclusive digital access centers on its campuses across the region. Each is equipped with furniture, fixtures, technology, acoustics and other innovative designs to provide a comfortable, accessible place for those seeking to obtain digital skills.

Houston Community College has a new director of Equal Employment Opportunity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator. Osvaldo Gomez returns to the college system after having served in a similar role from 2018 to 2021. He brings more than three decades of experience in higher education and state government, specializing in employee relations, EEO and Title IX compliance.

Houston Community College (HCC) students recently showcased their innovation prowess and collaborative spirit in various competitions, leaving an indelible mark in the realms of technology, entrepreneurship, and academia.

Two teams of ambitious students from Houston Community College (HCC) defied the odds and soared to the top ranks of the prestigious NASA MITTIC Challenge, a national competition that pushes students to develop innovative solutions using real NASA technologies.

Houston Community College will close all campuses at 4 p.m. today, Nov. 30, due to inclement weather.

Three students with different stories share one common thread

Three second-career students tell why chose to enter the healthcare field as a medical assistant.

Meet Charlsey Jimenez, a Dental Assisting instructor at HCC Coleman College! Learn how her education at HCC Coleman College helped her come full circle in her career!

Meet Licensed Vocational Nursing student Michael Houston, and find out what makes him a Coleman Champion!

Learn how HCC Coleman College helped Carlos Castro, Class of 2002, reach unimagined career and business success.

HCC and Harris Health System formalized a partnership for the REACH Apprenticeship program on Nov. 8 to develop more healthcare professionals in the region.

Meet Dental Assisting student Taris Bergerson, and find out what makes her a Coleman Champion!

Meet Oswaldo Avendano-Bolivar, a second-year medical student! Learn how his Medical Assistant certificate at HCC Coleman College set him up for a career in medicine!

Meet Nuclear Medicine student Andrik Borja, and find out what makes him a Coleman Champion!

Maren Jensen of Katy won the national Dr. Alexanderia K. Lane Memorial Scholarship on Nov. 1.

Houston Community College (HCC) is offering a free course to empower historically underrepresented inventors with the knowledge they may need to overcome challenges faced when applying for patents.

Houston Community College’s (HCC) pioneering bachelor’s degree of applied technology in AI and Robotics is now well underway to help meet the surging demand for professionals trained in artificial intelligence. The program, which began in the fall semester, aims to equip students with a solid foundation and industry-guided, practical skills to prepare them for careers in the rapidly evolving AI and robotics industry.

Houston Community College (HCC) and Harris Health System are joining forces to establish a comprehensive apprenticeship program to train and produce skilled patient care technicians. A Memorandum of Understanding signing will take place on Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. at the HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences Tower, 1919 Pressler St., to formalize the program. National Apprenticeship Week is Nov. 13-19.

HCC has been awarded $550,000 by the USDA for the Workforce Development for Urban Landscape and Lawn Care (WFD-Houston) Grant Project. Sam Houston State University is the sub-recipient of this grant.

Check out our Q&A with Respiratory Therapy program student Giovanna Sosa.

Regrettably, I write to inform you that Dr. Kurt Ewen, our colleague, and friend, passed away Saturday morning after a lengthy battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Houston Community College (HCC) will invest a $100,000 grant from Johnson Controls at its Central campus to educate future workers in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, fire and security fields.

Houston Community College (HCC) is playing an increasing role in addressing renewable energy needs through its solar energy installation program. Students who take part and earn a certificate in the program become equipped with the skills needed to meet the growing demand for solar panel installers.

Houston Community College (HCC) Trustee Pretta VanDible Stallworth was elected secretary-treasurer of the Association of Community College Trustees Board of Directors Executive Committee during the association’s annual leadership meeting in Las Vegas earlier this month.

The community is invited to Eagle Preview Day on Oct. 21, 2023, at Houston Community College campuses across the region. The events will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at each of the campuses below.

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Adriana Tamez, District III

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Monica Flores Richart, District I

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Eva L. Loredo, District VIII

Healthcare students and community partners shine at the Coleman Tower 5th Anniversary Reception on Sept. 28.

The Houston Community College Foundation Board has elected eight new members from diverse professional backgrounds who will each play a pivotal role in raising funds for HCC student success.

A three-student team from Houston Community College Southwest has won the top national prize at the 2023 Intel AI Global Impact Festival competition.

Houston Community College (HCC) students had the opportunity to work alongside renowned chef and HCC alumni, Hugo Ortega, this summer to film a segment for a cable television program.

Meet Medical Assistant student Isaias Fajardo, and find out what makes him a Coleman Champion!

Meet Robert Jones, a computed tomography (CT) technologist in the Houston area! Learn why he chose HCC Coleman College and how his education continues to impact his career and future!

Houston Community College (HCC) has been named by Forbes magazine as the fourth best place to work in Texas. This recognition is a testament to HCC's dedication to its staff and their well-being.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, please join me in pausing to reflect on how our nation was transformed on that day of unimaginable tragedy.

Houston Community College (HCC) has been designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CE) by the National Security Agency (NSA). The designation through the 2028 academic year means that HCC is a trusted institution for cybersecurity education and can help meet the increasing demands for highly trained people who can contribute to the protection of the national information infrastructure. This is the second five-year period that HCC has held the prestigious designation.

I assume the role of Interim Chancellor of the Houston Community College (HCC) System with a keen sense of purpose and gratitude to the HCC Board of Trustees for the confidence placed in me indicated by this appointment. I welcome the opportunity to work with the outstanding HCC faculty and staff to effect positive change in the lives of students and the community.

Long-time Houston Community College administrator Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D., has taken the helm as HCC’s interim chancellor. She will serve in that capacity as the HCC governing board completes a national search to identify a permanent chancellor.

University of St. Thomas-Houston (UST) and Houston Community College (HCC) have teamed up to offer students an opportunity to start their college career at HCC and smoothly transfer to UST’s Rising Stars Internship Program. UST President Richard Ludwick and HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado formalized the articulation agreement on UST’s campus during a signing ceremony on Monday, Aug. 28.

Houston Community College (HCC) has been recognized as one of 20 institutions by Excelencia in Education for demonstrating exceptional commitment and success in serving Latino and other underserved student populations. The college was one of just five community colleges among more than 100 programs from across 20 states that applied for recognition this year.

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Robert Glaser, District V

The road to success led to Atlanta for five Houston Community College students who scored big at the 59th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills conference in June.

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Charlene Ward Johnson, District II

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Cynthia Lenton-Gary, District VII

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Reagan Flowers, District IV

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Pretta VanDible Stallworth, District IX

Fall 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Reagan Flowers, District IV

Hundreds of medical imaging technology students from Greater Houston attended the 2023 Houston Area Radiologic Consortium (HARC) today for a day of academic enrichment and professional networking. Houston Community College, San Jacinto College, Lone Star College, Galveston College, and MD Anderson Cancer Center all participated in this intercollegiate event held at HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences in the Texas Medical Center.

For the 10th straight year, the Respiratory Therapy program at Houston Community College – Coleman College for Health Sciences has earned the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.

The Houston Community College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D., as the college’s interim chancellor at a special meeting on July 11. Dr. Ford Fisher will take the reins of HCC, effective Sept. 1. She was the sole finalist following a national search that concluded in late June.

The Houston Community College (HCC) Office of Work-Based Learning and Industry Partnerships has joined the SHRM Foundation’s HR Registered Apprenticeship Program (HR RAP) as an educational provider and HR Houston to expand the HR talent pool while building a more skilled, diverse workforce to elevate the role of human resources.

A Houston Community College (HCC) team has won the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Community College Innovation Challenge. The HCC team was pitted against community colleges from across the nation, competing to develop ideas for useful and innovative devices using science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Houston Community College (HCC) students will now be able to earn a degree in Logistics and Global Supply Chain Management at HCC’s Katy campus beginning with the Fall 2023 semester. The Katy campus will offer both a Level 1 certificate and an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in a field that is part of every industry and involves all the activities that make the global flow of goods and services possible.

Houston Community College’s Invest in Houston's Future Campaign is celebrating a historic fundraising milestone: $20 million raised for HCC student success. HCC Foundation Board members and various college leaders were on hand when a ceremonial check was presented to the college at the HCC Board of Trustees meeting on June 21.

Houston Community College’s Southeast College is taking part in a national project to help Latino students advance in higher education in partnership with Excelencia in Education, a national organization committed to supporting the advancement of underrepresented students in higher education.

Meet Radiography student Minh Pham of Pearland, Texas, and find out what makes him a Coleman Champion!

In a special meeting held on June 20, 2023, the Houston Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees announced the selection of Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D., as the sole finalist for the Interim Chancellor position, effective September 1.

Houston Community College (HCC) cybersecurity students placed in the top 10 percent of competitors at the spring National Cyber League competition against 7,800 students from 450 universities and colleges across the U.S. The HCC student team placed in the top 10 percent of finishers, ahead of student teams from Purdue University and the University of California San Diego.

Graduation is always a highlight of the spring at Houston Community College (HCC) and this year, more than 1,700 students graduated at HCC’s spring graduation at NRG Stadium. One of the most notable individuals to receive his degree wasn’t a student. Community leader William “Bill” A. Callegari received an honorary degree for his longstanding support of HCC. Callegari holds a special place in the hearts of both the HCC and Katy communities.

The public is invited to attend a symposium and job fair June 16 that will provide employment and education opportunities to residents of Missouri City and Fort Bend County through a newly formed community partnership. The Workforce Development Symposium and Job Fair will provide information about educational and technical programs to help residents to enter the workplace. It will take place from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at HCC Missouri City campus, 1600 Texas Parkway in Missouri City.

The HCC Filmmaking program has partnered with MediaU, an online community that features virtual and live networking events and mentorship for students from working industry professionals.

This fall, Houston Community College’s Central campus is launching a new, innovative program focused on teaching students to integrate the multitude of systems people use every day in homes and offices. The Smart Building Technology program allows students to become “integrators” with the knowledge required to install low-voltage controls to manage, monitor and protect residential or commercial environments for home or commercial networks.

The Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature recognized Houston Community College (HCC) Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E., for his significant contributions to higher education and workforce development.

On May 25, HCC and Dwyer Workforce Development entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to train and support up to 500 new healthcare professionals a year.

The Houston Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees has launched a search for an Interim Chancellor to serve while an extensive national Chancellor search is conducted.

Dr. Mehmet Argin has been named Dean of HCC Engineering Center of Excellence after an exhaustive and highly competitive search.

This time of year, I attend many graduation ceremonies. With so many embarking on a new journey, it is important to reinforce the leadership skills graduates have shown in overcoming the many adversities brought by the COIVD-19 pandemic—the changes in cultural norms, institutional structures, and personal behaviors that they navigated.

Houston Community College (HCC) and Dwyer Workforce Development will formalize a Memorandum of Understanding to train and support up to 500 new health care professionals a year. The event takes place at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 25 at the HCC Coleman College Tower, 1919 Pressler St. in the Texas Medical Center.

A record number of Fort Bend and Stafford students have received both their high school diplomas and Houston Community College associate degrees and workforce certificates this spring, along with significant savings in tuition costs.

Truck drivers from companies across the Houston area are set to compete in a truck rodeo on May 20, 2023, at the Houston Community College (HCC) Roland Smith Commercial Truck Driver Training facility.

Meet Emma Wood, a pediatric occupational therapy assistant in the Houston area! Learn why she chose HCC Coleman College and how her education continues to impact her career and future!

The Houston Community College (HCC) Katy Campus is offering a youth Natural Science Camp June 5-9, 2023.

The House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature recently honored Houston Community College (HCC) Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E., for his work leading the college system over the past nine years.

Maren Johnson, dental assisting student at HCC Coleman College, is receiving a $1,000 financial award from the National Society of Leadership and Success Foundation for her outstanding example in the classroom, clinic, and community. Read on to learn why this student leader and mother is worthy of this scholarship!

Each spring high school seniors face tough choices about continuing their education at a community college, such as Houston Community College, or at a university. Typical concerns are quality, cost, student support, and social factors – or misconceptions in those areas. Let’s help clear the air for those facing this tough decision.

Supporting students’ holistic needs and helping to quell food insecurity, Houston Community College (HCC) will hold a ribbon cutting for the HCC Southeast Eagle Market on May 10. The event will take place at 2 p.m. on the Southeast College Eastside Campus in the Student Life Building.

Spring 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Adriana Tamez, District III

Houston Community College fashion students will exhibit creative designs at the college’s annual Spring Fashion Show Friday evening.

Congratulations to the HCC Spring Branch VAST students that earned their very own WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRC).

A radiography and computed tomography instructor at Houston Community College-Coleman College for Health Sciences leaves a strong legacy as he heads into semi-retirement — nine faculty members!

Dr. Lindsay Gary, the author of The New Red Book, will speak about 50 of Black Houston’s most-significant cultural sites and organizations 2 to 3 p.m., Thursday, April 27, in Room 100 of the Dr. W. W. Harmon Building, HCC Central Campus, 1300 Holman St., Houston.

Houston Community College (HCC) Trustees approved new trustee district boundaries recently to comply with requirements of the Texas Education Code.

Houston is known for many things – oil, baseball, cowboys, and great food – but it is perhaps most famous as the home of NASA's Mission Control and the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Houston has been known as "Space City" for decades, and for good reason. The city has played a critical role in space exploration and science since the inception of NASA.

HCC Central will host a free career fair and exposition focused on green jobs, career training and community resources from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 21. GROW Fest will feature more than 500 job openings – with salaries of $15 an hour or more – from dozens of employers, including the City of Houston, Clearway Energy, Pattern Energy, WM, Orstead, Amazon, Boeing, Burns & McDonnell and CenterPoint Energy. The event celebrates Earth Day, traditionally held on April 22.

Preparing the next generation of skilled workers for today’s in-demand jobs requires higher education, business and government working together, says the chancellor of Houston Community College.

Rising costs, reduced revenue and a shortage of skilled workers are challenging small- and medium-size manufacturers in the Houston-Gulf Coast region and beyond. To tackle the issues, Houston Community College (HCC) has teamed up with the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) to present the Houston Manufacturing Business Symposium to share funding and resources available to help remove the barriers impacting manufacturers.

The petrochemical industry must rely on highly-trained personnel to keep production processes safe and to respond to incidents that can happen in the manufacturing environment. To prepare graduates for work in the industry, Houston Community College is participating in the North American Process Technology Alliance (NAPTA) Troubleshooting Skills Competition.

Houston Community College (HCC) Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E., yesterday told an invited audience of more than 250 business, government, economic development and education leaders that HCC’s new four-year degree programs in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and Healthcare Management are evidence of the college’s visionary workforce development and leadership.

At Houston Community College (HCC) we understand that when it comes to equipping our students with the skills and credentials needed to succeed in today's workforce, “none of us is as smart as all of us”. As unfilled jobs abound in our region, it is exciting to see colleges, industry, and government align to equip students with credentials of value, expand access to dual credit offerings, and promote work-based learning opportunities like apprenticeships and internships.

Rising costs, reduced revenue and a shortage of skilled workers are challenging small- and medium-size manufacturers in the Houston-Gulf Coast region and beyond. But help is on the way. Houston Community College has teamed up with the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) to present the Houston Manufacturing Business Symposium to brainstorm strategies to tackle the issues. The gathering will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. May 2 at HCC Stafford Campus Learning Hub, 10041 Cash Road

Texas is facing a nursing shortage that could leave the state with 57,000 fewer nurses than needed in less than a decade. To address this shortage, Houston Community College and Dwyer Workforce Development are teaming up to leverage partners across the region to train new healthcare workers who will impact the industry long-term.

Spring 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Eva L. Loredo, District VIII

Based on outstanding accomplishments and dedication to student success, Houston Community College has been selected to participate in a Talent Strong Texas Pathways five-year statewide economic mobility grant. The $16 million grant – administered by the Texas Success Center – helps selected colleges increase the number of credentialed Texans preparing for high-demand careers with a living wage.

Yesterday, the Houston Community College Board of Trustees declined to extend my contract beyond August 31, 2023. We will therefore all be working to support the Board, the College, and most importantly the students in the upcoming transition to a new chancellor.

Spring 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Pretta VanDible Stallworth, District IX

On March 1, 2023, the Houston Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees voted not to extend Chancellor Cesar Maldonado’s contract beyond its expiration date of August 31, 2023.

Spring 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Reagan Flowers, District IV

Spring 2023 Newsletter from Trustee Dr. Reagan Flowers, District IV

Fall 2022 Newsletter from Trustee Charlene Ward Johnson, District II

The Houston Community College Career Services and Public Safety Center of Excellence is hosting a First Responders Hiring Fair from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1 at HCC’s Northeast Campus - Codwell Hall Building located at 555 Community College Drive in Houston.

Houston Community College Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E. was one of more than a dozen collegiate leaders taking part yesterday in a Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Roundtable with U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials.

Prospective students and the community are now able to experience Houston Community College’s state-of-the-art learning spaces without ever having to step foot on a campus, thanks to a new virtual presence at tour.hccs.edu. With the launch, HCC has become the first community college in the Houston-area to offer such a tour.

Houston Community College’s 17th Annual Black History Scholarship Gala takes place 7 to 8 p.m., Thursday, February 23, as an online fundraiser in partnership with Fox 26 Houston.

Houston Community College today was once again designated a Leader College by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing community colleges as hubs of equity and mobility in their communities. The designation is for 2023.

For the second straight year, Houston Community College has received Best Place for Working Parents Designation. The honor comes from Best Place for Working Parents, a national collaborative and network of businesses across the U.S. dedicated to providing support for working parents through evidence-based strategies. To earn the distinction, employers must respond to an online assessment that details their support of family-friendly policies.

Houston Community College Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E., has been selected to receive the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction.

The MBDA Pandemic Recovery Center, a collaborative initiative operated by Houston Community College and funded by the U.S Department of Commerce through the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), is offering a six-part workshop series as part of its Men in Business Series in February.

The Houston Community College Board of Trustees elected officers in a meeting held Wednesday, January 18, 2023. The governing board named Dr. Cynthia Lenton-Gary (District 7) board chair,Trustee Monica Richart (District 1) vice-chair, and Trustee Eva Loredo (District 8) secretary. Each were affirmed by acclamation.