2017

Houston Community College (HCC) will hold a Swearing-in ceremony for new terms for the Board of Trustees during the January meeting.

The award was created to recognize faculty, staff and students who have made outstanding contributions towards advancing the purpose and goals of Houston Community College’s Diversity and Inclusion mission. As such, the award celebrates individuals who champion efforts resulting in greater diversity, inclusion and opportunities for all members of our community. Deadline to submit has been EXTENDED: No later than 5:00 p.m. on March 24, 2017

As students head back to school for the spring semester, Houston Community College encourages students, as well as the general public, to make sure automobile airbags are working properly. HCC District VII Trustee Neeta Sane is teaming up with Airbag Recall: Houston to host a series of “Airbag Awareness” campus events where students can learn if their vehicles are affected by the ongoing Takata airbag recall, the largest safety recall in U.S. history.

Creating the ultimate student experience through innovation and transformation was the key message to Houston Community College (HCC) staff and faculty during Spring Convocation Wednesday, Jan. 10, at Bayou City Event Center.

The Honorable Teta V. Banks, the internationally known chair of the United Nations Association who works to educate, inspire and mobilize Americans to support the efforts of the UN, is the keynote speaker of the 2017 Houston Community College Black History Scholarship Gala.

Houston Community College Digital Art classes are incorporating 3D imagery to change the mindset of students.

Alief ISD Career and Technical Education recognizes students with Career Readiness Certificate (CRC)

Dr. Siddiqi, who previously served as Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Morton College in Cicero, Illinois, is scheduled to begin his duties at Houston Community College Feb. 1.

At the Houston Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees Special meeting, the board voted to appoint Eva L. Loredo as chair and Christopher W. Oliver as vice chair and Neeta Sane as secretary for the 2017 term.

The law provides conditions of residency which apply to undocumented students to attend colleges in Texas and be eligible to receive state funded financial aid.

Dr. Kurt E. Ewen has been named to the new position of Vice Chancellor for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness.

HCC and representatives from Airbag Recall: Houston held an educational event as part of Welcome Back Week on the West Loop and Stafford campuses.

HCC is encouraging any students, faculty, or staff members who are not United States citizens or may be impacted by the executive order to avoid any travel outside of the U.S. at this time.

HCC Fashion Merchandising student Kisa Williams displays her creations at the LAUNCH Pop-up show.

Ayesha Farr is one of several HCC counselors and faculty across the district who develops events to raise awareness related to issues of Intimate Partner Violence, Stalking and Sexual Assault.

Nettie Washington Douglass, the great-granddaughter of educator and inventor Booker T. Washington and the great- great-granddaughter of statesman, orator and author Frederick Douglass, will be a speaker at the 2017 HCC Black History Scholarship Gala.

Toyota brings more than 20 years of leadership experience to HCC. Prior to HCC, she was the President of the Asian Chamber of Commerce.

The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) awards a certificate of accreditation to the HCC Culinary and Baking & Pastry Arts Program.

HCC and researchers from the University of Houston collaborated for a concert on Feb. 12 in order to study creativity and the brain.

More than a profession, nursing is a vocation that requires a high degree of multi-tasking. An HCC graduate and current professor in the Licensed Vocational Nursing program is an inspiring example of that.

HCC and the Houston Psychiatric Society are partnering to teach students and the community about the signs and symptoms of depression.

HCC Chancellor Dr. Cesar Maldonado shared highlights from the past year and discusses the innovation and transformation taking place at HCC and in Texas higher education.

HCC students, faculty and staff rolled up their sleeves during three blood drives at the West Loop, Gulfton and Stafford Campuses. Their donations will help ensure the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has a healthy supply of blood for our community.

I need to bring to your attention an urgent matter – the on-going Airbag Recall. It is the largest and most complex recall in U.S. history.

Donations of baby diapers, as well as adult diapers/pads, will be accepted through Tuesday, April 4.

The new HCC Brays Oaks Center is responding to the increased demand for affordable workforce training in the Brays Oaks community.

Students interested in employment opportunities in automotive repair, diesel repair, collision repair, automotive sales, equipment and parts, as well as other transportation services were able to meet company representatives at the career fair.

After 18 long months of submitting documentation, building a website, upgrading content, and aligning curriculum with industry new competencies requirements, focusing on the student experience, and working with an assigned mentor, HCC has now been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense 2-Year Education for the Cybersecurity program.

For HCC graduate Lebaone Llulu Mogotsakgotla, obtaining her doctorate degree in Nursing started with a tactical plan, determination and a whole lot of elbow grease.

The HCC Stafford Campus Student Library Advisory Council (SLAC) is looking high and low, inside and outside, for good hiding spots on the Stafford Campus grounds to place their brightly-colored eggs during the upcoming HCC Southwest College Easter Egg Hunt.

HCC Southwest Campus is hosting a Diaper Drive benefitting the Fort Bend Diaper Bank in an effort to keep babies and adults dry, clean and healthy. Participants are encouraged to donate to the Diaper Drive for a chance to win a $100 Barnes and Noble gift card.

HCC COE recognizes five students recipients of 2017 Artist Grant

Studying for final exams can be a stressful time in any student’s life, and when adding balancing work and family into the mix, this can be challenging at best. Houston Community College (HCC) Southwest Student Life and Mental Health America of Fort Bend County have teamed up to help identify and manage stress in three different workshops.

The American Council on Education (ACE) named Dr. Ritu Raju, Division Chair, Speech, Communication, and Sign Language at Houston Community College (HCC) an ACE Fellow for the 2017-18 academic year.

HCC, KTRK and the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative partnered to host a public forum on the topic of immigration on April 11 at the HCC Central Campus auditorium.

Houston Community College Vice Chancellor for Instructional Services & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Kimberly Beatty talks about community colleges and four-year degrees on Houston Matters radio show.

The HCC Spring 2017 Juried Student Exhibition will open with a public reception from 6 - 8 p.m., Thursday, April 20 at the HCC Stafford Fine Arts Center Art Gallery located at 9910 Cash Road in Stafford.

More than 200 middle school students proved once again that Houston truly is Space City when they launched rockets into the sky April 13 at HCC Northeast College.

The award is for a video production highlighting the cultural diversity of the HCC student population.

A new partnership between the Kinder Foundation and Houston Community College (HCC) will support the development and implementation of HCC’s first Z-degree.

The competition began in 2007 and was the creation of Newspring founder Robert Westheimer and Dr. Zachary Hodges, Northwest College President.

The HCC Digital Gaming and Simulation program welcomes family, friends, business partners and the community to the 11th annual Gaming Showcase on May 4 at the HCC West Loop Campus Auditorium.

Over 350 students participated in the 3-hour festival at the West Loop Campus Auditorium showcasing their talents through music, dance, poetry and food.

Houston Community College graduate and local chef Hugo Ortega has won the prestgious James Beard Award.

On May 1, Dr. Cesar Maldonado, HCC Chancellor and HD Chambers, Alief Independent School District Superintendent, signed an agreement in the auditorium that provides eligible graduating high school seniors automatic admission to HCC.

The sound of traditional mariachi music filled the hallways of the Houston Community College (HCC) West Loop Campus to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

The TEA recently granted 16 Houston Independent School District (HISD) Title 1 schools high-performance and/or high-progress status for the 2015-2016 school year. Challenge ECHS is unique in that it is one of 10 schools to make both lists.

Houston Community College held the 2017 VAST Academy Graduation on Saturday, May 6, at the West Loop Campus.

Nearly 100 HCC faculty, staff, students and their families recently gathered at the HCC West Loop Campus Auditorium to celebrate outstanding student achievements in academia and leadership during the 2016-2017 school year.

For second consecutive year, Houston Community College asked students to share their ideas for designing the cover pages of the annual Commencement programs.

Around 200 students received certificates in front of family and friends at the HCC Central Campus.

Hundreds of members of the HCC family took a break from emails and meetings to participate in “FORWARD Fun Day.”

More than 2,200 HCC students walked across the stage of NRG Stadium to receive their associate degrees in science, arts, teaching, applied science and other academic fields during Saturday’s 2017 Commencement Ceremony.

A cyberattack that has infected computers in 150 countries continues to spread as experts try to determine who is responsible for the attack and how to stop it. The cyberattack started three days ago and has hit hundreds of thousands of computers in hospitals, government agencies, factories and other businesses.

The 18th cohort of small business owners recently completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Houston Community College in a ceremony at the HCC Alief – Hays Campus on Friday, May 5.

Houston Community College (HCC) and the Spring Branch nonprofit organization Newspring held their annual Business Plan Competition Awards Ceremony on May 2 at the Trini Mendenhall Community Center. With 135 local business owners, community leaders, judges, advisors, trainers and volunteers in attendance, the event was a culmination of three months of challenging business training for the participants.

The five-part educational video series serves to close the knowledge gap about the many pathways to funding and repaying college loan debt as well as financial literacy.

HCC Southwest recently created a fun-filled day to encourage students, faculty and staff to take a break from the stress of classes, studying and working.

HCC is launching the iOS Coding and Design School (iCDS) to give students cutting-edge skills and training on developing iOS apps and coding in the iOS platform.

Five HCC Fashion Design students have added to their list of accolades the distinction of being the winners of Fashion Fusion 2017.

For students of the Interior Commercial Design Program at HCC their final class assignment consisted of a presentation in front of representatives from one of the world’s most prestigious cancer treatment and research centers.

Thousands of comic and gaming fans packed the George R. Brown Convention Center recently to take part in Comicpalooza 2017, the largest pop culture festival in Texas. HCC dazzled the crowd with 3D printers, a Van Der Graaf generator and augmented reality.

More than 5,500 Fort Bend high school seniors recently packed the Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land for the second annual Fort Bend Decision Day. The seniors pledged to continue their education upon high school graduation. Over 500 of them from all 11 high schools in the Fort Bend Independent School District committed to attend HCC in the fall.

In an effort to help graduating students and alumni of HCC become job-ready, HCC invited panelists to share best practices for landing a job in their field. Experts from the media, not-for-profit organizations, technology and manufacturing industries took the time to discuss preparations for job searching and interviewing.

As part of the open house, HCC Southwest Student Services will set up special admissions, advising, and financial aid areas to make it as easy as possible for students and the community to register for classes.

As immediate past Board Chair, I want to thank my colleagues, the HCC administration, staff and faculty, as well as my constituents for your support. It has been an honor to serve you and lead the HCC Board of Trustees.

As the new Chair of the HCC Board of Trustees, it is my honor and privilege to serve our community. I am committed to generating student success by supporting our faculty, staff and students and bringing in additional partnerships with regional businesses to create the ultimate student experience.

As your trustee, it’s my honor and privilege to ensure HCC is a good steward of the resources we entrust to it. I serve because I believe HCC is one of the most valuable educational and workforce development resources in the Greater Houston region.

As your trustee, it is an honor and privilege to serve as your representative on the leadership board of HCC. I serve because I know HCC is one of the most valuable educational and workforce development resources in the Greater Houston region and is vital to the economic and academic well being of our community.

HCC and its financial coaches were recently recognized with the Houston Money Week Rising Star Award.

Reports show a significant shortage of female police officers around the country, with women comprising only 12 percent of those entering law enforcement. HCC's police academy classes, diverse groups of females hope to increase those numbers.

As your trustee, it is my honor and privilege to ensure HCC, is a good steward of the resources we entrust to it. I serve because I believe HCC is one of the most valuable educational and workforce development resources in the Greater Houston region.

As your trustee, it is my honor and privilege to work to ensure HCC is a good steward of the resources you entrust to them. I serve because I believe HCC is a valuable educational and workforce development resource for the Greater Houston region.

The HCC Missouri City Center for Entrepreneurship, Technology and Health at the Missouri City Campus will offer: Academic Classes, Computer Programming and Coding, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Medical Assistant, Small Business Administration and Registration and Advising Assistance.

HCC is one of 11 schools in the country chosen to participate in the 2017-2018 OpenStax Institutional Partnership Program. OpenStax, Rice University’s nonprofit textbook and technology initiative, supports the use of free, peer-reviewed textbooks on campus.

Data, which is essential to strategic planning and improving student outcomes, can be daunting when it involves more than 114,000 students covering a service area of 630 square miles. Successfully wrangling all that information into a multi-functional, user-friendly dashboard earned HCC the 2017 Best of Texas award for Best Data Analytics/Business Intelligence Project.

The National Association of Schools of Art and Design awarded HCC institutional accreditation May 23. HCC is one of only 28 community colleges in the United States and one of only three community colleges within Texas accredited by NASAD.

A select group of middle and high school students from Houston, Stafford and Fort Bend school districts are among the first to benefit from the new HCC-Apple collaboration that features the Swift Curriculum.

There’s an age-old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” A long-time Houston Community College (HCC) employee learned this from years of managing her skin condition called Vitiligo.

HCC and two community-based organizations in the Greater Houston area are joining forces to help shape the future of the logistics industry.

The fun-filled Gulfton Festival brought hundreds of community members to Burnett Bayland Park to celebrate the event's 25th anniversary and to enjoy the "Strengthening Our Community, One Block at a Time" parade.

A new chapter in the professional journey of Janet May began July 1. The Chief Human Resources Officer at HCC has started a three-year term on the board of directors of the College and University Professional Association of Human Resources.

Funding, innovation and the value of higher education in Fort Bend County were the main topics discussed at the Fort Bend County Chamber of Commerce 2017 State of Higher Education.

The HCC West Loop Campus Art Gallery is once again participating in PrintHouston 2017, a citywide celebration of printmaking.

HCC held a fun-filled day with music, food, and giveaways designed to build community ties and educate residents about the HCC offerings in their community.

Lifetime earning potential, improvement to quality of life and long-term community economic impact. These are just a few of the reasons HCC is committed to helping area students graduate high school and earn advanced degrees and certifications.

For many students, the best time to attend college is while they are still in high school. With that as a directive, HCC, in collaboration with Alief ISD and Houston ISD, provides services to seven ECHS campuses.

The Houston Community College chapter of Psi Beta — The National Honor Society in Psychology for Community and Junior College — was awarded the 2016-17 Chapter Excellence Award for its outstanding commitment to excellence in scholarship, leadership, and community service.

The new campus will include workforce, academic and continuing education programs, a combination of classrooms, student lounge, academic/computer labs, electronic resource library, multi-media space, administration and support spaces and a multi-media space.

During the HCC Summer STEM Camp, speaker Priscilla Rodriguez, a full-stack software engineer, offered words of encouragement through sharing her own stories of challenges and triumphs.

Members of Houston’s construction industry gathered to celebrate minority-owned construction firms and the organizations that support them at the Houston Minority Business Development Agency Business Center’s Third Annual Salute to Minorities in Construction luncheon.

For the second consecutive year, the HCC Procurement Department has been honored with a prestigious award from the National Procurement Institute, Inc. The NPI has named HCC a recipient of the 2017 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award.

Liz Lara-Carreño’s greatest satisfaction after participating in Tu voz es Poder: A Latino Town Hall, was the opportunity to provide critical information and resources to entrepreneurs. The event was a perfect forum for Lara-Carreño, Director of Outreach for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program at HCC.

This citywide celebration of printmaking features artists from all over the Gulf Coast area. Southwest College is showcasing Impressions 2017 at the West Loop Campus Art Gallery.

The ESL/Intensive English program at Houston Community College is steadily becoming the center of attention for international students seeking to study in the U.S.

HCC alumna Thao Nguyen has a passion for accounting, volunteering and community. She found a way to integrate all three while she studied accounting at HCC Southwest College and it has led to her success.

Just a year ago, HCC student Lashawndra Henson felt like her life was spiraling out of control. A year later, things are looking up for the Surgical Technology program student.

HCC has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the third consecutive year.

Whether it’s to lend a cup of sugar or a tool, watch our kids, or to jump start our vehicle, good neighbors can rescue us in times of need. They can make a difference in our lives and positively impact what we do. Just ask the Alief Early College High School STEM Robotics Team and HCC.

Veterans Affairs and Health Sciences receives $446,000 Texas Workforce Commission, College Credit for Heroes (CCFH), Phase VI grant.

The new campus, located across from the Missouri City City Hall at 1600 Texas Parkway, will bridge a gap to affordable higher education in the region.

By partnering with HCC, more than a thousand members of the Honduran community were able to meet various local Honduran businesses and organizations located close to home. As an added incentive, attendees had the chance to win money for college.

HCC and Audi of America are buckling up together for a new partnership program designed to put students on the road to careers in auto maintenance and technology.

Nearly 3,000 families lined up August 5 outside the BakerRipley facility for the southwest Houston event, which has now served the surrounding community for 10 years. It provides families with school uniforms, school materials and information about healthcare, city support and higher education.

At its August 17 meeting, the HCC Board of Trustees elected Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz as the new vice chair of the board for the remainder of 2017.

With Houston still recovering from the aftermath of Harvey, Houston Community College (HCC) will delay the start of the Fall semester until Monday, Sept. 11. In-person registration will be Wednesday, Sept. 6, to Saturday, Sept. 9. Stay tuned for updates by visiting www.hccs.edu/harvey

For HCC students, classes at all HCC campuses will resume on Sept. 11. In-person registration will be available Wednesday, Sept. 6 - Saturday, Sept. 9. Online registration continues.

It takes dedication, commitment and loyalty to work and serve anywhere for 35 or 40 years. Employees of HCC who reached those incredible milestones, along with other long-time employees, were honored Aug. 22 for their meritorious service.

“I will do anything I can.” Those were Brigid Wilson’s words when on Friday, September 1, she received a call from a representative of the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center inquiring if it was possible for HCC to lend a hand and host a blood drive.

September 7 was a date Sherman Harness and his wife, Wintana, were eagerly awaiting. Their first baby would be arriving on that day and the couple had made preparations to accommodate their work and other commitments for the eventful occasion.

The 19th cohort of small business owners recently completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Houston Community College (HCC). The celebration ceremony took place Friday, Aug. 18 at the HCC Alief–Hayes Campus.

Beginning September 27, 2017, HCC will begin using the Apply Texas Application that is used by all Texas public colleges.

Saul Marroquin, whose day job is a senior information technology project analyst for HCC, was honored to be called to active duty as a project engineer by the Texas Air National Guard.

Exceptional experience, passion for helping students and a profound understanding of the mission of the Houston Community College (HCC) Foundation are just three of the assets that determined the appointment of Karen Schmidt as the foundation’s new executive director.

HCC graduate Elias Karim Farhat did not list Yale University as his top choice for college – he dreamed of going to Columbia University.

The​ ​Great ​American​ Solar ​Eclipse​ ​became​ ​an​ ​unforgettable​ ​experience​ ​for​ HCC ​Southwest College​ staff member ​Yessenia​ ​Godinez Gonzales​ ​in​ ​more​ ​ways​ ​than​ ​one.

HCC students who train in the Automotive Center of Excellence now have the opportunity to apply for a new scholarship, thanks to Vintage Thunderbirds of Houston.

The HCC Office of Entrepreneurial Initiatives and Innovation Student Club recently hosted a Creating an Effective LinkedIn Profile workshop led by Karthik Rajas, Houston’s top LinkedIn blogger.

Financial Coaches lead the charge for disaster relief with “Swoop to the Rescue” emergency funds for students.

Exec. Director of Adult Education, Christina Robinson, shares Adult Education access at HCC

Immediately after Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area, HCC jumped into action to provide support for its faculty, staff and students.

The Greater Houston Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has selected Linda Toyota to serve on the Houston First Governance, Audit and Finance Committee. A member of the GHCVB Board of Directors, Toyota is the associate vice chancellor for communications at HCC.

The HCC Board of Trustees has elected Trustee Dr. John Hansen as board secretary for the remainder of 2017.

Nearly 600 students will put learning into overdrive as they engage the left side of their brains to participate at Comcast Techpak, Saturday, October 7.

‌Beakers, test tubes, and lab coats. Zeeshan Ali, a HCC Honors College student at the Stafford campus, spent part of his summer surrounded by these items, thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The president of HCC's Central College has been appointed to a special commission by a national education organization.

The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has awarded a $500,000 grant to Houston Community College (HCC) for its Hurricane Harvey Disaster Recovery Plan. The grant will enable HCC to assist small minority-owned businesses pursue contracts specifically for the rebuilding of hurricane-ravaged areas.

Catherine “Kate“Dumond joins Houston Community College (HCC) Southwest College as the new Associate Dean of Student Success and Engagement.

In coordination with the national office of the Interior Design Educators Council, HCC Interior Design program leaders used social media and email to ask local and national industry partners and professionals for help. Within a matter of days, they started receiving donations.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Houston Community College (HCC) faculty and staff stepped up to the plate to help Southwest College students impacted by the storm. Many supplies have since been collected. The donations are now ready to be distributed at the front desk of both the HCC West Loop and Stafford campuses.

HCC staff members worked around the clock to maintain online operations during Hurricane Harvey. The success of the HCC Information Technology (IT) team allowed students to register online and keep all internal and external technology services running during the height of the storm.

Hurricane Harvey may have rained down destruction on the city of Houston, but it also inspired thousands of miracles of kindness in the most ordinary of places.

Rios, the president and CEO of Nation Waste, Inc., launched the first female Hispanic owned waste removal company in the United States.

Companies nationwide vie to earn a spot on the celebrated Inc. 5000 list. This year, 11 graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at HCC each earned a coveted spot on the list. They, along with the other business owners will be recognized at the Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala in Palm Desert, California.

Houston Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees members Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz and Trustee Robert Glaser were re-elected to their positions Tuesday.

HCC process technology students poised to enter the industry learned firsthand from experts about job opportunities and what it takes to work in the field. The HCC Global Energy Center of Excellence welcomed two guest speakers to the classroom who discussed industry operations, hiring standards and the importance of making safety a priority.

Drop off a new, unwrapped toy in the toy bins located near the front desks at the HCC Brays Oaks, Gulfton, Missouri City, Stafford, or West Loop campuses.

Do you have $20? If you do, Houston Community College can change your life by putting you on the road to a fulfilling career.

Houston Community College has been honored with a 2017 MATH Pathway Exemplar Award for Excellence by the Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Association of Community College’s Texas Success Center.

In the 2030s, NASA plans to send humans to the Red Planet; and this academic year, the University of Houston and Houston Community College begin working together on the Mars project that will help with getting ready for manned missions to Mars.

Gonzalez, currently the vice chancellor and chief of staff to HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, will assume her new position December 1.

Two information sessions are scheduled in November and December for Houston Community College students, faculty, staff and partners to learn about the project and its impact on area traffic during the multiyear roadwork.

Curiosity, imagination and a desire to make the world a better place through innovation were three of the common denominators shared by thousands of high school and college students who attended the Houston Maker Faire. The event took place Oct. 21 – 22 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. It brought together what many consider, the next generation of entrepreneurs.

High school students signed a commitment letter establishing their participation in an electrician apprenticeship program made possible by Trio Electric, SBISD and Houston Community College.

At the annual convention of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations District 4, Houston Community College received 14 Medallion Awards for marketing products.

Pretta VanDible Stallworth, a business consultant and former college professor, wins a run-off election to fill the District IX seat.

Houston Community College was one of 143 colleges and organizations chosen to receive a five-year grant under the TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers program.

Behind the Curtains is an HCCTV documentary which takes a look behind the scenes of the various facets of theatre production.