HCC Chancellor announces new bachelor's degrees in AI, Healthcare Management during annual State of the College address

Apr 13, 2023


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.

His remarks were made at HCC’s annual State of the College address, held at the college’s West Houston Institute. Maldonado cited HCC’s Chancellor’s Champions Business Council of 30 key industry leaders, a recent national Bellwether Award for entrepreneurial and small business development, and partnerships with NASA, AWS, Intel, Dwyer Workforce Development and others, as recent initiatives that bring great benefit to students, communities and businesses.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of the exciting field of AI," the chancellor said in announcing the baccalaureate degrees. “Our associate degree AI and Robotics program is highly regarded across the country. So, it only made sense, as a recognized leader in this space, to offer a bachelor’s degree program in fall 2023.”

Likewise, Healthcare Management is already a career track experiencing high demand. The new program will be offered at HCC’s Coleman College for Health Sciences in the Texas Medical Center (TMC). HCC is the only community college with an instructional presence in the TMC.

The Bachelor of Applied Technology in AI and Robotics will address a growing and critical need for skilled workers in a rapidly evolving technical field. Over the last decade, AI has gained a substantial foothold in a variety of industries. The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (2021) recognizes it as “already ubiquitous in everyday life” and that “application of AI techniques to solve problems is ... turning once-fantastical ideas into realities across a range of disciplines.”

Graduates of the HCC program will enter a profession with 2,686 annual job openings in the region and a median annual salary of $101,000.

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Healthcare Management will prepare students for career advancement or entry-level healthcare managerial positions. The degree program enables working professionals to advance their careers by focusing on leadership skills, knowledge and credentials in  healthcare management.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cites Medical and Health Services Managers as a growing occupational field based on increased demand for healthcare services as the baby-boom population ages. As medical service needs increase, the need for managers “who organize and manage medical information and healthcare staff” will also expand.

The program's graduates will enter a profession with 1,067annual job openings in the Houston region and a median annual salary of $101,000.

The State of the College address was the last for Chancellor Maldonado, who is stepping down in August after nine years at the helm.

“During my nine-year tenure as HCC’s chancellor, we have made phenomenal progress in student success, fiscal stability and planning for the future,” he said. “We have embraced Houston’s future. It is now a part of HCC's DNA. We are rightly positioned to continue with the success of this great institution, and I am proud to report that the state of the college is strong.”

See photos from the event.


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