The Texas Commission on Fire Protection honored the ACC Fire Training Academy for its spring graduating class performing above the state average on the state certification test. Twenty-eight of 29 cadets in the spring academy session passed the commission test.

Metalsmithing Professor William Bastas was invited to speak to students and faculty in San Diego State University’s graduate metals program. He presented a slide lecture of his work, demonstrated hammer-making techniques, and guided participants through the process of forging two of their own hammers. For many of the participants, this was an introduction to the possibility of creating their own tools from carbon steels, and it was their first experience forging. Bastas is an approved demonstrator with the Artist-Blacksmith Association of North America, as well as a certified welding inspector and certified welding educator with the American Welding Society.

Human Services Professor Rick Thompson and psychology adjunct instructor Dan Grangaard spoke at the annual conference for the Austin chapter of Texas Association of Addiction Professionals (TAAP). Thompson’s workshop was titled “Adolescence: It’s Not Just a Stage.” Grangaard spoke on “The Ethics of Multiple Relationships: Dare They Be Questioned.” TAAP and the Health Professions Institute co-sponsored the conference.

Rio Grande Campus reference librarian Toma Iglehart presented at the national Innovative Users Group Conference in Boston April 3-5. Innovative is the library’s online catalog system of information. Her presentation, “Keeping Circulation Staff Across District up to Speed: Using Print, Electronic, and Human Resources,” was designed to showcase ACC’s innovative set of training and procedures manuals, quick reference chart, internal web pages, and workshops used by ACC Library Services. Cypress Creek Campus librarian Linda Clement also attended the conference to expand her knowledge and skills for creating web-based solutions to increase student access to online resources.

Biology adjunct instructors Rodney Rohde and Bonny Mayes have published the article Bat Rabies, Texas, 1996-2000, in the May issue of the journal “Emerging Infectious Diseases”. Rohde, professor at Texas State University-San Marcos, also has been appointed to the ACC Biotechnology Advisory Board, presented a paper on diagnostic virology at the Texas Association of Clinical Laboratory Science State Conference on April 1 in Houston, and received a Texas Department of Health contract to perform a MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) prevalence study in a Texas correctional facility this summer.

The Texas Veterinary Medical Association honored registered veterinary technician and ACC instructor Thomas Koenig as Veterinary Technician of the Year during the association’s winter conference Feb. 27-29 in College Station. Koenig teaches classes for the Continuing Education Division’s Veterinary Technician program.

The GET SMART teacher preparation program sent three faculty to conferences in March. Mathematics Assistant Professor Stephanie Lochbaum and math Associate Professor Allison Sutton attended the “Teaching Teachers with Technology” international conference in New Orleans, La., where they learned about integrating technology into mathematics and education courses. Biology Professor Alice Sessions spoke at the Teacher Preparation PI Conference in Arlington, Va., on “Customized Articulations” between ACC and area universities in teacher preparation. GET SMART is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

English and English-as-a-Second Language Professor Charles Wukasch presented the paper The Concept of the War Crime throughout History at the American Culture Association conference April 7 in San Antonio.

ACC’s Teacher Education Department, part of the Continuing Education Division, received a 2004 Marketing Award from the Texas Association of Continuing Education (TACE) for an American Sign Language flier. The flier placed second in the black/white flier category.

The Virtual College of Texas has awarded a $37,000 grant to ACC’s Computer Science Department and Texas State Technical College in Waco to develop an Oracle degree online.

The Texas Campus Compact awarded ACC a $400 minigrant for the 2004 “Raise Your Voice – Student Action for Change Campaign.” The funds supported initiatives that encouraged students to engage in civic discourse.

Marketing and College Relations assistant Lydia Rousey participated in the National Association of Latino Independent Producers national conference Feb. 26 in Santa Barbara, Calif. A former ACC student, Rousey also has been selected as a recipient of a Rockefeller Brothers Foundation graduate fellowship award.

Human Resources benefits supervisor Jim Burgess served as head appraiser and Capital Region representative at the Destination Imagination state tournament April 3 in Mesquite. The non-profit program brings together teams of students to compete in various problem-solving categories. Burgess has served as state board member, regional director, appraiser, and team coach and manager during his 16 years with Destination Imagination. He currently serves as a Capital Region board member.

Two ACCENT newspaper advisers and 10 ACC students recently attended the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Conference. Receiving awards in design, photography, writing, and illustration were

• Jorge Balarezo – second place, magazine design
• Anny Ibarra – second place, editorial cartoon
• Jessica Their – third place, news photo
• Carolina Rodriguez – second place, editorial cartoon
• Fred Daniel – second place, news story
• Tania Guinsberg – third place, news page design

ACC’s Alpha Gamma Pi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society received “Five Star Chapter” status at the Texas Regional Convention held March 11-14 in Houston. Twenty-two ACC students attended, and three won individual awards: Randy Cash, Friend of Texas Award; and LaVina Webb and Velvet Webb, TexasHall of Honor. Mary Kohls, an ACC professor of computer information systems who serves as chapter advisor, was presented an Advisor Horizon Award. In addition, students LaVina Webb and Judy Arriaga led a workshop on “Keeping the Chapter Active in the Summer.”

The Deaf Studies Association presented the original play and panel discussion “Can You Hear Me? A Workshop on Deafness” to a packed theater April 2 at the Rio Grande Campus. The play and panel discussion performed entirely in American Sign Language (ASL) was a huge success. Participants included

• Writers – Mandy Castillo, David Phillips, and Erika Domatti-Thomas
• Actors and panelists – Mandy Castillo, David Phillips, Michelle Denney, Pamela Howden, Randy Doane, C.C. Rowe, Letha Covey, Janice Levine, Barbara Ross, and Michelle Holt
• Interpreters – Barbara Beggs, Terra Edwards, and Mindi Gould
• Association advisors – Erika Domatti-Thomas, Sean Loraas, and Dr. Patti Singleton

ACC students Richard Baggett, Sarah Johnson, and Brynn Matwickzak placed second in the university/college division at the Destination Imagination state tournament April 3 in Mesquite. The team is raising funds to compete in the Destination Imagination’s global finals May 26-29 in Knoxville, Tenn. 

ACC faculty and students participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program over eight Saturdays at the Eastview Campus. They prepared 118 electronic tax returns and 37 paper returns for elderly, low-income, and disabled residents. Volunteers were Accounting Department Chair Sheila Ammons, accounting associate professor Brian Voss, math adjunct instructor Tom Bird, accounting student Erica Fryar, and former student Roger Mendoza.

Ammons and retired IRS employee Jackie Rollins also prepared tax returns during Financial Aid Fairs held at the Eastview and Riverside campuses.

Three Child Development faculty and staff members have been recognized for their contributions to the early childhood community.

• The South Austin Professional Home Child Care Association honored Amanda Hernandez, associate professor of child development and president of the Austin Association for the Education of Young Children (AAEYC), with the Karlene Bennett Award for advocating for quality care and supporting home child care providers.
• The AAEYC honored Sue Gartner, adjunct instructor and Quality Improvement Program coordinator, with the Mabel Pitts Award for outstanding contributions to children.
• Sheri Leonard, adjunct instructor and Teacher TRAC coordinator, received a Marion Monroe Scholarship Award toward her graduate work at Texas State University in San Marcos.

Human Services faculty and students participated in National Alcohol Screening Day on April 8 at the Rio Grande Campus. The campus served as one of three Travis County sites for free, confidential alcohol screenings. Approximately 100 people were screened for risk behaviors associated with alcohol use.

Information technology trainer Devorah Feldman and her dog Shenandoah placed second in the sixth annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk April 24. The three-mile trek through Sunset Valley raised funds for the Texas Hearing and Service Dogs, an organization that trains shelter dogs to become working partners for people with disabilities.

The Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation recently honored ACC Board of Trustees Chair Rafael Quintanilla as one of the area’s top leaders in education.

Cypress Creek Campus faculty, staff, and students have partnered with the Leander Independent School District to reinforce LISD’s “10 Ethical Principles,” a code of behavior taught throughout the district to encourage ethics and morality.