The National Council for Continuing Education & Training (NCCET) has awarded the Continuing Education Division with its 2008 National Exemplary Program Award for the Game Development Program. The award recognizes outstanding programs and promotes replicable best practices nationally in the area of workforce development. The success of this Continuing Education program over the past few years has led to the creation of Game Development Institute now housing three college-credit programs as well as an “incubator” for education and industry can work together to develop the gaming industry talent needed in Central Texas. Representatives from Continuing Education will accept the award at the NCCET annual conference this October in Cleveland, Ohio.

Geology Professor Robert Blodgett, Ph.D., is the newly elected councilor-at-large with the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT). Blodgett will serve a three-year term on the association’s 14-member executive committee. NAGT is a professional association of college and university geoscience professors, K-12 earth science teachers, and other geoscience educators.

Creative writing Adjunct Professor Joe O’Connell is one of six finalists for the Violet Crown Book Award in fiction for “Evacuation Plan.” The novel tells the story of a residential hospice and the people who live, work, and die there. The award is given by the Writers League of Texas, the largest regional writing group in Texas, and the second largest in the nation. The winner will be announced November 1 at the Texas Book Festival.

ACC has earned a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. The certificate was presented for ACC’s comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2007.