General Assembly Archive
General Assembly 2024: Loving Students to Success — Post-event Summary
Each fall, Austin Community College (ACC) employees from across the district gather at General Assembly (GA) to hear key college updates. The event connects daily work with the Theory of Change and ACC’s North Star goal. About 2,000 employees attended in person.
The 2024 theme was “Loving Students to Success” and took place Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, at the Travis County Exposition Center. An online virtual resource fair was also part of the event.
Event Photos
Enjoy the dozens of 2024 General Assembly photos!
Photo credit: Erika Rich
Pre-show
The show kicked off at 9 a.m. with an engaging pre-show. We received more than 135 slides representing departments, programs, and offices across ACC.
Opening Video
The opening video featured a mosaic of ACC staff and faculty centered on the theme “Loving Students to Success.”
Feature Video
The feature video continued the mosaic theme and highlighted how all of us help students meet their goals through the Theory of Change and ACC’s North Star target. It featured several students and showed how loving students to success provides the support they need to reach the finish line.
General Assembly Program Summary
ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart welcomed attendees, acknowledged the upcoming Veterans Day, and thanked veterans in the audience for their service. He recognized community partners, ACC Foundation Board members, and ACC Board of Trustees members in attendance. Returning to the mosaic theme, he shared: “This next year is about moving beyond the centering of ourselves to centering our students. This is the time for us to come together in advocacy of our students, to glue ourselves together to ensure that this mosaic is strong and beautiful and representative, and is permanent.”
Dr. Lowery-Hart introduced Dr. Barbara Mink, chair of the ACC Board of Trustees, who recognized new staff and faculty. Alongside Dr. Mink, Dr. Lowery-Hart continued with recognition of employees and faculty graduates from various programs and congratulated Riverbat Employee of the Year Edward “Teddy” Chapman, technician, Health Sciences (computer lab support).
Keynote speakers followed. Author and activist Stephanie Land shared her story and how love and support can shape student success, even against long odds. Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab, a leading scholar-activist, spoke about the importance of compassion and understanding in higher education.
The final segment, presented by Dr. Lowery-Hart, focused on data related to ACC’s Theory of Change goals.
After the program, employees connected to discuss how to bring insights back to their work. Many reflected on the keynote messages and shared how they would apply “Loving Students to Success” in daily roles. Others explored the virtual resource fair to find tools and services that support students. It was an inspiring close, with renewed purpose and fresh ideas for the year ahead.
The Chancellor’s presentation materials are available below:
Watch the General Assembly Program
This video includes the morning program starting at 10:30 a.m., featuring the Chancellor’s address, both keynote speakers, and all videos shared on this page.
Closing Credits Video
Watch the closing credits from General Assembly 2024. Thank you to everyone who made GA a wonderful experience.
What attendees enjoyed most about General Assembly 2024
- “Getting to see fellow employees and receiving motivation from the speakers. I enjoy getting a positive charge and boost of inspiration!”
- “The theme that it takes all the pieces of a mosaic together to generate success for our students as well as our faculty and staff!”
- “I actually enjoyed seeing coworkers and people across the district dressed up in their rodeo fancies.”
- “To gather with the entire college community and feel like you matter to the success of our students and college.”
- “Gathering with colleagues outside of the workplace builds a sense of camaraderie by sharing a new experience together.”
- “The feature video was AWESOME!!! Big props to the IMP team for producing it. That was by far the highlight of GA!”
- “Everything was great. Looking forward to future ones. TLED did an excellent job, as always.”
- “Connecting with my colleagues before and especially after. I carpooled with someone in my division and it was helpful to explore themes during our drive back.”
- “Being able to hear that students feel that they belong and know that they have a chance of being successful and that we have the resources to help them complete their studies.”
- “We’re doing remarkable things and we can keep doing those things. I really really really really really really really needed that. Thank you.”
- “For the first time in the six years that I have been with the College, I was able to attend because Russell prioritized it for everyone. THANK YOU!”
- “The student video showing a hopeful vision of ACC’s future, crafted by what seemed like loving students and staff alike.”
- “The opportunity to be in community with all the other faculty/staff. It was a great boost of energy as we get ready to close out this semester.”
- “Being able to attend my first ever General Assembly! Prior to this event, my team was not able to attend as our center remained open and we needed to stay on campus and work. (We could catch parts of it online, but with many interruptions.) The opening video was very moving and made me proud to be a part of ACC!”
- “Seeing all my colleagues and seeing our accomplishments as a whole. Realizing how important my role is within the college.”
- “Running into old friends and colleagues and making a new friend by using the carpool.”
Special thanks
Heartfelt thanks for your work and dedication to making General Assembly a success.
Keynote Presenters
Stephanie Land
Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab
General Assembly Planning Team
Dr. Susan Warner-Sanchez, Associate Vice Chancellor (AVC), Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Miguel DeLeon, Executive Assistant to the AVC, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Matthew Evins, Director, Academic Technology & GA Project Manager
Bethany Swoveland, Director, Faculty Communications
Dr. Rachel Barrera, Instructional Designer, Faculty Communications
Sara Schulz, Manager, Academic Technology Projects
Balan Villanueva, Manager, Event Multimedia Services
Corey Kline, Video Producer, Instructional Media Productions
ACC Administration
Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, Chancellor
Dr. Monique Umphrey, Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs
Dr. Barbara P. Mink, Chair, ACC Board of Trustees
Sean Hassan, Vice Chair, ACC Board of Trustees
Pam Sutton, Special Assistant to the Chancellor
Grant Hennig, Special Assistant to the Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs
Esther Yun, Coordinator, Board Affairs
General Assembly Event Staff
ACC Police Department
Sarah Harris, Coordinator II, Academic Technology Projects
Mariusz (Marcus) Kajdas, Manager, Audio/Video Installations
Victor Ibarra, Multimedia Installations Technician
Osmundy Malangalila, Multimedia Installations Technician
Cathy O’Quinn, Multimedia Installations Technician
Donna Hull, Assistant II, Educational Technology Support
Mary Lou Gil, Assistant II, Educational Technology Support
Gabryella Desporte, Educational Technologist
Mario Menendez, Educational Technologist
Jay Brooks, Technology Specialist
Dan Goldberg, Technology Specialist
Hugh Handcox, Technology Specialist
Tia Manning, Technology Specialist
Stephen Orsak, Technology Specialist
Daine Vineyard, Technology Specialist
Tiffany Wines, Technology Specialist
Savannah Azize, Instructional Communications Specialist
Eric McCoy, Instructional Communications Specialist
Amanda Trimble, Front-end/Web UI Developer/Graphic Designer
Brooke Angelo, Graphic Design Intern
A’leya Campbell, Social Media Intern
Gwen Holford, Manager, Instructional Web Projects
Michelle Atkinson, Front-end/Web UI Developer
Robert Foster, Front-end Developer
Victor Sibaja-Molina, Manager, Instructional Media Productions
Melissa Griffith, Video Producer
Rich Brown, Motion Graphics Designer
Anthony Ortiz, Motion Graphics Specialist
Araceli Rangel, Video Production Assistant
Vinnie Livingston, Librarian, Library Services, EVC
Vanessa Wilson, Librarian, Library Services, HYS
Santiago Facundo III, Assistant II, Student Technology Services
Aubre Gilliard Jr., Assistant II, Student Technology Services
Rafael Paz, Assistant II, Student Technology Services
Rhainey Sanders, Assistant II, Student Technology Services
Izela Thomas, Assistant II, Student Technology Services
Aziz Hussaini, Interim VC, Facilities & Construction
Dr. Beth Knight, AVC, Academic Programs
Dr. Nina Almasy, AVC, Health Sciences
Mison Zuniga, AVC, College and High School Relations
Dr. Erasmus Addae, AVC, Distance Education
Jason Marshall, Chief Information Officer, Information Technology
Steve Christopher, AVC, Student Accessibility & Social Support Resources
Ana Rummer, AVC, Student Affairs Operations
Dr. Willie Martinez, AVC, Student Engagement & Academic Success
Dr. Ruth Reinhart, AVC, Student Support Services
Dr. Brandon Whatley, AVC, Workforce Programs
David Borden, Managing Director, Instructional Operations and Initiatives
Dewi Antony, Director, Analytical Data Warehouse, OIRA
Elma Benavides, Managing Director, Human Resources
Office of College Relations & Marketing
Brette Lea, Vice Chancellor, College Relations & Marketing
Jessica Vess, Associate Vice Chancellor, College Relations & Communications
Alex Bryant, Director, College Marketing
Kim Vo Langridge, Manager, Multimedia Creative
Dahlia Anzaldua-Torres, Marketing Event Coordinator
R.B. Bbhoggawact, ACC Mascot
Carrye Glazar, Director & Executive Producer, ACCTV
Stephanie Ortiz, Production Supervisor, ACCTV
John Breed, Studio Coordinator, ACCTV
Video Actors
Ollin Enzo Collet, ACC Student
Jocelyn Leyva Coronado, ACC Student
Willow Dupont, ACC Student
Diana Gorostieta Martinez, Coordinator, ASCENDER
Araceli Rangel, Video Production Assistant
Victoria Smith, ACC Student
Jarrett Werlilnger, ACC Student
Video Testimonials
Lou DiSimone, ACC Student
Rollie Dorsett, Professor, Sociology
Adrian Graham, Faculty, Library Services
Anna Jimenez, Assistant, Student Affairs
Micah Kerston, ACC Student
Baylee Ann Laughlin, Riverbat Ambassador
William Moore, ACC Student
Christma Padilla, Assistant, Library Services
Andre Serrano, Assistant II, Educational Technology Support
Andrew Silver, Faculty, Mental Health Counselor
Willie Valion, ACC Student
Additional Imagery Provided By
Catalin Abagiu, Marketing Photographer, Communications & Marketing
Morty Ortega, Video Producer, Student Affairs
Experimental Sounding Rocket Association
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space at Austin Community College
General Assembly 2023: Forging the Future — Post-event Summary
Each fall, ACC employees gather at General Assembly (GA) for key updates that connect daily work to the college’s strategic plan. The 2023 theme was “Forging the Future” and took place Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.
This General Assembly was especially meaningful as it was Chancellor Dr. Richard Rhodes’ final GA and Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart’s first as incoming ACC chancellor.
Overview
General Assembly 2023 offered both online and in-person options. More than 500 employees engaged online with the morning program and more than 500 joined in person. Nearly 300 attended virtual afternoon breakout sessions. The in-person program took place at the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center.
An event app let attendees view the program, locations, speaker information, check in, and stream the event. The show kicked off at 8 a.m. with a pre-show video featuring informational slides from departments across ACC and an ACC quiz. Seventy-three employees participated in the quiz and were entered to win raffle prizes.
Opening Video
The opening video highlighted moments from ACC’s 50-year history.
Feature Video
The feature video explored ACC’s history as a force for excellence in the community and its role in forging the future.
Morning Program
ACC Chancellor Dr. Richard Rhodes delivered the State of the College Address at 9 a.m. Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Barbara Mink then shared remarks. Recognition of employees and faculty graduates from various programs followed. Chancellor Rhodes congratulated Riverbat Employee of the Year Paul Talamantez from Student Affairs.
Students Jeremiah, Ana, Danielle, Rafael, Monica, and Quan joined the chancellor on stage to discuss their ACC journeys. Provost Dr. Monique Umphrey presented a pre-recorded Instructional and Student Affairs update. Keynote speaker Nick Shackleton-Jones, author of How People Learn and CEO of Shackleton Consulting, delivered a keynote on the future of learning.
Dr. Susan Warner-Sanchez, associate vice chancellor for the Teaching & Learning Excellence Division, closed the morning program with concluding remarks.
Watch the Morning Program
This video includes the morning program starting at 9 a.m., featuring the Chancellor’s address, the keynote, the student panel, and all videos shared on this page.
Closing Credits Video
Watch the closing credits from General Assembly 2023. Thank you to everyone who made GA a wonderful experience.
Afternoon Sessions
Several in-person afternoon sessions were conducted on topics including human-centered learning design, ACC’s new strategic plan, cultural mosaics and culturally responsive teaching, student-centric strategies, labor market influence on education, micro-credentials and badging, the Guided Pathways movement, mental health in the workplace, and House Bill 8 and its implications for ACC.
Virtual afternoon sessions were also conducted on the implications of Senate Bill 17, HyFlex implementation updates, Student Affairs’ wraparound services, and the intersection of high-impact practices and academic technology.
Note: Only recordings for the virtual sessions are available.
- Navigating Change: Understanding the Implications of Texas’ SB 17 — Recording link
- Student Success Through Flexibility: HyFlex Implementation Updates — Recording link
- Wraparound Services: Holistic Support for ACC Students — Recording link
- High-Impact Practices Through the Lens of Academic Technology — Recording link
What attendees enjoyed most about General Assembly 2023
- “So much! Both the afternoon sessions were terrific and I really enjoyed hearing from key leaders. The keynote speaker was really engaging. The student panel was amazing!”
- “The opportunity to experience the energy of the college on the whole, not just my department.”
- “The student panel. MY GOSH they were inspiring. They brought tears to my eyes. THIS is what I want to hear… young people whose lives are changed by their experience with the PEOPLE of ACC and clearly, there is no other resource like ACC to help get students’ lives and educations and credentials on track in these ways.”
- “Celebrating those individuals that have made such an impact at ACC for our students, it is truly inspiring. It’s also good to find out some of the services provided at the vendor fair. Oh, and the flu shot and COVID vaccine station was such a huge perk!!!”
- “I enjoyed the video with the history, and every speaker had a nice message. It was inspiring to see where we’ve come from with hopes of where we are headed. It was also nice to hear from the new chancellor.”
- “It was beautiful to see the change in leadership handled with honor on both sides.”
- “The speakers, the students, my colleagues being recognized. Even though I wasn’t able to go in person I still thoroughly enjoyed watching the event virtually.”
- “The emphasis on care and collaboration at the highest levels of the college.”
- “Seeing colleagues who are from other campuses. The food and beverages are excellent. ACC is showing how valuable staff are for the success of the college. Thank you, everyone!”
- “The opportunity to connect with people and departments that I don’t see in my day-to-day work.”
- “Hearing directly from the students about their experience. This always gives me goosebumps and motivates me to do more for our campus community.”
- “It was an amazing program all around! Excellent job in planning and developing an event that made me proud to be a Riverbat.”
- “This one was the best one ever. Each year TLED makes it better than the last one. Not sure how you do it but hooray! We get to have an awesome experience both in-person and online.”
Special thanks
Thank you to the many staff, faculty, and students who made the event possible and a resounding success. After months of planning and hundreds of interactions and meetings, we exemplified the 3 Cs—collaboration, connection, and caring.
Keynote Presenter
Nick Shackleton-Jones
ACC Administration
Dr. Richard Rhodes, Chancellor
Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, Incoming Chancellor
Dr. Monique Umphrey, Provost
Dr. Barbara Mink, Chair, ACC Board of Trustees
Pam Sutton, Special Assistant to the Chancellor
Grant Hennig, Executive Assistant to the Provost
Esther Yun, Coordinator, Board Affairs
General Assembly Event Staff
ACC Police Department
Corey Kline, Video Producer
Melissa Griffith, Video Producer
Rich Brown, Motion Graphics Designer
Anthony Ortiz, Motion Graphics Specialist
Michelle Atkinson, UI/UX Designer I
Dan Goldberg, Technology Specialist
Daine Vineyard, Technology Specialist
Hugh Handcox, Technology Specialist
Emily Priest, Technology Specialist
Mariusz (Marcus) Kajdas, Manager, Instructional AV Installations
Cathy O’Quinn, Multimedia Installations Technician
Victor Ibarra, Multimedia Installations Technician
Osmundy Malangalila, Multimedia Installations Technician
Amanda Trimble, UI/UX Designer/Graphic Designer
Eric McCoy, Instructional Communications Specialist
A’leya Campbell, Social Media Intern
Joey Machado, Educational Technologist
Regina Schneider, Administrative Assistant III
Terry Barksdale, Professor, Librarian
Richard Palmer, Instructional Designer
Isela Thomas, Assistant II
Mario Menendez, Educational Technologist
Laura Tabor, Educational Technologist
Eric Knox, Educational Technologist
Cori Coburn, Manager, Educational Technology Support
Michael Stewart, Educational Technologist
Kyle Etzel, Educational Technologist
Additional Media Contributions
Catalin Abagiu, Marketing Photographer
Corey Gray, Videographer/Motion Graphics Designer, Communications & Marketing
Austen Shankle, Videographer/Producer, ACCTV
Morty Ortega, Video Producer, Student Affairs
Robert Stewart III, Institutional Archive Specialist, Records & Information Management
Office of Communications & Marketing
Brette Lea, Vice Chancellor, Communications & Marketing
Jessica Vess, Associate Vice Chancellor, College Relations & Communications
Dahlia Anzaldua-Torres, Marketing Event Coordinator
Allen Linares, Mascot Events Assistant
Carrye Glazar, Executive Producer, ACCTV
Stephanie Ortiz, Production Supervisor, ACCTV
John Breed, Studio Coordinator, ACCTV
General Assembly Session Presenters
Ana Rummer, Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs Operations
Dorado Kinney, Enrollment Management
Daniel O’Hanlon, Analyst, Institutional Research
Michelle Rodriguez, Account Manager, Education Success
Dr. Ron Johns, Associate Dean, Assessment & Evaluation
Dr. Misty Rasmussen, Associate Dean, Planning and Accreditation
Dr. Kahyree Williams, Director, Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Center
Dr. Roland Hayes, Director, African American Cultural Center
Dr. Gary Moreno, Director, El Centro / Hispanic American Cultural Center
Lam “Lynn” Lau, Director, Asian American Pacific Islander Cultural Center
Dr. Eric Nathan, Dean, Faculty Development & Evaluation
Chelsea Biggerstaff, Interim Manager, Faculty Development
Larry Davis, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Kisha Barrett, Associate Professor, Biology
Nicole Bell, Interim Manager, HR Staff Development & Evaluation
Stephanie Long, Associate Director, Faculty Center for Learning Innovation
Manal Mahmoud, Coordinator, Micro-credentials & Badging
Mauri Winters, Benefits Coordinator
Kathy James, Executive Dean, Academic Advising & Affinity Programs
Dr. Jenna Cullinane Hege, Vice Chancellor, Institutional Research and Analytics
Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott, Vice Chancellor, Instruction
Steve Christopher, Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Access/Social Support Resources
Rosalind Blackstar, Executive Dean, Access & Disability Support
Angelica Cancino de Sandoval, Director, Student Advocacy Center & Student Care Center
Julie Cuellar Reck, Interim Executive Dean & CARES team member, Mental Health Counseling
Amber Kelley, Executive Dean, Student Experience & Outcomes
A. Pamela Saez, Director, Student Impact & Outcomes
Stephanie Bogdanich, Instructional Designer, Academic Technology Projects
Kyle Etzel, Educational Technologist, Educational Technology Services
General Assembly Planning Team
Dr. Susan Warner-Sanchez, Associate Vice Chancellor, Instructional Services
Miguel DeLeon, Executive Assistant to the AVC, Instructional Services
Matthew Evins, Director, Academic Technology and GA Project Manager
Dr. Rachel Barrera, Interim Director, Faculty Communications
Victor Sibaja-Molina, Manager, Instructional Media Productions
Sara Schulz, Manager, Academic Technology Projects
Balan Villanueva, Manager, Event Multimedia Services