HOUSTON, TX – Houston Community College and the Houston Independent School District will dedicate HCC’s Felix Fraga Academic Campus and HISD’s Lionel Castillo Academic Center Tuesday, December 1, at 10:00 a.m. The campus is located at 301 Drennan St., next to HCC Southeast College.
The HCC and HISD have teamed up for an innovative approach to early college, high school and dual credit pursuits for high school students in the Second Ward.
The Felix Fraga Campus will be an integrated and comprehensive campus home to a 45,000-square-foot HCC Academic Center and HISD's 20,000-square-foot Leonel Castillo Academic Center that will house the East Early College High School.
HISD students who are enrolled in the East Early College High School will have the opportunity to graduate with both their high school diplomas and associate's degrees' from HCC. The collegecourses are free to the students. The environment motivates students, promoting a college-bound culture and student success.
The new campus was named for Felix Fraga by the HCC Board of Trustees in honor of his dedication to the educational, social and economic success of the young people of Houston’s southeast community and who has devoted his life to improving their neighborhood.
Fraga served as an HISD trustee and as a member of the Houston City Council. Today he is the Vice President of External Affairs for the Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
HISD chose to name their new facility for Leonel Castillo, a man who has served the Houston community for many years.
Castillo became the first Mexican-American to be elected to a citywide office in Houston when he was voted the city’s controller in 1970. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Castillo as commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Department of Justice, making him the first Hispanic to direct that office.
HCC Board of Trustees Chairman Abel Davila and HISD Trustee Diana Davila have worked tirelessly as liaisons between HISD and HCC to coordinate the educational partnership between the twoinstitutions.
The Felix Fraga Campus and HISD’s Leonel Castillo Academic Center represent opportunity for the community and its children.
Monday, November 30, 2009
PRESS RELEASE: HCC, HISD Dedicate Felix Fraga Academic Campusand Lionel Castillo Academic Center
PRESS RELEASE: Dr. Diana Pino Named Vice Chancellor Student Services for HCC
HOUSTON, TX – The Houston Community College Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Dr. Diana Pino as Vice Chancellor of Student Services at its November board meeting. Dr. Pino served as the founding Dean of Student Services for Lone Star College – CyFair.
Dr. Pino’s extensive experience as Director of Advising services for Northwest Vista College, one of the colleges within the Alamo Community College District in San Antonio, Texas and as a recruiter and advisor at Our Lady of the Lake University, played a vital part in her selection.
Pino’s experience includes strategic planning in enrollment management and retention, facilities planning and design, fundraising, budget management, and program development and assessment.
A milestone in Pino’s career was the development of a student services division within a new institution, which served as a model for community colleges nationwide. Pino has also served on the steering committee of an Achieving the Dream college and initiated a case management model of advising as part of Achieving the Dream. She has been highly involved in her community, including service as a trustee with the CyFair Educational Foundation and a member of the CyFair Chamber Education Committee.
Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Dr. Pino holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, followed by a Master of Science in counseling psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, and a doctorate in educational administration, from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Pino brings to HCC expertise and specialization in diversity issues, having completed her dissertation on first generation Mexican American students in higher education. Dr. Pino is also a licensed professional counselor (LPC).
"It is an honor to be selected to serve as the new Vice Chancellor of Student Services,” said Dr. Pino. "As a Hispanic and a woman, I understand the obstacles some students must overcome to obtain a higher education. My passion is leading initiatives to enhance the educational opportunity and degree attainment of underrepresented populations.”
Dr. Mary S. Spangler, HCC Chancellor, said, “Dr. Pino understands our commitment to the community and the vital role HCC plays in the success of its students and the Greater Houston area.”
Dr. Pino will assume the role of Vice Chancellor of Student Services, effective December 1, 2009.
PRESS RELEASE: HCC Foundation Luncheon Celebrates Importance of Scholarship Support
HOUSTON, TX -- More than two hundred students and benefactors gathered to celebrate the importance of education at Houston Community College Foundation’s annual scholarshipluncheon this week.
The luncheon held at HCC West Loop Campus, offered students the opportunity to personally thank their scholarship benefactors for helping to make their dream of a college educationreality.
A highlight of the event was the announcement of a $250,000 grant from Bank of America’s Charitable Foundation that will establish a Safety Net Scholarship for HCC students. The scholarship targets unemployed and underemployed students, age 25 or older, who have returned to college to upgrade their job skills.
The scholarship will be used to pay for tuition, fees, books and course materials. It will give the HCC Foundation the flexibility to step in and provide assistance when a student faces an unexpected financial crisis that threatens to prevent him or her from taking classes.
“The down economy has required many people who have been in the workforce for awhile to return to college to improve their skills base,” said Kim Ruth, Bank of America Texas and Houston Market President. “Bank of America is committed to strengthening the communities in which we do business and we are pleased to support the Safety Net Scholarship to help these students complete the necessary coursework so they can achieve financial independence again.”
Luncheon keynote speaker Janet Gurwitch, former CEO and founder of Gurwitch Products, the company that markets Laura Mercier Cosmetics and Skincare, inspired students with her compelling story of success.
Gurwitch spoke about her life’s journey that began with an upbringing in the small town of Hattiesburg, Mississippi to becoming the successful CEO and founder of a global organization. She said having passion, persistence and determination are key in achieving one’s educational and career goals.
An HCC student and scholarship recipient, Mario Soto, spoke about utilizing the power of education to transform a person’s life. A former Texas prison inmate, Soto is now pursuing a better life for himself and his family thanks to a scholarship from the HCC Foundation.
“I could not believe that someone out there chose to invest in my future without even knowing who I am. This was a blessing for my family,” said Soto, who told the crowd he is a different man today. “My family remains the center of my life—and a college education is helping me keep it that way.”
Scholarship Program Helping Students Help Texas
The HCC Foundation has awarded almost 400 scholarships for the 2009-2010 school year to deserving students and more than $249,000 in scholarship funding.
PRESS RELEASE: An Educational Safety Net for Houstonians Returning to School
HOUSTON, TX – Returning to school is a frightening proposition during the best of times, but right now, in this economy, it can be prohibitive. Many Houstonians, discovering that their companies have downsized and their jobs are gone, realize they need to return to school to develop the skills that are in demand in the current job market. The problem is – they need the education to get a job,they need a job to pay for the education. And thanks to Bank of America, there is a solution to this economic conundrum for many Houston Community College (HCC) students.
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation donated a $250,000 grant to the Houston Community College Foundation to establish a Safety Net Scholarship for HCC students. The scholarship targets unemployedand underemployed students, age 25 or older, who have returned to college to upgrade their job skills.
The Bank of America Safety Net Scholarship may be used to pay for tuition, fees, books and course materials.
“We are committed to education and training to drive our region’s economy. This generous gift from Bank of America will enable us to provide increased access to educational opportunity for our adult studentsseeking to sharpen their skills or reenter the workforce,” said HCC Chancellor Dr. Mary S. Spangler. “We are grateful for Bank of America’s support to help us to meet the educational needs of our diverse andgrowing region.”
Bank of America Texas and Houston Market President Kim Ruth and Senior Vice President Rick Jaramillo will present the grant at the HCC Foundation’s annual scholarship luncheon, Tuesday, November 10.
Several hundred student scholarship recipients and their benefactors will gather for the luncheon at HCC West Loop Campus, 5601 West Loop South, to celebrate the importance of educational support.
“The down economy has required many people who have been in the workforce for awhile to return to college to improve their skills base,” said Ruth. "Bank of America is committed to strengthening the communities in which we do business and we are pleased to support the Safety Net Scholarship to help these students complete the necessary coursework so they can achieve financial independence again.”
Community colleges are the nation’s resource for people who have lost their jobs or wish to obtain more relevant employment. For example, Houston Community College offers more than 70 career-trainingprograms in marketable fields such as nursing, auto mechanics, culinary arts, petroleum engineering technology, and computer science.
The courses cost as much as 75 percent less than those at publicstate universities, and students often can attend classes at a campus close to home.
Scholarship Program Helping Students Help Texas
Unemployed or underemployed students, however, often struggle to find the discretionary funds necessary to pay for even community colleges’ reasonably affordable tuition rates. At HCC, two-thirds of enrolled students come from economically disadvantaged families, and nearly one-half are the first in their family to attend college. Approximately 55 percent of HCC students are over age 21, and the averagestudent age is 25.
Paying for textbooks can be a special challenge, running as much as $1,000 per semester for a full-time student—more than the cost of a semester’s tuition. The inability to pay for a given semester’s expensescan interrupt a returning student’s college ambitions and put an end to his hopes for financial stability.
The Bank of America Safety Net Scholarship will give the HCC Foundation the flexibility to step in and provide assistance when a student faces an unexpected financial crisis that threatens to prevent him orher from taking classes.
The gift will also boost HCC Partners for Jobs program launched earlier this year. The grass-roots collaboration of interested organizations is helping Houstonians get the education or training they needand to identify job opportunities.
About HCC
HCC is one of the country’s largest singularly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training and lifelong learning opportunities for 65,000 students each semester.
HCC is composed of six colleges that serve the greater Houston area’s diverse communities by preparing individuals to live and work in today’s increasingly international and technological society. Visit us online at hccs.edu.
About Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America this year embarked on a new, ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions.
Bank of America approaches investing through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Bank associate volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours in 2008 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide.
For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.
About the HCC Foundation
The Houston Community College Foundation enhances the quality of life of our community and of our fellow citizens through fundraising efforts that improve access to higher education, support workforce training, and advance student learning at Houston Community College. For more information, please go to hccsfoundation.org.
About HCC Partners For Jobs
HCC Partners for Jobs is a collaboration of interested organizations helping Houstonians get an education or training and identify job opportunities. Learn more at hccpartnersforjobs.org.
PRESS RELEASE: HCC's $10,000 Gift from KBR to Benefit Veterans' programs
HOUSTON, TX – Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) presented Houston Community College with a check for $10,000 to support the College’s ongoing Veterans’ Orientation programs.
These programs provide valuable information to the many U.S. military veterans taking classes at HCC. The presentation occurred during the meeting of the HCC Board of Trustees Thursday, October 22 at the HCC administration building, 3100 Main.
Many American soldiers returning home from their tour of duty are seeking guidance in developing their plans for civilian life. Of utmost concern to them is identifying a future career and obtaining the education necessary to pursue it.
Houston Community College offers a wide range of opportunities for these men and women, including academic courses transferable to four-year universities, workforce training in more than 70 different fields, and 22 campus locations throughout the Greater Houston area.
With KBR’s help, HCC is able to increase its service to these students by offering enhanced Veterans’ Orientation programs throughout the year.
Results from past programs indicate that 90 percent of those attending were not aware of the many housing, educational and other benefits available to them as returning veterans.
With its ongoing commitment to those who serve our country, KBR is the first corporate partner to invest in this essential work at HCC.
Mr. Richard Jennings, Senior Manager for Community Relations and Contributions at KBR, is pleased to be involved with the work of the College in this way.
“As a leading service provider to the U.S. military, KBR believes strongly in supporting our veterans,” Jennings said. “The programs at HCC are uniquely designed to assist these brave Americans, and we are proud to support this project.”
PRESS RELEASE: HCC Hosts Mini-conference for Higher Education Television Managers
HOUSTON, TX – Many institutions of higher education own and operate television stations for internal, broadcast and cable use. Acquiring or produce enough quality programming is a formidable challenge that each of the station managers face. Budget cuts, high costs and staffing shortfalls require an innovative approach to doing more with less for higher education television stations. Consequently, universities and colleges television stations from around the nation have come together in Houston to identify programming needs and to find solutions in a cooperative effort.
The Consortium of College TV Stations (CCTVS) is holding its inaugural conference at Houston Community College, Friday, November 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the HCCTV Studios at 3100 Main.
The goal of this first conference is to establish both processes and relations with other institutions for the exchange of quality, compelling and relevant programming for educational stations.
The group of television station managers from two and four year institutions will discuss the viability and benefits of sharing programming and cost-cutting measures. They will explore leveraging their relationships for the efficient uses of limited public funding.
The conference features seminars that look at programming sources and best practices from each of the participants. Afternoon workshops include round table discussions on the value and relevance of institutional TV stations, working with other divisions and departments, and the added influence of new Internet-based and video applications.
Participants will take new strategies and programming ideas back to their home institutions. This innovative cooperation will provide these television stations with more original programming, despite diminishing resources in today’s economic climate.
PRESS RELEASE: Houston Area Golfers Take a Swing for HCC and Fifth Ward Enrichment Program Benefiting Minority Males
“HCC will match the funds raised a 100 percent, because we understand the importance of providing young men a chance at having a better life through educational opportunities.” said HCC Deputy Chancellor Dr. Art Q. Tyler.
HCC’s Minority Male Initiative and FWEP are designed to curb area high school dropout rates while preparing young males for tomorrow’s workforce and entrepreneurial opportunities.
HCC began its Minority Male Initiative to counter the on-going crisis throughout America of a diminishing presence of young Black and Hispanic males on the campuses of higher learning, in corporate America and in entrepreneurial endeavors.
“We have a major national epidemic in terms of recruitment and retention of minority males to both community colleges and four-year colleges. We intend to address this issue proactively,” said Dr. Michael P. Williams, HCC Trustee, District IV.The HCC Annual Fall Golf Classic was held Friday, October 23, at Hermann Park Golf Course.
For more information on HCC’s Minority Male Initiative, contact John Gilmore, III, MMI Program Manager at john.gilmoreiii@hccs.edu or call 713. 718.5061.
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