Since classes officially began in September 1949, Alvin Community College has provided southeast Texas with 69 years of exceptional educational opportunities, pathways to rewarding careers and personal enrichment programs. Although the traditional view of a college is to prepare high school graduates for professional careers, there is so much more to ACC.
ACC has been ranked by many organizations as among the best community colleges in the nation. Graduates who take license exams have an average pass rate of 99 percent compared to the state average of 89 percent.
After receiving designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution from the Department of Education, the college received a five-year, $3.8 million grant to increase participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. Grants funds have been used to improve student success in Developmental Math and boost enrollment in the Process Technology program. In 2017, those seeking an education at ACC will have two new locations to take courses. ACC classes will be available at Alvin ISD Shadow Creek High School and the University of Houston-Clear Lake Pearland campus. Available courses in the day and evenings include: College Algebra, Composition I and II, Federal Government, Principles of Macroeconomic,
General Psychology and United States History I and II. “We are very excited to be able to offer classes convenient to Pearland residents,” ACC President Dr. Christal M. Albrecht said. “Both locations will bring higher education closer to those in our taxing district and service area. The partnerships with Alvin Independent School District and University of Houston Clear Lake are very rewarding and offer win-win educational opportunities for our communities.”
With Dual Credit and Dual Degree students as young as 13, ACC partners with area school districts including Alvin, Pearland, Danbury and Living Stones Church to help give motivated teenagers a head start in college and toward their career goals. ACC provides quality instruction to adults of all ages who wish to change careers, improve their job skills or just challenge themselves. To make getting a degree easier, ACC also offers more than 100 online courses. There are four Associate Degree programs and one certificate program that can be earned entirely online. Associate Degrees now available online are those in the Arts, Sociology, Psychology, and Management Development. A certificate is available for management.
The Department of Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) provides programs that incorporate current and new technical courses; training partnerships with business and industry; and other opportunities for individuals to acquire and upgrade skills or seek personal enrichment. CEWD provides a variety of programs that allow students to further or begin new careers in a number of fields including health care, professional services, industrial arts and more.
For more than 50 years, ACC has been providing education for inmates with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. It was the first college in Texas to do so. ACC was one of a handful of colleges and universities to take part in the Second Chance Pell Grant program, which offers funding for students in corrections programs to earn a higher education degree or certification. Research has shown that an education reduces the recidivism rate for those leaving corrections.
Whether it’s preparing for a career or starting a college education, ACC offers students and the community the resources they need to achieve their goals. Call ACC at 281-756-3500 or www.alvincollege.edu
