by Anne Fletcher-ACC Professor

As a faculty member and mentor, I love the Ascender program for many reasons. It fosters, encourages, and promotes a spirit of familia where everyone is always looking out for each other. This includes all of the staff members and the students, not only at our Austin Community College campuses, but also throughout the state of Texas.

We provide the best instruction and support for our students, better than I have ever experienced before in many years of teaching in many different educational settings. I strongly recommend and encourage students to join us. Although I have been teaching in the Ascender program for a few years, I have just started to be a mentor. This is such a valuable program, and it is another way I have to give back to the community. Every student should have a mentor, and the rewards for being a mentor are just as great as they are for the student. 

ACC is the finest learning institution I have known and experienced. There are limitless opportunities for faculty for professional and self-improvement, through workshops and other faculty resources, like the Catch the Next Seminars, Project ACC, NISOD, the Teaching and Learning Academy, Great Questions, Service-Learning, Quality Matters, and Equity in Teaching. My most valuable resource has been my colleagues.  I have seen the faculty and staff members at the different campuses always have the students as their top priority, and the campus managers and staff can’t do enough to make sure that we, the teachers, have all of what we need to teach.

At ACC, students will find themselves and learn about a wide range of opportunities for future careers, all with the support of a community of learners, teachers, advisors, academic coaches, librarians, and tutors. In addition, there are also so many enriching and rewarding activities and organizations, such as the Ascender Club, a virtual Book Club, Student Life, Money Management, and Service-Learning, that will help them to develop their talents and add joy to their learning. What’s being said is true, “ACC is for everyone.”  Come and experience it!