HCC establishes footprint in Acres Homes community with new campus
Jul 18, 2017
It was a joyful celebration as members of the community, legislators, civic leaders and Houston Community College (HCC) administrators participated in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the new HCC Acres Homes Campus.
“We began our transformation journey at HCC by moving our focus to creating the ultimate student experience,” said HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado. “This campus is what transformation is all about. It is about having a presence in the communities we serve, bringing new pathways to student success and building the future for the youth in our community.”
The Acres Homes Campus, located at 630 W. Little York, is part of HCC Northeast College. Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher, President of Northeast College, said, “This campus will be one of the beacons of educational excellence in this community, where residents can come to improve their education and their lives.”
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who was raised in the Acres Homes community, said there are an estimated six million jobs nationwide going unfilled because there aren’t enough qualified skilled workers available for employers to hire. “In order to prepare the workforce, we need to provide education to give people the best opportunity to fill those six million jobs,” Turner said. “ I applaud this day as we build communities of opportunity.”
Joining in the celebration by telephone from Washington D.C. was Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who commended HCC for creating an educational future for this historic community. “I am grateful for the leadership of HCC,” the congresswoman said. “And I look forward to continue working with the mayor as we build opportunities for education and work that is so vital to the people who live in this vibrant community. “
One of Jackson Lee’s own staff members, a former HCC student who was present at the ribbon cutting, exemplifies educational opportunities at the college. Ivan Sanchez said his life was transformed by his HCC education, giving him the opportunity to rise from a supermarket job to walking the halls of Congress.
The new campus is in HCC District ll, represented by Trustee Dave Wilson. He said the most gratifying part about watching the construction of the facility is the certainty that students will soon inhabit it.
“For a house to become a home, a family must move in, children must be born and raised, memories will be made and only then will a house become a home,” Wilson said. “Congratulations to the community and future students of HCC Acres Homes. Welcome to your new home.”
The new Acres Homes Campus is located on 11.5 acres. It includes 25,120 square feet of space for student support, onsite advising, academic and workforce instructional programs, an electronic resource center library, registration and admission services, as well as a designated workspace for faculty.
