HCC West Houston Institute Receives SXSW EDU Competition Nod

Jan 31, 2018

Since its inaugural event in 2011, the SXSW EDU Conference and Festival has celebrated innovations in learning. So, Edmund “Butch” Herod, director of Houston Community College's West Houston Institute, was definitely excited when the he learned the WHI was a finalist in the "Learn by Design" category for this year's competition.

“We are truly honored to be finalists in this competition,” Herod said. 

The WHI is a new state-if-the-art facility that will serve students and the community through engagement and experiential learning. It features a makerspace, a collaborative design center and an assortment of high and low-tech equipment. 

"From the onset, the institute was intended to be a truly unique facility that didn't exist anywhere else in the academic world," Herod said. "When the team started working on this concept five years ago, we wanted the institute to exemplify what 21st century learning spaces should be locally, regionally, and nationally.” 

In addition to being a finalist in this competition, the WHI has gained attention from other organizations as well. 

"Sony Corporation heard about our space and was impressed so much that they flew four people in to tour it and now we're partners with Sony as part of their think tank on learning spaces," Herod said. "We're also hosting the 2018 United States Fab Lab Network Symposium here in the spring. 

HCC Northwest College President Zachary Hodges is equally excited about the WHI's nomination. "It speaks volumes about the great investment that HCC has made, and continues to make, for the advancement in learning spaces." 

Winners will be announced March 6 at the SXSW EDU Conference in Austin. 

To learn more about the West Houston Institute go to: 

http://www.hccs.edu/northwest-college-archive/about-us/institute/

To learn more about the South By Southwest (SXSW) EDU Conference and Festival visit: 

https://www.sxswedu.com/news/2018/announcing-competition-finalists/