The show airs 4-5 p.m. on KEYE (channel 42; channel 5 on Time Warner Cable). The performance may also be seen on the We Are Austin Live website after it airs.   

The choir will present “The 1940’s Radio Hour” at Austin’s One World Theatre November 17-19. The show replicates a 1942 live radio broadcast, complete with vocal jazz numbers, an onstage big band, commercials, and a mystery theater.

Proceeds will help students cover the cost of a trip to New York next spring. ACC is among a select few community college ensembles that will perform at Carnegie Hall in April 2010.

Click here for times and ticket information.

The show replicates a 1942 live radio broadcast, complete with vocal jazz numbers, an onstage big band, commercials, and mystery theater. Proceeds from “The 1940’s Radio Hour” will help ACC choral students cover the cost of a trip to perform at Carnegie Hall next spring.

“This is a very exciting time for our choir program,” says Dr. Jim Shepherd, associate professor of music and ACC choir director. “Students will have the experience of performing in a beloved musical at One World Theatre and then the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall.”

ACC is among a select few community college ensembles that will perform at Carnegie Hall in April 2010.

“1940’s Radio Hour” Performance Schedule:

• Tuesday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 18 at 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 19 at 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Tickets may be purchased by following the link at austincc.edu/choral. Admission is $12.50 for adults and $7.50 for seniors, children, and students. Matinee performances are free for students and seniors.

One World Theatre is located at 7701 Bee Cave Road in Austin. More information at www.OneWorldTheatre.org.

OK, Brian and Brian may not be quite as well known as some celebrity chefs, but they’re celebrities in their own right, heading up the Austin Community College Culinary Arts Program and starring in their own instructional series, “Austin Cooks.”

“When we started ‘Austin Cooks,’ it was aimed at our students,” says McCormick. “It was all about allowing students the opportunity to watch and review various techniques as much as they’d like.”

Professors Hay and McCormick began taping 15- to 30-minute episodes, covering everything from kitchen basics to advanced cooking techniques. The Culinary Arts Program used those episodes to reinforce what students learn in the classroom – or rather, in the kitchen. But ACC also wanted the community to know what’s cooking with Culinary Arts. So the college made “Austin Cooks” viewable over the Internet and on ACC’s cable channel 19.

Chefs Hay and McCormick star in "Austin Cooks"

Want to polish your knife handling skills? There’s an episode for that. Braising basics? But of course. And what would a cooking series be without Grilling 101? Hay says since he and McCormick began “Austin Cooks,” students pick up those important techniques faster.

“Culinary students tend to be visual learners,” explains Hay, chair of the program. “No matter how many times you read about how to fillet a fish, you need to see it done to truly begin to grasp the concept. That makes ‘Austin Cooks’ a huge advantage for our students. The more times they see something, the better they’ll be when it’s their turn in the kitchen.”

Episodes go beyond food preparation. McCormick and Hay visit such locations as a vineyard, a seafood market, and an ostrich farm.

The fall 2009 episodes mark the show’s third season, with planning for a fourth season under way. Hay and McCormick welcome anyone to contact them with questions about an episode.

“We get positive feedback from our students as well as from the public,” notes McCormick. “It’s great to know that through these episodes, we help people improve their culinary skills – whether they’re cooking for a restaurant or just for their family.”

Chef Brian Hay works with Culinary Arts students.

Culinary arts student Adam Dodson agrees that he and his classmates are a step ahead because of “Austin Cooks.”

“I learn something more each time I watch an episode,” says Dodson. “ ’Austin Cooks’ gives you the foundation you need to feel confident in the kitchen.”

Dodson, who owns a candy business and wants to expand his offerings, appreciates that Hay and McCormick spice up “Austin Cooks” episodes with a healthy dose of humor.

“That definitely makes complicated techniques easier to digest,” says Dodson. “These aren’t dry, boring instructional videos. They’re really engaging.”

McCormick and Hay believe that sense of engagement is key to helping students get a handle on what they’re learning.

“If there is one thing I want aspiring chefs to take away from ‘Austin Cooks,’ it’s that cooking is fun,” says Hay. “Have a good time with it – those are the words I live by in the kitchen.”

“Austin Cooks” episodes can be seen at austincc.edu/cooks. They also air on cable channel 19 (Mondays at 6:30 p.m., Thursdays at 9 p.m., and Saturdays at 4 p.m.). To contact ACC’s top chefs with culinary questions, email bhay@austincc.edu.

“We want to honor veterans and thank them for their service, so we have a commitment to going the extra mile for our students who have served in the military,” says Mervin Jones, a counselor at ACC’s Riverside Campus who works closely with the Veterans Affairs office.

ACC has experienced a rise in veteran enrollments due to recent changes to the GI Bill. To better serve them, the college has streamlined many processes and enhanced its outreach programs.

“From re-acclimating to civilian life to possibly dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans face unique challenges at this stage in their lives,” says Jones. “They deserve our full support.”

Jones is a veteran himself, having served more than 22 years in the Army. ACC’s Veterans Affairs manager, Mark Harden, is a 25-year Army veteran.

“I have great empathy for our veterans, especially the ones who have been in combat, which is nearly all of them these days,” says Harden, who served in Mogadishu, Somalia – the conflict portrayed in “Black Hawk Down.” “I know what it’s like to get off a plane from a combat zone and a few weeks later be sitting in a classroom.”

For ACC veterans, that’s a reminder that they’re not alone.

“It makes the transition so much easier when you are working with someone who really understands what you’ve gone through,” says Brent Bell, a freshman nursing major who served six years in the Navy. “It’s a connection. You feel more comfortable.”

Bell is now giving other veterans that same sense of connection – he is a work-study student in ACC’s Veterans Affairs office.

“I love helping other veterans,” says Bell. “There can be some anxiety in making the transition to college student, and they are more relaxed when they find out that I’m a veteran, too.”

ACC’s VA staff helps students navigate the GI Bill and understand what to expect. That’s a complicated process right now, with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs experiencing delays in distributing the financial aid allotted by the bill. VA officials say the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect August 1, has resulted in an unprecedented amount of new applications. The VA says it is doing everything in its power to minimize delays.

In the meantime, ACC is taking steps to help its veterans. Those still waiting for their benefits will not be dropped for non-payment of tuition.

ACC’s VA staff has offices at the Northridge and Riverside campuses, and the Veterans Affairs website at austincc.edu/support/veterans provides links to essential support services veterans may access. The American Council on Education also created a site to help veterans understand their GI Bill benefits.

“Our office tries to provide the very best service to our veterans each day,” says Harden. “We want to give them every opportunity to succeed and let them know how valued they are. I consider it an honor to have this job.”

Warren Heatwole, a professor in ACC’s Building Construction Technology Department, will honor veterans on Tuesday, November 10 (the anniversary of the Marine Corps’ founding in 1775) and Wednesday, November 11 (Veterans Day) with breakfast at Riverside Campus. A Vietnam veteran, Heatwole will serve breakfast tacos from 7:30-9 a.m., on the south end of the campus. Heatwole and Warren Donworth, an ACC welding professor, will play the national anthem and service songs at the campus flagpole.

ACC staff members are also paying tribute to active duty service members. The Classified Employees Association is holding a “Supplies for Soldiers” drive through November 20, taking donations of items for Fort Hood troops who are returning from their tours of duty and will be living in the post’s barracks. The drive is being organized by Bernie Hinterlong, a laboratory technician in ACC’s Biology Department, whose son is currently serving in Iraq. His unit will return to Fort Hood in January, and this drive will help ensure they have enough basic supplies such as pillows, towels, and twin bed-sized linens. For more information on the drive, see this flier or contact Hinterlong at bhinterl@austincc.edu.

“We want our troops to know that we remember them and are very grateful for their service,” says Hinterlong. “They have done so much for us – it’s the least we can do to make sure they are comfortable and cared for when they return stateside.”

Jones, the Riverside counselor who works with ACC veterans, is planning the second annual Veterans Appreciation and Open House for May 2010. The event helps current and prospective veteran students find out about the services and aid offered at ACC.

“This is one small way to say thank you to those who put their lives on the line for this country,” says Jones. “We need to remember to show our gratitude every day – not just on Veterans Day.”

ACC Board Vice Chair Allen Kaplan (left) at the ACCT conference, with his fellow officers of the CCATT (from left, Molly Beth Malcolm, Kitty Boyle, and Roberto Zárate).

ACC’s trustees attended workshops on topics including student success, effective board governance, and conducting evaluations of college presidents and institutions. Kaplan and other officers of the Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT) conducted a session to help leaders of colleges in other states form similar organizations. Kaplan is the CCATT chair-elect as well as the Texas coordinator for ACCT.

Kaplan reports that many other institutions commended ACC’s inclusion in a Time magazine article, “Can Community Colleges Save the U.S. Economy?” (July 20, 2009 issue).

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a community college graduate, opened the conference on October 8, calling community colleges “institutions of hope.”  Other keynote speakers included Martha Kanter, Undersecretary of Education for the U.S. Department of Education.

Beginning last fall, the college’s Arts & Humanities Division hosted a series of Community Arts Summits to discuss how to promote arts education in Austin, a key portion of the master plan.

ACC's Community Arts Award

“ACC’s Arts & Humanities Division has been absolutely integral in pushing community discussion related to the ‘CreateAustin’ cultural master plan recommendation” for art education, said Vincent Kitch, Cultural Arts program manager for the City of Austin.

The city’s Cultural Arts Division recently presented ACC with the Community Arts Award.

“We are delighted to play a role in advancing arts education in Austin,” says Lyman Grant, dean of ACC’s Arts & Humanities Division. “The arts are a source of inspiration and imagination, and they often evoke new ways of looking at our world. Those are qualities that enrich a community.”

The city also recognized ACC’s community arts efforts with a proclamation presented at the Arts & Humanities Division’s Carnival ah! in April 2009. Carnival ah! is an outdoor festival with live music, dance, drama, performance art, and a nighttime

outdoor film screening. The next Carnival ah! is scheduled for April 16-24, 2010.

Danish students at ACC

The Austin Community College District hosted 23 Danish students for a taste of life in the Texas capital. ACC created a program for the group called “Uniquely Austin,” which combines Texas-themed classes with field trips around the city and state.

The students wrapped up their stay on November 6 after spending a month at ACC, taking Texas literature and history classes along with a civil rights history course and video game development classes. They documented their experiences with photographs and video.

The students get into the UT football game

Halloween on Sixth Street was a favorite among the students.

“In Denmark, we have something similar to Halloween, but only the kids dress up,” said student Søren Elmely Pettersson. “Downtown Austin was packed with thousands of people in crazy costumes. It was awesome. It’s something I will remember with joy for many years to come.”

Students also attended a UT football game.

“It’s been very interesting to see the students’ reactions to our culture,” says ACC’s Katrina Gadison, who helped coordinate the program. “What seems normal to us is an adventure for them – it’s like discovering what’s so neat about Austin all over again.”

This is the third year Danish students have participated in “Uniquely Austin.”

Accent writers and editors competed in live journalism contests and received the results of competitions which required submissions before the conference.

TheAccent.org was named a finalist for the online division of the National Pacemaker award, the highest national honor for journalistic excellence bestowed by the Associated Collegiate Press. Accent also placed second in the national Best of Show contest for non-weekly publications.

Accent either placed or received honorable mentions in 23 statewide categories, competing against students from 13 other Texas community colleges. The Texas Community College Journalism Association awarded Accent third place in the Overall General Excellence competition. Accent editor-in-chief Sarah Neve won first place for news writing, while Jana Lelek won second place for Accent’s layout and design. The TCCJA also recognized Accent staff in a variety of other areas, including contests for photography, cartooning, headline writing, and editorial writing.

“I am very proud of the Accent staff for their excellent showing,” said Matthew Connolly, ACC’s student publications adviser. “These awards are judged by professionals, so it’s nice to know that students in our program are learning skills that will prepare them to work at professional publications.”

Click here to see a complete list of Accent’s honors.

The all-ages celebration features live entertainment from the ACC Dance Department as well as exhibits of children’s artwork and Day of the Dead altars inspired by the featured Big Read book, “Sun, Stone, and Shadows,” a Mexican short story collection. The event is free and open to the public.

“We hope readers of all ages who joined us for all or part of this unforgettable experience will come out for this last big celebration,” says Lyman Grant, dean of the ACC Arts and Humanities Division, which partnered with the National Endowment for the Arts to bring The Big Read to Austin.

The Big Read is a national initiative to encourage reading for pleasure.

ACC began The Big Read of “Sun, Stone, and Shadows” on Mexican Independence Day, September 16, as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. The book is a collection of short stories by Mexican authors and speaks to the college’s awareness of and commitment to the region’s growing Hispanic community.

“Everyone is aware on some level of Mexico’s powerful contribution to Austin’s cultural life. With The Big Read, and this book in particular, we want to emphasize the depth and breadth Mexico’s literary richness and its importance to all Austin citizens,” Grant says.

ACC hosted 55 different Big Read events over seven weeks, according to Spanish Professor Rosa Dávila, who coordinated the program for the college.

“Our main goal was to encourage people to read,” Dávila says. “Our partners, our students at ACC, and the general public have welcomed with open arms our program and the message that we are promoting.”

People of all ages participated in The Big Read, with events held at the MACC, the Austin Public Library, and area schools and bookstores.

“I believe that our greatest accomplishment has been the interest and excitement that this program has created in the community,” Dávila says.  “It has crossed barriers of race, generation, and language.”

Dávila gives special thanks to the partners, volunteers, and participants for making The Big Read an unforgettable experience.

“It is a great feeling to know that Austin’s community has embraced our mission of bringing culture and reading closer to them,” she says.

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About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):

ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 40,000 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”

Performance Schedule:

• Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, November 1 at 2 p.m.
• Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, November 8 at 2 p.m.

Augustin Daly’s “Under the Gaslight: A Totally Original and Picturesque Drama of Life and Love in These Times” is set in 1867 New York. A young woman is jilted by her lover when he discovers that she was adopted into a family of high society and actually comes from humble beginnings. She runs away and comes under the control of the play’s villain, which sets off a dramatic sequence of events.

The production features a cast of 24, nine locations, and live music. Images are available upon request.

Rio Grande’s Mainstage Theater is located at 1212 Rio Grande Street, on the second floor of the main building. Admission: suggested donation of $6.

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About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):

ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 40,000 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”

The 2009 ACC Faculty Show features 39 pieces of art from 39 faculty artists. The show includes paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, textiles, clay, metalwork, and sculpture.

The Bass Concert Hall is located at the corner of Robert Dedman Drive and 23rd Street. The show’s opening reception is scheduled for Friday, October 30 from 6 – 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

This is the third time ACC faculty artwork has been shown in Bass Concert Hall. The works will be on display in the lobby through January 15.

For more information, call 223-3262.

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About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):

ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 40,000 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”