The Houston Community College held its third annual State of the College Address at the Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane at 8:00 a.m., Friday, October 8.
Download: Photos from HCC’s State of the College 2010.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker opened the program with a few remarks about the importance of HCC to the city’s future. She said, “Our region’s future success depends on an educational system that meets the needs of our growing and diverse community. HCC’s bold vision to provide the educational needs of our region will enable us to meet the challenges of the changing global marketplace.”
Dr. Mary S. Spangler, HCC Chancellor, then addressed the audience composed of elected officials, community leaders, business and industry partners, local media and HCC faculty and staff. She spoke about the impact HCC is having on the citizens of the Greater Houston area, the city and its economy.
Dr. Spangler outlined the goals and successes HCC accomplished in the past year. She talked about HCC’s record enrollment that saw a thirty percent increase in the last two years. Dr. Spangler explained the innovative and creative new programs, teaching methodologies and funding strategies the college is implementing to meet the challenges of a growing student body.
The highly skilled students educated and trained by HCC are impacting job creation in the region. That, in turn, creates a significant boon to the economy of the Greater Houston Area. HCC students benefit from improved lifestyles and increased earnings. Taxpayers benefit from a larger economy and lower social costs. The community as a whole benefits from increased investment opportunities, higher business revenues and the economic contribution of HCC’s students and alumni.
While recognizing the progress and accomplishments of the college, Dr. Spangler assured the audience that HCC is looking to the future: “We are operating at the leading edge of change to move beyond relevance. To be a twenty-first century community college, we must now be innovative, enterprising and collaborative if we are to maintain our reputation as one of our nation’s leading community colleges. It’s time to set the bar higher again!”