ACC UPDATES MARCH 2026

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ACC

BASIC NEEDS SURVEY RESULTS

BRIDGE-AR is a consortium grant led by the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College (UAPTC) that aims to serve students in nursing and EMT programs. With funding from the grant, ACC and consortium schools partnered with Trellis Strategies to conduct a survey of 500 community college students in allied health to better understand their basic needs. The results were shocking: nearly half of the students surveyed had experienced basic needs insecurity in the past year; 40% faced housing insecurity; 34% experienced food insecurity; and 5% had been homeless at some point while in college.

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BRIDGE-AR CONSORTIUM MEETINGS

ACC Director of Workforce Initiatives Kyla Waters visited Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (PCCUA), Arkansas State University Mid-South (ASUMS), the University of Arkansas East Arkansas Community College (UAEACC), NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC), and the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College (UAPTC) to meet with consortium partners on the BRIDGE-AR grant.

WORKFORCE GRANTWRITING SERIES

ACC hosted the first two sessions of its three-part Zoom series exploring best practices in seeking workforce training grants. New Growth led the first session, focusing on the federal grant landscape. The Office of Skills Development joined for the second session, homing in on Arkansas grants. To wrap up the series, representatives from the Lumina Foundation will join us on March 17 to discuss philanthropic grants. For more information, contact kwaters@arkansascc.org.

ACCLI MEETS AT ARKANSAS STATE CAPITOL

The ACC Leadership Institute Class of 2026 met in Little Rock for its second in-person session of the year. The session focused on legislative processes and advocacy. Senator Breanne Davis, Representative Keith Brooks, Shane Broadway (ASU System), Melissa Rust (UA System) and Ben Beaumont (UA System) spoke to the group about their experience working as legislators and government liaisons.

DR. CALLAWAY CAMPUS VISITS

ACC's Executive Director Dr. Collin Callaway visited PCCUA, ASUMS, Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAUT), and Arkansas State University-Beebe (ASUB).

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT AR COMMUNITY COLLEGES

DR. WALLACE APPOINTED TO AACC PRESIDENTS ACADEMY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Arkansas State University - Mountain Home (ASUMH) Chancellor Dr. Bentley Wallace has been appointed to the Presidents Academy Executive Committee of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), a national leadership body focused on shaping the future of community college presidencies. Congratulations, Dr. Wallace!

EARMARKS FOR MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

U.S. Senator John Boozman, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped secure appropriations for several Arkansas community college construction projects including $20 million for UAPTC's workforce training center; $20 million for SAUT's Aerospace Defense Manufacturing Center of Excellence; and $7.7 million for Arkansas State University-Newport's (ASUN) Health Science Center.

UPCOMING ACC EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• March 9: ACC Mid-Level Manager and Professional Skills Training (Little Rock)
• March 10: University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Campus Visit
• March 11: Marketing & Advancement Meeting (Zoom)
• March 12-13: CTE Faculty SREB Training (Little Rock)
• March 13: CAO/CSAO Meeting (Zoom)
• March 16: ASUN Campus Visit
• March 17: Best Practices in Workforce Grantwriting: Philanthropic Grants (Zoom)
• March 18: ACC Leadership Institute Session 5: ADHE (Zoom)
• March 19: ACC Board Meeting (Zoom)
• March 31: Kyla's 12th Anniversary @ ACC
• April 8-9: ACC Student Leadership Academy (Little Rock)
• April 17: ACC Workforce Summit (Little Rock)

Want to see past ACC Updates? Click HERE.

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