New barber program debuts at the Houston Community College

“The program also provides our communities with a viable option to develop and enhance their economic standing.”

Houston Community College, one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges has announced a debut of a new Barber Program to its popular Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence. In a press release made available to The Guardian, Beginning in the fall 2018 semester, the college will offer a three-semester curriculum that will lead to a level II barber certificate and qualify students to take the Texas Department of License and Regulation Barber Exam. The move is inline with its mission of providing relevant workforce curriculum, the release indicated.

Dr. Anthony Hancock, Dean of the Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence

Based on demographic and workforce necessities, bringing the Barber Program to HCC’s Central Campus invokes a philosophy that would grow this department to serve more pupils, amplify the faculty, and increase HCC’s scholastic delivery and engagements. According to Anthony Hancock, dean of the Consumer Arts & Sciences COE, “The Barber Program creates more opportunities to serve students who may wish to open their own business.” Dr. Hancock added, “The program also provides our communities with a viable option to develop and enhance their economic standing.”

The Barber program provides the student with the opportunity to further develop their skills in hair cutting technique using shears, razor, and clippers. In addition, students will gain experience and practice in the use of various implements for cutting hair, and their effects on the outcome of the style. Furthermore, students in this program master the use of blow dryers, thermal irons, and the various styling tools such as brushes and combs to complete styling services. They practice the process of chemical texture services for the hair such as chemical hair relaxing and permanent waving products and procedures, including the practice of all safety and sanitation guidelines.

According to HCC, the growing Texas population is creating an increasing need for skilled individuals capable of using shears, razors, clippers and other tools to cut and style hair. The need for certified barbers in the state is projected to grow by about seven percent between now and 2020.

The Barber Program will be located in the HCC Central College’s J.B. Whiteley Building, 1301 Alabama Street.

The Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence provides technical design, fashion, food, culture, costume, beauty, interior and kitchen design training through its eight award-winning arts and degree or certificate programs. Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 15 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society.

For additional information on the barber curriculum, click here >>>

HCC Central Campus in Midtown to remain closed Tuesday, May 8

Houston Community College Central Campus on Holman Street in Midtown will remain closed tomorrow, May 8. due to a shooting threat made on social media in the weekend. HCC reinstated its commitment in taking all matters with implications for the security of its students, faculty and staff seriously. The college says its police department are actively working with other law enforcement agencies to identify the source of the threat in an effort to eliminate the risk of harm. Today, the college provided additional security at each of its other campuses while this matter remains under investigation.

A media briefing has been scheduled at HCC’s administrative building on 3100 Main St, 2nd Floor, Seminar Room B; where the Chancellor, Cesar Maldonado and Police Chief Greg Cunningham would provide updates on the closure.

With a few exceptions, final exams scheduled for Tuesday, May 8 will be moved to Thursday, May 10. This is in addition to the earlier postponement of the Monday, May 7 finals to Friday, May 11.

It may be recalled that on Sunday, HCC closed the Central Campus to allow the police time to conduct a thorough inspection of campus facilities and put in place heightened security measures in response to a shooting threat made on social media over the weekend.

In addition to the extra precautions at Central Campus, HCC has provided additional security at each of its other campuses.

In a release made available to the local media, the school appealed to those aware of any information “that would help to please contact HCC Police Department at 713-718-8888.” “We also ask that any information of a suspicious nature, no matter how small or large, always be relayed to HCC PD immediately. If you see something, say something,” the release appealed.

“We will remain vigilant and respond thoroughly whenever any reports of a concerning nature are received,” said HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado. “HCC is a place of learning. We also want it to be a place where everyone is safe.”

Construction of HCC’s new Culinary Arts Center kicks off with ground-breaking event

Houston Community College (HCC) Chancellor, Cesar Maldonado, and a host of other employees and guests break ground on a new state-of-the-art center to house the college’s famous Culinary Arts Program. He was joined by Trustees Carolyn Evans-Shabazz and Adriana Tamez, Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi, President of Central College, Dr. Anthony Hancock, Dean, Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence, and HCC alumnus, Chef Hugo Ortega.

HCC’s Culinary Arts Program, according to HCC, was established in 1982 and now welcomes over a hundred new students each year.

GUARDIAN NEWS – HOUSTON, TEXAS – On April 10, 2018, the Houston Community College (HCC) Chancellor, Cesar Maldonado, and a host of other employees and guests teamed up to break ground on a new state-of-the-art center to house the college’s famous Culinary Arts Program. He was joined by Trustees Carolyn Evans-Shabazz and Adriana Tamez, Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi, President of Central College, Dr. Anthony Hancock, Dean, Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence, and HCC alumnus, Chef Hugo Ortega. This project came at the right time to complement today’s Houston culinary values – a fast-growing mash-up of sophistication, color, culture, and ethnicity.

Before this event, during the 2018 Houston Tourism Summit, March 27th, where HCC participated as a sponsor, Dean, Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence, Dr. Hancock touted the viability of this project and showcased the Culinary Arts program content to potential business partners. The objective of the program he said, is to “provide students with effective practice and leadership skills to be successful in the culinary profession.”

The Tourism Summit held at George R. Brown Convention Center brought more than 700 tourism and hospitality industry professionals to network with each other; showcase their trades, and partake in numerous seminars and conferences to create business possibilities. But HCC’s presence here was evident – to create partnership opportunities and showcase relevant academic programs to the business entity.

In a release made available by the HCC, this facility is being built at the Central College Campus in Midtown Houston and wilould cost about $30 million. The center will include a cooking and baking lab, a dining room and bar, a dish room, computer labs, classrooms, a student lounge, locker rooms, offices, conference rooms and a reception area.

Photos taken during the event. The significance of this project to the city’s economy was hinted when Chancellor, Maldonado told the audience that “We are training the workforce that has put Houston on the map as a destination for foodies. I am certain there’s another Hugo Ortega out there, and HCC is committed to providing a state-of-the-art facility at which they can learn and hone their craft.”

HCC’s Culinary Arts Program, according to HCC, was established in 1982 and now welcomes over a hundred new students each year. Students receive the necessary theoretical knowledge and technical skills to become competent in food preparation, basic cooking and baking methods, regional and international cuisine, cold kitchen preparation, and a la carte kitchen operations and cooking. There is also training in healthy cooking and nutrition, food safety and sanitation, food service operations, food, and beverage cost control and the professional and management skills required for operating a successful workplace.

The significance of this project to the city’s economy was hinted when Chancellor, Maldonado told the audience that “We are training the workforce that has put Houston on the map as a destination for foodies. I am certain there’s another Hugo Ortega out there, and HCC is committed to providing a state-of-the-art facility at which they can learn and hone their craft.”

The new Culinary Arts Center is being constructed on parking lot ten at HCC Central Campus, right next to the college’s five-story parking garage near Alabama, La Branch, Winbern and Austin streets. The building will be two stories tall and will comprise 38,000-square-feet. Construction is expected to take about two years.

Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 15 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. The Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence provides technical design, fashion, food, culture, costume, beauty, interior and kitchen design training through its award-winning arts and degree or certificate programs.

New book on classroom diversity highlights solutions for effective instructional management

Guardian News – Houston, TX. Constructive conversations about diversity management in the classrooms is now getting a more realistic attention. After decades of political complexities within remarkable demographic changes in the population, colleges are now eager to prioritize matters of managing diversity in the classrooms with more practical strategies. New scholarly research book “Classroom Diversity Management” by student success and diversity advocate, Dr. Patricia Ifeoma Ugwu, tackles complications of classroom diversity head on – offering effective instructional approaches as resolutions.

More than a decade ago, Dr. Ugwu currently the Dean of Student Success & Engagement at Houston Community College (HCC), Coleman College for Health Sciences, in her doctoral dissertation reported the prediction that community colleges would continue to experience growth in enrollment and diversity. Today, this prediction has manifested. While growth in enrollment may not have been consistent, growth in student diversity has visibly exploded.

Consequently, the American Council on Education in a study analysis of latest trends in diversity in college classrooms acknowledges that hundreds of colleges and universities recognize the educational value of diversity and view student and faculty diversity as an essential resource for optimizing teaching and learning.

According to Dr. Ugwu, “The challenge is how to ensure that not only motivated faculty engage in regular professional development, but that faculty who lack the skills or have limited strategies for teaching diverse 21st century students are directed to engage in essential professional development, and that this engagement is tracked and that there is evidence that participation in professional development activities is equipping all faculty to successfully teach HCC’s diverse student body.”

Dr. Patricia Ugwu (foreground). “The challenge is how to ensure that not only motivated faculty engage in regular professional development, but that faculty who lack the skills or have limited strategies for teaching diverse 21st century students are directed to engage in essential professional development….”

Dr. Ugwu in this book delivers a scholarly research study, on effective instructional approaches that exceptional faculty use to engage diverse students in the classroom. Using critical incident technique, in-depth interviews, and focus groups the author identifies effective and ineffective instructional strategies for teaching diverse students. The findings Dr. Ugwu stated, would provide instructional leaders and administrators with relevant information to guide decisions in dealing with an increasingly more diverse student body.

Rev. Jesse Jackson expected in Houston as Keynote Speaker at HCC’s 2018 Black History Scholarship Gala

Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, is one of America’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures. Jackson worked closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 1960s.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson will be the keynote speaker at the 2018 Houston Community College Black History Scholarship Gala.

The gala will be held 6 p.m., Saturday, February 24, at the HCC West Houston Institute, 2811 Hayes Rd., Houston, TX 77082.

The West Houston Institute is a new, visionary facility comprised of state-of-the-art classrooms and conference spaces, all designed to serve as a real-world think tank and incubator for new methods of teaching, learning and exploring ideas.

Jackson will speak on this year’s gala theme: “The Politics Of.” Now in its 12th year, the HCC Black History Scholarship Gala raises funds for deserving HCC students.

Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, is one of America’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures. Jackson worked closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 1960s. He has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Jackson is a two-time presidential candidate, and has been credited with securing the release of hostages and political prisoners through diplomacy. He was ordained in 1968 and earned a Master of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.

In addition to Jackson’s speech, other prominent leaders in Houston’s business, education, sports, entertainment and political communities will be recognized with Lifetime Achievement Awards and Unstoppable Leadership honors at the scholarship gala.

Jackson, American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician, who was also a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 has been known for commanding public attention since he first started working for Martin Luther King Jr.In 1965, Jackson participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches organized by James Bevel, King and other civil rights leaders in Alabama. Impressed by Jackson’s drive and organizational abilities, King soon began giving Jackson a role in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), though he was concerned about Jackson’s apparent ambition and attention-seeking. When Jackson returned from Selma, he was charged with establishing a frontline office for the SCLC in Chicago.

Collegiate Disengagement and Completion Low Rates: Academic Symposium at the University of Houston Takes the Bull by the Horn

Dr. Anthony Hancock, Dean of Arts and Sciences, at the Houston Community College, during his presentation on Friday, October 27, 2017 – invoking the theories on identity development to advocate a mindset for growth.

Without doubt, college enrollments, disengagement, underachievement, and low rates of degree completion of Black men consistently generated terrifying numerical measures of desolation and ineffectuality.

By Anthony Obi Ogbo (International Guardian, Houston, TX)

It was all hands of deck at the “Men of Color Greater Houston Area Collegiate Symposium” where students and educators gathered for a three-day lecturing, learning, and strategizing on effective ways to support men of color in their college ventures.

The event sponsors by The University of Houston Downtown, Houston Community College and San Jacinto College hosted local schools, colleges, universities, and community organizations in taking part to bring students and leaders together to effectively engage men of color in creating pathways for success for students and professionals in the K-16 environment.

Conference organizers say they hope to specifically review solutions to support students and leaders as they evaluate outcomes for continued success to support institutions, organizations, and communities mitigate school-to-prison pipeline and the collegiate dropout rate. But presentation on Friday, October 27, 2017 by Dr. Anthony Hancock, Dean of Arts and Sciences, at the Houston Community College, unloaded that philosophy – invoking the theories on identity development to advocate a mindset for growth.

Participants – The event was sponsored by The University of Houston Downtown, Houston Community College and San Jacinto College.

Photo from left – Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi, President, Central College, Houston Community College; Dr Anthony Handcock, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Houston Community College; Dr. Roger T Watkins, The San Jacinto College District; and Alvin Johnson, Associate Director of learning Success, University of Houston.

Without doubt, college enrollments, disengagement, underachievement, and low rates of degree completion of Black men consistently generated terrifying numerical measures of desolation and ineffectuality. To make these challenges worse are a lack of effective approaches by educators and policymakers in addressing them. Dr. Hancock admitted that these challenges are among the most pressing and complex issues in American higher education today. In fact, a summary of problems and inequities that are typically amplified in public discourse, scholarly journals, policy reports, and the media justifies the impending urgency. For instance:

35.8 percent of Black students who enrolled at four-year colleges in 2010 had earned a diploma by 2016.
For Whites, 60.7 percent of students who entered college in 2010 had graduated by 2016.
At private four-year colleges and universities, the Black graduation rate was 41.1 percent compared to a White graduation rate of 68.0 percent.
For Black students entering college in 2010, 39.2 percent of women earned their degrees within six years compared to 31.2 percent of Black men.
About 72 percent of Black students took out a student loan, again the highest rate among any racial or ethnic group.

These figures according to Dr. Handcock shaped the fundamental relevance of his presentation titled, “Sometimes Curve Balls Don’t Curve: A Mindset for Growth.” “Classroom experience matters in strategizing any engagement process when the issue is about people of color,” he noted. For example:

What compels one to speak and participate actively in courses in which he is the only Black student?
How do Black undergraduate men earn GPAs above 3.0 in majors for which they were academically underprepared?
Which instructional practices best engage Black male collegians?
How do Black men craft productive responses to stereotypes encountered in classrooms?

These and many more exploratory questions came up from different perspectives to herald reflection forums and sessions at Men of Color Greater Houston Area Collegiate Symposium. Dr. Handcock’s 45 minutes Presentation on “Sometimes Curve Balls Don’t Curve” however confronted the issues head-on, with substantial intervention actions. A workforce exponent, Handcock expresses the need to create multiple pathways that combine education, training, work experience, and support to help young men, especially those who lack high school diplomas and job skills, achieve successful postsecondary outcomes.

Session participants …hosted local schools, colleges, universities, and community organizations in taking part to bring students and leaders together to effectively engage men of color in creating pathways for success for students and professionals in the K-16 environment.

Among other intervention strategies, there could be a concerted effort to reach out to former students who have attended an institutions but who have not earned a baccalaureate degree from any institution. Finally, the paper advocated an undivided support for economic growth at regional, states and national levels; including research and innovation, commercialization of technologies, and economic development, this includes increasing graduates in areas of critical need including STEM fields.

HCC Central College President, Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi, Named to a Global Education Commission

Dr. Siddiqi said he looks forward to representing HCC on the commission. “I am excited by this appointment and welcome the opportunity to share my experience and HCC’s values with commission members.

The president of Houston Community College’s (HCC) Central College has been appointed to a special commission by a national education organization.

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) named Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi to its Global Commission on Global Education. Dr. Siddiqi says he is honored to receive the appointment. “I believe that global education plays an increasingly important role in enriching students’ learning experiences in U.S. institutions of higher education.”

The purpose of the AACC commission is to provide a forum for focused conversation on global education and to advise the organization’s board and staff. In naming Dr. Siddiqi to the commission, Dr. Walter Bumphus, president and CEO of the AACC said, “Your insight and leadership will significantly contribute to the board’s decision-making process.”

Dr. Siddiqi has an extensive background in international education and business. He worked a dozen years for multinational corporations in six countries. His tenure in higher education is marked by successful implementation of campus internationalization activities.

At his previous institutions in Illinois, Dr. Siddiqi worked with the Illinois Consortium of International Studies and Programs, an international education consortium of over 25 community colleges, to dramatically expand international faculty and student exchange programs and cultural tours. He also worked with faculty and staff to create a comprehensive campus internationalization plan that integrated international education goals into academic and student affairs strategic planning processes and outcomes.

Dr. Siddiqi received his undergraduate education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and also pursued postgraduate studies in Singapore, Thailand and the Netherlands.

HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado said, “Dr. Siddiqi’s international business and educational experience makes him an invaluable asset to HCC. His appointment to the Commission on Global Education is well deserved.”

Dr. Siddiqi said he looks forward to representing HCC on the commission. “I am excited by this appointment and welcome the opportunity to share my experience and HCC’s values with commission members.Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 15 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society.

HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. To learn more, visit www.hccs.edu.Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 15 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. To learn more, visit http://www.hccs.edu/

A reunion of cohorts: HCC Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alumni celebrate success

Photo: (l-r) Tammy Fleming, Trendz by Tammy; Alyse Makarewicz, AMB Architects; CV Rao, TechOne Centre; Kim Moore, Leaps & Bounds Tutorial Center; and Chandra Kill, KRESS Employment Screening presented at the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at HCC 10KSB Talks at the HCC Alief-Hayes Campus.

What do an architect, teacher, engineer, private investigator, and hairdresser have in common? They are graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Houston Community College (HCC) and they had the opportunity to share stories of survival and success in front of fellow alumni during the program’s year-end celebration.

Aptly titled “The Real Small Business Owners of Houston”, the 15 minute, TED-style talks highlighted the ups and downs of owning a business and the journey these entrepreneurs went through to grow their businesses.

“These presenters shared their hearts with the audience. They put it all out there. They bared it all,” said Rita Reed, alumni manager, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at HCC. “They talked about challenges and how making wrong decisions actually put them on the right track.”

The grant-based program started at HCC in 2011 and by the end of the year will have graduated 478 small business owners from 17 cohorts.

“The entrepreneurial mindset is something that many community colleges are really getting into and the initiatives here at HCC are very powerful,” said Catherine Landry, executive director, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at HCC. “The goal with our program is to help small businesses develop a pathway for growth to increase revenue, provide new jobs, and help build economic structure in the Houston area.”

In order to help build the economic structure, students learned the importance of creating a positive company culture, implementing a growth plan, pursuing your passion, and investing in your employees.

Kim Moore, owner of Leaps & Bounds Tutorial Center, is a teacher by trade. She learned the hard way about the rollercoaster of owning a business. Moore faced setbacks that included an illness and being forced to close a center because a bar and a gun shop moved in next door. She overcame those obstacles, took advantage of her second chance, and delivered valuable advice to her colleagues.

“Know your why and what you can do different to get a different result,” said Moore. “You can’t solve your problems with the same thinking you used to create them.”

To learn more about the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at HCC, visit hccs.edu/10ksb.

Katy VFW makes generous commitment to support HCC veteran students

During the October meeting of the HCC Board of Trustees, members of both organizations presented the HCC Foundation with a check for $10,000 with $7,500 coming from the VFW Post 9182 and the remaining $2,500 from the Texas VFW Foundation.

Students enrolled in the Houston Community College (HCC) Veteran Workforce programs will benefit from a generous donation by the Katy, TX VFW Post 9182 and the Department of Texas VFW Foundation.

During the October meeting of the HCC Board of Trustees, Edward Bland and Kenneth Burton, Jr. presented the HCC Foundation with a check for $10,000 with $7,500 coming from the VFW Post 9182 and the remaining $2,500 from the Texas VFW Foundation.

“We are grateful for the generosity of the Katy, TX VFW Post 9182 to provide valuable support for our HCC veteran students as they pursue their higher education through our workforce programs,” said Dr. Adriana Tamez, HCC Board Chair. “This gift will impact the lives of many veterans.”

Bland, senior vice commander, VFW Post 9182, explained that many individuals come right out of active duty having to support a family with no income. This donation will help them transition into high-paying careers.

“When we discovered there was a gap between the VA funding for certain students and those coming out of active service looking for jobs in the private sector, they couldn’t get their certifications paid for by the VA because it was too short a period of time for the VA money to kick in,” said Bland. “These men and women are fully capable of doing the jobs. They just don’t have that piece of paper and HCC is providing that opportunity for them and we are happy to be able to fund part of that for these folks.”

Mary Williams, president of the HCC Foundation Board of Directors, expressed sincere appreciation on behalf of fellow board members.

“Your organization’s commitment for all you do for our veterans is impressive,” said Williams. “We thank you for your philanthropy and your gift and we look forward to growing our partnership in support of these students.”

To learn more about the HCC Foundation and the scholarships available, visit hccsfoundation.org.

“The program also provides our communities with a viable option to develop and enhance their economic standing.”

HCC’s Culinary Arts Program, according to HCC, was established in 1982 and now welcomes over a hundred new students each year.

Without doubt, college enrollments, disengagement, underachievement, and low rates of degree completion of Black men consistently generated terrifying numerical measures of desolation and ineffectuality.

By Anthony Obi Ogbo (International Guardian, Houston, TX)

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