Contrary to biological intuition, the end of June is the end of the year at Alpena Community College. Our new fiscal year begins July 1. Looking back, we had a very good year. Here are some highlights:

Our graduation rate among first-time full-time degree and certificate-seeking students was first among Michigan’s 28 public community colleges and three tribal colleges for the fifth consecutive year.

We earned Opportunity College distinction from the Carnegie Institute, one of the top 9.8 percent of public and private colleges and universities nationwide to receive this honor and the only community college in Michigan. Carnegie devised a scoring matrix around affordability and average graduate earnings post-attendance compared to the average overall earnings in the community the college serves. Schools that scored well in both categories were named Opportunity Colleges.

ACC was honored as one of the top 200 community colleges in the U.S. by the Aspen Institute, one of only three community colleges in Michigan to receive this recognition.

The Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI), a state post-secondary education database, rates Michigan community colleges over a six-year cycle on a combination of graduation rate and successful transfer to a four-year school. Benchmarked against the other Michigan community colleges and tribal schools, CEPI rated ACC first in year two, first in year two, second in year four, fifth in year five, and fourth in year six.

We hosted Governor Gretchen Whitmer on a visit to campus. Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist came to campus and drove one of ACC’s CDL Class A combination vehicles with air brakes on a separate visit. Senator Hoitenga and Representative Cavitt also came by to visit.

Our Utility Tech line workers won team and individual awards at the National College Lineman’s Rodeo in Mitchell, South Dakota, then went out and got great jobs in their field of study.

Our Nursing department received unqualified accreditation from ACEN, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

Our Esports team won the national championship in Rocket League competition. Forty-six of ACC’s 112 student-athletics earned a 3.0 grade point average or higher with 22 posting 3.5 or above. Team GPAs: men’s cross country 3.62, Esports 3.39, women’s basketball 3.18, volleyball 3.16, and baseball 3.01. Reaghan Fitzpatrick, a 13th year Early College student and standout volleyball player, earned a 4.0 GPA.

We hosted the state history conference in September, an event that brought more than 200 history buffs from around the state to learn more about Alpena and ACC.

We provided a bucket truck for tree service experts to help the community dig out after the most recent devastating ice storm.

We hosted the awards ceremony for the Marine Advanced Technical Education (MATE) International Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) competition, an event that brought 79 teams from 18 countries to Alpena to compete in an underwater robotics competition. ACC’s Aquajacks finished third in the world in the Pioneer class, the category for two-year colleges. Thanks to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary staff for saying yes to this inspiring event.

We built apartments for 34 students to add to the capacity of 64 beds currently available on campus.

We began developing down Woodward with a six-acre solar array to benefit our 4-year Electrical Systems Technology students. We landed resources to build a Next Generation Climbing Range to support our UTT line worker students with steel infrastructure. We landed a $3.5 million federal earmark through U.S. Representative Bergman to renovate the Natural Resources Center.

We planted a small fruit orchard on the sloping high ground between the Madeline Briggs University Center and the back of MyMichigan Alpena and delighted in the flowers planted along Johnson Street and the sidewalk running between Besser Tech and Van Lare Hall. Many thanks to the Alpena Garden Club for their loving work with the flowers.

Our corrections officer training program delivered up to 15 hours of credit coursework to 286 corrections officers statewide.

The ACC Foundation offered $233,275 in scholarship support to 193 students in FY26.

Fall semester enrollment was up 4 percent, the 1604 headcount the highest since fall 2017.

Many things have to connect at the right time in the right proportions to germinate good outcomes. At ACC we like to see things grow. With July right around the corner, we’re working hard to make FY27 another good growing season.