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In a year filled with highlights, watching ACC student Charlie Best score the winning goal in ACC's Region 8 national Esports championship game has to rank near the top. Part of it was the setting, in the Fitzpatrick Family Commons, watching the Rocket League action on the big screen. Clustered in tight with Charlie's mom and dad, Coach Aaron Guitar, student-athletes and coaches from other ACC sports teams, Utility Tech lineworker students, friends of the team, and associated lovers of ACC and its student life--the moment felt unified and electric. Part of it was the game itself--game 7, sudden-death overtime, next goal wins the championship. But mainly it was the sound of anxious anticipation, then a sudden crescendo as everyone could see Charlie deflect the game-winning shot toward the open goal, quickly erupting into an explosion of delight as the winning shot went in. Joyful noise, high-fives, hugs, and celebratory selfies electrified the room. The space stayed positively charged for a long time afterward. Observing the scene one ACC staffer put it best: "That was the coolest thing ever."
Below are some other highlights from the year:
· Earned the highest graduation rate among Michigan's 28 community colleges for the 5th consecutive year based on Integrated Postsecondary Education System (IPEDS) federal data.
· Delivered a fall semester enrollment of 1637 students, highest since fall semester 2017.
· Won the E-Sports Region 8 national championship
· Completed a $4.7 million apartment-style student housing project that added 34 beds of on-campus housing.
· Completed a $4.61 million 6-acre solar array fully funded by the Michigan Public Service Commission.
· Recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the top 200 community colleges in the United States. There are approximately 1150 community colleges in the U.S. ACC was one of three community colleges to receive this distinction from the Aspen Institute.
· Recognized by the Carnegie Institute as an Opportunity College, distinguished by higher access (affordability) and aggregated earnings by graduates compared to average earnings of citizens in the service district served by the College. Only 9.5 percent of all universities, public and private colleges, and community colleges earned Opportunity College distinction from the Carnegie Institute. ACC was the only community college in Michigan so honored.
· Received unqualified approval by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) for ACC's Nursing programs.
· Finished #1, #1, #2, #5, and #4 among Michigan's community colleges and tribal schools by CEPI (Center for Educational Performance and Improvement), a state database measuring student graduation and transfer success longitudinally across six years starting the second year after students exit the institution.
· Hosted the 3rd annual Lumberjacks Legends Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a lovely event.
· Delivered dual enrollment or Early College coursework to 35 Northern Michigan K-12 partners.
· Awarded a $3.52 million Congressional Directed Spending federal earmark from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development agency to renovate the Natural Resources Center (NRC). Thanks to U.S. Representative Jack Bergman for his support of this request.
· Received a $3 million Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) five-year federal grant from the United States Department of Labor.
· Received a $2.1 million TRIO Talent Search five-year federal grant serving K12s across NE Lower Michigan.
· Surpassed more than $49 million in external fundraising over the past 6.5 years in support of five Board-directed target areas: facilities, Foundation support, technology and innovation, student success, and ambient learning.
· Hosted Governor Gretchen Whitmer on a campus visit.
· Replaced pavers and concrete in front of the World Center for Concrete Technology and the Electrical Power Technology Center, two priority maintenance and replacement projects.
· Weathered our second annual Storm of a Lifetime in March 2025.
I'll close with a memorable encounter hosting Governor Whitmer in my office in April. At her invitation I covered many of the bullet points referenced above, focusing specifically on institutional accomplish-ments such as graduation rate, student housing, the Solar Array, the Aspen and Carnegie Institute recognition, and the Esports success. As I wrapped up the list, she locked in with her characteristic friendly but direct eye contact. "Wow," she said in an admiring tone. "All this good work going on at Alpena Community College. Who knew?"
That tells me we still have some good work to do. Let's stay with it.