Education
BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
Six higher education updates from around the region
4 Austin Community College The ACC board of trustees approved a $568 million balanced budget during a regular meeting July 7. The budget includes pay raises for employees, maintains ACC’s minimum wage and keeps tuition and fees unchanged, according to a news release. A $10 million compensation package in the budget includes a 3% raise for all current ACC employees. The approval comes as fall enrollment is up 15% for 2025.
5 South University Austin South University Austin, located in Round Rock, saw its first cohort of students pursuing a master’s degree in physician assistant studies graduate in March, according to a news release. The program for physician assistants is the first accredited program in the Austin metro area, according to the university. The class included 35 students, who completed 15 months of instructive training and 12 months of hands-on training. The students were selected from a pool of over 2,000 applicants. Each received training in at least seven specialities, including family medicine, internal medicine, behavioral medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, surgery and women’s health.
6 Concordia University Texas Concordia University Texas announced a partnership with the University of North Dakota in March to offer a dual-degree program. The program allows students to earn a degree in either mathematics or chemistry from Concordia, alongside one of five engineering degrees from UND, according to a news release.
1 Texas State Technical College Texas State Technical College broke ground on an expansion of the East Williamson County campus in Hutto in February. The campus is expected to open by spring 2027. The new 70,000-square-foot facility will house three programs, including advanced manufacturing, industrial systems and precision machining technology, according to a news release. The project will cost $47 million, TSTC Communication Specialist Kate Altier said. TSTC’s East Williamson County campus is part of a multi-institutional teaching center called the East Williamson County Higher Education Center—a 112,000-square-foot facility that sits on 57 acres, according to the college’s website.
2 Franklin Pierce University Franklin Pierce University’s latest program to produce more physician assistants celebrated its new learning center in Round Rock with a ribbon cutting in February. FPU’s Round Rock Academic Center, located on the Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital campus, is the home for FPU’s hybrid Master of Physician Assistant Studies program in Texas. The 24-month program combines online learning with in-person clinical training, and the 7,000-square-foot learning facility in Round Rock serves as a space for students participating in the hands-on portion of the graduate program. The program welcomed its second cohort of students this March. “By providing a flexible, high-quality program, we are not only supporting the career aspirations of our students but also addressing the healthcare needs of communities across the country,” said Dr. Peter Eden, President of Franklin Pierce University.
3 Southwestern University Southwestern University plans to develop over 560 acres of land near its campus in Georgetown. Called Southwestern University 560, the project is in early planning stages for its first phase. Features for the 560-acre development so far include a concert hall, artscape, 70 acres of green space, mixed-use residential housings, a boutique hotel, and retail and research space. The first buildings could open as early as 2027.
Engineering occupational projections in Texas
2020
2030
10 Austin Community College locations: 1 Cypress Creek Campus 2 Eastview Campus
Operating Engineers Industrial Engineers Mechanical Engineers Chemical Engineers Electrical Engineers Civil Engineers
9
95
3 Elgin Campus 4 Hays Campus 5 Highland Campus
1
35
183
6
Phase 1A of SU's 560 plan
3
6 Northridge Campus 7 Rio Grande Campus 8 Riverside Campus 9 Round Rock Campus 10 San Gabriel Campus 11 South Austin Campus
5
290
Georgetown
188
7
2
172
8
11
71
249
45 TOLL
Hutto
0
10K
20K 30K 40K
21
29
INNOVATION BLVD.
Annual average employment
4
N
N
N
N
SOURCE: TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
ROUND ROCK 201 University Oaks Blvd (512) 341-9066 CEDAR PARK 13530 Ronald Reagan Blvd (512) 986-7681
GEORGETOWN 1013 W University Ave (512) 868-6696
PFLUGERVILLE 19000 Limestone Commercial Dr (512) 953-4070
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