Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Highland Campus is being awarded Stars of Distinction for Excellence by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) for the 2022-23 Exhibit of School Architecture. 

Of 55 projects recognized, only 34 were awarded a star in at least one of six categories, including design, value, innovation, community, planning, and school transformation. ACC Highland Campus received three stars for design, value, and transformation. 

About the Highland Campus:

ACC began purchasing parts of Highland Mall – Austin’s first indoor shopping mall –– in 2011. The first phase of the campus opened inside the former JCPenney flagship store in fall 2014. 

Phase 2 held its grand opening in April 2022. The college’s newest campus serves as a regional hub for higher education collaboration and workforce training and is home to 20 programs and multiple incubators. This area is home to the college’s most comprehensive campus, featuring:

• Creative Digital Media Center with Radio-Television-Film studios, music recording labs, and more  

• Health Sciences Simulation Center with mock operating and hospital rooms 

• Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Center with mock hotel rooms, a travel agency, and a fully-operational student-run restaurant 

• Specialized Workforce Training Labs and Manufacturing Incubator 

Exhibit of School Architecture Awards:

The Exhibit of School Architecture awards was selected by a 12-member jury, which includes: four school board members, four school administrators, and four members from the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) Southern Region.  

The projects are on display at the TASA | TASB Convention in San Antonio, from Friday, September 23, through Saturday, September 24. The projects will also soon be featured in the online exhibit.