Designed to bring critical public safety disciplines together under a single roof, Amarillo College’s First Responders Academy is inviting the public to an open house from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10. Amarillo College’s First Responders Academy, which opened in 2024, serves as an essential hub for Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, and Fire Protection Technology training.

Amarillo College’s Testing Services was recertified by the National College Testing Association (NCTA) last month through a rigorous and thorough process enabling the center to test hundreds of students on a myriad of career-centered tests. “It was a seven-month process to gather and report everything from room size and arrangement to procedures and confidentiality,” said Erin Frey, AC’s Testing Service coordinator, who took on the project just months into her position. “Together we demonstrated the professionalism and careful detail we take to ensure a first-rate Center.” 

Amarillo College is pleased to announce that its Communications and Marketing Department parlayed its “Your Future is Bright” promotional campaign into significant recognition at the 40th Annual Education Advertising Awards.An elite national organization known for recognizing excellence in higher education advertising, the Education Advertising Awards (EduAwards) presented 10 total accolades to Amarillo College. Two of the laurels are at the highest Gold level and are directly related to the “Bright” campaign.

On a day widely associated with tricks, The Keep Us Live! series will continue in earnest with the accomplished pianist John Bayless at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 1. “He will bring his improvisational style to a variety of feel-good genres, from opera to Broadway shows, music from the movies, and even the Beatles,” said Dr. Bruce Lin, director of piano at AC. 

With a renewed interest in Bob Dylan this year’s Amarillo College  Creative Mind Lecture Series will be three days and include music, a lecture, and rare film footage April 9-11 at AC’s Washington Street campus. The event will kick off with live musical tributes to Bob Dylan and food trucks at noon Wednesday, April 9 at the Oeschger Family Mall. AC’s FM-90 will host the two-hour event. 

A collaborative tradition of faculty- and artist-led workshops aimed at inspiring the next generation of creatives returns Friday, March 28 to Amarillo College, where 400 high school students will gather for the IGNITE High School Creative Arts Conference.For the fifth time Amarillo College and the Texas Panhandle Art Education Association (TPAEA) will co-present IGNITE, from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on AC’s Washington Street Campus.

Amarillo College’s Dr. Dan Ferguson helped thousands of students write better with the creation of AC’s Writing Academic Success Center also known as the Writers' Corner. Ferguson along with Dr. Frank Sobey created AC’s Writers' Corner to help students in Composition 1 and 2. Proof is in the scores that raised success rates by 20-30% in those first semesters. 

Amarillo College is pleased to announce its upcoming Men in Healthcare career exploration event, which is from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 26 in Building A, Room 109 at the West Campus, 6222 SW 9th Ave.This event is part of the College's ongoing effort to encourage and support men in pursuing non-traditional gender careers, particularly in the healthcare field.

Amarillo College will recognize staff and faculty for their length of service at the Legacies ceremony set for 9 a.m. Friday, March 21 at the Oak Room in the College Union Building, Washington Street Campus. “We like to take time each year to recognize these milestone markers of service to AC,” said Will Ratliff, director of organizational development. “We appreciate each of these 69 employees who will be recognized for their service.” 

More than 125 women who want to learn about technical-career opportunities long associated with the male gender will get that chance on Wednesday, March 19 when Amarillo College hosts “Women in Industry” on the East Campus.The event is from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and participants will engage in career exploration and seminars relevant to the pursuit of technical careers. 

Amarillo College students earned top honors at the Amarillo chapter of the American Advertising Federation’s 2025 Advertising Awards last month. “The Current,” AC’s student-run magazine, won Best of Show and a gold Addy award for its 2024 spring edition. “I was incredibly honored to receive this prestigious award from the AAF,” Hayden Splawn, a graphic design major and co-art director of the magazine, said. “For all the countless hours of work we put in on top of our regular classes, it really shows how much a student-run team can accomplish when they have their priorities straight.”

Texas Mutual Insurance Company is awarding a $100,000 grant to Amarillo College (AC) to continue funding AC’s Safety and Environmental Technology program, which provides workplace safety and health courses for community employers, employees and the general public.This is the 10th consecutive year that Texas Mutual, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance, has given a grant to the college to support its risk management program. 

Amarillo College’s Kristin McDonald-Willey, who serves as AC’s Director of Admissions and Registrar, was selected to serve on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Coordinating Board Manual work group with other college and university Texas state reporting leaders.“It’s wonderful to work with people who truly want to improve and streamline the work we do as community colleges,” she said. “It is always nice to work with peers, and it’s good to know the state offers us all a chance to provide feedback.” 

Eleven Amarillo College dual credit students who currently attend AmTech Academy earned top honors at the SkillsUSA Machining Competition Feb. 14 in Levelland. The group earned top honors in CNC Lathe and CNC Programming, taking the first, second and third places in both categories. Together they earned first and third place in Axis CNC Mill and third place and two fifth places in CNC Mill. 

Amarillo College’s music faculty selected seven talented student musicians to perform in this year’s Student Honors Recital at AC. The recital, which is free, will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4 in the AC Concert Hall on the Washington Street Campus.“Family, teachers, friends and our community are all invited to come and support these students in an evening of great music making,” said Camille Day Nies, professor of music. “High school students considering majoring in music can come and learn about the excellent quality of music program found at Amarillo College.” 

Area high school students will experience what it is like to be an AC student during career exploration events at Amarillo College. AC will host different career exploration events during the next four months. Students should register for the free events that include the chance to talk to faculty, sit in a class, compete in contests, and/hear a special speaker. 

Students from across the region will gather at Amarillo College’s Innovation Outpost to take on challenges related to national security scenarios Thursday, Feb. 20 and Friday, Feb. 21. College and AmTech students with an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics will meet for the event that starts at 10 a.m. Thursday. Dr. Jamelle Conner, AC’s president, will officially welcome students, college, and high school staff and Pantex partners to the Pantex Challenge. 

The exploration of complex family dynamics and relationships is a thematic element in John Patrick Shanley’s Italian American Reconciliation.  This gritty, bittersweet romantic comedy will be brought to life Feb. 20-23 at Amarillo College.  “I saw this show at one of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festivals that we go to every year,” said Monty Downs, director, and AC theatre instructor. “I thought it was a lot of fun.  I then learned it was written by Shanley (Moonstruck and Doubt) and liked it even more.”  

Amarillo College’s Mark White, who serves as the executive vice president and general counsel, was elected to serve as the president of the Texas Association of Community College Attorneys (TACCA). TACCA is an organization for community college attorneys, both in-house and those serving their clients from law firms.

Amarillo College will host a meet and greet for Dr. Jamelle Conner, the new president of Amarillo College next week. Faculty, staff, students and community members are invited to the reception set for 11 a.m.-noon Tuesday, Feb. 11 in the College Union Building, Second Floor. “We want to take time to welcome Dr. Conner along with everyone who wants a chance to meet her,” said Jay Barrett, chairman of the Amarillo College Board of Regents. “This is a great chance to connect her with the Amarillo College community.”