Amarillo College’s Panhandle PBS will welcome Lidia Bastianich—Emmy Award–winning public television host, best-selling cookbook author, and renowned restaurateur—to Amarillo for Savor the Goods: A Night of Friendship and Flavor with Lidia Bastianich on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the Legacy Room at Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Boulevard.

Carlos Bargas, field support technician; Lisa Gossett, assistant property and accounting manager; and Maria Juarez, director of Enrollment Services, each received Amarillo College’s highest non-faculty honor during Fall Convocation on Aug. 21 at the Amarillo Civic Center.Bargas was praised for his innovation and willingness to help. A nominator wrote, “No one cares more for our customer base than Carlos. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of his assistance, you know how devoted he truly is.” Widely regarded as the go-to for software issues, Bargas supports colleagues across the IT team and even authored a guidebook for technicians.

Amarillo College is set to spark new conversations around questions and concepts of individuals and culture within a community. The presentation, “The Complex(ion) of Culture: It’s NOT What You Think,” is the first part of the fall Chautauqua series. The event will take place Wednesday, Sept. 17, in the Oak Room, College Union Building at the Washington Street Campus, and promises a thought-provoking exploration into the unexpected facets of cultural identity.

The Amarillo College Foundation will recognize longtime supporters Carol and Sam Lovelady with the prestigious Chairman’s Award during its 61st Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9.The award honors individuals and businesses whose commitment and generosity have left a lasting impact on Amarillo College and its students. For more than three decades, the Loveladys have been champions of education, the arts, and student success at AC.

Cybersecurity student Bradley Dalpaz didn’t expect his Amarillo College internship to take him out of the office and into open fields — or into a future job offer.At Ama TechTel, Dalpaz, a computer science major, worked entirely in the field, installing low-voltage wiring, troubleshooting outdoor processors, and even checking temperatures at a Bitcoin mining farm in White Deer — where it could hit 155 degrees. 

High school students, parents, and anyone exploring higher education opportunities will have a unique chance to connect directly with colleges and technical training schools from across Texas and the nation at the Amarillo Area College Fair, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16 at AmTech Career Academy, 3601 Plains Blvd.

When Jacqueline Mendoza first enrolled at Amarillo College, she was a business major without a clear career direction.“I didn’t really know where I was going from there,” she said. “Then I got into technology and computers because my dad already does some stuff with that. The more I got into the classes, the more I liked where this was going.”

Amarillo College’s Panhandle PBS will welcome leaders from all 10 PBS stations in Texas for a two-day statewide meeting on Aug. 6–7.In addition to station managers, the leadership team of Texas PBS will also attend. Guests will travel from Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, College Station, Lubbock, El Paso, and Midland to take part in the discussions.

Amarillo College is now accepting students for the Fall 2025 Basic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) courses, which begin Aug. 25 at AC’s First Responders Academy (FRA) — a premier facility located on Plains Boulevard in Amarillo. To accommodate a wide range of students, including those who work, the program offers morning, afternoon, and evening class options.

Amarillo College’s Aviation program continues to soar — not only in reputation, but in real-world results, supplying a critical pipeline of workforce-ready talent to regional aviation companies like Haven Aviation Services Group.“Our Aviation Maintenance program is widely recognized for its strong partnership with Bell, which reflects the high standards we uphold in technical training,” said David Hall, dean of Amarillo College’s East Campus. “What’s equally exciting is the growing demand for our graduates across a broad spectrum of aviation employers. This program offers a direct route to a rewarding career for students with the aptitude and drive to excel in aviation repair and mechanics.”

Leila Daraei Ahwaz, originally from Iran, now proudly calls Amarillo home—a place where she rebuilt her life, raised her family, and found her calling.Her journey to the Texas Panhandle was anything but simple. In 2006, Leila left Iran with her husband and two children, pregnant with her third. The family spent eight months in Austria while awaiting legal entry into the United States. Her youngest son was born there.

Beginning this fall Amarillo College will offer fire protection technology courses with more flexibility. The courses, designed to earn an associate degree in applied science, are set up in an 8-week online format and tuition-free options. “These courses are more flexible than ever and provide great long-term career value for firefighters,” said Steve Malley, coordinator of the AC Regional Fire Academy. “We are continuing to make this program more accessible.” 

Amarillo College will host Dual Credit Days in Dumas and Hereford this month, inviting students and their families to learn more about dual credit opportunities.“There are so many questions students, and their families have about dual credit,” said Sandra De La Rosa, AC’s director of secondary partnerships and dual credit. “We want to help them navigate this excellent option for high school students by providing everything they need to enroll and take full advantage of the opportunity.” 

Dr. Fred Napp, an Amarillo College graduate and adjunct faculty member, will share some details about his career and sign copies of his book, Tales from the Ashes, at a book signing from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July 17 at AC’s First Responders Academy at 3891 Plains Boulevard in Amarillo.Napp’s career began as a volunteer firefighter in high school. The book draws on his experiences growing up in Dumas and on his 30 years of experience in fire and arson investigations across Texas.

Two locally produced documentaries from Panhandle PBS have been selected to air across Texas after being chosen by a panel of PBS staff representing the 10 public television stations in the state.The selected films— “The Rain We Keep” and “Broken Bread: Examining Senior Food Insecurity in the Texas Panhandle”—were chosen from 15 submissions for broadcast. 

Amarillo College will administer physical ability testing for anyone seeking admission to the AC Fire Academy at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 26 and Saturday, Aug. 2 at the First Responders Academy (FRA) at Plains Boulevard. Passing the physical ability test, which consists of simulated fire-scene activities, is among the requirements for admission to the Fire Academy.

Cash prizes will be up for grabs once again at Chalk It Up, the summertime sidewalk art contest at Amarillo College that has attracted crazy-good creations every year since its inception in 2017. Online registration is now open for the popular annual event, which takes place Saturday, July 26 on AC’s Washington Street Campus.

Amarillo College will be one of few community colleges in Texas to earn alliance status with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor.AC President Jamelle J. Conner will formalize the alliance status at a signing set for 11 a.m. Thursday, June 26 at the Innovation Outpost at 1220 S. Polk Street in Amarillo. 

The De La Rosa family from Sunray gathered earlier this month to celebrate their son, Ivan De La Rosa, who earned his Amarillo College associate’s degree and Sunray High School diploma. He also earned distinction as the 2025 class salutatorian. Ivan was one of 67 area high school students who earned a diploma and an Amarillo College degree this graduation season. 

 Amarillo College is pleased to announce that a total of 859 full-time students attained academic excellence worthy of inclusion on the Spring 2025 Dean’s List. To attain inclusion on the prestigious list, students must attend AC full time and earn a grade point average of 3.6 or higher.Full-time students who achieved Dean’s-List status for academic excellence in the spring of 2025 are listed alphabetically.