The Vocational Nursing (LVN) program at Amarillo College will celebrate 75 years of preparing compassionate, highly skilled nurses during its Spring 2026 pinning ceremonies on May 14.The milestone will be honored as part of a dual ceremony recognizing both Vocational Nursing (VN) and Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) graduates at The Church at Quail Creek. The VN pinning ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by the ADN ceremony at 6 p.m. A reception for LVN graduates, alumni and community partners will follow the evening ceremony in the Fellowship Hall at the same location. Guests are asked to RSVP to the ceremony in advance.

The 7 p.m. ceremony will feature student commencement speaker Mallory Moore, the first student-athlete in Amarillo College history to be selected for the honor.Moore, a Badger cross country runner who competed at the national level both years she attended Amarillo College, said she was surprised and humbled to be chosen.

Amarillo College has selected Racheal Garcia, a graduate of its Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) program, as the student commencement speaker for the 3 p.m. graduation ceremony Friday, May 15.Garcia, a nontraditional student who returned to college while raising her granddaughters and supporting her family through illness, will address fellow graduates with a message centered on perseverance, purpose and the value of hard work.

Amarillo College’s Communications and Marketing has earned national recognition in the Collegiate Advertising Awards program, receiving a bronze, two golds, and three silver awards across multiple categories in competition with peer institutions in the 5,001–10,000 student group.The College earned two Gold Awards for the Kids’ College Summer Course Guide and the Creative Mind Lecture Series: Bob Dylan. It also received three Silver Awards for Teaching for Transformation Magazine, the Keep Us Live invitation campaign, and the {Grow / Secure / Drive / Protect / Build} Your Future TV/PSA video series. Additionally, the College was recognized with a Bronze Award for its {Grow / Secure / Drive / Protect / Build} Your Future billboard series.

Amarillo College invites the community to experience the intensity and teamwork of real-world firefighting during a special Night Live Burn Training event on Thursday, April 30 at the First Responders Academy. Open to the public, this rare, after-dark training offers a front-row seat to watch fire academy cadets in action as they battle controlled live fires.

Amarillo College students delivered an outstanding performance at the annual Pantex Innovation Challenge, earning top team finishes, multiple MVP honors, and advancing to the next round of competition.Held March 26–27 at Amarillo College’s Innovation Outpost campus, the event brought together some of the region’s brightest emerging talent to tackle complex, real-world challenges.

Amarillo College will host “Heart & Mind: Discover Your Path in Teaching and the Liberal Arts,” an engaging showcase designed to help high school students explore future careers in education and liberal arts fields.The event will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, April 27 in Dutton Hall on the Washington Street Campus.

The University of Texas Permian Basin and Amarillo College will sign an agreement to establish a new partnership at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 16 in the second-floor lobby of the College Union Building on AC’s Washington Street Campus.UTPB President Dr. Sandra Woodley and Amarillo College President Dr. Jamelle Conner will attend the event to sign the agreement, which is designed to make it easier than ever for Amarillo College students to continue their academic journey and complete their four-year degree as a Falcon.

Amarillo College is inviting community members to join an upcoming strategic planning forum and help shape the institution’s future.The event will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 in the Student Life & Conference Center on the Washington Street Campus.Led by Amarillo College President Dr. Jamelle Conner, the forum is designed to be an open, welcoming space where attendees can share ideas, offer input, and engage in meaningful conversations about the college’s direction and priorities.

When Salvador Gonzalez told his father he had earned a scholarship that could pay for his entire associate degree, the moment was emotional. His father, who completed only the third grade while growing up in Mexico, was moved to tears.Just months earlier, Gonzalez had moved from Houston to Bovina, unsure what to expect in a new town and a new school.

The Future Billionaires Club at Amarillo College is hosting its second annual business expo, Innovate U!, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 at the Oeschger Family Mall on the AC Washington Street campus.Designed to spotlight entrepreneurship across campus, Innovate U! gives Amarillo College students and employees the chance to showcase their businesses or business ideas, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and build valuable professional relationships.

Individuals interested in exploring rewarding careers in healthcare are invited to attend the upcoming Men in Healthcare event from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 2 at Amarillo College’s West Campus.Designed to introduce participants to the wide range of opportunities available in the healthcare field, the event will highlight careers that offer strong job security, competitive salaries, and the chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Attendees will gain insight into working in fast-paced medical environments and learn how their interests and skills can translate into in-demand healthcare professions.

Amarillo College will host a dynamic Career Expo and Transfer Fair on Wednesday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Student Life and Conference Center Event Center, bringing together university representatives, employers, and students for an engaging opportunity to plan for future success.The event will feature more than 12 university representatives from Arts, Education and Liberal Arts programs, along with over 20 employers from a variety of industries. Designed as a combined career expo and transfer fair, the event will connect students with internship opportunities, job openings, and pathways to four-year degrees.

More than 400 high school students from across the region will gather Friday, March 27 at Amarillo College for the annual Ignite the Arts high school creative arts conference, a day of faculty- and artist-led workshops designed to inspire the next generation of creatives.Co-presented by Amarillo College and the Texas Panhandle Art Education Association (TPAEA), Ignite will take place at AC’s Washington Street Campus. Students representing Amarillo ISD, Boys Ranch, Bushland, Canyon, Pampa, Plainview, River Road, Sanford-Fritch, Spearman and Texline schools will check in at 8 a.m.

Panhandle PBS is proud to have contributed to the development of PBS’s newly launched Community Engagement Learning Path, a comprehensive professional development program now available to public media stations across the country through Public Media Learns.Created by the PBS Immersive Learning Team and the PBS Programming Engagement Team in partnership with Nine PBS, the Community Engagement Learning Path and companion guidebook were designed as evergreen resources to help stations strengthen their engagement strategies, build meaningful partnerships, and better serve their communities.

Thirteen Amarillo College theatre students recently showcased their talent and dedication at the American College Theatre Festival last month in Abilene, earning multiple awards and national recognition while representing the College and its theatre program with distinction.Students competed in a variety of performance and technical theatre categories against peers from colleges and universities across the region.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company—the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance—will present a check for $100,000 grant at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 at the Innovation Outpost at 1220 S. Polk. With this Amarillo College continues to fund the college’s Safety and Environmental Technology Program, which provides workplace safety courses for community employers, employees and the general public.

Elizabeth A. Brown, a seasoned law enforcement executive with more than 24 years of progressive leadership experience, was sworn in as Chief of Police for the Amarillo College Police Department Feb. 24 at the AC Board of Regents meeting. Brown brings a distinguished record in public safety and the private sector, including service with the Amarillo Police Department where she was a Captain for 8 years. She earned a master of arts in communication from West Texas A & M University and is an Amarillo College Alumni. 

 Amarillo College Student Media brought home top honors once again this year at the Amarillo chapter of the American Advertising Federation’s 2026 Advertising Awards on Feb. 20.  “The Current,” AC’s student-produced magazine, won a Gold ADDY award and a Special Judges Award for its fall 2024 edition.

Amarillo College will welcome internationally renowned poet, storyteller, musician and playwright Joy Harjo for a public lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26 in the AC Concert Hall Theatre at AC’s Washington Street Campus, as part of the Creative Mind Lecture Series, sponsored by the Amarillo College Foundation.