For adults who feel it may be too late to return to school, Jerrad Lorlovick’s journey proves that a second chance can change everything.At 35, with a family to support and a lifelong dream of becoming a meteorologist, Lorlovick found himself stuck after being scammed out of $400 by a fake online diploma program.

Amarillo College’s Communications and Marketing team has been nationally recognized with six honors from the 2025 Educational Digital Marketing Awards, celebrating excellence in digital strategy, storytelling, and student-focused communication.The team received three Gold Awards, one Silver Award, and two Bronze Awards for standout work that supports student engagement and institutional advancement.

What began as a hesitant return to the classroom has become a powerful testimony of perseverance, legacy, and hope. Alexia Layton, an Amarillo College Early Childhood Development student and single mother in her mid-30s, will serve as the student speaker for Amarillo College’s Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremony. She will be one of 1,161 AC summer and fall graduates eligible to receive diplomas on Friday, Dec. 19 at the Amarillo Civic Center.

Amarillo College students delivered standout performances at the Cyber Challenge 2.0 on Nov. 20, earning multiple top finishes in both team and individual competitions during the regional cybersecurity event hosted by the College’s Innovation Outpost.Powered by EC-Council’s Cyber Range, the competition brought together high school students, college students, and professionals for a full day of immersive, real-world cybersecurity scenarios. Participants competed in team-based “capture the flag” challenges in the morning, followed by individual competitions in the afternoon across Beginner, Intermediate, and Professional divisions.

Amarillo College in partnership with Window on a Wider World, will present a series of holiday concerts for pre-K through 6th grade students across the Texas Panhandle on Friday, Dec. 5 with performances at 9 a.m. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The concerts will take place in the intimate Amarillo College Concert Hall Theater designed by famed architect Edward Durrell Stone.

Amarillo College is now offering TELUS Health as its new provider for teletherapy services. The new partnership accessible now expands access to free, 24/7 mental health for all AC students.AC selected TELUS Health following a thorough review process that emphasized cost efficiency, accessibility, and alignment with the College’s mission to remove barriers to student success. The new service will save the College approximately $200,000 annually while offering enhanced support tailored to the needs of AC’s large nontraditional student population.

As temperatures drop across the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo College is reminding community members to take simple, proactive steps to winterize their vehicles and avoid dangerous roadside breakdowns. Rob Leuthen, AC Automotive/Diesel/Auto Body Coordinator at Amarillo College, emphasized that early preparation is key to staying safe during the cold months.

Amarillo College Theatre is proud to announce its upcoming production of A Streetcar Named Desire, one of the most revered works in American drama. Performances will run Dec.11–13, 2025, at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on Dec. 14 at 3 p.m.Written by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire follows Blanche DuBois, a fragile Mississippi schoolteacher who arrives in New Orleans seeking refuge with her sister, Stella. After stepping off the streetcar named “Desire,” Blanche enters the cramped Elysian Fields apartment shared by Stella and her husband, Stanley Kowalski. As personalities clash and long-buried tensions rise, the household becomes a pressure cooker of desire, power, and class conflict—building toward some of the most iconic scenes in modern theatre.

The Amarillo College Music Department invites the community to enjoy—and even join—a special shared concert by the AC Chamber Orchestra and AC Guitar Ensemble honoring longtime AC director David Hinds. The tribute concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, in the Concert Hall on AC’s Washington Street Campus, with audience members welcome to play along on their own instruments for the final piece.

Amarillo College invites the community to experience an evening of dynamic, high-energy music as the AC Jazz Ensemble and Vocal Jazz come together for a joint concert at 7:30 p.m.  Tuesday, Nov. 18. The performance will take place at the Concert Hall on the Washington Street campus and will showcase the full spectrum of jazz talent at AC—instrumental and vocal—on one exciting stage.

Amarillo College’s Innovation Outpost will host an area-wide Cyber Challenge 2.0 competition on Thursday, Nov. 20 powered by EC-Council’s Cyber Range, and open to AC students, faculty, staff, friends, and family. The full-day cyber challenge immerses participants in real-world security scenarios, offering hands-on experience with industry tools, timed scoring, and collaborative problem-solving. Designed for all skill levels, the event welcomes beginners exploring cybersecurity for the first time as well as advanced competitors ready to test their expertise.

Canyon ISD and Bushland ISD are strengthening their long-standing partnerships with Amarillo College through Badger Bound—an initiative that provides students who complete 15 hours of dual credit with up to 45 additional hours of tuition-free college credit after high school. The program, which launches with the Class of 2026, is already creating excitement among students, families, and educators who see it as a game-changing opportunity.

Amarillo College is now enrolling students for its Spring 2026 Emergency Medical Services Professions (EMSP) programs at the First Responders Academy, a state-of-the-art facility located at 3891 Plains Blvd. in Amarillo. The College offers a full range of EMS training options — from Basic EMT and Advanced EMT to Paramedic certification and the Associate of Applied Science in Emergency Medical Services Professions — preparing students for success in one of the most vital and rewarding fields in public safety.

The Amarillo College (AC) Suzuki Program invites the community to a vibrant afternoon of music at its upcoming Suzuki Program Orchestras & Ensembles Concert, set for 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16 at AC’s Concert Hall Theatre. The performance will showcase talented student musicians from across the AC Suzuki Program, highlighting the growth, discipline, and musical artistry nurtured through the renowned Suzuki teaching method. Families, friends, and supporters of the arts are encouraged to attend and enjoy a wide-ranging program performed by young orchestral and ensemble players.

Amarillo College will honor the service and sacrifice of veterans and military-affiliated students, faculty, and staff during its annual Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the AC Clock Tower.Dr. Jamelle Conner, president of Amarillo College, will welcome attendees, acknowledging the contributions of those who have served in the armed forces. The ceremony will feature a patriotic medley performed by the AC Ensemble, followed by presentations from distinguished speakers:

Panhandle PBS has been selected by the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) to participate in a national preservation initiative that will digitize nearly 1,000 pieces of historic media content—from one-inch and three-quarter-inch videotapes to reel-to-reel audio recordings—documenting the stories and people of the Texas Panhandle.

Amarillo College invites the community to its next Chautauqua: Conversations About Be-ing Human event, “Losing Your Religion (or Not)?,” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19 in the Oak Room in the College Union Building on Amarillo College's Washington Street Campus. This thought-provoking discussion will explore the evolving role of faith in a rapidly changing world—how people are questioning, reshaping, or reaffirming their beliefs in the face of modern culture, community, and technology.

Amarillo College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mychal Coleman as its new Vice President of Human Resources.Coleman brings more than two decades of experience in higher education and organizational leadership, with a proven record of transforming HR departments and fostering collaborative, high-performing workplace cultures. His leadership has earned national recognition for innovation and excellence in human resources, and he is widely respected for building strong, strategic partnerships that advance institutional goals.

Amarillo College will host Dr. Davis Jenkins, a nationally recognized scholar from Columbia University’s Teachers College, on Thursday, Nov. 13 as part of Region 16’s Education Service Center’s Superintendent Leadership Series. The session will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at AC’s West Campus in the Health Science Simulation Center. 

Amarillo College invites the community to an evening of reflection and music at “Heroes and Martyrs, Idols and Mentors” set to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 in the Concert Hall Theatre on AC’s Washington Street campus.Presented in honor of Veterans Day, the Keep Us Live Arts Performance Series event, celebrates the lives and legacies of those who have shaped the national spirit, featuring songs of remembrance, gratitude, and patriotic pride. Dr. Robert Hansen, voice, and Steve Simpson, piano, will lead the performance, inviting the audience to sing along and join in honoring these inspiring figures.