Austin College

HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND INSTITUTIONAL PORTION

CARES ACT HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND AT AUSTIN COLLEGE

A PROJECT TO DEVELOP MASTER'S LEVEL STEM SECONDARY TEACHERS WITH EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP EXPERTISE

AUSTIN COLLEGE'S CAREER EMPOWERING STEM SCHOLARS

DEVELOPING SCIENCE LEADERS THROUGH APPLIED LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND REFLECTION

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN NMR SPECTROMETER FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND TEACHING AT AUSTIN COLLEGE

IRES TRACK I: EXPLORING THE ECOPHYSIOLOGY OF ENERGY BALANCE IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA -THIS AWARD AIMS TO GROW A GLOBALLY ENGAGED U.S. SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE BY PROVIDING AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA TO A DIVERSE GROUP OF U.S. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. FIVE STUDENTS PER YEAR WILL CONDUCT INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS ON ENERGY BALANCE IN VERTEBRATES (INCLUDING HIBERNATING DORMICE AND MIGRATORY BIRDS), MENTORED BY A DYNAMIC GROUP OF INTERNATIONAL ECOPHYSIOLOGY RESEARCHERS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY LIFE SCIENCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE IN VIENNA. UNDERSTANDING HOW VARIOUS VERTEBRATE ANIMALS CHOOSE TO ALLOCATE ENERGY RESOURCES UNDER DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IS IMPORTANT FOR PREDICTING HOW THOSE ANIMALS MIGHT RESPOND TO A CHANGING CLIMATE. ON THEIR RETURN TO NORTH TEXAS, STUDENTS WILL PRESENT THE RESULTS AND BROADER IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR RESEARCH ON THESE TOPICS AND THEIR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. COMPARATIVE ECOPHYSIOLOGY PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE THE STRATEGIES BY WHICH VARIOUS VERTEBRATES AT DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES COPE WITH EXTREME ENERGY DEMANDS UNDER A POTENTIALLY CHANGING CLIMATE. HIBERNATORS GAIN EXTENSIVE BODY FAT TO FUEL SURVIVAL OVER MONTHS OF APHAGIA, AND HAVE LIFESPANS LONGER THAN PREDICTED FOR THEIR BODY SIZE. MIGRATORY BIRDS EXPEND IMMENSE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY TO FUEL CONTINENT-SCALE MIGRATIONS, BUT ALSO MUST HAVE SUFFICIENT ENERGY FOR COSTLY BREEDING BEHAVIORS AND COURTSHIP DISPLAYS. UNDERSTANDING THE COMMON STRATEGIES BY WHICH BIRDS AND MAMMALS MANAGE ENERGY ALLOCATION IN DIFFERENT SEASONS MAY PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE ABILITY OF THESE ORGANISMS TO DEAL WITH THE LIKELY PERTURBATIONS OF FOOD AVAILABILITY DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. IRES PARTICIPANT PROJECTS FALL INTO 3 MAIN CATEGORIES: 1) EFFECTS OF EARLY-LIFE CALORIC RESTRICTION (ON HIBERNATION AND AGEING IN DORMICE, AND ON MIGRATORY BEHAVIOR IN BIRDS); 2) COST/BENEFIT DECISIONS OF ARRIVAL TIME AND BREEDING BEHAVIOR IN MIGRATORY BIRDS; 3) REGULATION OF METABOLIC COSTS OF COURTING BEHAVIOR IN BIRDS. IRES STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A SEMESTER-LONG HALF CREDIT PRE-DEPARTURE COURSE PROVIDING TRAINING IN CULTURAL COMPETENCY, NECESSARY TECHNICAL SKILLS, AND PROJECT DESIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH THEIR INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH MENTORS. DURING THEIR 7 WEEKS IN VIENNA, STUDENTS WILL CARRY OUT THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, PRESENT ON THEIR FINDINGS, AND WRITE UP A PROJECT REPORT THAT WHERE APPROPRIATE MAY BE SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION. ON THEIR RETURN TO THE US, STUDENTS WILL PRESENT THEIR RESEARCH TO PEER, SCIENTIFIC, AND GENERAL AUDIENCES IN A VARIETY OF LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL VENUES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

AUSTIN COLLEGE KANGAROOS RESPONSIBLE EDUCATION ADVOCACY COORDINATION AND TRAINING PROJECT

HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL AID GRANTSC

HEERF INSTITUTION FUNDS

AUSTIN COLLEGE TARGETED OUTREACH AND INTERVENTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUICIDE, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE (ACT OUT) - AUSTIN COLLEGE (AC) IN SHERMAN, TEXAS IS POISED TO LAUNCH A NEW PROGRAM, AUSTIN COLLEGE TARGETED OUTREACH AND INTERVENTION FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUICIDE, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE (ACT OUT), TO ENHANCE RECOGNITION OF AND RESPONSE TO STUDENTS AT-RISK FOR SUICIDAL THINKING OR BEHAVIOR THROUGH SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND OTHER EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES. THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE DEDICATED PROGRAMMING TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WITHIN THE STUDY BODY ON AC’S DIVERSE CAMPUS SUCH AS MINORITIES (48%), FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS (22%), AND LGBTQ INDIVIDUALS (30% OF STUDENTS UTILIZING COUNSELING SERVICES). IN THE 2020-21 ACADEMIC YEAR, AC HAD AN ENROLLMENT OF 1,294 STUDENTS. LAST YEAR, 25 STUDENTS IDENTIFIED SELF-HARM AS A CURRENT PROBLEM, COMPARED TO ONLY EIGHT THE YEAR BEFORE. STAGGERINGLY, SINCE 2017, THREE SUICIDE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE EACH YEAR AND TWO STUDENTS COMMITTED SUICIDE. WITH A SMALL STUDENT BODY, THESE ARE NOT MERELY STATISTICS, BUT TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS IMPACTING THE ENTIRE CAMPUS COMMUNITY. THE ACT OUT PROGRAM SEEKS TO IMPLEMENT SEVERAL EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES WITH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, SUCH AS: (1) ASSESSING STUDENT NEEDS THROUGH HEALTHY MINDS STUDY WITH SYSTEMATIC DATA COLLECTION AND MONITORING THROUGH MEDICAT; (2) TRAINING FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN QPR GATEKEEPING AND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID; (3) HIRING A FULL-TIME PROJECT COORDINATOR AND PEER WELLNESS EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND PROGRAMMING; (4) DEVELOPING CULTURALLY SENSITIVE TRAININGS TO BETTER SERVE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS; AND (5) OFFERING VOLUNTARY SCREENINGS FOR DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND RISK OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THE OVERARCHING GOALS OF ACT OUT ARE: (1) TO CREATE A CAMPUS CULTURE THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF DIFFERENCES AND IS SUFFICIENTLY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CULTURALLY SENSITIVE TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO A PERSON WITH A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE; (2) TO ENHANCE THE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE BY ADDING REFERRAL SOURCES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A STRONG SAFETY NET OF SUPPORT FOR AC’S COMMUNITY; AND (3) TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COUNSELING SERVICES TO BETTER SERVE THE AC POPULATION. THE PROPOSAL’S OBJECTIVES INCLUDE ADDING 25 HOURS WEEKLY OF OUTREACH PLANNING; INCREASING CLINICAL SERVICES BY 15 HOURS WEEKLY; ESTABLISHING AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE; EXPANDING THE NETWORK OF REFERRAL PARTNERS BY TWO ANNUALLY; CONDUCTING ONGOING ASSESSMENT; IMPLEMENTING TARGETED OUTREACH TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS; IMPROVING CULTURAL COMPETENCY OF FACULTY AND STAFF; AND INCORPORATING MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION INTO THE REQUIRED FRESHMAN FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE. AC HAS A STRONG FOUNDATION FROM WHICH TO LAUNCH ACT OUT, CONSISTING OF AN ESTABLISHED NETWORK OF PARTNERS WORKING WITH AC’S HIGHLY TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED STAFF. WITH THE AWARD OF THE PROPOSAL, APPROXIMATELY 650 STUDENTS EACH YEAR CAN BE SERVED, FOR A TOTAL OF 1,950 STUDENTS BENEFITTING FROM IMPROVED SERVICES OVER THE ENTIRE GRANT PERIOD.

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AWARD

INFUSING LANGUAGES AND GLOBAL COMPETENCY ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES

TO SUPPORT PERSONNEL COSTS IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF PUBLIC PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS AND PARTICIPATORY PUBLIC ART PROGRAMS THAT CELEBRATE THE VARIED CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF SHERMAN RESIDENTS.

HEERF MSI

TO SUPPORT A PRODUCTION OF "LES MISERABLES."

CONFERENCE: SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL YEAST MEETING TO BE HELD AT RHODES COLLEGE; MARCH 9-11, 2018