ACC Regents Honor Dr. Albrecht with Emeritus Title
Alvin Community College regents voted unanimously to name President Dr. Christal M. Albrecht with the emeritus title during the regents’ meeting on June 24.
Dr. Albrecht is the college’s sixth president and is retiring after serving seven years in the position.
“We come together to thank you and appreciate the hard work and dedication you brought to us,” board Chair ‘Bel Sanchez said prior to the meeting. “Your leadership has improved this college and this community and we want to acknowledge that.”
The emeritus designation is a title which honors a person’s service to the college.
President Albrecht led the college to its highest enrollment in its 73-year history, as well as through recovery and response efforts to Hurricane Harvey in 2018 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. She also proposed the board pass the $25 million maintenance tax note, developed critical workforce programs for high-demand fields and created articulation agreements with Texas universities to streamline the process for students to obtain a bachelor’s degree.
“It is the team of people that I have been blessed to work with at Alvin Community College that allowed us to achieve so much,” Dr. Albrecht said.
She attributed her success to the dedicated faculty and staff at the college as well as the partnerships with local school districts, universities, civic organizations, governments and industry.
“We are successful because we help each other and we all do better when we work together,” Dr. Albrecht said.
Prior to the meeting, Dr. Albrecht was honored at a reception that featured several guest speakers including State Rep. Ed Thompson, University of Houston Clear Lake President Dr. Ira K. Blake, former regent Chair Mike Pyburn and Dr. Albrecht’s son Brad Phillips, among others. ACC Foundation President Shirley Brothers also spoke about an endowment that was established in Dr. Albrecht’s honor. More than $60,000 has been donated so far to the Dr. Christal M. Albrecht Endowment scholarship.
During her final board meeting as President, Dr. Albrecht delivered a report showing the achievements of the 5-year strategic plan that will finish this year.
The strategies developed in the plan focused on improving the budget process, facilities planning, marketing of the college, curriculum, programs and meeting demands of the local workforce. The strategic plan helped create career pathways, drive enrollment to the highest ever, establish new programs, develop procedure and practice reviews as well as increasing workforce training grants and partnerships.
When Dr. Albrecht first became president, the board’s top priority was developing a strategic plan, she said.
“We have to say thank goodness for the leadership of this lady,” Chair Sanchez said of Dr. Albrecht.
Dr. Robert J. Exley was selected by the board earlier this year to become the college’s seventh president. He will take over the position starting July 1. Dr. Exley will have his first board meeting as president on July 22 at 6 p.m. in the Nolan Ryan Center.