Education

See how Austin Community College turned Highland Mall into a campus

KUT 90.5 | By Claire McInerny

Published April 20, 2022 at 6:30 AM CDT

Tables are set up near an escalator at the ACC Highland Campus. — ACC's new Highland Campus is having a grand opening this weekend.

Austin Community College's new campus at the former Highland Mall is opening to the public this weekend.

The plans to turn Austin's first indoor mall into a community college campus began more than a decade ago when ACC started buying sections of the property in 2010. The campus has been opening in phases, and a grand opening for phase two takes place Saturday. The public will be able to tour the campus, located at 6101 Highland Campus Dr., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ACC Highland has state-of-the-art skills labs for nursing programs, multiple kitchens for the culinary program and a television studio for radio, television and film students.

ACC's newest campus used to be Highland Mall, Austin's first indoor mall.

The campus has a bookstore.

Students tour the campus' culinary school.

A banana split sculpture from Highland Mall's food court remains on display at the campus.

Phase 2 of ACC Highland houses programs in dance, drama, music, culinary arts, radio, television, film and more.

Nursing student Malia Capers-Cristobal demonstrates a CPR move during a tour of the renovated campus.

Austin Community College_ReneeD_April192022.jpg — Tables are set up for students in ACC Highland's hallways.

An entrance to the ACC Highland Campus.

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Education Austin Community College Higher Education Highland Mall KUT

Claire McInerny

Claire McInerny is the education reporter for KUT. Got a tip? Email her at claire@kut.org. Follow her on Twitter @ClaireMcInerny.

See stories by Claire McInerny

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