Margaret Ford Fisher, Chancellor“This new name reflects our expanding mission of offering baccalaureate degrees while maintaining the value and qualities people know and expect from HCC,” says Margaret Ford Fisher, Chancellor. “As Houston City College, we will continue to provide quality, affordable instruction through certificates, associate and baccalaureate degrees at a city college price. This new name represents all the communities the college represents and positions the institution to serve with a ‘local focus and global reach.’”
The announcement follows a year-long comprehensive research and stakeholder engagement initiative. It marks a strategic step forward in the college’s commitment to expand access to affordable, high-quality education while equipping students with the skills and credentials needed to succeed in competitive academic and workforce environments.
In 2022, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) approved HCC to offer workforce-focused Bachelor of Applied Science degrees. The inaugural graduates from these programs received diplomas at Spring Commencement May 2025.
“This is not just about changing a name,” says Ford Fisher. “It is about embracing the institution we have become and signaling the future we are prepared to lead. While the name is changing, HCC’s identity and purpose remain the same.”
The institution will continue to serve as a trusted educational partner, preparing students to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving economy through relevant programming, strategic partnerships and a strong commitment to student outcomes.
HCC is one of the largest two-year colleges in the nation with an annual enrollment of more than 93,000 students in credit courses. Roughly 68 percent of its first-time, full-time students receive some sort of financial aid. It is second in the nation in awarding associate degrees to international students and third in awarding associate degrees to African Americans.
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As Houston City College, we will continue to provide quality, affordable instruction through certificates, associate and baccalaureate degrees at a city college price. This new name represents all the communities the college represents and positions the institution to serve with a ‘local focus and global reach
The college offers a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Healthcare Management. It has been designated as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency. In all, HCC offers 236 workforce awards to help fill the pipeline to jobs along the southeast Texas Gulf Coast.
HCC’s Global Online College is a leader and pioneer in online education. Presently, the online college offers nearly 60 programs fully online and another 70 that are ‘hybrid.’ The college has been named among the best in the nation by Newsweek magazine. And the American Association of Colleges and Universities selected HCC as a member of the institute on digital equity, a group devoted to helping remove barriers to educational technology. Other institutions selected include Stanford University, California State University, Bradley University and the University of Alaska.
HCC is reinventing higher education by developing programs for tomorrow’s workforce. With existing programs for electric vehicles and aviation technicians and with partners such as BP, the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA, HCC is poised to move quickly to expand training into both autonomous vehicles and electric vertical take-off ‘air taxis.’ HCC will be a leader in developing the personnel that support these new industries as they make their mark across the Houston landscape.
As the first college in Texas to open a virtual reality lab, and now, along with artificial intelligence, HCC is considered a national leader in developing virtual and augmented reality applications for the classroom. Already, the college has integrated metaverse technology into more than 20 programs to make curriculum interactive and improve student learning. The college has joined Meta’s educational advisory board to participate in the development of these new technologies.
“These are exciting times at HCC,” says Ford Fisher. “With a new name and a future-forward mindset, we are entering a new season of opportunity and growth.”
