On September 11-13, members of the Texas Community College Student Advisory Council (SAC) gathered in Austin to share their stories and perspectives at the 2025 Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT) Annual Conference. This is the fourth consecutive year that SAC members have joined elected trustees and community college leaders from across the state to talk about governance, student success strategies, K-12 and workforce partnerships, and policies impacting higher education.

Organized and supported by EdTrust in Texas, Young Invincibles, and Breakthrough Central Texas, the Student Advisory Council was formed in 2022 and includes more than 30 students representing 15 of the state’s community college districts. The CCATT Annual Conference is a prime example of the close partnership between the SAC and the Texas Association of Community Colleges, which convenes and supports the student-centered achievements of its 48 member colleges. Nicole Eversmann, director of CCATT, said: “It is essential for trustees to hear directly from students about how board-level decisions affect their lives. The Student Advisory Council has been invaluable in showing the human impact of policy, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn from their experiences.”

Throughout the conference, SAC members served as plenary speakers and led breakout discussions alongside college leaders. Their direct engagement ensured that student perspectives remained central to conversations about institutional change and policy.

Dane Adams, a Tyler Junior College alum, Elias Ramirez, a College of the Mainland alum, and Angel Garcia Donjuan, a Dallas College alum, shared their experiences as first-generation college students with attendees during the main plenary sessions, focusing on themes essential to their success. Dane, along with Courtney Paige, an alumna of Dallas College, and Chrischen Thompson, a Lone Star College alum, participated in a panel about the importance of centering students in local governance conversations.

Elias Ramirez, who earned his bachelor’s degree at University of Houston-Clear Lake and recently joined Young Invincibles as the new southern program coordinator, said: “So if you take one thing away from me tonight, let it be this: Student leadership is not an add-on. It is not something extra. It is central to the mission of our community colleges. Because when students know their voices matter, when they are given a seat at the table, they don’t just succeed in school. They succeed in life.”

Angel Garcia DonJuan, who completed his bachelor’s at the University of North Texas and is now pursuing a master’s in urban planning at the University of Southern California, spoke about how his postsecondary and career paths were transformed by dual credit courses. He highlighted the importance of expanding dual credit opportunities, while noting that “we also need to pair that expansion with better advising and stronger collaboration between independent school districts and colleges. Every student deserves to see themselves as college-ready and career-ready.”

Dane Adams, who earned a bachelor’s at the University of Texas-Tyler and is now pursuing a master’s at Texas A&M University, observed that meaningful student engagement is essential to institutional effectiveness: “I hope you all take this into consideration while we move into the interim period. Student success is built by collaborative and comprehensive plans that are shaped by the voices of students.”

The impact of the conference was evident in the reflections of these SAC attendees, who appreciated the opportunity to participate alongside college trustees and presidents.

Chrischen Thompson, a graduate of Lone Star College now pursuing his bachelor’s degree said: “The CCATT conference was a valuable experience that deepened my understanding of how collaboration and advocacy can drive meaningful change for students. I left feeling inspired and better equipped to continue supporting educational equity.”

Courtney Paige, who completed her bachelor’s degree at Fisk University, said: “It was truly inspiring to share student experiences at the CCATT conference and to see how engaged and open the trustees were in listening. It felt like a real celebration of student voices and a powerful step toward meaningful change!”

In the recent 89th legislative session, Texas lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to student success by improving and investing in the state’s outcomes-based funding formula for community colleges and need-based financial aid programs. As the legislative process concludes and the regulatory process begins, our coalition partners and SAC members will stay engaged to ensure that these and other policies deliver tangible benefits for students.

Elias Ramirez is a member of the Texas Community College Student Advisory Council. As part of our commitment to elevating diverse perspectives, EdTrust occasionally features guest blogs. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect EdTrust’s views or positions.