HCC Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher Wins 2025 ACCT Western Regional CEO Award — A Houston-Sized Salute to Student Success
By Francis Page, Jr.
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August 25, 2025 (Houston Style Magazine) — Houston City College (HCC) Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D. has been named the 2025 Western Regional Chief Executive Officer Award recipient by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)—a prestigious honor that recognizes visionary leadership transforming student outcomes and community prosperity across the West Region. The recognition will be celebrated this fall at the ACCT Leadership Congress in New Orleans, where regional honorees gather to share strategies and spotlight student-first innovation. The ACCT Annual Awards Gala is on Friday, October 24, 2025, in New Orleans, LA.
“This award represents the hard work and commitment of the HCC faculty and staff to serve our students,” said Dr. Ford Fisher. “Their success—preparing students, whether in Houston or abroad, to thrive in a modern, interconnected economy—is what drives us forward. And this award reflects their magnificent work.”
A Legacy of Access, a Blueprint for Tomorrow
For more than five decades, HCC has been the people’s on-ramp to opportunity—from first-generation high-school graduates to mid-career professionals and globally connected learners. With annual enrollment topping 95,000, a constellation of 14 Centers of Excellence, and satellite centers embedded in neighborhoods across the region, HCC’s scale is—like Houston itself—bold and unapologetically inclusive. Through its Global Online College, the institution extends Houston know-how across time zones, widening the circle of economic mobility.
Under Dr. Ford Fisher’s steady, future-focused leadership, HCC has sharpened its edge where it matters most: digital equity, workforce alignment, and inclusive academic pathways. She’s been a consistent national voice on the AACC International Relations Commission, serves on the AACC Commission on Technology and Infrastructure Support, and previously represented community colleges before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy on National Science Foundation issues—elevating Houston’s perspective in conversations that shape America’s talent pipeline.
“The HCC team is building partnerships across industry and the community to grow as a future-focused institution that connects education to opportunity and empowers students to lead in a rapidly evolving world,” Dr. Ford Fisher added.
Why this Matters to Houston
Workforce wins: From healthcare to hydrogen, logistics to cybersecurity, HCC’s programs place students where good jobs meet regional demand.
Equity in action: Digital access, flexible schedules, and stackable credentials make higher education reachable and affordable for working families.
Global reach, local roots: HCC’s Global Online College exports Houston’s practical excellence while bringing new partnerships back home.
The Road to ACCT’s Top Honor
As the Western Region honoree, Dr. Ford Fisher advances as the region’s sole nominee for ACCT’s highest recognition—the Marie Y. Martin Chief Executive Officer Award—to be announced at the ACCT Annual Awards Gala on Friday, October 24, 2025 (time TBA). Regardless of the final outcome, Houston wins: the nomination amplifies the city’s reputation as a national model for community-college leadership.
Quick facts: Houston City College
Students served annually: 95,000+
Footprint: 14 Centers of Excellence + satellite centers across Greater Houston
Mission in motion: Open-admission associate degrees, workforce certificates, and lifelong learning—built for an increasingly international, tech-driven economy.
Houston Style Magazine congratulates Chancellor Ford Fisher and the HCC family — proof that when Houston invests in access and ambition, students rise, industries flourish, and our city leads.
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