Kristen Nemain

Special Projects Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of Communications and Marketing

Austin Community College

Kristen Nemain is a student, researcher, and systems-minded creative relentlessly pursuing ideas. Currently studying Undergraduate Industrial Engineering at both Texas State University and Austin Community College, she applies systems-thinking to human problems—particularly how institutional structures can empower, rather than exhaust, students. Driven by what she calls “idealistic faith in the human capacity for progress,” Kristen continues to explore how design, communication, and compassion intersect to build more resilient systems for students, institutions, and for society. As the Special Project Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of College Relations and Marketing, Kristen researches actionable ways student-directed communications can be a force for good. In her Strategic Events role, she thrives on optimizing processes and building efficient, humane organizational systems. Her work with the Rhythm of the Semester has become the basis for the student communications strategy for the Austin Community College District, as well as events scheduling for multiple departments. A Human Resources professional development module was released at the beginning of the Spring 2026 semester to train student-facing employees on this resource in perpetuity. The model is now in the process of formalization, moving from college internal stakeholder report to an IRRC-approved Academic Study titled "Exploring Burnout and Resilience Through the Rhythm of the Semester." Kristen is the first ACC student to conduct a formal study on the ACC student experience, as well as the first Independent researcher studying ACC who is not affiliated with a graduate program or external institution. She hopes her work will demonstrate how student-led research can bridge the gap between institutional insight and lived experience, shaping the future of higher education from within.