About the Show
CTC This Week brings you a quick roundup of events, activities, important dates, and opportunities happening across the Central Texas College campus.
Join Desiree Bates from KNCT 91.3 FM and Elissa Faaloua from the Mayborn Science Theater every Saturday as they help you figure out what’s happening at CTC—and what you might want to put on your calendar.
Listen to the latest Episode
Events Mentioned in This Episode
Campus events and reminders featured in the October 3, 2026, episode of CTC This Week.
Tuesday, October 6
Patio Café: Hawaiian Cuisine
Noon–1:30 p.m. | Roy J. Smith Student Center
Enjoy a student-led lunch from CTC’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality program. The café is across from the Anderson Campus Center. Walk-ins are welcome; no reservations are required.
National Night Out
5–6:30 p.m. | Morton Hall
For Morton Hall residents only. Meet members of the Campus Police Department, learn about campus safety, and enjoy bingo, prizes, and free hot dogs, chips, and cookies.
Wednesday, October 7
Mid-Day Music Concert
12:30–1:15 p.m. | Front porch, Roy J. Smith Student Center, Building 220
Bring a friend and your lunch for performances by the CTC Band and Choir, along with individual performers.
Thursday, October 8
Patio Café: Hawaiian Cuisine
Noon–1:30 p.m. | Roy J. Smith Student Center
The Hawaiian lunch menu continues with another dining experience led by CTC’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality students. Walk-ins are welcome; no reservations are required.
Friday, October 9
International Cuisine Evening Patio: Italian Cuisine
5–7 p.m. | Roy J. Smith Student Center
Enjoy an evening featuring Italian cuisine. Reservations are required. Call 254-526-1515 to reserve your seat.
Saturday, October 10
Last Day to Vote: Best in Central Texas Readers’ Poll
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.
CTC is nominated in four categories:
- Colleges: Central Texas College
- Places to work: Central Texas College
- Fitness and recreation: CTC Natatorium
- Childcare facilities: CTC Child Development Center and Lab School
Save the Date
CTC Fall Variety Show: Oh My Gourd, That’s Talent
October 22–24 | LBJ Fine Arts Center
- Thursday, October 22: 7 p.m.
- Friday, October 23: 7 p.m.
- Saturday, October 24: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 at CentralTexasTickets.com.
CTC Haunted House and Fall Festival
October 23–24 | 6–11 p.m.
Make plans for two evenings of fall activities. Haunted house and carnival activities will raise money for student clubs. Planetarium laser shows require separate tickets.
Free Public Trunk-or-Treat
Friday, October 23 | 6–8 p.m.
Parking lot in front of the Mayborn Science Theater
CTC departments can sign up to decorate a vehicle, distribute store-bought candy, and share information about their programs.
Student clubs interested in helping with the haunted house or carnival games can contact Student Life at extension 1258.
Festival Weekend at the Mayborn
- Friday, October 23: Laser shows begin at 5 p.m. and continue hourly before a screening of Hocus Pocus at 8 p.m.
- Saturday, October 24: Daytime shows begin at 11 a.m., followed by a late-night screening of The Skeleton Key at 9:30 p.m.
Visit starsatnight.org for schedules and visitor information. More festival details will be shared as the event approaches.
Help Us End This Party Early!
KNCT’s Fall Pledge Drive begins October 19.
Give early to help KNCT reach its fundraising goal sooner, shorten the on-air drive, and keep more Simply Beautiful Music playing. Your support also helps keep community programming, including CTC This Week, on the air.
Contribute at KNCT.org or call 877-533-5628. Thank you for supporting KNCT!
The Mayborn’s Schedule
Meet Elissa Faaloua & Desiree Bates
Long before we shared a microphone, Elissa and I met as graphic design students at Central Texas College. We barely knew each other then and rarely spoke. I was shy and usually kept to my corner of the classroom. That changed when an internship brought me to the Mayborn Science Theater, where Elissa was already working.
We quickly became friends, and Elissa later recommended me for a position at the Mayborn. There, I designed graphics and assisted with planetarium shows. Today, I serve as KNCT’s News and Public Affairs Operator. A formal title for what I jokingly call “professional button pushing.” Along with operating the soundboard for programs such as Sunday Gathering, I manage KNCT’s social media presence.
Elissa brings years of Mayborn history to the microphone. She has been there long enough to remember film projectors, dark rooms, and climbing ladders to prepare a show. A wife, mother of three, longtime dog mom, crystal enthusiast, and natural people person, Elissa has a gift for making everyone feel welcome and remembered.
We are friends, former coworkers, occasional gym partners, and part of each other’s support system. That friendship is precisely why I asked Elissa to join me for CTC This Week.
Our guiding philosophy is simple: “Smile—they can hear it.” After all, it is always better to sound a little corny than a lot boring.
More from the CTC Campus: Eagle Talk
Get to know the people, programs, and opportunities that make Central Texas College special. Hosted by Mariceli Santiago, Director of Student Services, Eagle Talk features conversations with CTC faculty and staff about their departments, campus initiatives, student resources, and upcoming events.