Leading With a Smile

Years of success for Lazenby started at ENMU

By Thomas Ash

The first time Dr. Roy Lazenby (BS 63) served as a president on a college campus was at Eastern New Mexico University. It was 1959 and Roy’s classmates chose him to lead the freshman class as president. Things were much different then – a movie ticket was one dollar, a gallon of gas, 25 cents. Mattel introduced Barbie to young girls across the nation, and the first microchip was invented.

Roy Lazenby (bottom right) during his undergraduate days at ENMU.

Every year since, Roy has been a part of something special. He led his sophomore class as president while leading the folks in the bleachers as a cheerleader alongside ENMU mascots Ralf and Roxy.

As a junior, Roy was a charter member of two fraternities, Delta Sigma Phi and Kappa Sigma. In his senior year, Roy served on the Inter-Fraternity Council, the governing body of the College’s fraternities. His remarkably warm smile paid offf once again when Roy was voted Yucca Beau, an honor given to the class’ favorite student.

For the next 25 years, Dr. Lazenby earned advanced degrees while building an impressive track record as an instructor and administrator. In 1973, his path led him to North Harris County College located in the northwest Houston area. He was hired as the first director of student services and registrar for the fledging community college system. There, he later recalled, “I happily registered the first student.” The new college, which initially operated as a night school, didn’t have a home of its own, so classes were taught at a nearby high school.

As the college grew into an institution with multiple campuses, Dr. Lazenby rose to the position of dean of students. When, in 1981, the residents of Tomball, Texas, voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining the college system, plans for a local campus began and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in 1985. Soon after, Dr. Lazenby was named the first and founding president of Tomball College.

During construction of campus buildings, the new president and his sole assistant worked from a small office in the library of Tomball’s intermediate school. From there, Roy managed the construction progress while interviewing and hiring faculty and staff and planning for the first day the campus would open. In those tumultuous early times, Dr. Lazenby’s unwavering optimism and reassuring smile were always present.

Dr. Lazenby led the college from 1986 to 1996, overseeing dramatic growth in enrollment and an enduring, positive impact on the Tomball community. While serving as president, Dr. Lazenby was elected to Tomball’s city council. His ongoing and unselfish service to the community was recognized in 1991 when he was named Citizen of the Year. Even in “retirement,” Dr. Lazenby continued to help improve people’s lives and livelihoods. The college system, now known as Lone Star College System, offers an Academy for Lifelong Learning (ALL), which offers instructional courses to people ages 50-and-up in a variety of topics. Dr. Lazenby became the ALL manager on the Tomball campus.

He and Linda, his wife of 56 years, own Cruise Planners, a travel agency franchise. They attend Tomball’s First Baptist Church where Dr. Lazenby is a deacon. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Since Dr. Roy Lazenby first stepped foot on the campus of ENMU, he has had a lasting, positive impact on those around him. His unfailing, optimistic and progressive leadership is his legacy, as is his renowned, warm smile.