The Coyote Insider
LSC-KINGWOOD: CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE!
Happy 40th Birthday to Lone Star College-Kingwood! When the college opened 40 years ago, it was originally founded as North Harris County College. It opened its first campus, The “East Campus,” in 1984 with 1,130 students. The first Chancellor was Dr. Joe Airola, and the first college President was Lester Burks. In 1999, the college’s name was changed to Kingwood College Then in 2007, the name was changed again, this time to its current name, Lone Star College-Kingwood. Today LSC-Kingwood serves more than 11,000 students and has three centers: The Atascocita Center, Process Technology Center, and the East Aldine Center.
Message from Dr Gonzalez President Kingwood College
Hello, Coyotes!
It’s hard to believe that we are celebrating 40 years here at LSC-Kingwood!
The campus opened in 1984. Since then, facutly, staff, and students have shown their resilience through challenges such as Hurricane Harvey, the Covid pandemic, and most recently, Hurricane Beryl.
Burt we know that these moments have only made us stronger and more grateful. Here’s to another 40 years!
-- Go Coyotes!
LONE STAR COLLEGE SHOWS RESILIENCE AFTER HURRICANE BERYL
On July 8th, the Houston area was devastated by Hurricane Beryl. Lone Star College-Kingwood was one of the many locations affected by downed trees, major debris and loss of power for over a week. Fortunately, no buildings were damaged, but many employees and students suffered hardships during and after the storm The Lone Star College Foundation provided financial assistance for many of those affected. At LSC-Kingwood, campus President Dr. Melissa Gonzalez welcomed staff back to campus with a lunch buffet and message of resilience and hope We also want to thank our amazing facilities staff who worked tirelessly to clean up the campus so it was safe for faculty, staff, and students to return
2024 FALL IN-SERVICE
Faculty and staff came together for the 2024 Fall In-Service at LSC-Kingwood on August 19th. Campus President Dr Melissa Gonzalez provided updates on Kingwood and the centers and introduced the new Vice President of Student Success, Dr Sherry Wells Employees enjoyed a lovely breakfast buffet and the event culminated with a video recap of the 2023-2024 year. You can watch the video here. For more pictures from In-Service, click here.
CHANCELLOR’S CONVOCATION
The Fall 2024 Lone Star College Convocation welcomed speakers Chancellor Mario Castillo, members of the Chancellor’s Cabinet, and three Lone Star College students. The Convocation took place August 22nd at the Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center in the Woodlands Mr Castillo shared with the audience his strategic plans and goals for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year including a 4% salary increase to all full-time employees, construction plans on Lone Star College campuses, and more. Members of his Cabinet, Seelpa Keshvala, Ph D and Valerie Jones, Ed D , discussed student enrollment and the budget for the next year, and three students shared how LSC has helped them on their educational paths. More pictures here.
campus NEWS
FALL REGISTRATION EVENTS
The LSC-Kingwood Registration Fair was held on August 6th and 7th More than a hundred students visited the fair on the first day and more than 85 the second day. Staff were on hand to assist with registration, financial aid help, as well as New Student Orientation in English and Spanish Students even had the opportunity to meet campus President Dr. Melissa Gonzalez and her leadership team. For those who couldn’t attend the Fall Registration Fair, events were held on two Saturdays in August to ensure every future Coyote had the chance to enroll! Can’t wait to see those new faces around campus this fall! You can find pictures from both events on our Flickr page: Fall Registration Fair Saturday Registration Event
campus NEWS
FIRST DAY OF CLASS & WELCOME BACK TO THE WOODS
Welcome Back to the Woods, Coyotes! The Office of College Relations welcomed Coyotes to campus with snacks and school supplies on their first couple of days Faculty and staff also assisted students in finding their classes, to ensure they felt comfortable and ready to conquer their first day of the semester! Student Life also threw a welcome back bash for students featuring giveaways, food, and fun!
LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @LSC KINGWOOD | 281-312-1600
NATIONAL GIRLFRIEND’S DAY
Life is better with friends! Coyotes came together to celebrate National Girlfriend’s Day on August 1st. They created cards for the special female friends in their lives and enjoyed making crafts, fun photo props, and fellowship.To see more pictures from the event, click here.
MAKING FRIENDS IN COLLEGE EVENT
“The One Where they Make Friends at College” Student Life held a “Friends” themed party for new and returning Coyotes to gather and play games, enjoy snacks, and connect. The event took place in the Men’s center in the SCC on August 29th. What a fun way to show that LSC-Kingwood “will be there for you. ”
For more pictures, click here.
NURSING PINNINGS
On Thursday, August 15th a pinning ceremony was held for the summer nursing cohort. It included those who received Associate Degrees in Nursing and Vocational Nursing. A pinning symbolizes the graduates are ready to move forward in their careers. Forty-nine students received Associate in Nursing and 14 in Vocational. Congrats to all of these students who have worked so hard toward their degrees.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PINNINGS
A pinning ceremony was held August 28th to recognize the 21 graduates of the Occupational Therapy program ’ s Class of 2024 It is the 25th pinning ceremony for the OTA program Administrators, healthcare directors, and occupational practitioners all attended, as well as members of the P E O Sisterhood (Philanthropic Educational Organization), which provided scholarships to several of the graduates. To see more pictures from the event, click here.
LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @LSC KINGWOOD | 281-312-1600
POLICE ACADEMY GRADUATION
Congrats to the 23 police cadets who graduated from the Lone Star College Law Enforcement Academy last month. A ceremonial badge pinning was held to recognize them on Wednesday, August 21st on the LSC-Kingwood campus Approximately 350 people attended the ceremony. Most of the graduates have already received job offers. Special Recognition was given to certain cadets.
Top Academic Student: Harrison Oudman
Top Gun: Harrison Oudman
Top Driver: Marissa Parrish
The next classes begin in February 2025.
PROCESS TECH REGISTRATION DAY
LSC-Process Technology Center hosted a Registration Day for new students on July 31st. Students had the chance to register for classes, submit paperwork, check financial aid status, and make payments Congrats to the students who won the door prizes and walked away with some LSC swag!
ATASCOCITA CENTER: BACK TO SCHOOL
Communities In Schools handed out snack packs and school supplies to students at Atascocita Center to fuel them through Summer II and Fall Registration And the Coyote Lounge is open and ready for students to utilize as place to decompress while on campus and in-between classes. Staff even set up a large welcome banner in the Lounge and enouraged students to stop by and contribute to the art activity while relaxing with peers
EAST
ALDINE
CENTER CONSTITUTION & CITIZENSHIP DAY
Constitution & Citizenship Day is coming up next month and LSC-East Aldine Center is planning a huge celebration. Mark your calendars: On Saturday, September 14th, the center will host a free “We the People Celebration.”
It will begin with a car parade from MacArthur High School which will end at East Aldine Center At the center, visitors will have the opportunity to register to vote. A presentation will be held on immigration issues, such as how to become a U.S. citizen and the benefits one can experience as a citizen, among other topics. The panel of speakers will feature LSC-Kingwood President Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, State Rep. Armando Walle, East Aldine Center Dean Reyna Tippetts, and Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez will be on hand to award the New Citizens. Also during the celebration there will be music, student presentations, and free food for the first 500 visitors We hope to see you there to celebrate our incredible nation and the freedoms our Constitution guarantees.
STAFF & fACULTY NEWS
INTRODUCING THE NEW LSC-KINGWOOD VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT SUCCESS
We are thrilled to welcome Dr Sherry Wells as the new Vice President of Student Success at Lone Star College-Kingwood Dr. Wells comes to us from Lamar University, where she accumulated a wealth of experience from her time serving in important positions such as as Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management and Assistant Vice Provost for Digital Learning
Dr Wells holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas State University, a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, and a Doctor of Education degree from Lamar University.
As a first-generation college student herself, she has an intuitive understanding of the challenges many students face and we know her leadership and dedication to student success will enrich our community and strengthen the college’s commitment to excellence.
REMEMBERING OUR COLLEAGUE, DANIEL COLEMAN
We’d like to take a moment to remember our esteemed colleague, Professor Daniel Coleman, who passed away on July 3rd, 2024.
Daniel Coleman served as a Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Lone Star College-Kingwood for 30 years He was known for his kindness, gentleness, and introspective nature, and was always ready for a thoughtful conversation. Daniel enjoyed sharing academic articles, philosophical insights, and everyday musings with his colleagues.
His students appreciated his calm demeanor and guiding presence in the classroom. One memorable example of his creativity was a summer course he co-created, where students not only studied David Thoreau’s “Walden,” but also built a replica of Thoreau’s cabin on the LSC-Kingwood campus.
Professor Coleman will always be a cherished part of the LSCKingwood community, and will be deeply missed.
STAFF & fACULTY NEWS
SAYING FAREWELL TO ANGIE SPARGUR!
Congrats to Angie Spargur on her retirement from LSC-Kingwood! A party was held for Angie on August 29th in the Art Gallery, to wish her well as she retires. Angie was responsible for planning, organizing, and executing most of the visual art exhibits and music performances at the college and off campus Her journey started 12 years ago when she began in the art gallery as a student worker. The celebration for Angie included a touching song from a student and many well wishes from her colleagues. We wish her the best on all of her new adventures to come.
STAFF & fACULTY NEWS
FORMER LSC-KINGWOOD PROFESSOR INSPIRATION FOR NETFLIX MOVIE
Faculty members and students are remembering former LSC-Kingwood Professor Gary Johnson, whose life as an undercover fake hit man inspired a Netflix movie The movie “Hit Man,” starring Glen Powell, is loosely based on the story of Johnson, a former psychology professor at LSC-Kingwood. But many people didn’t know that Johnson also worked undercover for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as a fake contract killer.
LSC-Kingwood History Professor Steve Davis worked with Johnson “I knew Gary very well and knew immediately he was the inspiration when I heard about the movie And then in the film, they use his actual name though many of the other details of his story were changed.” Former student, Mary Lawrence, said Professor Johnson alluded to his police work but never hinted at being a hit man. “It has been several years ago since I was in his class and even though I had several good professors when I was there, he will always stand out to me as the best I had,” Lawrence shared. Stacy Walker is also a former colleague "It was an honor to work with Gary,” Walker said “I feel privileged to have known him When I was Department Chair, we spoke often Sadly, Johnson passed away in 20 aware it was being made. “Hit Ma You can read the full story here.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Staff from LSC-Kingwood, Atascocita Center, and East Aldine Center had the opportunity to attend the UHD Higher Education Social Media Summit on Thursday, July 25th. They were able to participate in various sessions to learn more about how to continue to improve engaagement with social media
STAFF & fACULTY NEWS
COLLEGE RELATIONS TEAM BUILDING RETREAT
The LSC-Kingwood College Relations Department enjoyed some teambuilding at their retreat at Dave & Buster’s on August 8th. There was plenty of fierce but friendly competition as teams battled it out with various games.
COMMUNITY & CULTURE
2024 SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM
A group of recent high school graduates got an up-close, hands-on look at college through the Summer Bridge program at LSC-Kingwood. Campus President, Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, welcomed them and spoke about her own educational journey and the importance of higher education.
During the program, the students learned about the various programs offered as well as attended sessions on financial literacy and college prep. The students and families also had the chance to visit UTSA for a tour to give them a glimpse of life at a university.
COMMUNITY & CULTURE
2024 SUMMER BRIDGE CLOSING CEREMONY
A special closing ceremony was held on August 15th to celebrate the students who completed the Summer Bridge program The students earned 3 college credits through the program. Many of their families showed up to support them. The students thanked the staff members who helped guide them through the process. Staff from the grant programs TRIO Student Support Services and Mi Familia, Mi Futuro were the sponsors of the program and instrumental in the students’ success. A special thanks to all the drivers who assisted in bringing the students to and from the campus each day. To see more pictures from the Summer Bridge program and the Closing Ceremony, click here
COMMUNITY & CULTURE
LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @LSC KINGWOOD | 281-312-1600
2024 SUMMER OPERA WORKSHOP: “ONCE UPON A TIME”
Fairy tales were the focus during the 2024 Summer Opera Workshop at Lone Star College-Kingwood. The show, titled “Once Upon a Time,” featured current music majors and alumni in a production of scenes based on popular classic fairy tales, including Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and The Magic Flute For more than 25 years, LSC-Kingwood’s music department has produced an opera or opera scenes during the summer. The creative team included Musical Director and Conductor Dr. Rob Hunt, who recently conducted an opera premiere downtown, Director Anne Heath-Welch, who sang leading roles for many years in Europe, Costumer Eric Skiles, who is also the Artistic Director of Theater, and Technical Director Meredith Taylor, who designed the lights and sets Chelsey Wilburn Rigg, who is an alum of LSC, said, “Lone Star College-Kingwood's music program is a hidden gem with teachers who give everything they have, and by the end of your experience, your cast mates will feel like family. I always love my experiences here, and I can't wait to see what they'll do next!” To see more pictures from the Summer Opera Workshop, click here.
Courtesy: Rigg Creative
COMMUNITY & CULTURE
LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @LSC KINGWOOD | 281-312-1600
KOELSCH 9 ART SHOW
The LSC-Kingwood Art Gallery is featuring some eclectic pieces from nine popular Houston artists represented by the Koelsch Gallery This vibrant mixed-media art show is open through September 18th The hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The artist Ellen Tuchman will give a talk on September 5th, at 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. There will also be a reception and fashion show September 10th at 12:30 p.m. You don’t want to miss this show from the Montrose art scene right here in the Kingwood art gallery.
ACADEMY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING (ALL) OPEN HOUSE
The Academy for Lifelong Learning (ALL) Open House was a huge success More than 120 people visited the SCC on August 16th to learn more about the program. More than 85 registered for classes. The ALL program offers seniors more than 100 classes each semester, such as computer science, gardening, history, movies, music, fitness, and more To learn more about the ALL Program, click here To see more pictures from the ALL Open House, click here.
