Coyote Insider Edition 7

Edition #7

The Coyote Insider

FEBRUARY 2024

BLACK HISTORY MONTH:

Looking back and moving forward with peace and love

UPCOMING EVENTS

MARCH

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS

HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR

FOOD FAIR

CLUB SPORTS RESUME: Go, Coyotes!

The Coyote Insider

LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @LSC KINGWOOD | 281-312-1600

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

As Black History Month draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the array of programs held both here at the LSC-Kingwood Campus and throughout our system. Each event has left me feeling deeply humbled, captivated, and profoundly inspired by the remarkable contributions of African Americans

I am grateful to live in a country where we can celebrate the enduring legacies of African Americans and draw inspiration to innovate and collaborate, thereby enhancing the world we are privileged to inhabit each day

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Lone Star College Kingwood Student Services, Office of Culture and Engagement, faculty, and the campus teams for orchestrating a truly spectacular Black History Month experience. The distinguished guests you brought to our campus have not only educated but also deeply inspired our student body and the broader Lone Star College community

The ongoing development of African American history enriches us with a greater sense of purpose, a heightened appreciation for humanity, and a stronger connection with one another. Through these powerful learning experiences, our LSC community grows ever richer and more vibrant

Message from Dr Gonzalez President Kingwood College

Hello, Coyotes!

The semester is flying by and so far it has been full of inspiring events and meaningful moments.

We took time to focus on Black History, celebrated some incredible achievements with faculty, students, and staff, and kicked off our Club Sports season!

We hope you enjoy the newsletter, and -- Go Coyotes!

LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @LSC KINGWOOD | 281-312-1600

LSC-KINGWOOD CONCERT CHOIR CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH STUNNING PERFORMANCE

The LSC-Kingwood Concert Choir wowed with their performance to kick off Black History Month The choir featured African-American folk songs and several awe-inspiring solos Thanks to Student Life for organizing the event and thanks to these students for sharing their incredible talent. See more pictures here.

GENE L. LOCKE SPEAKS ON “THE YOUTH AND SOCIAL CHANGE”

Former Houston City Attorney Gene L Locke visited the LSC-Kingwood campus to share his thoughts on the pivotal role our youth plays in making a difference in the world He encouraged students to look for the spark that will motivate them to help others and make our country a better place. The discussion was part of a series of Black History Month events at LSC-Kingwood highlighting the importance of Black voices within our community and beyond. To see the full video, click here.

NOW SHOWING: “HIDDEN FIGURES”

HEARTBREAKING HISTORY: THE SUGAR LAND 95

LSC-Kingwood students and staff got the chance to learn some important history about The Sugar Land 95 The co-host of The Sugar Land Podcast, Brittney Martin, spoke about the history of the 95 individuals who were buried in a historic cemetery. They were believed to be a part of a convict-leasing program that began in the late 1800s. Crews did not discover the first human remains until 2018. To see the video, click here

Faculty, staff and students kicked back with popcorn and snacks to enjoy the film “Hidden Figures.” The movie tells the true story of three African-American female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the space race.

PURPLE: THE COLOR OF BLACK HISTORY AND LOVE

The SCC was full of pulsating drumbeats echoing, and vibrant tribal African hymns filled the air during a performance for Black History Month. Dr. Vida Robertson, Associate Professor of English and Humanities and Director of the Center for Critical Race Studies at the University of Houston Downtown, also inspired the audience with colorful insights from Alice Walker's seminal work, The Color Purple, in celebration of Black History Month. For more pictures, click here To see the full video, click here

THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS

LSC-Atascocita Center hosted a discussion on The Forgotten History of the Buffalo Soldiers, led by guest speaker Dr. Michelle Tovar, Director of Education for the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum Buffalo Soldiers were U S Army regiments that were primarily made up of African Americans who fought during the Civil War and afterward.

LSC: ATASCOCITA CENTER STUDENT ART SHOWCASE HIGHLIGHTS BLACK ARTISTS

Students in Professor Cantu’s Arts 1301 class showed off their creativity with an art display at LSC-Atascocita Center It was an effort to highlight black artists. Three winning pieces were chosen, shown left to right. Here’s a look at some of the other pieces that were also on display

AFRICAN DANCE & DRUM PERFORMANCE

Black History Month closed out with a performance by the “Intuitive African Dance and Drum Culture,” lead by Tracie Jackson. Students and staff even got a chance to make some beautiful music with the unique instruments. Thanks to Student Life for providing this entertaining and informative interactive workshop!

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS SHARE THEIR STORIES AT CHANCELLOR’S DONOR LUNCHEON

A huge congratulations to the LSC-Kingwood Chancellor’s Essay Contest Scholarship winners!

Nicola Merritt and John Paul Marconi were awarded the prestigious scholarship. Two students from each LSC campus were selected

Nicola shared her essay during the Chancellor’s Donor Appreciation luncheon at the LSC-System Office in the Woodlands.

She will be graduating from the Respiratory Care program.

John Paul is member of the Honors College and is pursuing a biomedical engineering degree.

The winners will have $1,000 to use towards a semester at Lone Star College.

LSC-KINGWOOD FINALIST FOR PRESTIGIOUS STEM SCHOLARSHIP

A Lone Star College-Kingwood student is a finalist for the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship. Carlos Carreon is one of four LSC students who are finalists and the only one from the Kingwood campus.

The Barry Goldwater and Excellence in Education Foundation was established in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor the work of Senator Barry Goldwater The scholarship aims to support students in pursuing research careers in STEM fields.

Carreon says he chose LSC-Kingwood to ensu finalist for the scholarship solidifies his belief

“There’s an unfortunate stigma related to Junior Colleges which can degrade one ’ s confidence. I know when I was graduating from high school and people asked where I was going the next couple of years, I was embarrassed to answer truthfully Having spent these last two years at Lone Star, I know now that I should’ve been proud of choosing to attend Lone Star.”

Carreon is also a member of the Honors College and was awarded the Chancellor’s Fellowship

Each Goldwater scholar receives an amount up to $7,500 per full academic year. The awardees will be announced in March

Carreon will graduate in May with an Associates in Science. He plans to transfer to University of Texas and pursue a degree in chemical engineering.

MUSIC STUDENTS COMPETE AT STATE LEVEL

A shout out to eight Vocal music majors from LSC-Kingwood, who were selected for the Two-Year College All-State Choir. It was held in conjunction with the Texas Music Educators (TMEA) state convention, where more than 25,000 educators gathered They performed with 150 other students from around the state at the San Antonio Convention Center, under the direction of Karen Kenaston-French. Sophomore music major Andres Aristimuño Millan said, “I was selected to introduce a piece that represented the plight of citizens in my native Venezuela Representation is important, and I was very honored to do this. This was a highlight of the week for me. ” Congrats to these students and their professors!

“A STELLAR EVENING”

It truly was a stellar evening at “A Stellar Evening” faculty performance. Fourteen members of the LSCKingwood music faculty showcased their talent, performing hits from Classical to Broadway hits to Jazz. And it was all for a good cause - proceeds benefit the LSC-Kingwood music scholarship fund. To see more pictures, click here.

MARK BURNS SHARES HIS STORY: “AMERICA’S WESTERN LANDSCAPE”

Photographer Mark Burns stopped by to discuss his exhibit on display at the LSC-Kingwood art gallery Burns’ series, “America’s Western Landscape,” was part of a 5 year collaboration with America’s National Park Foundation, where Burns photographed all 59 of America's national parks in black and white. His pieces have been featured in Time Magazine and in various museums. Burns shared insight into his processes and also some of the challenges he’s faced in the course of his work. To see more pictures of the exhibit, click here.

“STRATAVARIOUS” BEHIND THE SCENES

LSC-Kingwood art professor Dr. Cherith Letargo shared her insight into the thought process and design of the STRATAvarious” exhibit The exhibit included various stones on display and a spiral rock jetty across the floor. One of the students involved in the collaboration, Noah Brewster, said, “This project was designed to further our fundamental understanding of the proximity humanity has with nature, and how we operate as a growing species whose actions have direct consequences on the world that we call our home.” For more pictures, click here.

LEADERSHIP LAKE HOUSTON EDUCATION DAY

LSC-Kingwood was honored to have the opportunity to showcase the Kingwood campus and the LSC-Process Technology Center during the Leadership Lake Houston Education Day The event is sponsored by the Lake Houston Partnership. Campus President, Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, spoke to the class of business leaders about the college’s many programs and opportunities. The group also got a chance to tour the Process Tech center and the Health Professions Building And the EVOK Choir serenaded the class with a stunning performance. To see more pictures from the event, click here.

LSC-KINGWOOD HAS LARGEST NURSING GRADUATING CLASS

An amazing accomplishment for the LSCKingwood nursing program. Pass rates for RN’s were 95 88% in 2023 The VN program also boasts a 94 44% passing rate Kingwood also had the largest graduating class across all campuses. A total of 78 nurses graduated last year. Nursing Program Director Nickie Loftin says the high rates are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the nursing faculty She also praised the legacy of the VN program. Congrats to all these students and best of luck in their new profession!

CONGRESS OF CLUBS

Representatives from the various clubs on the LSC-Kingwood campus met for the Congress of Clubs. They stated the mission statements for their clubs and shared upcoming events. Some of the clubs on our campus include Phi Theta Kappa, Student Nurses Association, P.A.I.N.T. Art Club, Poetry & Songwriting Club, Coyote Book Club, Black Student Union, and Sports Clubs. For a complete list of the clubs and student organizations, visit https://www.lonestar.edu/clubs-kingwood.htm.

WOMEN’S CENTER GALENTINE’S DAY

The Women’s Center hosted a fun and fabulous event: Galentine’s Day! Students savored sweet treats and spent time coloring and creating friendship notes Counselor Sherrie Ondrusek led the girls chat/conversation and students had the opportunity to share and learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment To see more pictures, click here.

SWEET 16 EMPOWERMENT LUNCHEON

Valentine’s Day was extra special for some students and staff members at LSC-Kingwood CIS (Communities In Schools) hosted a Sweet 16 Empowerment luncheon The idea was to empower embrace, and motivate these women to stay true shared inspirational words and tokens to add to h t th t k thi h

LSC-ATASCOCITA CENTER SPREADS THE LOVE

Students at LSC-Atascocita Center were spreading the love on Valentine’s Day. They enjoyed sweet treats and made cards for all the special people in their lives. We have some really creative Coyotes!

LSC-EAST ALDINE CENTER CELEBRATES VALENTINE’S DAY

It was a virtual Valentine’s for students at LSC-East Aldine Center. They created cards for Texas Children's Hospital online A special way to share a smile and spread love and cheer to children dealing with cancer

STUDENT BODY PLAY

The Theater Department showcased the play “Student Body” last month. For more pictures, click here. To see upcoming events, click here.

LEARNING GARDEN UPDATE

RODEO BOWL

It’s fair to say this isn’t our first rodeo...bowl. Students enjoyed Frito Pie and some Coyote camaraderie in the quad. Thanks to Student Life for providing a festive kick-off to Rodeo Season.

The LSC-Kingwood Learning Garden now has some extra helping hands Staff and students from various departments have agreed to be garden tenants, to maintain an area in which they will plant and care for their designated plot. Thank you to the following garden tenants:

Student Veterans Associat

Nicole Foley

Be a Teacher Club

Soccer Team

Facilities Dept.

Honors Program

Latina Inspira Student Net

Garden Club

Environmental Science

Office of Student Life

If you or your department would like to be a garden tenant, please reach out to Lilian Hulett or Dr Jamie Turner

PROCESS TECH CENTER FEATURED

The Lone Star College-Process Technology Center was recently featured in the Houston Business Journal The article highlighted the Center’s programs and the state-ofthe-art equipment.

Darrell Mayon, PE, LSC-Process Technology professor, told the Biz Journal, “Our students are ready to go to work once they complete their training. They are taught to be ontime, obtain problem-solving skills and the importance of developing basic working relationships ”

Keyia Franklin graduated from the LSC-Process Technology program.

“I was delighted to meet with industry officials during my training and hear about all the exciting opportunities,” Franklin said. ”It lets me know that my school is connected to the industry and can help me to learn process technology and get a job when I am finished ”

You can read the entire Biz Journal article here.

LSC-Process Tech will host an open house on Tuesday, March 25th from 4 p m to 6 p m for anyone interested in learning more about the Center and its programs.

IN BUSINESS JOURNAL

CHATTING CYBER SECURITY

Coyotes have a brand new high-tech quiet space on campus. Introducing…the “Shushbooth.” A modern-day mobile phone booth with a virtual twist

The Shushbooth was graciously donated to the LSC-Kingwood campus by the company. It is a soundproof booth that boasts electrical outlets, lighting, a ventilation fan, a stool, and internet capabilities

Students or staff can use it for everything from virtual job interviews, virtual meetings with faculty, and teletherapy sessions. The booth is free to use and no registration is required Please be considerate of others when using the booth.

The Shushbooth is located in the SCC by the cafe.

Everyone from local business leaders to students had the chance to learn some cyber security tips and tricks during a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) 101 Workshop on the LSCKingwood campus. Congressman Dan Crenshaw gave the welcoming remarks and introduced the speakers. The presentation featured facts on cybersecurity as well as advice on protection from cyber attacks. For more pictures of the event, click here.

BIG BAND DIRECTOR TO BE INDUCTED INTO TEXAS BAND DIRECTORS’ HALL OF FAME

What an incredible achievement for an LSCKingwood Adjunct Music faculty member! Dennis Eichler will be inducted into the Texas Band Directors’ Hall of Fame

Dennis is the conductor of the Kingwood Big Band and also teaches classes at LSC-Kingwood.

Music Professor Dr Todd Miller praised Eichler for the recognition "This is AMAZING news, and very well-deserved! I am so proud of you and proud that your profession has recognized your significant accomplishments in your field!”

The induction ceremony will take place during the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention held in San Antonio this coming July.

LSC-KINGWOOD FACULTY FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR CREATING STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

Dr. Jay Theis, LSC-Kingwood Political Science Professor, is sharing his story about how being a Fulbright scholar has opened doors for him. Dr. Theis is the only Fulbright Scholar at LSCKingwood Dr Theis grew up in South Korea and as a result of his Fulbright Scholar status, was able to take a sabbatical to return this past year, 30 years since his last visit. Dr. Theis is now creating a study abroad program for 25 LSC students to travel to South Korea in summer of 2025 for a 7 week program at Dankook University. For more information on the program, reach out to Dr. Theis. You can read more about his sabbatical in South Korea here.

LSC-KINGWOOD ART PROFESSOR MARI OMORI FEATURED IN MENIL MAGAZINE

LSC-Kingwood Art Professor Mari Omori is featured as the Member Spotlight in the spring/summer edition of Menil Magazine. Omori has been a member of the Menil Museum since 2006 and a Menil Society Member since 2017. Omori takes her students to the museum each semester When asked what she believes makes the Menil special, Omori was quoted as saying, “Transformation! The Menil has changed my perception through multiple experiences that affect my senses within the museum As a member, I am excited to belong to a vibrant art community, to be educated, and to be inspired to make my own work.”

PIZZA WITH THE PRESIDENT AT PROCESS TECH

Dr. Melissa Gonzalez addressed concerns and answered questions from students during the Pizza with the President. She hosted the event on the Kingwood campus and then took it on the road to the Process Tech Center The next Pizza with the President will take place on March 5th at 10:30am at LSC-EAC in the Cyber Cafe.

PSSA EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION WEEK

Thanks to the PSSA (Professional Support Staff Association) for spoiling our staff during Employee Appreciation Week! The ice cream bar was a sweet success!

LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @LSC-KINGWOOD | 281-312-1600

FAFSA & TASFA EXTRAVAGANZA AT LSC-EAC

Dozens of students, parents, and community members showed up for the FAFSA & TASFA Extravaganza at LSC-East Aldine Center. They received information on important college resources and enjoyed carnival style games and giveaways. Cody even got in on the action with a wild bull ride! To view more pictures, click here.

FREE TAX ASSISTANCE AT LSC-KINGWOOD

Lone Star College-Kingwood is partnering with the AARP Tax-Aide Service to offer free tax help for the public.

There are no age or income restrictions for the free services AARP volunteers will be available on a first come-first served basis, on Fridays through April 12th, excluding March 15th and 29th The hours of availability are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The volunteers will be set up in the Administration and Performing Arts Center (APA), room 119, on the LSC-Kingwood campus.

Please bring along the following paperwork:

• Photo ID

• Social Security or Individual Identification number for each family member and working adult

• All year-end tax forms and information

• Last year ’ s return (if possible)

• Bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit

MI FAMILIA, MI FUTURO: EXPLORING CAREERS & CERTIFICATIONS

Mi Familia, Mi Futuro hosted an “Exploring Careers and Certifications Presentation ” Gail Smith from Continuing Education and Emily Stovall from Career Services shared valuable insights regarding education opportunities, such as certifications and short-term careers, with families and students. The staff of Mi Familia, Mi Futuro translated the presentation in real time More than 30 people attended

EXCELENCIA IN EDUCATION

LSC-Kingwood hosted representatives from Miami Dade College as part of a partnership in the Excelencia in Education program. They met with key Kingwood leaders, students, and staff to discuss the progress Kingwood is making towards Latino student success.

Dr. Luis Lucio, Executive Director, Special Projects, and lead of the LSC-Kingwood Excelencia committee said, “We are very excited to have had the opportunity to host our coach campus here at LSC-Kingwood Their insight and expertise will allow us to pinpoint the ways we are moving the right direction and help us identify areas of growth at our college ”

Excelencia in Education accelerates student success in higher education by promoting student achievement

Leslie Walle (Volleyball), Jamar Finnie (Basketball), Dante Atchison (LSC-KW Manager of Sports Club/FTC), Jeff Black (Tennis), Osvaldo Arzate-Banuelos (Soccer), & Salvador Rico (Baseball)

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL