Coyote Insider Special Edition Fall 2024/Spring 2025 (4)
The Coyote Insider
2025 COMMENCEMENT IN THE BOOKS
Congratulations to all the students who received diplomas during the 2025 LSC-Kingwood Commencement! Roughly 725 students attended the ceremony President Dr Melissa Gonzalez welcomed students and their guests. LSC Chancellor Mario K. Castillo and members of the LSC Board of Trustees were in attendance to shake hands and wish students well on their future journey. The commencement speaker was Honors College student Tyler Bobo, who shared his story of prevailing over adversity The graduation ceremony also included 289 early college high school students from Avalos PTEC, Davis High School, Infinity Early College High School, iSchool Atascocita, The Guy Sconzo Early College High School, Splendora Early College High School and Tarkington High School. Many of those students were receiving their associate degrees before their high school diplomas. Congrats to all!
Message from Dr Melissa Gonzalez
President LSC-Kingwood
Hello, Coyotes!
You did it! You chased your dreams and turned them into reality during our commencement ceremony last month
Hundreds of students walked across the stage to the cheers and tears of family and friends We are so proud of all you have accomplished!
We hope you take the summer to relax, recharge, and then reset for your next chapter, wherever that may be.
--- Go Coyotes!
UNIVISION SCHOLARSHIP CEREM
Lone Star College Foundation and Univision awarded the T Camino Essay Scholarship to LSC-Kingwood Nursing Stude Diana Valdez The Univision and LSC "Contigo" Scholarsh designed to motivate adults in the Houston area to pursue h education On Monday, December 2nd, a ceremony was h present the scholarship to Valdez. Representatives from Fou and Univision spoke, along with LSC-Kingwood President D Melissa Gonzalez. The winners from the previous year, wh also Latina, shared how the scholarship changed their lives “Seeing that two other Latina women have come before me they have families and they’re pushing forward; I myself a with a family, pushing forward. It makes me happy for the generations to come that we ’ re just setting the standard eve higher for our future generations,” said Valdez
CONTINUING EDUCATION FALL 2024 ACHIEVEMENT CEREMONY
An Achievement Ceremony was held on December 12th at the SCC to recognize Continuing Education students who successfully completed workforce certificates or earned their GEDs. The event was attended by 48 students, supported by a room full of family and friends. Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, President of Lone Star CollegeKingwood, offered a warm welcome to the students and their guests Mike Sullivan, Chair of the Board of Trustees, extended his congratulations as the students received their certificates Dean Reyna Tippetts of the East Aldine Center delivered an inspiring k al educational success story.
campus NEWS
COYOTE CARE CENTER GRAND OPENING
The new Coyote Care Center has opened its doors on the Lone Star College-Kingwood campus A Grand Opening was held February 5th.
The Coyote Care Center is a central support hub that provides students with a variety of essential resources to meet academic and personal needs. It offers food, clothing, personal care items, technology assistance, as well as counseling services, and connection with community resources if needed.
At the Grand Opening, LSC-Kingwood leadership thanked representatives from the Montgomery County Food Bank for their assistance with providing food for the center Since it opened, the Care Center has had more than 2,700 visitors, and has distributed more than 5,000 pounds of food and 600 non-food items.
campus NEWS
LSC-KINGWOOD “OVER THE MOON” TO RECEIVE TREE THAT TRAVELED TO SPACE
Dozens of visitors helped celebrate the arrival of the Moon Tree at Lone Star College-Kingwood. The seedling, a Loblolly Pine, orbited the moon during the Artemis I Mission It traveled onboard the Orion spacecraft The mission was part of a national STEM engagement and conservation initiative between NASA and the U S Department of Agriculture Forest Services. LSC-Kingwood received the tree after applying for a grant. On November 19 , a ceremony was held to celebrate the historic gift. Guest speakers included Lilian Hulett, Women’s Center Coordinator; Dr. Melissa Gonzalez; LSC-Kingwood President, Aaron Clevenson, Director of Insperity Observatory; and student Maria Hernandez. Musical performances featured music student Thomas Williams, accompanied on the piano by Dr Robert Hunt, Music Professor, and Juliana Jordan on the harp th
Following the ceremony, the tree was planted outside the Learning Garden on the LSC-Kingwood campus
campus NEWS
PHI THETA KAPPA WINS BIG AT REGIONAL CONFERENCE
We would like to congratulate Phi Theta Kappa on their incredible accomplishments at the 2025 Texas Regional Convention, which took place March 6 through 9 at the Houston Westin Galleria. The Honor Society received eleven awards at the event. During the convention, students also had the chance to attend sessions featuring nationally recognized speakers & leadership workshops and enjoy an awards ceremony and gala.
Some of the awards included:
College Project Award of Merit
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Awarded to the top 20 scored College Project entries in the Texas Region based on the “Flying through Finals: Study Tips and Tricks” workshop held in Fall 2024.
Five Star Chapter Award
Based on a chapter’s level of engagement with Phi Theta Kappa programming at the college, regional, and international levels Five stars is the highest level
Texas Region Award of Service to the Texas Region Advisory Board
Dr. Matthew Newton, awarded by the regional leadership team to chapter advisors for significant contributions to the region as a member of the Advisory Board.
LSC-KINGWOOD PROFESSORS FEATURED IN HOUSTON’S MEOW WOLF EXHIBIT
Two Lone Star College-Kingwood Visual Art Adjunct Professors are being featured in the Meow Wolf immersive art exhibit in Houston
Adela Andea and Loc Huynh are among roughly 40 local and international artists chosen to create installations in the exhibit, which opened Thursday, October 31st.
The exhibit, “Meow Wolf Radio Tave,” offers experiences such as a honky-tonk dive bar, a mysterious hollow of musical inspiration, a never-ending dance party, and more.
Andea is an American artist who creates immersive installations using light She grew up in Romania, where she says living under communist rule had a profound impact on her worldview and her art
Her exhibit at Meow Wolf is titled “Adela’s Oceanic Trench,” and she describes it as a full room immersive installation providing a deep oceanic experience. “Meow Wolf has a unique perspective on the artworld, how art should reach the public, what role we all have in this as artists; it was something I profoundly appreciated.” The other artist featured, Loc Huynh, who grew up in Austin in a Vietnamese American household, began teaching at LSC-Kingwood this fall His installation is called “Swamptown, USA ”
“Working with Meow Wolf has been such an involved creative experience It’s allowed me to create work with potential I didn’t even know was possible,” Huynh shared.
Andea has been teaching at LSC-Kingwood since 2012. She says it is her way of giving back.
“I believe that art is not just about creating beautiful objects—it is about expressing ideas, challenging norms, and finding new ways to connect with others. I want my students to understand that their unique experiences, no matter how difficult, can serve as powerful sources of inspiration ”
You can experience Andea and Huynh’s installations at “Meow Wolf Radio Tave,” located at 2103 Lyons Ave, Houston, TX 77020.
The 2025 Student Art Show featured 2D and 3D pieces from art students at LSC-Kingwood A reception was held on March 27 where winners were selected by Judge Christian University. Seen below are the top winners from t
Best in Show: “Companions of Fear” by Brianna Espinosa
1st Place: “Mexican-American” by Victoria Munguia
1st Place: “Round Form” by Ramon Lara
2nd Place: “Vase” by Ramon Lara
campus NEWS
“HOLMES & WATSON” WINS MULTIPLE AWARDS
It’s no mystery why “Holmes & Watson” ended up winning m awards at the 2025 TCCSTA Play Festival held at Blinn Col Brenham, February 25 throug 28 th th
The play also drew 280 guest during its run at LSC-Kingwoo February 19 through Februar 22 . th nd
Attendees said the high-quality acting and well-directed show entertaining and drew the aud in until the very end.
“Holmes & Watson” was Theater/Stage Production Dire Meredith Taylor’s Main St Directorial Debut
The production also raised for scholarships for theate
campus NEWS
LONESTAR EDU/KINGWOOD | @L
KINGWOOD KABARET: A TOUCH
“Kingwood Kabaret: A Touch of Mystery” was a huge success once more. This year, more than 260 guests attended, raising $4,866 for scholarships for music students LSC-Kingwood Theatre Director Eric Skiles was the emcee and 24 vocalists, 4 instrumentalists, and 4 technicians -- made up of students, faculty, staff, and community members -- performed a variety of songs, from energetic numbers to moving ballads. Kudos to the stage crew for their hard work on putting together a stunning set and superb lighting and visual effects
LSC-KINGWOOD MUSIC DEPARTMENT RECEIVES $18,000 SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT
The Lone Star College-Kingwood Music Department is the recipient of an $18,000 scholarship endowment. The LHMAS David A. Livingston and Diane L. Livingston Endowed Scholarship is earmarked for music majors. “I am so thrilled this endowed scholarship is happening as I can truly say that our college music department would be much diminished without the tireless contributions over many years of Dave and Diane Livingston,” said LSC-Kingwood Music Department Chair, Dr Todd Miller “They have both established the culture of quality live music performance and education in our area, and we are all the better for it Sadly, Dave passed away recently. However, he was adamant about establishing this endowed scholarship so the Livingston legacy of musical support would live on for future generations.”
The endowment criteria are as follows: Student must attend LSC-Kingwood or centers, minimum full-time student, must be enrolled as an Associate of Arts Music Major (AA MUSI) The Music Department scholarship committee of LSC-Kingwood (which includes a representative from LHMAS with a minority vote) must review applications and make a recommendation, with scholarship to be awarded for Fall semester and funds to cover all educational costs.
The LHMAS (Lake Houston Musical Arts Society) is a partner with LSC-Kingwood and is assisting with the funding for the scholarship.
“A huge thank you to LHMAS for their continued commitment to our community and LSC-Kingwood,” remarked LSC-Kingwood President Dr Melissa Gonzalez “Their generous donation will change the lives of our students ”
staff & faculty
LSC-KINGWOOD MUSIC DIRECTOR TEAMS UP WITH “WICKED” COMPOSER FOR SUMMER OPERA PRODUCTION
Lone Star College-Kingwood Music Professor/Director Dr Robert Hunt is teaming up with Broadway Composer
Stephen Schwartz for an opera production in Houston this summer
Schwartz is the creator of popular musicals such as Wicked, Godspell, and Pippin.
Now he is collaborating with Dr. Hunt on the reorchestration of “Séance on a Wet Afternoon.” The original orchestration, which is based on the 1964 suspense novel by Mark McShane, originally premiered at the New York City Opera.
Kelli Estes, Founder and Artistic Director of Lone Star Lyric in Houston, reached out to Schwartz to ask about bringing the opera to a more intimate and accessible setting The theater is a non-profit opera and lyric theater committed to showcasing local artists. Estes is also a former music faculty member at LSC-Kingwood.
Schwartz then recruited Dr. Hunt for the project, after seeing some of his previous productions, and asked for him to create a new orchestration of “Séance.”
“Mr. Schwartz has been extremely gracious and has frequently expressed his appreciation of my work,” shared Dr Hunt “He has been easy to talk with, open and clear with his ideas, but respectful of the specific expertise I bring to the relationship ”
Schwartz had glowing remarks to share about working with Dr. Hunt as well.
“The musical director Robert Hunt has been my absolute hero, aided and abetted of course by Kelli Estes. There has been a lot to do to reduce the orchestration to this small intimate size, that required a lot of time and effort, some of which I just didn’t have because of my responsibilities with the upcoming Wicked movie and Broadway and done absolutely brilliant work I’ll be eternally
o in the cast. Professor Brian Yeakley played Mr. er.
erling Theatre at the Gordy in Houston.
LSC-KINGWOOD MUSIC DIRECTOR COMPOSES COLLEGE ALMA MATER
An LSC-Kingwood Music Director is making his musical mark by composing Lone Star College’s first ever system-wide Alma Mater. Dr Michael Johnson composed the music for the school song, English Professor Christopher Mandia from LSC-Cy-Fair wrote the lyrics, and on Saturday, April 5 , around 30 student vocalists came together at LSCMontgomery campus to record it. th “Students from all over the LSC System were involved in forming this ‘allstar’ choir,” said Dr. Johnson. “Our Kingwood students represented our campus at the highest level They were professional, collegial, and gave outstanding performances over and over as we sought to get the best recording we could.”
Calli Walling was one of the students selected. She is a sophomore studying vocal performance and education at LSC-Kingwood. “From the beginning of his career at LSC-Kingwood, Dr. Johnson has made it very clear to all students and staff that he wishes nothing but success for each of us. He is always looking for opportunities for us. A few weeks ago, Dr. Johnson asked if we would be interested in recording an alma mater that he composed for the entire Lone Star College system. Who could say no to leaving your mark on your college’s history forever?”
Dr Johnson shared, “Once I heard it being performed by our ‘all-star’ choir of LSC students at the recording session, I still couldn’t really believe it. We had the goal of creating something that represents the core vision of Lone Star College, the challenges we face, and how we constantly overcome them. I really do think we achieved that.”
COMMUNITY & CULTURE
INSPERITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DONATES $20,000 TO LSC-KINGWO
Students in Workforce programs at LSC-Kingwo getting some extra support, thanks to Insperity. The company is donating $20,000 to the colle put towards its workforce programs
“We deeply admire the impactful work your organization does in our community, and we a honored to support your efforts,” said Insperity Corporate Citizenship Specialist Dana Ledet.
LSC-Kingwood Continuing Education Director P Chandler said the funds will be used to help C students complete one or more of the five Work Certificate Programs (Accounting Assistant, Ce Nurse Aide, Clinical Medical Assistant, Dental Assistant, and Electrocardiography Monitor Technician) offered at Lone Star College-Kingw The donation came about through the partners LSC-Kingwood and Insperity’s Workforce Deve Program. Scholarships will be awarded during 2025 summer and fall semesters.
COMMUNITY & cULTURE
LEAVE A LEGACY COMMUNITY EVENT
The community came out in full force for the Mi Familia, Mi Futuro “Leave a Legacy” event. Nearly 200 people attended the November 9 summit. Visitors were able to experience a variety of sessions, from LSC departments to local organizations, focused on sharing invaluable resources and knowledge Speakers included Lone Star College Chancellor Mario Castillo, LSC-Kingwood President Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, and Mi Familia Mi Futuro Manager Imee Villarreal, among others. Community members enjoyed food and incredible performances from local talent Even local musician Sundance Head, who was the Season 11 winner of “The Voice,” performed a concert
COMMUNITY & CULTURE
ACADEMY FOR LIFELONG LEAR
The Academy for Lifelong Learning (ALL) Open House was a huge success More than 120 people visited the SCC on August 16 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 th
COMMUNITY & CULTURE
LOCAL BOY SCOUT TROOP ADOPTS A BED AT THE LSCLEARNING GARDEN
A local Kingwood Boy Scout Troop is growing their gardening skills and giving back to their community at the same time, by adopting a bed at the LSC-Learning Garden
On Saturday, August 24 , Troop 727 assisted LSC-Kingwood staff by cleaning debris, raking old mulch, th installing weed barrier pathways, and placing flagstone and moss rocks on the pathways in the garden. They also beautified the Veterans plot.
“As Troop 727’s Scout Master, it warmed my soul to see our Scouts serve their community with happy hearts while helping to renovate our community college’s garden!” said Scout Master Robert House.
“It's being a part of Boy Scouts,” Scout Brennan Day shared “I have learned to enjoy helping others both in my troop and in the community I have learned that it helps me grow as a person, and that I actually enjoy the work and helping!"
Lilian Hulett, Women’s Center Coordinator and one of the co-sponsors of the Learning Garden, praised the Scouts for their hard work.
"BSA 727 and the LSC-Kingwood Learning Garden have joined forces in a remarkable collaboration, turning the garden into a vibrant testament to community spirit Through dedication and teamwork, they've not only kept the garden looking beautiful but also strengthened the bonds of our community, proving that when we work together, we grow together.”
TENNIS TEAM BRINGS HOME CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Players from left to right: Jacob Black, Natalia Galar, Juan Rojas, Valeria Bello, Noah Davis, Cielo Rocha, Hugo Hovel
BASEBALL TEAM GREAT AMERICAN REGION SOUTH CHAMPIONS!
The Lone Star College-Kingwood Coyote Baseball team is the Great American Region South Champion! The last time the Coyotes were conference champions was in 2015
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The team traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas, May 3 and 4 to battle it out to try and advance to the Conference at the NCBA World Series in Alton, Illinois. Unfortunately, they did not make it to the series. But they ended the season 17-5 and have much to be proud of.
“This group of ball players this past year really came through with a great attitude ” said Coach Salvador Rico
