Jesse Goerlich

December 2022: Jesse Goerlich has always had a passion for the technical aspects of projects and now this senior mechanical engineer enjoys a career with rewarding days of challenges, troubleshooting and figuring out solutions, thanks in part to LSC-CyFair’s Mechanical Engineering Program.

After he earned an LSC-CyFair Associate of Science degree in Engineering in 2016 and his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2018 at the Houston campus of the University of Texas at Tyler, Jesse began working as a Mechanical Design Engineer for Downhole Logging Tools.

Then he moved on to design capital equipment at Forum Energy Technologies, primarily tubular handling products such as Catwalk Machines and Iron Roughnecks. Now at Stewart & Stevenson, he has the mechanical lead role for the Rail King (their Rail Car Mover product line) and offers support for other products as required, such as Gensets, Switchgears and Blenders.

“I enjoy my career as I get to problem solve and troubleshoot existing challenges as well as come up with new designs to increase effectiveness and/or efficiency,” he said. “The ability to create something and then see it come to life is probably the most satisfying part of my work.”

Jesse said LSC-CyFair prepared him for both his professional and academic success. Professors from the industry taught classes, such as physics which is arguably the foundation for engineering, and mentored him. Beyond the classroom, he participated in the Texas Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge, which involved working with NASA personnel and provided an experience that diversified his exposure to real-world applications.

He added that LSC-CyFair’s flexible scheduling and C2 STEM Scholarships received for multiple semesters made it easier for him to manage taking a full-time course load and support himself while in school.

“Overall, I feel that LSC-CyFair has set me up for long-term success from their quality and flexibility to other factors, such as the convenient locations and easy to use online portals.”

Kyle Chenier

November 2022: From seeing what his electronics/hardware engineer dad would come up with to always having something new to learn and a new toy to play with, Kyle Chenier has enjoyed many aspects of the Information Technology field.

“I have taken a lot of IT and non-IT courses trying to figure out what I wanted to do when I grow up. I’ve worked sales, support and deployed devices. I never expected to transition into teaching, but it is the best ‘job’ I’ve ever had,” said Kyle, who began his IT career with a computer networking class in 2009 at LSC-CyFair. “I’ve had several roles at LSC-CyFair. I started as a student, then was both a student and technician with the on-site Office of Technology Services, and now, teaching specialized courses, I have the joy of helping students on their paths.

Kyle describes his LSC-CyFair student experience as “great from start to finish” with helpful staff, who assisted in planning course loads and transferring credits, and fantastic instructors, who were supportive when he struggled.

In addition to attending classes at a beautiful campus, getting to know people from all walks of life, and even seeing vice presidents greeting students, Kyle said having state-of-the-art equipment to use and not just a textbook to read, made all the difference in the world on his academic and career journey.

By 2014, he had earned several industry certifications and an Associate of Applied Sciences - Cisco Networking, which he said was useful in his own company and when he began teaching as an adjunct instructor in the Cisco program. Currently he is a full-time workforce instructor at LSC-Westway Park Technology Center.

“I have worked in environments where I didn’t feel as though I had accomplished anything at the end of the day,” he said. “Now? I get to see students reaching their goals – they are the tangible result of my work. Their successes are the best part of my career.”

Gracie Lopez

October 2022: Well on her way to becoming a high school band director, Gracie Lopez began her pursuit of a music education major at LSC-CyFair in 2018.

This longtime clarinetist participated in both LSC-CyFair’s Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Band, while taking all the classes needed to transfer and be accepted into the School of Music at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) and the Clarinet Studio.

“Thanks to the amazing professors and affordability of tuition at LSC-CyFair, I was able to successfully continue my education,” she said. “I really enjoyed my time at LSC-CyFair and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I have great memories from Professor Thomas Kelly’s history class and I never recall a class where he didn’t crack a joke to make us laugh!  I learned a wealth of knowledge performing in the ensembles under the direction of Dr. Brian Herrington and Dr. John Wolfskill. The ensembles were magnificent, the classes were great, and the professors were wonderful.”

While at SHSU, Gracie served as Vice President of the Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority chapter as well as a Student Assistant in the Bearkat Marching Band and performed with the SHSU Marching, Symphonic and Concert Bands. Having passed the TX EC-12 music content exam certifying her to teach music, she gave private clarinet lessons and helped prepare Huntsville Independent School District 6^th- through 12^th-grade clarinet students for University Interscholastic League competitions and college auditions.

This fall, Gracie returned home to Katy where she began student teaching band students at Tompkins High School and Tays Junior High School in Katy ISD.

Vicky Suarez

September 2022: While pursuing an associate degree in Graphic Design at LSC-CyFair that she earned in 2019, Vicky Suarez discovered art was her true passion.

She said she enjoyed gaining artistic skills in various mediums, such as painting, photography and ceramics, from the talented faculty in the Art Department who also helped her believe in herself.

Vicky’s unique artwork, which often reflects her love of nature and animals, was featured in student exhibitions in LSC-CyFair’s Bosque Gallery and she even won multiple awards including “Best in Show.”

“The greatest satisfaction for an artist is to know that the piece created is not just an object that people can use to decorate, but a resemblance of a feeling or statement,” she said.

Earlier this year, she hoped viewers of a special tribute sculpture (located in CASE Building 6) would feel peace and joy.

Vicky created a sculpture inspired by the relationship between human life and the ocean titled “Waves of Lives” as a memorial tribute to LSC-CyFair Professor Roscoe Johnson who she said brought joy to so many.

“Ocean waves come and go like everything in life, like life itself. Using wire gives the illusion of movement that I love in my pieces, like if the piece wants to dance in joy,” she said of the sculpture displayed in the Center for Academic and Student Engagement.

Being surrounded by talented people pushes her to be better every day, so she continues to develop her artistic skills at LSC-CyFair with a new career goal.  

“I want to have my own art studio to have the space to create more pieces and have my first solo exhibition.”

In the meantime, Vicky is one of only six Houston student artists chosen to showcase her artwork in the inaugural Collegiate Art Collective at the 50th Annual Bayou City Art Festival downtown Oct. 8 and Oct. 9 and she is involved in a public art project to be installed on the college campus by Spring 2023.

Andrea Aguirre

August 2022: What Andrea Aguirre likes most about being an Energy Engineer at Tetra Tech leading the Modern Energy Technology Department, is “the ability to collaborate with architects and engineers of all fields in designing high performing facilities that reduce energy use and environmental impacts, while providing healthy and comfortable spaces for building occupants.”

Fulfilling this dream of hers, of a career working on environmental-related projects, has come true with the foundation laid as a student in LSC-CyFair’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program.

“I enjoyed having the opportunity to apply the GIS skills I was learning in class through real-life project examples,” said Aguirre, whose involvement in clubs and activities, including Phi Theta Kappa and the Student Government Association, also allowed for growth in her leadership and communication skills. “The GIS skills I obtained became an essential component on the completion of various undergraduate and graduate research projects I participated in the area of geothermal energy resources.”

In addition to the support and supervision of GIS Professors Michael Konvicka and Buck Buchanan and overall excellent academic instruction at LSC-CyFair, Aguirre said she is grateful for the funding sources she received as a Guistwhite Scholar and the first recipient of the Geospatial Information Technology Association scholarship funded by Applied Field Data Systems.

After earning her LSC-CyFair Associate of Applied Science degree in 2007, Aguirre went on to complete an environmental engineering bachelor’s degree at Southern Methodist University and master’s at Cornell University. In 2018, she finished a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences at Cornell where her research involved the study of geothermal resources for direct-use applications in local communities and for heating and cooling commercial buildings.

“Pursuing an environmental engineering degree has allowed me to become involved in projects that have a real-life and positive impact on our environment and our community wellbeing,” she said. “The academic, practical and leadership skills that I acquired during my studies at LSC-CyFair have continued to play a crucial role in my professional development.”

Loan and Hao Le

July 2022: Graduating this spring with Lone Star College-CyFair associate degrees was a family affair for Loan Le and her son, Hao. She earned her degree through the Mechanical Design Technology workforce program while he earned his along with a Cypress Park High School diploma through LSC-CyFair’s College Academy.

Loan and Hao said working toward the same goal, at the same time, was motivational and celebrating their success together as college graduates was an “exciting experience and a remarkable life moment.”

“The challenge of taking harder classes during high school was one of the draws of the (College Academy, a unique Dual Credit cohort program) for me,” said Hao. “I was surrounded by the same group of students, whom I got to know very well and made many close connections with … and working with the teachers was always very easy as they made sure to spend time helping us understand the information.”

Having already completed his first two years of college at LSC-CyFair while in high school at a reduced price, Hao said his next step is to attend the University of Houston this fall to study architecture, a career field which combines creative thinking with math.

His mom, Loan, said “Being able to graduate from college helps me feel more confident and encouraged to think about bigger goals to achieve later in life.”

Loan’s journey in the field she loves began in 2002, three days after she moved to the United States, with a drafting class near her home. She would earn certificate in CAD Design; however, supporting a family and raising children became a priority and she put earning a college degree on hold until her twins were 7.

Then in 2019, this mother of four children began the Mechanical Design Technology program at LSC-Cypress Center, where she was able to work full time and manage classes thanks to the flexibility of time, cost savings and helpfulness of staff and faculty.

Loan said the program provided equipment, which was convenient, and she learned piping in drafting as well as structural and civil drawings. And now Loan, who still works in the field as an estimator and has another high school child earning college credits at LSC-CyFair, is back on track to reaching her goal of becoming an instructor in drafting.

Patrick Kalis

June 2022: The day after Patrick Kalis was laid off from a company where he had worked 71/2 years of his 12-year warehouse industry career, he enrolled at LSC-CyFair to earn his associate degree in Logistics Management.

“What drew me to logistics was the ability to work on getting a package/item from point A to point B, to be able to work with different types of people and synthesize information to make an efficient decision,” said Patrick, who began working at FedEx while attending LSC-CyFair.

“The quality of education was critical in my learning and understanding of logistics, terminology and material I could transfer to FedEx,” he continued. “The faculty went above and beyond their roles and sharing their personal work experiences in the field was of great value to me."

One important thing he learned at LSC-CyFair was networking, what it really means and how critical it can be on one’s career journey.

“You need to do more than what you’re asked to do because there are thousands of applicants of all different levels fighting to get that one desired position. You must be able to separate yourselves from your competitors.”

Patrick also advises students get a mentor and be interview prepared, which means be familiar with the company, practice questions and answers and use key words from the job posting.

Having graduated in 2016 with his associate degree and a First Line Logistics Leader Certificate, Patrick got an office position in logistics (Arrival & Departure) at FedEx after being a package handler for 9 months. In 2019, he was promoted to Linehaul Coordinator and currently he serves as Gulf Region Specialist. Now his goal is becoming a logistics manager or transportation district manager.

LSC-CyFair continued being impactful to Patrick since Professor Jon Sorensen’s first invitation in 2017 to return regularly as a presenter at LSC Logistics Advisory Council meetings. In addition, Patrick enjoys sharing his FedEx journey and experience with younger generations as well as giving FedEx tours to LSC-CyFair’s Logistics Management program students.

Isabella Wakeham

May 2022: Isabella Wakeham is all about efficient use of her time and skills whether that is getting a head start on college and her career or conquering obstacles all the way to Las Vegas to compete in the national finals of American Ninja Warrior (ANW) Season 13.

“I love flying through the air and catching obstacles I didn’t think I could. I love being strong and capable and inspiring young girls to believe in their abilities, too,” said Isabella, who was able to compete on ANW while taking Dual Credit courses at LSC-CyFair as a high school junior.

Honored to be among the first group of teens invited to compete on ANW with professional ninja athletes and meet her athletic heroes, Isabella was told she had the ‘Best Female Rookie season on the show, ever!’ by Meagan Martin, who previously held the title.

Isabella’s season included impressive, history-making milestones such as top woman and 15th in the top 30 of her qualifying round, which she said was a fun statistic because “it shows that a female (and a young one at that!) can compete with and qualify along with the males, not just ‘scoot’ into the semifinals and national finals because of the ‘top females’ inclusion rule.” In addition, she was the youngest woman to reach a back half of a semi-finals course and also the third woman to qualify for Las Vegas in the top 15 as a rookie.

Isabella said she feels these achievements would not have been possible without the flexibility of the asynchronous online classes that LSC-CyFair offers.

“I was able to train hard, travel, and compete while also working hard on my studies, learning a lot, and meeting insightful classmates,” said Isabella, who also competed on ANW Season 14, which is set to air this summer.

Interested in learning more about the human body, its capabilities and the mind as it pushes toward success, this May graduate plans to study kinesiology at Texas A&M University this fall and then pursue a doctorate in physical therapy.

Regina Cuesta

April 2022: While pursuing an Associate of Arts degree in Graphic Design at Lone Star College-CyFair, Regina Cuesta had the opportunity to intern at LED Partners Digital Displays in 2014 and she has never looked back.

Working her way up to Graphic Design Manager, Regina now mentors a team that helps small local retail businesses to large organizations communicate with their audience by using digital displays. Working with her graphic design team, they help their customers create advertisements that are dynamic and eye-catching. (Check out some of the projects Regina's team helped design at ledpartners.com/gallery).

Regina began taking basic classes at LSC-Montgomery in 2013, continued with financial aid assistance at LSC-CyFair, and finished her associate degree in 2016. The flexibility of courses that were offered aided her in balancing her school and career schedule.

The other benefits of going to Lone Star College included the small class learning environment which allowed her to develop team leadership skills. In addition, the college staff provided assistance with her transfer to the University of Houston Downtown, where she earned a bachelor's in Applied Administration to increase her career opportunities.

At first, Regina wasn’t sure her career focus would even be graphic design, despite her desire to help people and her long-time interest in the subject. However, after investing time at LSC-CyFair to explore the field further, she knew “it would be something she would enjoy and businesses would value.”

“We now live in a digital world. The opportunities in graphic design are endless. Being able to work with all industries gives me a large canvas to be creative and not worry about doing the same thing every day. It keeps the field interesting and it’s fun to be in!”

Aaron Hall

March 2022: A childhood love of sports led LSC-CyFair alum Aaron Hall to successfully pursue his passion and greatly impact the lives of children at Strack Intermediate School as a basketball coach and teacher.

“LSC-CyFair was my foundation and I am proud to say that it was a solid one. Because of this, I have been able to properly manage my time and prioritize in order to reach my goals on and off the court,” he said.

While earning his associate degree at LSC-CyFair, Aaron was not only an athlete, he was involved in student life and worked full time.

He learned life principles playing basketball from his role model Coach Larry Norris, who did whatever was necessary for his players, gave everyone a chance, knew the importance of exposure, and always challenged them.

This basketball player was also a Student Ambassador and a member of the African Students Association, Student Government Association and others. To balance all his activities and work, he made and stuck to a schedule. Since studying on the go was a must, he kept flash cards in his pocket to flip through with any free time.

After LSC-CyFair, he earned his bachelor’s in sports administration and master’s in exercise science. Now a coach himself, Aaron said he finds himself naturally teaching his players the same principles, and practicing what he preaches, like Coach Norris.

“Visiting former students and watching them play ball makes me proud and it fuels my purpose. Seeing players grow, succeed, and achieve their goals has been the most rewarding part of my career. There is nothing like seeing the fruits of your labor along with the evidence of players’ hard work and dedication.”

Aaron, who believes someday he will teach at the collegiate level, said he is grateful to be a product of LSC-CyFair and aspires to return as an adjunct in the near future.

Chris Garcia

February 2022: Lone Star College-CyFair is where Chris Garcia, CEO of Bao Bros. Bistro, decided business, with its versatility, seemed like a practical foundation to build upon for his future career success.

One college calculus class quickly changed his mind about an engineering career and he switched to a business path. Chris said he “fell in love with learning about all the different components that comprise companies” and that many of his professors “did a stellar job of making the content interesting.” While at LSC-CyFair he also served as president X-Presate!, worked for the Student Life department and went on a study abroad trip to Tanzania.

Graduating in 2013, he transferred to Texas A&M University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management degree and a Certificate in International Business. He went on to work in sales for a Fortune 200 company learning from phenomenal mentors while saving money for his own business, which he opened last fall.

“As somebody who truly loves food and sharing it with others, it’s rewarding seeing customers who were hesitant to try something different enjoying our food with their families and friends,” said Chris, who enjoyed new authentic flavors on his travels to Hong Kong, Beijing, Thailand and India.  

Now his restaurant, Bao Bros. Bistro, adds diversity to Cy-Fair’s dining options with its Asian fusion dishes inspired by the executive chef’s Cambodian and Chinese roots. And his partnership with Metta’s Local Eats, a local foodie group that raises funds to fight hunger, became an opportunity to help others.

This past year, Chris has continued helping others beyond his own community through service in the Army National Guard. He said the desire to give back was first solidified when he received a scholarship that paid his first year of college tuition.

“LSC-CyFair was the foundation for me. It sparked so many of my current passions from traveling to business to servant leadership. The confidence and knowledge I gained there are evident in virtually all aspects of my life today.”

Shrestha Datta

January 2022: A passion for science since fifth grade grew into a desire to explore neuroscience, specifically brain disorders, by the time Shrestha Datta began college at LSC-CyFair.

Before graduating with her associate degree in 2019, she was a member of the Beta Lambda Mu chapter of Phi theta Kappa, was inducted into the Texas State PTK Hall of Honor and earned a spot on the 2019 All-Texas Academic Team. She participated in student organizations, such as Women in STEM and the Psychology Club, was a Chemistry tutor, and volunteered for Junior Achievement Inspire and Science Olympiad events, just to name a few.

“Such involvement helped me network with people who not only had the same ambitions as mine, but also encouraged and pushed me to achieve more in life.”

She said she also found a friend and mentor in her PTK advisor as well support and encouragement from the administration.  

“I think a huge part of who I am today is because of this institution. Lone Star College-CyFair definitely prepares students for success. Students are lucky to have amazing professors who care about them and an administrative team that is receptive to the needs of the students.”

Shrestha went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin and upon graduation in May 2021 she got a job working as a research assistant for a neuroscience lab, the Mauk Lab, at the university’s Center for Learning and Memory

As she further explores the field of neuroscience in this job, Shrestha said she also gaining valuable experience and exposure in neuroscience research before earning a doctorate and becoming a professor.