Sometimes Lone Star College-CyFair does more for students than just preparing them for success in a nursing and computer science career as shared by two winners in the LSC Foundation’s Annual Chancellor’s Student Essay Contest.
LSC-CyFair essay winners Kengeli Wiza Kamuhabwa, from Tanzania, and Jasnoor Aulakh, from India, found the college to be a welcoming environment with supportive staff as well as resources and opportunities for success both academically and personally.
“We are tremendously proud of these students and the faculty and staff who supported them with open arms. Their dreams are made possible by the generosity of our donors who know the impact of education,” said LSC-CyFair President Dr. Valerie Jones.
Kamuhabwa's essay describes LSC-CyFair as a transformative space, going beyond academia. The college became her "lifeline" and support system as a student and a survivor, fostering a place of belonging and healing after abuse. She found compassion and understanding from staff across many departments from Admissions to Counseling, as well as new skills and boosted confidence through student organizations, all of which empowered her academic success and personal journey.
With a desire to first become a registered nurse like her grandmother, mother and aunties, and then a medical doctor like her father, Kamuhabwa is on track to earn her associate degree in 2025 and eventually open an affordable polyclinic with her family in Tanzania.
“LSC-CyFair has been instrumental in laying a strong foundation for my educational aspirations preparing me to compete and thrive in a competitive job market,” she said. “My journey as a Lone Star College student is not just a story of survival; it is a testament to the transformative power of education, resilience, and the unwavering spirit of a supportive community.”
In his essay Aulakh writes about his agricultural family’s move from a conservative, rural, farming life in North India to the booming metropolis of Houston followed with his adjustment to college and access to explore his fascination with technology. With plans to graduate with an Associate of Science degree this fall, he started at LSC-CyFair with a summer online EDUC course and is now actively involved in The Honors College at LSC-CyFair. Aulakh also said being engaged in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and working on projects and the lunabotics team has allowed him to develop essential skills for his future endeavors.
“LSC-CyFair laid a strong foundation for my education, and I am eager to continue my academic journey at a 4-year institute,” he said. “I have witnessed my personal growth from a clueless individual, new to the country, to a guided student with aspirations for more, thanks to the wonderful instructors and the important lessons I have learned on campus.”
LSC-CyFair’s essay winners were among 16 scholarship recipients total from across the system recognized at the recent Chancellor’s Donor Appreciation Luncheon, where several recipients read their essays, including Kamuhabwa.
In addition to Kamuhabwa and Aulakh from LSC-CyFair, the other scholarship essay winners were: Kaitlynn Berrones and Lydia Kariuki from LSC-Houston North, John Paul Marconi and Nicola Merritt from LSC-Kingwood, Jonathan Romero Galdamez and Elizabeth Maupin from LSC-Montgomery, Richard Aguilar and Jolie Tran from LSC-North Harris, Alexandria Hays and Kaylee Lewis from LSC-Online, Danna Munguia and Kiara Zeferino from LSC-Tomball and Alexander Jefferson and Yenanly Medina from LSC-University Park.
Each of the essay winners received $1,000 scholarships made possible thanks to the generosity of LSC Foundation donors and supporters. The application deadline for LSC Foundation scholarships and other available LSC-CyFair scholarships is June 1.
For information on other LSC Foundation events, go to LoneStarCollegeFoundation.org. It’s not too late to take spring classes. For information on registering for Next Start sessions beginning in March, go to LoneStar.edu/regcyfair or LoneStar.edu/nextstartcyfair.