With more than 3,600 students achieving their graduation goals at Lone Star College-CyFair this year, the Class of 2024 was not only the largest in the college’s 20-year history, but was celebrated in two commencement ceremonies (May 9 and May 11) and inspired with four keynote speakers.
Included in this milestone class were nearly 800 Dual Credit Program students both homeschool and local high schools. Nearly 700 of these were Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District candidates for graduation who simultaneously earned an LSC-CyFair associate degree and high school diploma through the College Academy, a CFISD partnership program established in 2017 at Cy Lakes and is now in all 12 CFISD high schools.
Every graduate walking across the stage to receive their LSC-CyFair associate degree has their own unique story in their journey toward a successful career. When CFISD counselors were asked to share a few from this class, there were stories of students who lost a parent or faced life events that could have deterred them from their academic success, but found strength, perseverance and sometimes sheer will to continue.
One such story is Angela Tzunun from Cy Lakes, an eager first-generation college student in pursuit of a nursing career and transferring to Texas State University.
“Angela's father had a near death experience that has left him disabled. He will never fully recover and be the same. Angela had to pick up the brunt of helping her mom with her siblings and became the emotional support for her mom,” said Counselor Tina Schutte. “She and her mom have endured several things that could have easily caused Angela to lose focus on her education.”
However, through her resilience and hard work, Tzunun managed to remain in the top 10% of her class while serving as president of the Chemistry Club and involved with several other student clubs, not to mention being active in her church’s music program, said Schutte.
CFISD will celebrate Tzunun and their 2024 class of high school graduates May 28 - June 1.
One of this year’s LSC-CyFair commencement speakers, Ivey Knebel, was a former Dual Credit student and 2020 CFISD graduate from Cy Creek. This 2022 LSC-CyFair graduate and woman in STEM completing her bachelor’s in Molecular Genetic Technology to become a medical laboratory scientist, specializing in oncology, was Saturday’s featured alumni keynote speaker.
She was joined Saturday by student speaker Liv Matthews, one of LSC-CyFair’s current graduates and future creative writer, as well as Thursday’s featured keynote speakers Juan Daza, current graduate and future Spanish teacher, and Thomas Jozwiak, inaugural Medical Radiologic Technology program graduate and now a Radiation Therapist at MD Anderson The Woodlands for more than 15 years.
Advice for all from these commencement speakers respectively were “pursue the opportunities and have more confidence in yourself”; “treasure all of the connections and relationships built” , “learn to become the best version of yourself and be virtuous” and “you always have a choice, so choose the better side.” Hear their stories at LoneStar.edu/cyfairgrad-May9 and LoneStar.edu/cyfairgrad-May11.
Now is the time to start close and go far at LSC-CyFair. Registration for summer and fall classes is underway. For information, go to LoneStar.edu/regcyfair.