Lone Star College System, through the LSC Center for Civic Engagement, was recently named a “Voter Friendly Campus” for a fifth year by the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education for its work in encouraging students to register and vote.
“The Voter Friendly Campus designation highlights Lone Star College’s commitment to ensuring that all campus community members have access to voting and information about civic engagement,” said Cassandra Khatri, Ph.D., LSC-University Park political science professor. “This status also recognizes the faculty coordinators’ hard work as they plan and execute events that help increase the campus community’s civic knowledge.”
LSCS, one of 47 community colleges selected, was evaluated based on the college’s plan to register, educate and recruit student voters in 2024, how it facilitated voter engagement opportunities on the campuses and a final analysis of the efforts and outcomes.
“This designation proves that not only does Lone Star College say that one of our core objectives is personal responsibility, but we are also putting in the effort to connect our students and community to civic engagement,” said Michele Richey, LSC-Montgomery sociology professor. “Civically-minded students make civically-minded community members, and I think those communities will continue to benefit immensely.”
The LSC Center for Civic Engagement received a Houston Endowment Engage the Electorate grant in 2024 to fund programs like increasing voter participation, which helps the college earn distinctions like “Voter Friendly Campus.” LSC will use the three-year, $1.5 million grant to combine, replicate and scale best practices and strategies to implement new initiatives that address electoral participation among the campus community.
“The Engage the Electorate grant provides civic engagement opportunities at Lone Star College centered around voter and electoral participation to help produce thoughtful, civic-minded and responsible citizens,” said Khatri. “The college is excited to work with organizations like the Houston Endowment to help empower students in making a difference in their communities.”
The 2025 Voter Friendly Campus designation bolsters colleges and universities’ efforts to help students overcome barriers to participating in the political process – every year, not just during years featuring federal elections. This year’s recipients included 272 campuses in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Learn more at VoterFriendlyCampus.org.
Lone Star College System enrolls over 90,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSCS is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Mario K. Castillo, J.D., serves as Chancellor of LSCS, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2024 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education. LSCS consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.