Lone Star College-North Harris student Lawanda Deason, is wrapping up a momentous trip to China this summer, as part of the China U.S. Exchange Foundation. She is traveling to Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai, along with 17 of her peers and several faculty chaperones, as part of the LSC-North Harris student delegation.
“I have never been out of the country or on an airplane,” said Deason. “I have been told by family, friends, and professors how amazing an experience it is to travel to a foreign country, and get a first-hand experience of the culture and the people.”
The LSC-North Harris student delegation is exploring China’s educational and economic systems, and culture. The group is also visiting various Chinese universities, meeting students and faculty, and attending lectures and presentations on Chinese culture.
Prior to leaving, Deason detailed her excitement about the trip.
“I am now finishing my first year in college, and it has made an impact on my view of the world around me and my urge to learn and understand different cultures. I cannot even imagine what it will be like to walk on the Great Wall of China, to hear only Mandarin, and taste authentic Chinese food in its birth place. I am very ecstatic to see the differences of the Chinese culture from my own, but to discover our similarities as well,” she said.
“Lawanda will serve as an excellent ambassador and peer mentor on the trip,” said Honors College Director, Katie Caruso. “Lawanda tends to ask thoughtful questions, consistently making connections between academics to the world beyond the classroom, and she doesn’t hesitate to be a peer leader when needed. She’s one of those students who always gets the most out of what she is learning—and that drive motivates those around her.”
U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District, was instrumental in making this opportunity available to Lone Star College students. The program is designed to provide a diverse group of young Americans living or attending school in Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Member districts with the opportunity to experience Chinese culture and gain exposure to broad career opportunities in an era of increasing globalization.
The participants who were selected for the program are some of the college’s highest-achieving students and leaders on campus, with more than half of the students currently enrolled in The Honors College.
“Lawanda is a model representative of student leadership at LSC-North Harris and the Honors College,” said LSC-North Harris Honors Director, Brian Kyser. “My hope is she will bring back and share her experiences in China, incorporating them into her honors work and continuing to serve as an ambassador, inspiring other students to travel and expand their academic horizons.”
This trip will provide Deason with many opportunities that she can learn from as she continues her educational path for the future.
“I want to be able to take what I learn from this journey and share this insight with others, to encourage them to want to see the world though another individual’s eyes,” added Deason.
Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westfield and Hardy Roads. For more information about the college, call 281.618.5400 or visit LoneStar.edu/NorthHarris.
Lone Star College System has been opening doors to a better community for more than 40 years. Founded in 1973, LSCS remains steadfast in its commitment to student success and credential completion. Today, with 78,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 90,000, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and one of the fastest-growing community college systems in the nation. Dr. Steve Head is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University Park, seven centers, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
####