A select group of students from Lone Star College-North Harris returned to campus this fall, talking about the academic trip of a lifetime they took this summer. As part of the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation, 14 honors students from LSC-North Harris visited China for two weeks in August.

During their program abroad, the students travelled to Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai where they learned about China’s educational and economic systems along with its traditions steeped in history and rich culture. The students had the opportunity to visit such famous historical sites including The Great Wall, Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City, in addition to attending attractions such as Hangzhou Tea Museum, Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower and an acrobatics show with the celebrated Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.

The students selected for the program are some of the LSC-North Harris’ highest-achieving students and leaders on campus. They are currently enrolled in The Honors College, an academic program designed for high-achieving students seeking to improve their college transcripts and transferability with challenging coursework across all disciplines.

 The mission of the LSC-North Harris Honors College is to enhance existing programs and to reaffirm the College's commitment to excellence by identifying, recruiting, and challenging motivated students, providing enrichment and flexibility to develop full student potential, and to offer faculty the opportunity for renewal and innovation.

According to Dr. Wei Li, LSC-North Harris professor of English and developmental studies, and faculty representative on the trip, “I see great potential for these students to become friendship ambassadors between the United States and China, successful diplomats and business people, and citizens and peace makers of the global village.”

 Wanxiang America, China-United States Exchange Foundation, U.S. Congressional Office of Sheila Jackson-Lee, Lone Star College, Beijing Foreign Studies University and Hangzhou Wanxiang Polytechnics sponsored and organized the trip as part of the “100,000 Strong China Initiative” signed by President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao in 2009.

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 has been opening doors to a better community for more than 40 years. Founded in 1973, LSC remains steadfast in its commitment to student success and credential completion. Today, with almost 83,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 95,000, Lone Star College is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the nation. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., is the chancellor of LSC, 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.