TOMBALL, Texas – According to a study by the Institute for Higher Education Policy, over the past 20 years, tuition and fees at national universities, both private and public, have risen sharply, making paying for college one of the toughest parts of earning a degree. But that burden is being increasingly eased at Lone Star College-Tomball. To help pay for college, students at LSC-Tomball were awarded the most scholarships in its campus’ history during the 2016-2017 academic school year.
“Increasing financial aid and scholarship assistance for LSC-Tomball students has been a top priority,” said LSC-Tomball President Dr. Lee Ann Nutt. According to LSC-Tomball records, a total of 352 students were awarded scholarships during the 2016-2017 academic school year for a total of $290,487.
“A couple of years ago we launched Tomball 2020, a campus-wide study on how we could improve in four areas: Scholarships, Students, Awards and Offerings,” Nutt pointed out. “As a result of the study, we established our Tomball 2020 strategic plan. To have now awarded the most scholarships in the history of the college is amazing, because now more students have the opportunity to have an experience at LSC-Tomball that will lead to a better future.”
Scholarships were awarded to LSC-Tomball students through the Lone Star College Foundation (LSCF), in addition to institutional and outside scholarships. Gabriela Andrade, accountant for the LSCF, said the Foundation awarded 172 LSC-Tomball students scholarships for a total of $138,125 during the 2016-2017 academic school year. That’s up from just two years ago, where 118 LSC-Tomball students were awarded scholarships for a total of $104,250.
Samreen Khurram, LSC-Tomball Director of Financial Aid, said 180 LSC-Tomball students received institutional and outside scholarships for a total of $152,362, significantly higher than just two years ago, where only 25 students were award scholarships for a total of $21,496 during the 2014-2015 academic school year.
“We could not have done this without the support of our donors and the LSC Foundation,” Nutt stressed, before adding, “They are the ones who have made this happen, and for that we are very grateful.”
Founded in 1991, the LSCF raises funds and manages assets to provide student scholarships and to support academic and workforce programs. The LSCF has expanded its initial investment of $20,000 into an extensive portfolio of over $20 million with a primary focus on building scholarship endowment.
In light of this fact, Nutt said she invites anyone who has ever thought about attending college to apply for admission to and available scholarships at LSC-Tomball. Financially, there is a good reason to apply. In April, LSCF raised over $450,000 as part of StarGala 2017, its annual signature event to raise scholarship funds, funds which students can use to help pay for college.
"I have always been, and continue to be, a big supporter of the Lone Star College Foundation," Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., LSC chancellor said shortly after the event. "As a former director of Financial Aid, I saw a definite need to make as many scholarships available as possible."
For recent LSC-Tomball student Ana Duran, having access to as many scholarships as possible is great, but she says what separates LSC-Tomball from other schools, is that assistance with scholarship money doesn’t stop once the student graduates. She said of college personnel, “They helped me get scholarship funding to continue my education for a bachelor’s degree.”
Duran, who will attend the University of Texas in the fall, was recently awarded $16,700 per year through The Terry Foundation Transfer Scholarship, a scholarship that’s awarded to non-traditional students who are transferring from a Texas community college or university and are working toward their first baccalaureate degree.
Duran, who could not speak a word of English when she moved to the Unites States in 2012, credits the help provided by LSC-Tomball’s TRiO Student Support Services, in securing the scholarship to continue her education.
“I am definitely grateful for everything I have received and I thank Lone Star College-Tomball and everyone involved with the scholarship I have now,” Duran said.
Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 30555Tomball Parkway, at the intersection of SH 249 and Zion Road. For more information about the college, call 281.351.3300 or visit LoneStar.edu/Tomball.