Lone Star College has partnered with Stephen F. Austin State University to help deserving students overcome the hurdles that may stand in the way of earning a college degree.

SFA is the first four-year university to join the Lone Star College Promise Scholarship initiative. Two students participating in the LSC program have been selected to continue in the Promise Scholarship program when they enroll as SFA students.

“Today we celebrate the next evolution of our partnership,” said Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith, LSC executive vice chancellor Student Success during the College Promise Scholarship Celebration event held at LSC-University Center at The Woodlands. “We know this alliance leads to greater student success.”

The LSC Promise is a scholarship program that provides two years of “last-dollar scholarship” funding, so that students can qualify to receive funding to pay any remaining tuition not covered by Pell and other grants or scholarships.

“We’re serious about this relationship. This is very important to us,” said Dr. Steve Westbrook, SFA acting president and vice president for University Affairs. “We want to meet students where they are.”

By partnering with LSC, SFA is extending this same financial assistance promise to students who either transfer from LSC to SFA to pursue a four-year degree or who jointly enroll at LSC and SFA.

According to Dr. Janet Tareilo, SFA associate provost for Academic Affairs, SFA will provide up to $4,000 for two years of coursework for the Promise Scholarship recipients.

“We are happy to partner with Lone Star College in this initiative that allows deserving students to pursue higher education and emphasizes the importance of community service,” said Tareilo. “We are inspired by the donors who have made this program possible at Lone Star College and SFA has made a commitment to continue in this mission to ensure students have the opportunity to reach their educational goals.”

The LSC Promise program began in fall 2016. To date, 425 LSC Promise scholarships have been awarded resulting in $413,865 being given in financial assistance. Recipients also completed 2,207 hours of community service projects in the 2017-18 academic year as part of the LSC Promise community service requirement. The LSC Promise is funded by LSC Foundation.

Nadasha Ben, a political science major who will transfer from LSC to SFA in January, and Jose Lozano, who will transfer to SFA to study accounting, are the first two recipients of the Promise partnership between SFA and LSC.

“The SFA scholarship means a lot to me because it is going to help me continue my education and give me the motivation to succeed,” said Ben. “Attending college is a huge privilege to me, but the expense of school can be overwhelming and discouraging, so I am glad I was given a scholarship from SFA.”

Ben is interested in the study of government, politics and political behavior.

“My goals in life are to finish college and become a professor and teach government,” said Ben. “I aim to always give back to people and contribute to society by volunteering to register voters, attend or organize rallies, and make sure to bring happiness to the things and individuals around me. I also want to set a positive example for my siblings and, of course, make my parents proud.”

The LSC Promise Scholarship gave Lozano, a first-generation student and an accounting major, a chance to be more active on campus.

“It gave me more time to focus on my studies, and I was able to join the LSC Honors College and became a member of Phi Theta Kappa,” said Lozano.

Ultimately, Lozano hopes to open a business of his own and he plans to help the community in which the business is located, wherever that may be.

“I would like to give back to college students the same way I am receiving help now,” said Lozano. “I believe that helping others has always been a calling for me.”

Representing LSC at the ceremony were newly-elected LSC Board of Trustees Member Mike Sullivan, LSC-Montgomery President Dr. Rebecca Riley, LSC-University Park President Dr. Shah Ardalan, LSC Vice Chancellor Chief of Staff, Board Liaison Helen Clougherty and LSC Special Assistant to the Chancellor Dr. Quentin Wright. In attendance representing SFA were SFA Board of Regents Secretary Nelda Luce Blair, SFA Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Steve Bullard and SFA Vice President for Finance & Administration Dr. Danny R. Gallant.

For more information about the Promise Scholarship program, visit LoneStar.edu/Promise.

Lone Star College has partnered with Stephen F. Austin State University to extend the Promise Scholarship program. Pictured (left to right): SFA Acting President and Vice President for University Affairs Dr. Steve Westbrook and LSC Executive Vice Chancellor Student Success Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith.

Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 99,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of nearly $3 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.

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