Emmy award winning Channel 13 news anchor Art Rascon will be the opening speaker for the Fifth Annual International Education Conference (IEC) to be held at Lone Star College-Tomball from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, April 18.
The annual IEC, hosted by the Lone Star College System and the Gulf Coast International Education Consortium, is open to all faculty, administrators, community leaders, and college and high school students in the Texas Gulf Coast region.
"Lone Star College System is pleased to host the annual conference at LSC-Tomball," said Richard Carpenter, Chancellor for Lone Star College System. "The relevant issues discussed and ideas shared at the conference regarding the global economy and environment will be meaningful for all that attend."
"This conference provides an excellent opportunity to discuss global issues and highlight best practices in international education, said LSC-Tomball President Raymond M. Hawkins, Ph.D.
The theme of the IEC conference this year is Global Issues: Economy, Energy, Environment, and the event will include a variety of presentations on international topics, many exhibitors, and a student poster contest.
Rascon has been with KTRK Channel 13 since 1998 and has covered such major events as the Iraq war, conflicts in the Middle East and Central America, United States presidential elections, the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. and the nation's deadliest campus shooting at Virginia Tech.
Rascon has served as a correspondent for CBS network news in New York and KABC-TV in Los Angeles, and has worked as a producer, reporter and anchor in several cities including San Antonio, El Paso, Abilene, and Salt Lake City. He has reported from more than 50 countries, five continents, and nearly every state in the union.
Rascon has won 19 Emmy's out of 25 nominations and has received more than three dozen other local and national reporting awards, including two prestigious Edward R. Murrow awards, three National Association of Hispanic Journalists' awards, the International Rotary Club award, two Headliner Awards for Best Documentary, the RTNDA Award for continuous coverage, and 15 Associated Press Reporting awards. Hispanic Business magazine has named Rascon one of the '100 Most Influential Hispanics in America'.
"We are delighted that Art Rascon will be the opening speaker at the IEC conference as we take a close look at important current international issues that impact us all-the economy, energy and the environment," said Nithyanantha Sevanthinathan, Director of International Programs and Services for Lone Star College System.
Registration for the IEC conference is $30 for anyone ($35 for onsite registration after April 12, 2008) and $15 for students. For specific conference registration information, please visit www.lonestar.edu/113334/.
Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 30555 Tomball Parkway in Tomball.
Lone Star College System consists of five colleges, including CyFair, Kingwood, Montgomery, North Harris, and Tomball, six centers and Lone Star College-University Center. It is the largest college system in the Houston area, and third largest community college district in Texas. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
The Gulf Coast International Consortium consists of Alvin Community College, Brazosport Community College, Galveston College, Houston Community College, Lee College, Lone Star College System, College of the Mainland, San Jacinto College, and Wharton County Junior College.