More than 600 students received diplomas during the 49th Annual Lone Star College-Kingwood Commencement. The ceremony took place on Saturday, May 13th, at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center in Houston. The graduates included those with Associate Degrees, Certificates of Competency, Early College High School students and the first graduates from the grant-funded TRIO program.
The prelude began with Pianist Dr. Robert Hunt and graduate Isaac Recio singing the National Anthem. Presentation of Colors was provided by the Splendora High School AFJROTC Honor Guard. Board of Trustees members Mr. Mike Sullivan, Dr. Jim Cain, and Mr. Art Murillo were also present for the special event, as well as Chancellor’s Cabinet Chief of Staff/Board Liaison Deseree Probasco.
LSC-Kingwood President Dr. Melissa Gonzalez welcomed graduates to the Commencement and thanked their families for their support of the students’ path to success. She also recognized the importance of faculty and staff.
“Without a doubt, the excellent reputation and success of the Lone Star College System depends mostly on the teaching skills of our faculty and the supportive services provided by our staff. On behalf of our dedicated, passionate, and hard-working team, we want to thank you, graduates, for entrusting us to help you reach this educational goal--graduation.”
Honors College Graduate and Phi Theta Kappa member Katherine McIlhany delivered the Commencement Address. Katherine spoke about how her mother’s positive outlook on her battle with terminal illness gave her strength to overcome her own struggles. She said in her address, “I now realize people that doubted my decision to come to Lone Star did not matter, my choice mattered. In spite of every mistake feeling like a jab at the heart I felt an obligation to mirror the strength of my mom. Despite a battle against herself she maintained gratitude for others and inspired me to do the same.”
Katherine also thanked her many professors for equipping her with the knowledge and tools to grow into a leader. Katherine now hopes to pursue her bachelor’s degree and become a Certified Public Accountant.
Also recognized during the Commencement were three LSC-Kingwood students who were semi-finalists for the prestigious Jack Cooke Kent Undergraduate Scholarship. Benetta Akukwe, Alex Castro and Adam Sepulveda were chosen from a pool of more than 1,700 applicants. In all, 29 LSC students have been awarded the scholarship since 2012.
Congratulations to all the graduates of the Lone Star College-Kingwood 2023 Commencement.
Lone Star College enrolls over 80,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. 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 and has been named a 2022 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and recognized by Fortune Magazine and Great Place To Work® as one of this year’s Best Workplaces in Texas™. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.