The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse reported fathers involved in their children’s education can positively impact their futures. This is especially true for Kimberlee Ball, a Lone Star College-Online History Professor, who will take a moment this Father’s Day to reflect on the teachings of her dad, Cecil Harper, Jr., Ph.D., who was one of the first history professors at LSC-North Harris.
“My father’s philosophy was that education is a ticket to figuring out what you want and helping you to achieve it,” said Ball. “My views are similar; higher education is a fantastic way to improve your career prospects, which creates brighter futures and an opportunity to meet new people.”
Harper wanted to be a preacher, but his experience as a teacher’s assistant in a doctoral program at the University of North Texas steered his career focus toward higher education. He became a history professor at what was then called the North Harris College in 1989.
“My father loved history and reading and was a wonderful storyteller,” said Ball. “He wanted our (LSC) students to learn how to be successful in life and have easy access to all available learning tools.”
Harper also worked at LSC-Houston North Greenspoint, LSC-Houston North Victory and taught online classes before he retired in 2012. He died in January 2019, but his impact on Ball and her siblings lives on.
Although education was important in her household, Ball initially took a different turn. When she dropped out of high school in her senior year, Harper encouraged her to earn a general equivalency diploma (GED®) and offered to pay for college.
“I didn’t take advantage of the opportunities that I should have growing up, but my dad always supported my efforts,” she said. “Whether I attended Lone Star College in the early ‘90s or in graduate school, he always told me I did an excellent job.”
Ball eventually followed in her dad’s footsteps. The father, daughter duo had the same professors at UNT, and she often ran into him in the LSC hallways as an adjunct instructor. Ball even took over Harper’s office at LSC-North Harris when she became a full-time professor.
“Starting as an adjunct faculty was scary, but it was good to have him, someone so experienced, close by,” she said. “He had a nice, deep voice and I could hear him lecturing when I walked down the halls. It was an awesome experience.”
Ball is a founding professor at LSC-Online teaching international studies history and honors history courses. She is the outgoing Faculty Senate President and is involved in various faculty development programs.
“My dad and many other professors made college look fun, and I’ve always loved the college environment,” said Ball. “Still, it took me a while to figure out that I wanted to teach college classes. However, I earned a master’s degree and began teaching, which I love so much.”
Registration for fall 2023 is underway. View LoneStar.edu/registration to see courses available at all Lone Star College locations.
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.