Lone Star College-University Park (LSC-University Park) welcomes author Kimberly Garza for a special author visit and book signing event as part of its ReadUP! program. The event will take place on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, from 1-3 p.m. in West Dining at LSC-University Park, 20515 TX-249, Houston, TX 77070.
Kimberly Garza, a Texas native with connections to Galveston and Uvalde, captures the essence of a close-knit Mexican and Filipino American community bracing for Hurricane Ike in her debut novel, "The Last Karankawas." This work is celebrated for its intimate portrayal of family dynamics and community resilience on the Texas coast.
"One of the goals of ReadUP! is to encourage students to form connections between the selected book, their own lives, and different academic disciplines,” said Jamie Stoops, LSC-University Park history professor. “Kimberly Garza's author visit is a rare opportunity for LSC students and people from the community to meet and learn from a respected novelist.”
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with Garza during a book signing and Q&A session, discussing the novel's exploration of heritage, endurance, and the art of storytelling.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Location: West Dining, LSC-University Park, 20515 TX-249, Houston, TX 77070
The free ReadUP! event is open to students, LSC-University Park faculty, staff, and the wider community. Please note seating is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Garza serves as an associate professor of creative writing and literature at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She holds advanced degrees in English, Spanish, and creative writing. Her diverse body of work, which spans both fiction and nonfiction, has been featured in prestigious outlets such as Copper Nickel and TriQuarterly.
Garza’s visit follows a multidisciplinary field trip to Galveston in October 2023, inspired by "The Last Karankawas: A Novel," led by LSC-University Park professors Bryn Benford (Geology), Chris Allen (Biology), and Jamie Stoops (History). The trip provided students with a deeper understanding of the novel's themes through the lens of geology, biology, and history.
For more information on the ReadUP! program including our hurricane preparedness guest speaker on March 5, 2024, please visit Lonestar.edu/UP-ReadUP.
Lone Star College-University Park is dedicated to empowering students through education and enriching the community through innovative programs and partnerships. LSC-University Park offers more than 70 programs of study, including credit and non-credit courses, workforce training, and continuing education classes with a variety of start dates. Classes are available in traditional, online, and hybrid formats, accommodating daytime, evening, and weekend schedules. For more information or to register online, visit LoneStar.edu/UP-NextStart, call 281-290-2600, or email UPAdvising@LoneStar.edu.
Established in 2012, LSC-University Park has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing and most innovative higher education institutions in the country. Led by President Virginia M. Fraire, Ph.D., the college is devoted to impacting the community's prosperity and upward mobility through student success. LSC-University Park’s expert and compassionate faculty and staff provide students with holistic and immersive education and training in disciplines and industries that meet current and future workforce needs.
Located on the grounds of the former Compaq Computer Corporation and Hewlett Packard's world headquarters, LSC-University Park's facilities include the new Visual and Performing Arts Center, the Center for Science & Innovation, the Energy & Manufacturing Institute, Learning Innovation Labs, and the Geology Rock Wall. It is also home to the University of Houston-NW Downtown, Lone Star Corporate College, iSchool, and YMCA Children's Academy.
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. Mario K. Castillo, J.D., serves as Chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area. LSC has been named a 2023 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.