Celebrate our History

Lone Star College

The History of Lone Star College

Lone Star College is proud to celebrate 50 years of providing affordable quality education that is close to home.

Lone Star College Timeline

1972

President W.W. Thorne

W.W. Thorne, superintendent of Aldine Independent School District, worked with local community leaders to establish a community college to serve local students.

A New College District

Citizens of Aldine, Spring and Humble ISDs vote to form a Union Junior College District. A seven-member board is established and North Harris County College (NHCC) is born.

Front row (from left to right): W. E. Crozier, assistant secretary; E. M. Wells, president; Lawrence Adams, secretary; and Charles E. Philipp, vice president. Second row (from left to right): M. M. Morris, Hugh E. Dugan, and H. J. Doreing.

A Brand New Logo

A bold letter N with an arrow pointing north and upwards.

Floyd Hoffman, a member of the college's founding Steering Committee and a commercial artist donated his talents to the development of the new logo.

$6.5MM

Bond Elections

$6.5 million bond referendum approved by voters.

1975

LSC-North Harris Opens

1976

NHCC Gains SACS Accreditation

The mission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.

$15MM

Bond Elections

$15 million bond referendum approved by voters.

1981

NHCC Maintains SACS Accreditation

SACS Accreditation. The mission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.

New Caney ISD joins the NHCC District

New Caney becomes the fourth ISD to to join the North Harris County College district.

1982

DR. JOE A. AIROLA, CHANCELLOR

Became the first Chancellor of the college system. Had previously served as Vice President and former Dean of Instruction.

Tomball ISD joins the NHCC District

Tomball becomes the fifth ISD to to join the North Harris County College district. By 1983 more than 16,500 students were taking classes at NHCC. A significant increase from the first 640 students that were registered in 1973.

1983

$52.6MM

Bond Elections

$52.6 million bond referendum approved by voters.

1984

LSC-Kingwood Opens

1988

LSC-Tomball Opens

1991

Dr. JOHN E. PICKELMAN, CHANCELLOR

Became the second Chancellor of the college system. After serving as a corporate executive in Dallas and Galveston Dr. Pickelman became the first chancellor to come from outside the college system.

A new logo to go with a new name

North Harris County College (NHCC) becomes North Harris Montgomery County Community College District (NHMCCD). The school districts of northern Harris County and Montgomery County were equally represented in new moniker.

Foundation

Lone Star College Foundation impacts students’ lives every day by reducing financial barriers to a quality, college education. More than 18,000 students have felt that impact with over $16.5 million awarded in scholarships and $8 million in program support since the Foundation’s inception in 1991. Through tuition scholarships, emergency aid relief or textbook funds, partner with the Foundation today to make your impact on the next generation.

NHMCCD Maintains SACS Accreditation

SACS Accreditation. The mission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.

Conroe ISD joins NHMCCD

Conroe ISD votes to join the college district and becomes the sixth ISD to do so.

1992

LSC-Montgomery Opens

1995

$77.8MM

Bond Elections

$77.8 million bond referendum approved by voters.

1996

Willis ISD and Splendora ISD Join the NHMCCD District

Willis and Splendora ISDs join the college district, becoming the seventh and eighth ISDs to join.

1997

University Center Opens

The University Center opens as the first of its kind in the state of Texas.

A New Website

NHMCCD launches their online presence with a new website.

1998

Klein ISD Joins the NHMCCD District

Klein ISD becomes the ninth ISD to become part of the college district.

2000

$183.7MM

Bond Elections

$183.7 million bond referendum approved by voters.

Magnolia ISD and CyFair ISD join the NHMCCD District

Magnolia ISD and CyFair ISD become the tenth and eleventh ISD to become part of the college district.

2001

NHMCCD Maintains SACS Accreditation

SACS Accreditation. The mission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.

2003

LSC-CyFair Opens

2007

DR. RICHARD G. CARPENTER, CHANCELLOR

Became the third Chancellor of the college system. Dr. Carpenter taught all educational levels from elementary school to graduate school. Dr Carpenter received numerous state and national award for higher education, economic development and community leadership.

2008

North Harris Community College District becomes Lone Star College System

70% of the community believed that the name was too long, too confusing, or too hard to remember. All the colleges in the system would adopt the LSC prefix to reinforce the idea of all the college campuses belonging to one college system.

Bond Elections

$420.7 million bond referendum approved by voters.

$420.7MM

Corporate College

Lone Star Corporate College partners with global corporations to provide customized training, open enrollment courses, and professional seminars. LSCC focuses on the energy, computer technology and advanced manufacturing sectors, as well as provide training for retail, hospitality, school districts, health care organizations, non-profits, and many other industries.

2010

LSC-University Park Opens

LSC-University Center at LSC-University Park Opens

The LSC-University Center at LSC-University Park allows students to earn their bachelor's and master's degrees close to home from our partner universities.

2011

LSC-Atascocita Center Opens

Affiliated with LSC-Kingwood, the 62,000 square foot campus opened in August 2011 and contains student services, a bookstore, a library and learning center, an administrative suite, faculty offices, computer labs, classrooms, and laboratories.

LSC-Conroe Center Opens

Affiliated with LSC-Montgomery, the center is a comprehensive educational campus that offers academic college transfer courses and professional-training programs in high-demand fields such as Piloting, Welding, Machining, and Automotive Technology.

LSC-Health Profession Building Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. A dedicated facility that incorporates specialist environments to enhance the study of students embarking on a career in health professional occupations.

LSC-Tomball Health Science Building Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. Affiliated with LSC-Tomball, the Health Science Building provides state of the art simulation labs that allow instructors and students to mirror realistic healthcare settings to reinforce program content.

2012

LSCS Maintains SACS Accreditation

SACS Accreditation. The mission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.

2013

LSC-Cypress Center Opens

Affiliated with LSC-CyFair, the center houses more than 15,000 square feet of workforce space with industrial labs for the workforce programs including: Drafting, Engineering Technology, Machining and Welding.

LSC-CHI Institute Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. Affiliated with LSC-North Harris, a cooperative collaboration with Farouk Systems Inc that produces the CHI beauty products. CHI Institute provides specialist environments to enhance the study of students embarking on a career in cosmetology, esthetics and massage therapy.

2014

DR. STEPHEN C. HEAD, CHANCELLOR

Appointed as the fourth chancellor of the Lone Star College System in 2014. He began work at the college in 1984 and has a thirty-year history of high-level positions at LSC including serving as president at three LSC campuses and Executive Vice Chancellor.

Bond Elections

$485 million bond referendum approved by voters.

$485MM

LSC-Energy & Manufacturing Institute Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. Affiliated with LSC-University Park, the center houses more than 15,000 square feet of workforce space with industrial labs for the workforce programs including: Drafting, Engineering Technology, Machining and Welding.

Honors College

The Honors College at Lone Star College offers a wide range of opportunities for honors students - from incoming freshman wanting to graduate with an Honors AA or Honors AS degree, to high-achieving students seeking to graduate with Honors distinction, to students interested in earning individual honors course credit.

2016

LSC-Creekside Center Opens

Affiliated with LSC-Tomball, the workforce certifications available at the facility include Cisco certification, electrical technology, and petroleum data technology. College graduates interested in taking the CPA exams may take the appropriate prep courses at LSC-Creekside Center, as well.

2017

LSC-Process Technology Center Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. Affiliated with LSC-Kingwood. The LSC-Process Technology Center is a stand-alone campus in the Lone Star College System and provides the community with local access to workforce training in our Process Technology and Instrumentation Technology programs.

LSC-Construction and Skilled Trades Technology Center Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. Affiliated with LSC-North Harris, the center is dedicated to enhancing the teaching, training of career and technical skills needed in Houston’s burgeoning construction industry. Providing area employers with a highly skilled workforce in the Construction Supervision, Electrical Technology, and Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning (HVAC) & Refrigeration industries.

2019

LSC-Houston North Opens

LSC-East Aldine Center Opens

Affiliated with LSC-North Harris, a comprehensive educational campus that provides a mix of academic college transfer courses as well as workforce training programs in high-demand fields such as welding and construction trades.

LSC-Westway Park Technology Center Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. Affiliated with LSC-CyFair, with a focus on IT and Visual Communication programs. Training labs prepare students for the workforce by providing a real-world experience while developing their skills. Preparing students with level I, and Level II certificates as well as AAS degrees in various areas of IT and Visual Communication.

2020

LSC-Transportation and Global Logistics Technology Center Opens

LSC Workforce Center of Excellence. Affiliated with LSC-North Harris, the center provides students the skills necessary to become a truck driver. The facility houses 6 classrooms, a large driving track, 6 backing pads and a realistic truck driving simulator.

2022

LSC-Online Opens

LSCS Maintains SACS Accreditation

SACS Accreditation. The mission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.