Lone Star College Foundation recently received a $22,500 grant from the Texas Educational Foundation Fund, a component fund of Greater Houston Community Foundation, to support vocational programming and technical training. The grant went toward the purchase of a vehicle for the college’s Law Enforcement Academy, which helps students learn how to become police officers.
“Lone Star College Foundation is grateful for the Texas Educational Foundation Fund’s partnership, which helps us train tomorrow’s workforce today,” said Nicole Robinson Gauthier, CFRE, LSC Foundation executive director.
The academy obtained a 2024 Ford Explorer this June.
“Primarily, it will be used for driving training, patrol tactics and some of our other hands-on training. It was a major need because of the number of students that we have,” said Glenn Riddle, LSC director, Law Enforcement Academy.
The six-month, full-time program trains about 100 students each year with classroom instruction and hands-on experience to prepare them for the state licensing exam.
“Through the Texas Educational Foundation Fund, Greater Houston Community Foundation is proud to award this grant. Lone Star College’s vocational programs are not only a great opportunity for students to further their education, but the college strengthens its surrounding communities as a result,” said Lauren Spackman, Greater Houston Community Foundation client manager.
LSC’s Law Enforcement Academy was founded in 2022 in response to a growing demand for police officers at local agencies.
“We have so many law enforcement agencies here in the Greater Houston area, and we are a very important applicant pipeline for those agencies because most don’t have their own academies,” said Riddle.
By the end of the program, students learn about state laws; work to meet physical fitness standards; and demonstrate their skills in driving, firearms, patrol procedures, arrest and control tactics, standardized field sobriety testing, and emergency medical assistance.
The academy has one full-time instructor and a team of 20 adjunct instructors with diverse law enforcement backgrounds, exposing students to a range of experiences and perspectives.
The next Law Enforcement Academy class will kick off in February 2026, following the move from LSC-East Aldine Center to the academy’s new home at LSC-Kingwood. Learn more at LoneStar.edu/Programs-Of-Study/Law-Enforcement-Academy.
About Lone Star College Foundation
Lone Star College Foundation impacts students’ lives by reducing the financial barriers to a quality college education. Since 1991, LSC Foundation has awarded over $26 million in scholarships to more than 27,000 students and nearly $13 million in program and emergency support. Learn more at LoneStar.edu/Giving.
About Lone Star College System
Lone Star College System enrolls over 90,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSCS 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 LSCS, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2024 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education. LSCS consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.