FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Woodlands, Texas — Lone Star College-Online has launched a comprehensive Online New Student Orientation (ONSO), a strategic initiative designed to ensure students begin their academic journey prepared, confident and connected before their first day of class.
As online learning continues to evolve, institutions face increasing pressure to ensure students are not only enrolled but fully prepared to succeed. At LSC-Online, student persistence remains a key priority, reinforcing the need for early engagement strategies that support students from the moment they enter the college.
According to data released June 26, 2025, by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, nearly 14% of first-year students left higher education before their second term, while recent peer-reviewed research links low online learning readiness, including gaps in time management, understanding expectations and navigating the online environment, to increased risk of academic failure and dropout.
As colleges and universities nationwide work to improve student outcomes in online environments, there is growing emphasis on structured early engagement that moves beyond access toward sustained success.
ONSO addresses this need through a structured, interactive experience delivered within the college’s learning platform. The orientation guides students through academic expectations, time management and access to support services. Interactive modules, knowledge checks and a follow-up assessment ensure students actively engage in their readiness rather than passively receive information.
“ONSO is designed to give students clarity and confidence before their first day of class. By helping them understand expectations, connect with resources and navigate the online environment early, we’re setting them up to engage and succeed from the start,” said Alana Kubeczka, instructional designer.
The orientation also enables early identification of students who may need additional support, allowing the college to intervene proactively. By integrating orientation into the student experience and tracking engagement, LSC-Online strengthens its ability to support persistence and completion.
“ONSO reflects our commitment to setting students up for success before they ever log into their first class. By providing clear expectations and early support, we are strengthening how students engage, persist and complete their programs,” said Vincent Nguyen, executive director of student success.
At the institutional level, ONSO reflects a broader shift toward designing systems that support students from the beginning of their academic journey.
“Student success begins long before the first assignment is submitted. ONSO reflects our commitment to building a more intentional and supportive student experience, one that removes barriers, strengthens early engagement and positions our students to persist and complete their educational goals. This work directly advances the LSCS’s Goal 2, leadership in academic excellence, by ensuring our students are prepared, supported and set up to succeed from day one,” said Carlos R. Morales, Ph.D. president of Lone Star College-Online.
The development of ONSO reflects coordinated collaboration across instructional design, student services, communications and institutional leadership, ensuring an experience that is both academically sound and operationally effective.
“This was a truly collaborative effort across multiple teams, bringing together instructional design, student support and communications to create a seamless and supportive experience for our students,” said David Cuevas, coordinator III, admissions.
By focusing on readiness, early engagement and proactive support, ONSO positions LSC-Online as a model for how institutions can intentionally design the online student experience to improve outcomes at scale while creating opportunities for collaboration and shared learning across the higher education community.
About Lone Star College-Online
Lone Star College-Online provides flexible, high-quality online learning opportunities designed to meet the needs of today’s diverse student population. Through innovative program design, student-centered support services and a commitment to academic excellence, LSC-Online empowers students to achieve their educational and career goals in a fully online environment.