Students attending the Honors College at Lone Star College earned first place at the IREX Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge December 2022.

The global challenge is a virtual exchange initiative that supports workforce development in the United States, Iraq and Jordan. The LSC team joined Duhok Polytechnic University (Kurdistan, Iraq) students to research and write a five-page business concept document and conduct a three-minute presentation. They also engaged in cross-cultural activities and binational meetings.

“I joined this competition to meet and work with students from other cultures,” said Carlos Carreon, LSC-Kingwood Honors College student. “As the team’s researcher, I worked with my Kurdistan counterpart to coordinate an effective research plan. Although a challenge due to schedule conflicts and different time zones, this opportunity helped me to develop my international collaboration skill.”

During the eight-week virtual global challenge, LSC Honors College and Duhok Polytechnic University researched the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals program to pinpoint a problem, brainstorm ideas and create a solution prototype to test. The binational team addressed the issue of household items in landfills by building a website to connect people who have these products to those who need them.

“Earning top placements at competitions shows that Lone Star College offers innovative and quality programming that sets students up for success to compete in a global world,” said Katharine Caruso, Ph.D., LSC Associate Vice Chancellor Honors and International Education. “Lone Star College is changing the concept of what community colleges can offer based on the caliber of our programs, students and faculty.”

The LSC Honors College helps meet the needs of high-achieving students looking to enhance their college transcripts with challenging coursework across various disciplines. Students have opportunities to study abroad, participate in virtual events and take internationalized classes to become more globally and culturally competent citizens of an increasingly interconnected world.

“I have discovered so many things about myself that I didn’t know I was capable of,” said Jessica Mays, LSC-CyFair Honors College and political science student. “I have learned many skills and techniques that will benefit me in the future.”

The Office of International Programs at LSC provides innovative education and customized support to international students who want to start or continue their college education. In fall 2022, LSC welcomed 2,633 international students, with 22 from Iraq and Jordan, the countries involved in the IREX Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge.

Visit LoneStar.edu/College-Departments/Honors to learn more about LSC Honors College.

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, ranked 35th in Texas in the Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers By State’ list 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.