Dr. Elmore's Fall 2025 Convocation Speech
August 18, 2015 | Speech
Good morning, Lamar State College Orange family!
What a gift it is to stand before you as we launch a brand-new academic year. Convocation is always special—it is our chance to come together, recharge, and refocus on the purpose that binds us.
And that purpose is clear: Your Future is Our Focus. Those five words capture what I believe to be the heart of LSCO. They remind us that every decision we make, every program we launch, and every hour we invest in supporting one another as well as our students comes back to this promise: the future is what drives all of us.
This past year proved that we are living the College’s mission to “transform lives”:
- We reached a record-breaking fall enrollment of 3651 and spring enrollment of 3,543 students, more than a 20% increase over the previous academic year. Contact hours grew by 21%. That means more students are trusting us to be their path forward. Their future is our focus.
- We celebrated the largest spring graduating class in LSCO history—498 graduates earning 602 degrees and certificates. And here’s what makes me proudest: 72% of those graduates were first-generation college students. They came to us not just to earn a credential, but to rewrite the story of their families. Their future is our focus.
- Our Student Success Center opened its doors, creating a one-stop home for admissions, advising, financial aid, and cashiering. Every student who walks in knows immediately: they are not alone. We are walking with them. Their future is our focus.
- Through partnerships like the Golden Triangle FAME program, students are graduating debt-free with both credentials and real-world job experience. Industry leaders aren’t just supporting us—they are seeking out LSCO graduates. Why? Because they know our students are prepared for the future. And that’s because their future is our focus.
Every one of these achievements reflects not just what we do, but why we do it. And that ‘why’ is etched into our very identity.
As we step into this year, we carry momentum, but we also carry responsibility. Higher education is changing rapidly. Students face financial, academic, and personal challenges. But we are ready—because our commitment is stronger than any obstacle.
This year, I challenge us all to keep our eyes on that focus: the future of every student who walks through our doors.
- When a student hesitates, wondering if they belong here—let them hear in your words and see in your actions: Your future is our focus.
- When you teach a class, advise a student, or solve a problem—remember that you are shaping not just today’s experience but tomorrow’s opportunities. Your future is our focus.
- And when challenges arise—and they will—let’s remind ourselves and one another of this truth: we are not just running a college. We are transforming lives. Because their future is our focus.
So as we begin this academic year, let us move forward with boldness, with compassion, and with a shared vision. Together, we are writing a story of opportunity, transformation, and hope—for our students, our community, our region, and our state.
Let’s say it, live it, and own it: Your Future is Our Focus.
That is who we are. That is what we do. And that is why the best days of Lamar State College Orange are still ahead.
Thank you—and let’s make this year extraordinary!