November Presidential Update
November 2, 2026 | Email
Dear Gator Family,
November is here, and I honestly do not know where the fall semester has gone!
It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming students back to campus, and now we are entering the final stretch of another remarkable semester at Lamar State College Orange. Before the pace of November carries us toward Thanksgiving, finals, and commencement, I want us to pause for a moment and appreciate just how much we have accomplished together.
October showcased the incredible energy and momentum surrounding LSCO.
- We gathered as a campus community for Octoberfest and celebrated with our students during Student Appreciation Day. We welcomed a new group of students into Phi Theta Kappa, recognizing academic achievement and the hard work required to earn that distinction. We launched 8-Week Two, providing another opportunity for students to begin, continue, or accelerate their college journey.
- We also celebrated important milestones in nursing with RN White Coat Ceremonies at both LSCO Orange and the Polk County Center. There is something particularly meaningful about watching future nurses put on that white coat and knowing they are preparing to serve families and communities who need them.
- Our work to expand educational opportunity continued as well. We brought educational partners together for our Dual Credit Leadership Meeting, strengthening relationships that help students begin college earlier and make higher education more accessible and affordable. And through Beyond the Bayou, we learned the many ways that LSCO's presence throughout the state is expanding, providing greater access to LSCO's programs. We were also proud to welcome special legislative guests to our beautiful LSCO Orange campus, giving us the opportunity to share firsthand the work happening here and the impact this College is having on our students, our communities, and the workforce of Texas.
Perhaps one of the greatest milestones of the month was formally announcing that LSCO enrollment has exceeded 8,000 students. That number represents extraordinary growth, but I hope we never see it as simply a number. Behind every enrollment is a person who has chosen LSCO as part of their story: a first-generation college student, a high school student earning dual credit, someone preparing for a new career, a working adult returning to college, or a student determined to build a different future for themselves and their family. By serving more than 8,000 students, we have more than 8,000 opportunities to make a difference. 🙂
We continued investing in the campus our students and employees experience every day. Renovations at the Welch Center continue to move forward, and new benches along Green Street, just west of the Shahan Event Center, are another small but meaningful addition to our campus environment. It is exciting to see LSCO continue to grow while also becoming a more welcoming, beautiful place for our students, employees, and visitors.
And growth is about more than facilities and enrollment. It is also about strengthening our connections with one another. Faculty Connect with Provost Lloyd created another opportunity for conversation and engagement with our faculty. Those connections matter. As LSCO grows in size and expands its reach, maintaining the close relationships and collaborative spirit that define our College becomes even more important. That is why I am so grateful for you.
None of these accomplishments happen because of one office, one department, or one individual. They happen because faculty and staff throughout LSCO show up every day ready to teach, encourage, advise, solve problems, answer questions, build partnerships, maintain our campus, support one another, and do whatever it takes to help students succeed.
November naturally invites us to think about gratitude. This year, I have an especially long list of things for which I am thankful: extraordinary growth, expanding partnerships, beautiful facilities, tremendous community support, and more opportunities than ever before to serve students across Texas.
But buildings, programs, partnerships, and enrollment numbers are only part of LSCO's story. People are our story. And I am profoundly grateful for the people who make Lamar State College Orange what it is.
Thank you for believing in our students. Thank you for believing in one another. Thank you for embracing the opportunities and enduring the challenges that come with growth. Thank you for continuing to make LSCO a place where students are known, supported, challenged, and given the opportunity to change their lives.
We still have an exciting few weeks ahead of us, so let's finish this semester the same way we began it: together, focused on our students, and proud to be Gators.
We have so much to celebrate, so much ahead of us, and so very much to be thankful for. Happy November, LSCO!
With heartfelt gratitude for each of you,
Wendy