The CALL FEBRUARY 2020 E-MAG

V2IS0I2O0NSThe CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

Setting Our Sights On Extraordinary Experiences

Also In This Issue:
• Winners of the Coveted LSC-Tomball Excellence Awards!
• The Grand Opening of the Groundbreaking Innovation Lab!

IMPORTANT DATES

February 27 - 29 March 9 - 15 March 24 - 25 April 10 - 12
Mr. Burns, a Spring Break Greater North Houston Spring Holiday

Post-Electric Play Music Festival

Our Vision of a Great
Community College

Opportunity • Assistance • Innovation

ebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year, a

testimony to how clear-sighted collaboration

between multiple parties can intrinsically

Dr. Lee Ann Nutt enhance entire communities for decades.

President, LSC-Tomball Our experiences in life hinge on how we

Beginning this spring semester in 2020 see things, and this is often colored by how

is an appropriate metaphor for Lone Star others see us (or even whether or not we

College-Tomball’s outlook and vision for feel they see us at all). LSC-Tomball is com-

the coming year. The dust has, for the mitted to changing the lives of as many stu-

most part, settled on the dents possible.

SH 249 construction, We are relent-
making access to the
”We are relentlessly committed lessly committed

college easier and safer. to making every single student to making every
single student
Our spring enrollment
feel valued..." feel valued
defies a current down-
and providing
ward national trend and
resources neces-
demonstrates moderate
sary to enable them to successfully complete
growth in the number of students attending
classes, finish certificates and degrees,
LSC-Tomball and the number of classes
graduate, transfer, and lead successful and
they are taking. I attribute this to far-sight-
fulfilling lives. In the following pages, you’ll
ed collaboration between departments,
see how members of our college community
pooling the talents of employees who were
are also committed to this vision of creat-
willing to view the college-going experi-
ing opportunity, providing assistance, and
ence through the eyes of a student and
engendering innovation, all for the purpose
design intentional recruitment and retention
of making each and every LSC-Tomball
practices suited to that student perspective
student’s experience extraordinary.
and experience. Additionally, the visionary

partnership between Lone Star College

and the Harris County Public Library is cel- [LEARN MORE]

2

IN THIS ISSUE The CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

Page 4 THE COVER STORY

Celebrating the LSC-Tomball Commu- Setting Our Sights On
nity Library's 15th Anniversary with Extraordinary Experiences
launch of the Innovation Lab!
LSC-Tomball enters 2020 with a clear vision of the
Page 6 experiences we want our students to have. The pro-
cess of developing the plan to achieve this vision is
Media in Mind podcasts explore currently underway. A steering committee comprised
Digital Multimedia innovations in of Dr. Nutt’s Presidents Cabinet, faculty and staff is
higher education. overseeing the process, which will involve everyone
at the college—including students. Working groups
Page 8 will review published research, examine peer insti-
tutions, and investigate how to create extraordinary
Connection, Classroom and Care experiences. Anoth-
er working group will also be doing original research

Virtual Reality takes students any- to identify student beliefs. This important work can
where in the universe for extraordi- have a dramatic impact on the college and on student
nary experiences in learning. success. Therefore, careful attention and sufficient
time will be devoted to developing recommendations
Page 10 for how LSC-Tomball can do even more to provide an
extraordinary college experience.
Excellence Awards recognize our
outstanding faculty and staff! [LEARN MORE]

3

LSC-Tomball Community
Library Celebrates

Hundreds attend the library's 15th anniversary celebration and the
grand opening of the ground-breaking Innovation Lab!

Click PLAY to View

The Lone Star College-Tomball Community Library activities for children and adults that included an
celebrated its 15th year providing exceptional enchanting story time, creative crafting, a photo booth
literary, cultural and educational resources to the and much more.
residents in the greater Tomball area. The anniversa- When the LSC-Tomball Community Library opened
ry celebration was open to the public and included its doors 15 years ago, the college recognized the
multiple days of exciting events highlighted by the importance of a vibrant library and welcomed the
grand opening of the Innovation Lab (see story on community, one and all, to the campus. The enlighten-
next page). The anniversary events underscored the ing collections, resources and technologies that have
effective and highly successful partnership between been curated here for students, faculty and the entire
LSC-Tomball and Harris County Public Library. Tomball community provide multiple avenues to ex-
The Library’s anniversary celebration began with an plore their passions, interests, and enjoy extraordinary
open house on Saturday, January 25, with musical experiences.
performances by LSC-Tomball students, enriching
[LEARN MORE]
4

The CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

Grand Opening of the Innovation Lab
Launches New Era

"We invite everyone to our campus to enjoy a community library that’s
keeping pace, providing enriching resources, new technologies and
reinforcing our college’s promise to deliver extraordinary experiences.”

Dr. Lee Ann Nutt, President of LSC-Tomball

The highly-anticipated grand opening of the Innovation Lab showcased an array of advanced high-tech
equipment and the capabilities they offer including a large, 3D printer and scanner, which can fabri-
cate a three dimensional model from a design created on a computer. A laser cutter can engrave and
cut various materials for creation and construction. Standalone virtual reality headsets provide excit-

Click PLAY to View

ing, new experiences like visiting faraway places, Essential to the efforts were community partners
witnessing new and cultures, simulations of both that included the Greater Tomball Area Cham-
entertaining and dramatic activities and instruc- ber of Commerce, Tomball Economic Develop-
tional exercises, for example, training to assist in a ment Corporation, Tomball ISD, HCA- Houston
surgical procedure. A heat sublimation machine can Healthcare Tomball, and City of Tomball.
adhere vinyl, sublimation paper and inks on items
like t-shirts, bags, hats and cups. As the lab grows, Bobbye Silva, LSC-Tomball Community Library
additional instruments and equipment will be added Co-Director, recognizes the importance of a vi-
guided by community participation and interest. brant community library “We’re a higher educa-
tion public college and it’s really a chance for us
A successful collaborative effort between the to celebrate the wonderful collections, resources
Harris County Public Library, LSC-Tomball and and new technologies that are here for students,
supported by Precinct 4 moved the Innovation faculty and the entire Tomball community to enjoy
Lab from an inspired idea to a dream come true. and use to explore their passions and interests.”

[Continued on Page 16]
5

WICTHOONUTNBEOCUTNIDNAGRIES Media

There are thousands of podcasts that let listeners pick and choose from a vari- CLIC
ety of subjects that catch their interests. That’s because podcasts have made
it really easy to create and deliver valuable and beneficial content to, literally,
a world-wide audience. Lone Star College-Tomball is taking advantage of

that powerful capability with a series of
podcasts dedicated to exploring innova-
tive applications of multimedia in higher
education. Each episode of Media in
Mind features an entertaining and infor-
mative conversation hosted by employee,
Rob Abel, and work-study student, Steven
Romero. The two work in Multimedia
Services under the direction of Monte Dar-
land, the manager of the department and
the producer for the podcasts.

“I happened to overhear Rob and Steven Steven Romero
bantering back and forth in a lively dis-
cussion about something related to video
editing and it caught my attention,” said
Darland, describing how the idea for
Media in Mind originated.

“That’s when I said to myself that this
would be a great podcast.”

Even though neither Rob nor Steven had LSC-Tomball Podcasts Explore In
any experience, Darland asked if they
would like to try their hand at co-hosting

6

The CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

a podcast. He suggested the duo could start by simply talking about their interests in subjects related to
digital video production, in effect, continuing their causal workplace conversations. Then, in future pod-
casts, they could try their hand at talking with guest experts about broader digital media topics, especially
those concerned with the evolving and on-going impact on higher education.

“At first we just kind of considered it a spur of the moment idea, but then Steven
and I did a trial run. Monte showed it around to administrators and faculty and

they all loved it.” Rob Abel, Videographer, Editor, Podcaster

In Mind Podcast co-host Steven Romero, who has been accepted into the selective
Bachelors of Fine Arts program for Film and TV Production at Sam Houston
CK TO LISTEN
State University, due, in part, to his work-study experience at LSC-Tom-
ball, says the podcasts have evolved from the two of them talking
about editing techniques and camera work to something much more
significant.

“Not only are we talking with people from different walks of life and
from different professions about the interesting and innovative ways

they’re using digital media in higher
education,” Romero said. “We’re even
talking to doctors, specialists, and others
who are having an important impact on
the world outside of education.”

Rob Abel Darland, Abel and Romero work as a
team brainstorming ideas about topics
and guests and then together they come
up with a flexible road map to follow for
each program. The podcasts usually take
less than an hour to record but that large-
ly depends on the guest.

nnovations in Digital Multimedia Once all the segments are recorded, the
team reviews and edits them, taking out
the inevitable stumbles and irrelevant dia-
logue. The final product can be as short
as 20 minutes and sometimes as long
as 40 minutes. Before the podcasts are
uploaded to one of the sites where they
can be accessed, it’s sent to the guest for
their review. So far, no one has changed
a thing.

[Continued on Page 17]

7

WIT

You’re standing on a green floor surrounded by The magically immersive experience, made
tall green walls and cameras ready to detect every possible by a combination of cameras, com-
movement. Bright lights shine from the ceiling. puters and space-age software, will be used in
An optical headset is strapped over your head. classrooms to enhance student learning and en-
You’re free to move about, explore and discover, gagement. Darland describes it this way, “Be-
even though what you experience, isn’t really ing immersed and interacting with educational
there. content using VR technology can motivate stu-
dents to more fully appreciate and understand
Welcome to the latest and greatest of college the subject matter.”
classrooms, LSC-Tomball’s state-of-the-art Virtual
Reality Lab. Many students are already familiar with the
VR experience through gaming systems and
“We combine a virtual reality scene with an actual online videos. In the classroom, the life-like 3-D
person and that person is able to interact with the experiences allow students to go places and do
VR generated scene in real-time, just like it’s really things that may not be possible under normal
happening.” Monte Darland, manager of Multime- circumstances. For example, students can travel
dia Services at Lone Star College-Tomball, said. to the Louvre museum in France to study Italian

8

The CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

“Being immersed and interacting
using VR technology can help students
more fully appreciate and understand

educational content."

EEXXTPREAROIERNDCIENSARY

ITHOUT LEAVING THE CLASSROOM

Renaissance masterpieces like the Mona Lisa. For experience using specialized editing software.
students taking healthcare courses, VR can rep-
licate the environment where they may one day Another important aspect of the VR Lab is the
work and provide interactive training simulations of training it provides to the work-study students
the skills they’ll need. employed there. Like social media specialists
whose jobs didn’t exist a few years ago, it won’t
With the expert assistance of the Multimedia Ser- be long before people with experience creating
vices (MMS) staff, LSC-Tomball faculty can create VR applications are in demand.
their own VR experiences tailored to their teaching
objectives. Instructors use an array of cameras that The Multimedia Services team researches and
shoot high-resolution photos or video from every invests in VR equipment with special funding in
angle simultaneously, creating a real-time 360 accordance with the Center for Leadership, Aca-
degree recording of practically any scene, environ- demic and Student Success.
ment or activity. The MMS techs take the record-
ed materials and transform the footage into a VR [LEARN MORE]

9

QUOTES F
NOMINATION
“…is the poster child o
ensuring we have all th
need for a successful s
follow up check-ups fo
“…helps the whole tea
assists when roadblock
tude of inclusiveness is
treat everyone. This he
work environment for
“…makes sure to get b
sonable time with posi
friendly attitude and h
exceptionally.”
“…consistently display
mance beyond assigne
event...handled every
planning to debriefing
because they believe i
vices to this population
cant number of skills: c
project management, o
scheduling, attention to
ing.”
“… embodies exceptio
workplace… is always
tion and always has a
great technical skills …
in creating our departm
passes all the skills nee
succeed.”

10

EXCELLENCE AWARDSThe CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

FROM THE
SUBMISSIONS

of Student Focused, from
he materials students will
start each semester to
or some.”
am grow their skills and
ks are encountered. Atti-
s prevalent in the way they
elps to foster an amazing
the whole team.”
back on requests at a rea-
itive feedback...has a very
handles responsibilities
ys outstanding perfor-
ed duties. Co-chaired an
portion and detail from
g after the event. Does it
in providing needed ser-
n. This requires a signifi-
creating time lines, strong
organization, planning,
o detail, and team build-
onal teamwork in the
s willing to share informa-
positive attitude… has
… provided valuable input
ment’s website… encom-
eded to help students

11

DISABILITY
AWARENESS

DAY

Tomball Students and Community Experience
the Challenges of Living with Disabilities

High school students from all over the region joined the LSC-Tomball community to help make the
college’s 15th Annual Disability Awareness Day a successful and extraordinary experience. The
event focused on raising awareness about disabilities and simulated learning environments which
students with disabilities face daily. LSC-Tomball values all perspectives and individuals as they
adapt into lifelong learning and employment environments.

“The importance of Disability Awareness Day is to educate
our campus and community about individuals with disabilities

and the challenges they face and overcome.”
Dr. Lee Ann Nutt, LSC-Tomball President

The event included presentations and interactive activities which brought awareness to students
regarding the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. For instance, one of the activities
had students blindfolded and challenged them to search for a particular office on campus. Asked
their thoughts following the blindfolded experience, some students said it was scary, while others
said they didn’t like the feeling of “not being in control.” All were in agreement that the experi-
ence helped them more fully understand and appreciate what students with disabilities deal with
every day. Vendor tables provided educational materials and useful resources.

The annual event makes a concerted effort to include students from local area high schools. This
year Klein ISD, Tomball ISD, Waller ISD and Magnolia ISD were among the districts represented.
12

The CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

Wells Fargo Bank Connects With
LSC-Tomball Student Food Pantry

An on-going partnership with A CLASS student Ambassador on-campus financial work-
Wells Fargo paved the way for who helps manage the Den, shops for students who other-
the bank’s generous support has seen how the food pan- wise wouldn’t have access to
of an on-campus food pantry try can have an immediate this kind of information. The
at LSC-Tomball. Representa- impact in a person’s life: workshops helped students
tives from several Wells Fargo learn to manage their savings,
branches collected food at “Not long ago we had a student maximize personal wealth
their locations and donated the came to the Den to pick up some and understand credit. They
groceries and other items to The food she had ordered and I noticed were based on the bank’s “It’s
Den. The Den is a student-led she looked stressed and tired. I About Your Money: Financial
food pantry managed by stu- helped her carry her food out to Wellness Series” and part of
dent-ambassadors who are the car and while we walked she the college’s “Financial Gain
selected by the Center for Lead- opened up to me about some of Series.” These workshops are
ership, Academic and Student the struggles she was experienc- open to all LSC-Tomball stu-
Success (CLASS). The Wells ing. We put the food in her car and dents.
Fargo donations helped the Den she let out a sigh, smiled and said,
maintain its supplies of canned ‘thank you’ and her look of stress Students visit the Den often,
goods, pre-packaged meals, and tiredness went away. It made sometimes multiple times a
baby products, school supplies me feel good that we were able to day for snacks, to-go meals
and personal hygiene items. give her some relief in her busy and or to complete an online
The Den provides these items hectic situation and I realized how request to take food home
free to students who request important it is to be able to help to their families. Since The
them. people like her.” Den began its mission a year
ago, it has helped over 700
The partnership between Wells students.
Fargo and CLASS began during
the fall of 2018 when the bank [Continued on Next Page]
answered the call to provide
13

[CONNECTION: Wells Fargo Bank-CLASS Please consider supporting the Center for
Continued from page 13] Leadership, Academic and Student Success
through a generous contribution to the Lone
Community and business partnerships are Star College-Tomball HSI Title V Program
essential to our student’s success. Through our Endowment at Lone Star College Foundation.
various partnerships we have been able to pro- When you support this endowment, your gift
vide students with life-long skills that will help is matched dollar for dollar doubling your
with their independence and responsibilities, impact on student success.
skills they may not have learned in high school
and are essential in adulthood. Without valu- [LEARN MORE]
able partners like Wells Fargo Bank, LSC-Tom-
ball wouldn't have the resources to provide the
financial workshops and food pantry groceries
to students.

To support the increase of Hispanic and Un-
derrepresented student enrollment at Lone Star
College-Tomball, the Center for Leadership,
Academic and Student Success (CLASS) was
created with the financial support of an HSI
Title V Grant provided by the Department of
Education in 2016. Under the Office of Stra-
tegic Initiatives, CLASS will support students,
faculty, and staff through various programs that
engage, develop, and promote student success.

Through the Title V Grant, Lone Star Col-
lege-Tomball seeks to address three significant
concerns: First time in college students do not
have the requisite skills to successfully persist to
degree attainment. There is a lack of opportu-
nities for professional development for faculty
and staff that increase awareness of the diverse
needs of Hispanic and low income students and
prepare faculty with teaching strategies that
lead to student success. Decreases in revenues
combined with increasing need for services
prohibit LSC-Tomball from making necessary
changes to improve student success rates.

CLASS is committed to identifying, developing,
and providing uniquely tailored services that
expand educational opportunities, enhance
academic success, and holistically develop His-
panic and Underrepresented students.

14

The CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020

The Lone Star College-Tomball Music Department will Faculty Recital
host it's annual Greater North Houston Music Festival Performing Arts Center
for area K-12 performance ensembles on March 24. February 13, 2:00 p.m.
TICKETS
The Greater North Houston Music Festival is sponsored
by Lone Star College-Tomball. The mission of the festi- Evening of Song
val is to showcase the work of dedicated music educa- Performing Arts Center
tors and students and provide a positive environment February 25, 7:00 p.m.
in which to perform and receive feedback. Additional- TICKETS
ly, the festival brings together the community of music
educators in the region for collaborative ventures and Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric
idea sharing. Play by Anne Washburn
Performing Arts Center
Tomball Music Festival 2020 Registration Form February 27-29, 7:30 p.m.
Note: Please fill this form out separately for each par- TICKETS
ticipating ensemble.
Evening of Jazz
Entry Fees: The entry fee for each ensemble is $175. Performing Arts Center
Once you submit this online registration form and re- March 10, 7:00 p.m.
ceive a confirmation email, please print the confirma- TICKETS
tion email and mail it along with a check for your entry
fee to Dr. Lisa Morales, LSC-Tomball, 30555 Tomball Greater North Houston
Parkway, Tomball, TX 77375. Music Festival
Multiple Venues LSC-Tomball
ALL entries and FULL payment must be received 30 March 24-25, 7:00 p.m.
days before the performance date. Times will be as- INFORMATION
signed in the order that payment is received.
Spring Music Concert
[LEARN MORE] Performing Arts Center
March 31, 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS

Night of Comedy: Improv
Black Box Theater
April 23-25, 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS

Click to learn more
about LSC-Tomball's
Fine & Performing Arts

15

LSC-Tomball lifePATH® Program Earns Official

Recognition for Occupational and Life Skills

Associate Degree ®

The LSC-Tomball lifePATH® program is now offi- students will now graduate with an OLSA
cially recognized by the Texas Higher Education degree – a brand new type of associates
Coordinating Board (THECB) as an Occupational degree. This is historic and unprecedented.
and Life Skills Associate Degree. The lifePATH® System Office personnel, Dr. Anne Ginnett
and her incredible team, and the LSC-Mont-
gomery lifePATH® team did amazing work
following the passage of HB 3165 last
spring.

[LEARN MORE]

Honors College Presentations Take Deep
Dive Into Students Research Passions

Every semester the students in the Honors College with the guid-
ance, assistance and encouragement of their academic advisors,
choose a topic to investigate. The Fall semester had many Hon-
ors student's working extra hard, long hours on their own time
digging in to compelling topics. The stakes are high because
their efforts can mean a trip to present at a national conference.

[COMMUNITY: Innovation Lab Grand Opening At the time of those early requests, the library
Continued from page 5] could only offer a modestly equipped Maker’s
Block two times a week. However, from that
The inspiration for the Innovation Lab came from early prototype, the idea and inspiration led to
the people using the existing computer facilities the Innovation Lab and a new chapter meeting
housed in the library. Creators, designers and the needs of a growing community.
amateur engineers began requesting access to
new technologies and capabilities so they could [LEARN MORE]
explore the next level in their science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) projects.

16

[CONNECTION: Media In Mind Podcasts The CALL of the Timberwolf - February 2020
Continued from page 7]
Contact:
Now, with over ten podcasts under their belt,
both Rob and Steven acknowledge that as they Lone Star College-Tomball
have become more experienced researching Office of the President
and discussing topics and interviewing guests, 281-357-3755
Darland’s confidence in them has also grown.
Email
“The notion that we couldn’t do it Lonestar.edu/Tomball-President
never crossed our minds.” Rob Abel Follow Dr. Lee Ann Nutt on Twitter

“Delivering content in this digital age means @NuttsForTomball
engaging with our communities through various
interactive platforms,” said Darland about the Published by
significance of the podcasts. “At LSC-Tomball, LSC-Tomball College Relations Department
we are determined to take advantage of these
new digital media channels for social engage- Jennifer Richardson
ment, not only because they are effective ways Director of Communications & Media
to inform and entertain, but they also have an [email protected]
important role educating and preparing our
students for what’s ahead of them after they 17
graduate.”

“Monte gave us the tools to produce
the Media in Mind content and we
went into it with both barrels.”

Steven Romero

The podcasts can be accessed on iTunes and
YouTube, as well as, other popular podcast
websites simply by searching for Media in
Mind. The podcasts are also available on the
Multimedia Services webpage.

LSC-Tomball’s Multimedia Services department
provides assistance to administrators, faculty,
staff and students creating instructional media
content that includes audio, video, virtual reality
and digital media productions. The department
provides access to state-of-the-art technology and
techniques that supplement the learning process.

[LEARN MORE]