HOUSTON (Oct. 9, 2026) – Lone Star College-East Aldine Center welding students will benefit from a new $50,000 grant from Bank of America that will help remove financial barriers for students pursuing hands-on training and careers in the high-demand welding industry.

Bank of America’s funding will cover equipment expenses for approximately 40 students in 2026-2027. On top of tuition, welding students pay more than $1,300 for tools needed in their training program, which can be a challenge for prospective students.

“Receiving the Bank of America grant gave me a real start toward the career I want in welding,” said Alonso Garcia Hernandez, LSC-East Aldine Center student. “Having my own welding kit means I can practice and learn the right way without worrying about borrowing tools or missing out on class. It also took a lot of stress off my family because good welding gear is expensive, and we didn’t have to pay for it ourselves. Your help means I can focus on building my skills, getting certified and working toward a good-paying job in the future. I can’t wait to see what the future brings when I graduate.”

Many students face difficult financial choices, such as whether to pay rent, buy food or purchase equipment needed for class. Bank of America’s partnership is helping remove that obstacle.

“The median household income in the area we serve is significantly lower compared to Harris County as a whole,” said Reyna Tippetts, LSC-East Aldine Center dean. “A career in welding can offer economically distressed families an opportunity to break poverty cycles. This financial support from Bank of America is helping make that possible for many students.”

Entry-level salaries for welders typically start at around $45,000, and experienced welders can earn more than $70,000. However, because the average American welder is 55 years old, the sector is seeing mass retirements each year. According to the American Welding Society, 320,500 new welding professionals will be needed to support several industries across the country by 2029.

“Students shouldn’t have to choose between paying for required equipment and pursuing the training that can lead to a good career,” said Hong Ogle, president of Bank of America Houston. “By helping cover the cost of required welding equipment, we’re removing a financial barrier for students while helping Houston-area employers build the skilled workforce they need.”

LSC-East Aldine Center offers an associate degree in welding, as well as a Shielded Metal Arc Welding Level I Certificate, a Gas Metal Arc Welding Level I Certificate, and a Welding Level II Certificate.

“By removing barriers to welding career pathways, students can earn valuable credentials that ultimately lead to economic stability,” said Nicole Robinson Gauthier, LSCS associate vice chancellor, Foundation Advancement and Donor Engagement. “Investment from our business partners helps us grow these programs to meet workforce demand in our communities.”

HOUSTON (Oct. 5, 2026) – Just two years after graduating from Lone Star College-Tomball with an associate degree in nursing, Petronila Arrey earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and is now pursuing a dual Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Business Administration (MSN-MBA) degree from Lamar University while working as a care transition coordinator and a neurocritical care nurse.

“Every time I walk into a patient’s room or get recognition at the hospital for catching something critical, it’s thanks to the amazing teachers that believed in me, taught me well and made sure that I was an amazing nurse,” Arrey said. “Honestly, I don’t know if I would have been able to accomplish all of this in such a short time without the help I had. Instead of having to worry about whether my monetary needs would be met, I was able to focus on school.”

Arrey is one of 180 Lone Star College System students who have received a scholarship from Lone Star College Foundation funded by the Tomball Regional Health Foundation, an organization that supports community-based health and wellness initiatives.

“When you hear heartwarming stories like Petronila’s, it makes us want to do more for more people,” said Jeffrey Klein, TRH Foundation CEO. “Tomball Regional Health Foundation is proud to have supported Lone Star College Foundation since the inception of our organization.”

Since 2011, TRH Foundation has donated nearly $2.4 million to LSC Foundation. In addition to scholarships, this funding has covered testing, certification and board exam fees for 674 students; more than $1.1 million in state-of-the-art health occupation equipment; and vaccinations for over 110 Veterinary Technology students.

“Tomball Regional Health Foundation’s generous support has been transformative,” said Lee Ann Nutt, Ed.D., LSC-Tomball president. “Their investment has removed financial barriers, brought state-of-the-art equipment to our classrooms, and facilitated even higher levels of student success. By investing in our students, TRH Foundation fulfills its mission for the health and well-being of the Tomball community, and we are honored to be a conduit of their generosity.”

Many LSCS graduates who received financial assistance from TRH Foundation now serve patients in local hospitals and clinics. Their continued support is helping LSCS train the next generation of Houston’s health care workforce.

HOUSTON (Sept. 30, 2026) – Students and leaders from across Lone Star College System and partner institutions gathered at Lone Star College-Tomball to be among the first to encounter recently uncovered records of 19th-century American history when nationally recognized historian Larry Cook visited the campus Sept. 21 to discuss his latest book, “Brushes with History: Francis B. Carpenter in His Own Words.”

Carpenter was a prominent portraitist and painter in the 1800s, and his subjects included several presidents and other notable figures from that era, including Texas's very own General Sam Houston. He is best known for painting “First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln,” which measures 15 feet by 9 feet and is currently displayed in the U.S. Capitol.

“Most people don’t know who Francis B. Carpenter is, but we all know this painting. You’ve seen his work almost every day,” Cook said, explaining Carpenter’s role in arranging for the photography sessions that would capture images of Lincoln, some of which would later be the model used for U.S. currency.

Cook has enjoyed learning about U.S. presidents since he was a curious child reading about the coincidences between Abraham Lincoln's and John F. Kennedy’s presidencies. Today, his collection of more than 8,000 pieces of presidential memorabilia is one of the largest in the United States.

During his time as the medical operations director for a fire department, Cook worked with Carpenter’s great-great-grandson, which eventually led to his acquisition of Carpenter’s personal handwritten diaries spanning from 1851 to 1899. The diaries, which share Carpenter’s encounters with his portrait subjects, were the basis of Cook’s latest publication.

Carpenter was commissioned at age 21 to paint a full-length portrait of Millard Fillmore, the nation’s 13th president, and this connection led to other opportunities to paint historical figures over the next several decades, including Secretary of State William Seward; U.S. Presidents John Tyler, Franklin Pierce and Abraham Lincoln; and former Republic of Texas President Sam Houston.

“He painted almost everybody who was somebody at the time, and they opened up to him like they would open up to their therapist,” Cook said. “We’re all living history at any moment in our lives. Carpenter was really conscious of that, and he was able to document that history with both a brush and a pen.”

This event was made possible through a deepening partnership with Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library, Sam Houston State University,  the Engage the Electorate grant, and Lone Star College System’s Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning.