President, Lone Star College-CyFair[/caption]Seelpa Keshvala, the new president of Lone Star College-CyFair who officially took over in March, got a chance to become immersed in the campus this summer before the fall semester. She said she is excited to move forward as the Lone Star College System continues to grow.
What has it been like since taking over as president at LSC-CyFair?
Things have been really busy but really good. We just reached 21,636 students as of fall 2016, which is a 5 percent enrollment increase from last fall. LSCS has a national reputation for being a leader in the community college sector, and you can clearly see it when you come here.
What have been some of the challenges of transitioning to this job?
I was the president of Ivy Tech Community College out in Warsaw, Indiana, which is much smaller than LSC-CyFair. My style is very interpersonal. I like to have relationships with people who are a part of my team, and so part of my challenge has been really trying to cultivate those relationships and getting more of the one-on-one time.
Another challenge is making sure we are able to accommodate the growth we are experiencing now and for years to come. We want to ensure that we are, most importantly, providing a quality education for our students—that every student [who] comes through our doors is successful.
Now that the new school year is underway, is there anything exciting going on at the CyFair campus?
We’re really excited about our bond projects, which are coming to completion. We have our expansion at our Cypress Center, which will include an electrical lab and some classrooms and offices, and will help us to further meet workforce demands. At the main campus we have our new instructional and student life building, which is going to be done in the spring. In fall of 2017, our Westway Park Technology Center will be opening in the Energy Corridor off Clay and Tanner roads. We are ensuring that the real standards of [information technology] and visual communications are part of the design of the building. It’s going to be quite cutting edge.
How have efforts to build workforce education programs been going?
There’s a very intentional strategy [that involves] hav[ing] advisory councils for different workforce centers [such as] construction trades [and] IT. We bring in key folks from industry and have conversations about what they need so we can ensure we are being responsive to the changing demand in these sectors. I think the feedback from the folks in the industry has been phenomenal. The rooms are always full.
What is your five-year vision for the LSC-CyFair campus?
My vision every place I’ve worked is that I would love to see the community college be the first choice for any individual pursuing higher education. LSC-CyFair often is for many individuals; that’s what’s so exciting. Advancing student success is always the No. 1 priority. Our fundamental mission is access; we meet students where they are. We know a strong, educated workforce equals a strong economy.
