Thanksgiving Presidential Update
November 24, 2025 | Email
Happy Thanksgiving Week, Gator family!
Please know how grateful I am to each and every one of you that calls LSCO home. I am continually amazed by the amazing efforts and hard work that you demonstrate day in and day out, even when it's hard! YOU are the lifeline that makes this college successful in changing the lives of every student who enters these doors. I am truly humbled that I have the privilege of serving as your president.
As many of you have already seen鈥nd felt, we are continuing to grow at an astonishing rate. And with the exponential growth comes both challenges and opportunities. Over the past few months, the leadership team has worked hard to identify how to make adjustments across our campuses that best utilize our existing resources, streamline processes, and add support where possible. Here are a few of the adjustments that are being made:
- Statewide Partnerships 鈥� The Workforce & Continuing Education and Dual Credit departments are now reporting through our newly established Statewide Partnerships Division under AVP Kristin Walker. This allows this team to focus on partnerships outside of our local community. Additionally, Dual Credit has moved to the Shahan Events Center and the Workforce team has moved to the 3rd floor of the Ron E. Lewis Building.
- Testing Center 鈥� The construction on the 1st floor of the RLB is nearly complete and the testing center will be moving across the hall into their new space soon. This will allow for some upgrades to happen in this area without interrupting service.
- Marketing / Print & Design Services 鈥� These two teams moved into the old Advising space in the RLB on the 1st floor over the summer. After the Testing Center moves across the hall, that space will undergo renovations to become a storefront, centralized office supply management, and a coffee bar. These plans are still being developed and more details will be communicated as they become available.
- Hospitality 鈥� The Shahan Events Center, Brown Estate & Gator Caf茅 have been grouped together under AVP Patty Collins and a Director of Hospitality is being hired to increase visibility and maximize usage of these incredible assets. This grouping will also give these teams assistance in managing and expanding internal and external events hosted at LSCO.
- Joe Ben Welch Student Center 鈥� The Welch Center will soon undergo exterior renovations that will give the building a much-needed refresh. These updates will elevate its appearance, strengthen its role as a cornerstone for student life, and bring it in line with the modern, upgraded look of our campus. We will also begin referring to the building as 鈥淭he Welch Center鈥� to further honor Joe Ben Welch鈥檚 legacy at LSCO and clearly distinguish it from the Student Success Center.
- Campus Police and Security 鈥� LSCO is planning a partnership with Lamar University that will include active-duty police officers on campus in Orange. This partnership clearly supports my highest priority of maintaining a safe and secure college during such changing and uncertain times. These changes will take effect in a few phases with the first phase projected to launch January 2026. Additional details will be provided on this change as we continue to work collaboratively to develop plans and processes.
- Information Technology 鈥� Our IT team is partnering with additional TSUS schools to maximize talent and expertise in this specialized and critical area of infrastructure. The expanded partnership will provide LSCO with direct access to dedicated Banner team members to successfully convert our system to the SaaS environment in Spring 2026 and will continue supporting our departments fully by maximizing best practices and features of Banner after the migration is completed.
- Lumberton Site 鈥� We are continuing to see what works best at our Lumberton site. We are currently looking at shifting some programming around to better accommodate our students and better utilize our space. More details to come once we take a few additional steps.
- Enrollment Management 鈥� A formal 鈥渆nrollment management鈥� team is being established that will be spearheaded by AVP Patty Collins and comprised of other executive team members. This team will identify, execute, and monitor the effectiveness of strategies designed to optimize student recruitment, retention, and graduation rates across the college.
I know that change can be very difficult and scary at times, and often it creates more questions than answers. As your president, I want you to hear about them from me. YOUR future is my focus and finding ways to stabilize workloads and common functions is the root for many of these changes. I am proud of the teams we have in place, and I am always eager to support and work alongside you.
As we continue to see new opportunities on the horizon, I am excited to see how our teams enthusiastically jump at the chance to improve. This college would not be what it is today if it weren鈥檛 for the people who call it home. I am confident that we have the best educators and support staff working with us that this college has ever seen. YOU are LSCO and I am Gator Proud! We are full speed ahead.
Blessings, always!
Wendy