The Coronavirus is keeping classes at Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) only virtual currently. Online courses for the Summer 1 Mini-Semester start on Monday, June 1.
Registration is continuing at LSCO for Summer 1 which has the school’s President Dr. Tom Johnson pumped up. “We love starting a new semester, it’s a little odd not having the students around, but people still need to get that education and now is a great time to do it,” Johnson encouraged.
The summer includes two semesters and students can sign up at LSCO for both of them now. Registration for the Fall Semester can also be done currently in the Administration Building.
The two Lamar State Colleges in Orange and Port Arthur are working together to provide more affordable education for local students. Dr. Johnson says he and Dr. Betty Reynard with Lamar State College Port Arthur are taking money from various grants to offer free courses at both of the schools.
The CARES Act provided a large sum of money plus LSCO Provost Dr. Wendy Elmore found additional money through a state grant that can be used to help the students learn a profession that will serve them for life. “I am convinced that’s the beauty of a two-year school you can earn a certificate or a degree that’s in a trade or some where you can go right to work and make money and we can make as many tax payers as we can which is what we want to do,” Johnson exclaimed.
Dr. Elmore has found further money that will be applied for dual credit scholarships for local high school students. Juniors in high school will even be able to take some of those free courses that are now being offered and get some credits in preparation for college later.
The Fall Semester is still about three months away. That time will hopefully see a further reduction in restrictions for social distancing because of the Coronavirus. Dr. Johnson is confident classes for the Fall will be held in the classroom with professors and students face-to-face.
The college’s president agrees the internet has a lot of good useful information, but he misses the interaction between teacher and student. “Many folks are like me they are social persons and they need that tactile relationship and interpersonal interaction,” Johnson admitted.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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