CYPRESS, Texas – After nearly two decades of support for the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program at Lone Star College-CyFair, Ishu and Ashok Wadhwani will now provide a financial helping hand with an endowment scholarship.
The Wadhwanis, who owned two successful companies specializing in geospatial systems integration and data management services for more than 35 years, said LSC-CyFair’s GIS associate degree program has become top-notch with professors ensuring the curriculum concentrates on greater Houston’s industry requirements.
“The quality of the program, and the capabilities of the graduates, have been outstanding,” said Ashok, who not only served as a member and later as chair of the GIS curriculum committee, but offered program students internships and employment. “After few years, these interns had become subject matter experts and qualified as senior GIS experts with advanced degrees.”
Michael Konvicka, LSC-CyFair Professor of Geography and GIS, said the Wadhwani’s many years providing guidance, facilitating internship possibilities, and promoting the GIS degree and certificate program throughout the Houston GIS community is appreciated.
LSC-CyFair’s GIS program helps prepare a skilled workforce in the GIS industry which employs analysts to technicians in government, energy, education, business sectors, to name a few. And, according to Zippia.com, while more than 27,600 GIS technicians with a median salary of $63,200 are employed in the United States with the majority located in Houston and Atlanta, only approximately 32% of all GIS techs are women.
“Women have been underrepresented in the LSC-CyFair GIS program, just as they have been underrepresented in the GIS workforce,” said Konvicka. “With the goal of increasing participation and representation of women in the GIS workforce, this scholarship will help us attract and retain talented students and help us prepare them for a rewarding career.”
The first Ishu and Ashok Wadhwani Scholarship recipient will be awarded this fall. The application deadline for this new endowment, and other endowed LSC-CyFair scholarships, is April 1. For information on the LSC Foundation and donor impact, go to LoneStar.edu/Foundation.
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About Lone Star College Foundation
Founded in 1991, LSC Foundation has expanded its initial investment of $20,000 into an extensive portfolio of over $39 million and has provided over $16.5 million in scholarships to nearly 18,000 students, as well as more than $8 million in program support since its inception. The mission of LSC Foundation is to change lives through student scholarships and quality educational programs achieved by excellence in relationship building, fundraising and investment management. Visit LoneStar.edu/Giving for more information.
About Lone Star College-CyFair
Helping more than 20,000 students reach their academic and career goals, Lone Star College-CyFair is the fifth comprehensive college in the Lone Star College System, located at 9191 Barker Cypress Road just 3 miles south of U.S. Highway 290. Start close and go far at LSC-CyFair as well as at LSC-Cypress Center, located at 19710 Clay Road and LSC-Westway Park Technology Center, located at 5060 Westway Park Boulevard. For more information visit LoneStar.edu/cyfair.
About Lone Star College
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 93,000+ students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2021 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and ranked 35th in Texas in the Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers By State’ list. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu
