Gonzalez 'honored and humbled' to be named president of Lone Star College Kingwood

Melissa N. Gonzalez, Ph.D., has been named president of the Lone Star College Kingwood campus, in which she will step into that role on Tuesday, June 1.

Lone Star College (LSC) announced Dr. Gonzalez’s selection on April 12, after a search for the community college campus’ sixth president had concluded.

“I am honored and humbled to be asked to serve as the next president of Lone Star College-Kingwood,” Gonzalez said in the college’s announcement. “I thank Chancellor Head and all the members of the Lone Star College System Board of Trustees for the trust they have given me to serve as their next president.”

Before stepping into the president role at Lone Star College Kingwood, Gonzalez was the president of Houston Community College-Southeast and had been in that role since 2017. Gonzalez served as the vice chancellor of Workforce and Economic Development at Lone Star College. She also held a variety of positions: Interim vice president at Greenspoint and Victory Centers, special assistant to the president and dean of instruction. She also served as associate professor of International Business Management and assistant chair for the Management Program at the University of Houston Clear Lake.

At LSC Kingwood, her priorities will include “creating and enhancing opportunities for student success, cultivating a campus culture of caring, valuing and respecting others, and to strengthen our relationships with our ISDs, industry partners and community and faith-based organizations,” Gonzalez told Houston Daily.

And when it comes to enhancing students’ college experience, it all comes down to the campus culture and mindsets, she said.

“Everyone at the college needs to understand the reality of students’ lives. It is important that we cultivate a mindset focused on student success and a sense of belonging.  We do that by enhancing our student support services and creating a campus culture geared toward success, both academic and career success,” Gonzalez said.

Dr. Gonzalez earned a bachelor's degree in finance, a master's degree and a Ph.D. in international business management from the University of Texas-Pan American, which is known now as the University of Texas Rio-Grande Valley.