Getting Involved at LSCO
September 7, 2023
Anthony Barnes wasn’t sure what he wanted to do after receiving his high school diploma. He thought about attending a four-year university, going straight into the workforce, or even joining the military. But once he learned more about Lamar State College Orange, he knew it was the perfect fit.
Anthony’s siblings and several of his friends attended LSCO, and he has always been drawn to the town of Orange, Texas. “Community is really important to me,” he says, “And I love the community in Orange.” He spends his free time exploring the town and enjoying the local riverwalk and botanical garden.
Once he decided to attend college, Anthony explored many options, but none were as financially affordable and student-centered as LSCO. He is currently pursuing the Pre-Professional Health Science Associate of Science degree, becoming passionate about this pathway after taking an anatomy and physiology course, in which he thoroughly enjoyed the content and the relationship he built with his professor.
He and his classmates study in a group capacity and chat about their future goals. “We have a group chat for everyone in the program and go to each other’s houses every week to study together. I have made a lot of strong friendships by spending time with people outside of the classroom,” he notes.
Finding Community Through Student Organizations
Anthony has not only built community within his major but also in the student organizations and job experiences in which he has become involved. Anthony is an active member of the Quiz Bowl team and Student Government Association, and he works as an on-campus student mentor and tutor within the Gator Success Center.
His involvement has allowed him to bond with his fellow Gators and participate in events he would not have known about otherwise. Anthony loves to travel, and the Quiz Bowl team has given him the opportunity to travel to three different states to compete in trivia competitions that have helped him gain a broader knowledge of basic general studies. By working in the Gator Success Center, he has met even more peers and started gaining experience that can be applied to his future career aspirations.
While discussing how he became so involved on campus, he says, “Definitely my first year, I was a bit more reserved. I would come to class and then leave. But getting into my second year, I got a job on campus, and I put in the initiative to find some more clubs and ways to get involved. By doing so, I understood that it was easy to make friends here. Everyone is very friendly and outgoing.”
Planning for the Future
“Coming into LSCO, I definitely heard a lot of stereotypes around community colleges, but I very quickly learned that places like LSCO make students very successful. I feel supported by the faculty and staff here, and I have been given a lot of great advice during my time,” he says.
After graduation this fall, Anthony plans to pursue a four-year degree in biology and eventually earn a Ph.D. to become a college professor. In the meantime, he is looking to start a part-time job or internship in the health profession to gain experience in the industry before teaching. Anthony sees himself returning to LSCO in the future as a professor, stating, “I would love to be back here.”