Students’ academic journeys aren’t without roadblocks. Too often, students encounter detours or bumps that can prevent them from graduating in a timely manner.
That’s where Houston Guided Pathways to Success (Houston GPS) comes in.
For over a decade, Houston GPS has paved the way for Houston-area students to earn their bachelor’s degrees. Through its consortium of community colleges and universities, the initiative supports students as they navigate their degree plans and ultimately emerge with diplomas in hand.
Now, Houston GPS’ efforts are strengthened by the addition of a new consortium member.
Lee College joins the region’s largest institutions of higher education as they work in tandem to create seamless college-to-university transfer pathways and academic maps that guide students through their chosen majors.
Based in Baytown, Texas, Lee College enrolls more than 8,000 students and offers more than 100 associate degree and certificate programs. The college also provides academic programming in Huntsville, Texas.
Lee College will work alongside the following colleges and universities in the Houston GPS Consortium: Alvin College, College of the Mainland, Galveston College, Houston City College, Lone Star College, San Jacinto College, Wharton County Junior College, Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M University–Victoria, Texas Southern University, Texas Woman’s University, University of Houston, University of Houston–Clear Lake, and University of Houston–Downtown.
“Joining Houston GPS is a powerful step forward for our students and for our entire region,” said Lee College President Lynda Villanueva. “Together with our university and community college partners, we are creating clearer, more supportive pathways that honor every student’s potential. This collaboration is about collective impact—about saying, with one voice, that our students deserve a seamless journey to their bachelor’s degrees and the bright futures they are working so hard to build. I am grateful to stand alongside such dedicated partners as we open more doors, remove more barriers, and lift more lives across our communities.”
The seeds for Houston GPS were planted in 2015, when the University of Houston received a student success planning grant from Houston Endowment. The initiative was launched under the guidance of Paula Myrick Short, former UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.
Houston GPS strategies include a streamlined transfer process among participating colleges and universities, proactive advising, and strategic academic maps that outline transfer coursework for students at the community colleges. The ultimate goal of Houston GPS is to support timely graduation while minimizing excess credit hours and student debt.
“Lee College is an outstanding addition to the Houston GPS consortium,” said UH Provost
Diane Z. Chase. “The college offers a wide range of programs that complement bachelor’s
degrees at participating universities. We look forward to seeing more Lee College
students transfer to Houston GPS universities and watching them succeed.”