Lone Star College awarded $300,000 grant to aid students impacted by Hurricane Harvey

HOUSTON, TX – Even after nearly two years, the effects of Hurricane Harvey are still felt today. Lone Star College students impacted by the storm are eligible to apply for a special scholarship thanks to a grant from the Qatar Harvey Fund and Rebuild Texas Fund.

“We know firsthand the catastrophic damage Hurricane Harvey imposed on our community,” said Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., LSC chancellor. “These funds will go a long way to help our students continue on the road to recovery and complete their education.”

LSC-Kingwood alone lost six of its nine buildings due to flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

LSC will receive $300,000 to establish a new scholarship program to assist up to 300 students who had financial challenges after Hurricane Harvey. The funds, to be used for fall 2019 and spring 2020 classes, will help students get back to school and back on track with a combination of funds for tuition and related academic costs.

“We have heard so much about the negative ripple effect of Hurricane Harvey on the communities of southeast Texas. The damage goes far beyond physical damage and people are still recovering from the enormous financial burden that caused so many to stop or delay their education in order to meet urgent needs,” said His Excellency Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar’s Ambassador to the U.S. “We are honored to work with the Rebuild Texas Fund on what we hope will serve as a multiplier effect, a balance against the life-upending impact of Harvey, and allow these students to achieve in their academic studies and beyond.”

Funding is provided by the Qatar Harvey Fund, a $30 million gift from the State of Qatar in 2017 for the long term recovery of southeast Texas. The funding is granted through a partnership between the Qatar Harvey Fund and the Rebuild Texas Fund. The Rebuild Texas Fund, a collaborative project of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and the OneStar Foundation, was created to support the rebuilding of Texas communities hit hard by Hurricane Harvey.

“It’s important for Texas’ future that students return to their communities and complete their degrees. The Rebuild Texas Fund wants the communities hit by Harvey to continue to rebuild and come back stronger than ever – supporting our students and helping them complete their studies is an important part of that process,” said Neeraj Aggarwal, program director for the Rebuild Texas Fund.

The Rebuild Texas Fund supports organizations across all five regions impacted by Hurricane Harvey and that provide services in six focus areas: community and economic development; health; housing; education and child care; transportation and workforce; and capital for rebuilding small businesses.