College Location

Lamar State College-Port Arthur, a two-year, state-supported institution, is a member of The

Texas State University System. Located in Port Arthur, an industrial and cultural center of

Southeast Texas, the college offers freshman & sophomore-level work in numerous academic and

technical/vocational fields. The campus sits on several blocks of Procter Street & Lakeshore Drive.

The city has modern public schools, churches, shopping districts and recreation areas serving a

community of approximately 75,000 people. The metropolitan area, known as the Golden Triangle,

includes the cities of Beaumont, Orange, Vidor, Port Neches, Nederland, Groves and Bridge City. All

lie within 25 miles of Port Arthur and form the heart of the upper Texas Gulf Coast where

approximately 400,000 people live.

Facilities

The Lamar State College-Port Arthur campus contains 22 buildings situated on approximately 40

acres. Most of these facilities were donated for the creation of the institution. The following is a

listing of the institutions and organizations whose facilities contributed to Lamar State College-Port

Arthur: Port Arthur College, the City of Port Arthur, the Port Arthur College Foundation, Southern

Union Gas, the First United Methodist Church of Port Arthur and Daughters of the American

Revolution.

Enrollment

The fall 2011 enrollment at Lamar State College - Port Arthur was over 2,600 students and the

college reached 3,000 students in the 2012 school year.

Transfer and Degree Programs

Lamar State College-Port Arthur offers general academic courses leading to Associate of Arts and

Associate Arts in Teaching degrees. The courses in these degrees are designed to transfer to four-

year institutions and include accounting, anthropology, art, biology, business, computer science,

chemistry, criminal justice, drama, economics, education, English, geography, geology,

government, health, history, home economics, mathematics, music, physical education, physics,

psychology, speech, sociology, and Spanish.

A student can complete two full years of course work and satisfy the majority of the general

education requirements for a bachelor’s degree. In most majors, a student can complete virtually

all of his or her freshman and sophomore course work in Port Arthur and be fully prepared to move

into junior- and senior-level course work at almost any four-year institution nation-wide.

Accreditation

Lamar State College-Port Arthur is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and

Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees that transfer anywhere.

Look us up on the internet at www.lamarpa.edu

Tell Me about Port Arthur, TX

Port Arthur, Texas, is located in east Texas on the Gulf Coast and has a population of over 60,000 people. The city is on the bank of Sabine Lake, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Port Arthur is in between two thriving metropolitan areas, with Houston 90 miles west and Lake Charles, LA, 75 miles to the east. Port Arthur is a diverse city with the population make-up of 43% African American, 39% White, 19% Latino, and 6% Asian. The Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Area is a three-county region in Southeast Texas, located east of the Houston metropolitan area. The area is also known as the Golden Triangle. The "golden" refers to the wealth that came from the Spindletop oil strike near Beaumont in 1901, and "triangle" refers to the area among the cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange. According to the 2000 Census, it has a population of 385,000. Port Arthur was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell in the late 19th century, and was once the center of the largest oil refinery network in the world.

Port Arthur's Museum of the Gulf Coast is recognized as the area's

definitive collection of items and displays for personalities from Port Arthur and the surrounding communities. Notable residents of Port Arthur include singer Janis Joplin, Olympian Babe Zaharias, former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson. Other professional athletes include Stephen Jackson of the San Antonio Spurs, Kendrick Perkins of the Boston Celtics, and Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs. In the last two decades, Port Arthur's profile has risen on the hip-hop scene with the emergence of rap duo UGK. Both members, Bun B and the late Pimp C, are from Port Arthur and often refer to their hometown in their songs. Port Arthur is a blend of Texas and Cajun culture with a wide variety of entertainment. Port Arthur has all the water you could ever want, as Lake Sabine and the Gulf of Mexico are home to hundreds of miles of beaches for fishing and swimming. There are fishing holes for fresh and salt water anglers and Mardi Gras is always a catch away. Come taste the Cajun flavor, lose yourself in the dramatic history and culture of the “Golden Triangle,” and absorb all the natural beauty that the city of Port Arthur has to share. The United States may be in a recession, but Port Arthur is in the early stages of an economic boom. Several large projects involving the energy infrastructure are underway. The Golden Pass and Sabine Pass LNG terminals are under construction and have brought cumulative initial investments of $2 billion, and will employ thousands in the area. Home to a large portion of United States refining capacity, Port Arthur is now seeing renewed investment in several key installations. Lamar State College–Port Arthur celebrated its 100th birthday in 2009 and has an enrollment of approximately 3000 students. LPA offers a full variety of basic core curriculum classes that are transferrable to almost any four-year university. Lamar State College is recognized for associate programs in Teaching, Commercial Music, Nursing, Legal Assistant and Process technology. The Seahawks field competitive Junior College teams in Men's Basketball, Women's Softball, and Dance.

Climate data for Port Arthur, Texas

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

Average high °F 61.5

65.3

72.0

77.8

84.3

89.4

91.6

91.7

88.0

80.5

70.9

63.9

78.08

Average low °F 42.9

45.9

52.4

58.6

66.4

72.3

73.8

73.2

69.4

59.6

50.8

44.5

59.15

Why Lamar-Port Arthur? Top 10 Reasons to Become a Seahawk!

First Class Program The program is first-class in all areas, including: graduation, scholarship opportunities,

skill development, personal growth, and overall program success. The facilities,

apartment complex, meal plan, travel, media coverage, and staff are all top-notch.

Experienced Coaching Staff Head Coach Lance Madison has 19 years of college coaching experience. He has coached

NCAA DI, NAIA, and has won multiple Regional and Conference Championships.

Assistant Head Coach Chad Kish has 15 years of coaching experience. He has been a

successful head high school and JUCO Basketball Coach and ran a recruiting service.

Assistant Coach Anthony Anderson, Jr. has JUCO and DI playing experience and has

coached at the JUCO, four-year, and elite AAU levels.

National Champions Play in Texas If you want to play against the best competition in the nation at the JUCO level, Texas is

the place to be. A team from the state of Texas has played for the National Championship

six times in the last ten seasons, winning the DI National Title four times in that span.

The Seahawks spent several months in the National poll this season, reaching the top 20!

Proven Track Record for Developing DI Players The Coaching staff has developed hundreds of four-year college basketball players and

has a vast network of coaching contacts across the nation that will recruit you. The

Coaching staff has developed DI signees for all of the power conferences, including the

Big East, SEC, Big XII, Pac XII, Big Ten, Missouri Valley, Horizon League, etc.

You will Graduate The coaching staff takes academics seriously and will be proactive in scheduling,

monitoring, and tutoring in order for every student-athlete to graduate. The coaching staff

will be involved every step of the way, including proof-reading your assignments.

Fundamental and Aggressive Style The coaching staff is serious about improving fundamentals through individual

development workout sessions and will tailor the team offense around the talent of the

players. You will be fundamentally prepared to play immediately at the DI level.

Family Atmosphere The coaching staff does more than coach games at Lamar-Port Arthur. They build a

family atmosphere with each student-athlete and enjoy spending time together on and off

the court. The SEAHAWKS are a FAMILY, not just a basketball team!

Great Location and Atmosphere Part Arthur is a diverse city of about 75,000 people. It is an international port city located

on the Gulf Coast of east Texas, about 90 miles outside of Houston. There are plenty of

activities, great people, various beaches, and a variety of choices for food!

Building a NEW Championship Tradition Lamar State College – Port Arthur has a rich 100+ year tradition. The men’s basketball

team only started playing NJCAA DI in 2008, so you can be involved in the initial

history and help set team or personal records for the Seahawks basketball program.

State-of-the-Art Facilities The arena, weight room, and fitness center are all recent additions and are considered top-

notch. The classroom learning environment is state-of-the-art. Plus, you will live in an

apartment complex specifically picked out for Seahawk athletes!

Lamar State College – Port Arthur has the best living situation possible

Our Student-Athletes Live in Luxury Apartments

Farnham Park Apartments are located in a gated-community close to the mall, various restaurants, a grocery store, and various recreational activities. The apartment complex is located close to the campus. A campus shuttle van is provided to the basketball team to and from campus and to team activities

FARNHAM PARK APARTMENTS

The Apartments feature: 2 bedroom/2 bathroom

Kitchen/ Living Room 2 Walk-in Closets

Wash and Dryer in each apartment Resort-style Swimming Pool

24-hour Fitness Center Computer Lab

24-hour Security

View the apartment complex website at…..

http://www.farnhamparkapartments.com/

View the Farnham Park Apartment YouTube tour at…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIfXN2YhNyE&feature=player_embedded

Academic Monitoring

The Coaching Staff will be responsible for assisting each student plan, make progress, strive to remain

eligible and stay on track for graduation. Students will be required to complete progress reports and

academic performance will be closely monitored to ensure a “proactive approach” is taken.

Academic Skills Development

Each student-athlete will be taught quality note-taking, proof-reading, effective study skills, and

successful test-taking practices through a Fundamentals of Student Success Seminar.

Academic Support

Students will meet with classroom teachers and tutors when needed. Tutoring/mentoring programs will

be developed and supported by the staff to help ensure individual academic success.

Study Hall

Coaches will require study hours and tutoring stations to help foster academic success for every student-

athlete. The staff will proof-read and regularly assist with study skills and assignments.

Academic Assessment

Each student’s academic strengths and weaknesses will be assessed and used by instructors and coaches

in an effort to tailor a Personalized Academic Program that uses the most effective teaching strategies for

each individual student. We have a team effort in education at Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

Life Skills Program

The Athletic Staff will attempt to teach Real Life Lessons on a daily basis through meetings, practices,

and routine seminars. Ideals such as sportsmanship, character, teamwork, work-ethic, fair-play, integrity,

overcoming adversity, goal-setting, competition, and personal responsibility will be developed.

Sportsmanship & Character

The LPA program will teach, model, and demand that participants portray a “first-class image” at all

times throughout training, practice, competitions, and in the community.

Community Responsibility

Athletics are a highly visible area of the college and our staff and participants must portray a positive

image at all times. We will use this as a community-based instructional opportunity to give our students a

chance to build relationships with diverse community members and learn about various cultures.

Time Management

The challenges placed on student-athletes are demanding, and time management is critical to each

student’s success in the classroom and social situations. Time management skills will be regularly taught.

Communication Skills

Communication is essential for success in any field, especially academics and athletics. Students will be

mentored in effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills and be encouraged to self advocate.

Drug, Alcohol, and Health Education

The staff will discuss the risks and harmful effects of drug and alcohol use on a regular basis. The staff

will take an approach to teach the adverse effects of risky lifestyles and promote positive health. The

Athletic Department has a random drug testing policy and assistance program to help ensure success.

NJCAA National Men’s Basketball Statistics

Seahawks BIG Man Anthony Allen is BIG News Nationally

PORT ARTHUR, TX – Port Arthur Freshmen Center Anthony Allen led the Nation in Blocked Shots during the 2012-13 season. He is the first Seahawk to lead the Nation

in any statistical category, and led all divisions in both total blocks and blocks per game. The Lamar State program has been a NJCAA affiliate for only 5 years and Allen will be remembered in the history books of the college forever.

“He is our most improved player this year. Anthony has worked really hard to get in great physical condition, he takes pride in his defense, and has become a defensive force for us as the tear has progressed,” commented Seahawks Head Coach Lance Madison. Allen has only been playing organized basketball for five years since moving to the United States from Jamaica. The Seahawks will enjoy another season with the “Human Block Party,” as Allen will return for his sophomore season.

Seahawks Basketball: Champions of Character and Community PORT ARTHUR, TX – When Lance Madison took over as the Head Coach of the Lamar State College – Port Arthur Basketball program he laid out a plan for success. Most coaches list winning championships and building a winning tradition. Madison detailed a slightly different plan for success. In his initial press conference he detailed primary objectives that included academic success, community outreach, and building positive character traits, through a successful and winning basketball program at Lamar State College.

Madison and the Seahawks coaching staff used their program objectives to build a blueprint for success at the junior college. The basketball team enjoyed success on the court by winning 21 games, setting multiple school records, earning national rankings, and off the court through various programs. “I am proud of our team’s academic success,” stated Madison. “We had half of the team make a 3.0 GPA or higher during the first semester.”

The Seahawks did plenty of community outreach so far this season. The team partnered with the YMCA of Port Arthur to host a multi-night free youth basketball clinic for around 200 participants. “It was great to have the support of the Lamar State basketball staff and players in our community. These guys are great mentors to local youth and are great ambassadors for the college,” stated Peter Hicks of the YMCA. The Seahawks didn’t stop there as they visited various football and basketball games at several local high schools as a team, participated in the Memorial High School Homecoming parade, visited various church functions, made an appearance at a Rotary Club meeting, and ran in a benefit 5K as a team one day before practice.

“We take pride in our character-building initiatives and giving back to the community,” explained Madison. The basketball program sponsored a sportsmanship initiative with Dairy Queen at a home game “Milkshakes for Handshakes,” they participated in the NABC National “Coaches vs. Cancer” campaign, started a “Dollar Off for Donation” program to collect canned goods for a local food bank during the holidays, and collected gifts for needy children at Christmas.

The Seahawks didn’t win a National Championship this season. But, the program is winning the Championship on community support in Port Arthur. The basketball team has players from various states and different countries and cultures. But, Madison’s blueprint has led to a “Family Atmosphere” at the school and in the local community. The team went into the stands and shook hands of their fans, invited their favorite teacher to events, and participated in numerous campus and community events. All of the team is participating in the college’s “Seahawks Soar” reading program designed to improve literacy. After the final home game of the season Coach Madison thanked the fans and invited them to a prayer circle at half court, a post-game tradition the team started this season. The stands emptied and the circle encompassed the entire gym in a surreal moment that was an instant YouTube hit and made national headlines.

Lamar State College-Port Arthur’s Evan Sims overcomes stroke to play basketball again PORT ARTHUR, TX – For Evan Sims, shooting basketball down at the local YMCA was as natural as getting out of bed every morning. He would join his friends, have a few laughs, knock down a few jump shots and prove once again that he was destined for greatness on the basketball court.

On this particular day, though, destiny took a sinister turn. Evan had been to his Houston-area Y plenty of times but today was different. As he shot around with his friends, he was just two days away from leaving to play college basketball at Baton Rouge Community College. It was his dream come true, the result of hundreds of hours of practice and hard work.

Graduation from Cypress Springs High School had come and gone and he had already seen some of his best friends head off to chase their own dreams. That day on the court, as he schooled his friends in hitting effortless short jumpers, Evan was contemplating his own future with a mixed feeling of anticipation for his college career and sadness over leaving his hometown behind.

Then he felt something else. “I was shooting the ball and suddenly I stumbled backwards,” he remembers. “My friend, Leon, caught me and he kept asking me if I was OK. I couldn’t answer him.”

Evan lay back on a nearby bench, unable to comprehend what was happening to him. His mind raced but he couldn’t put together his thoughts. He tried to speak but no words would form on his lips. Evan Sims, a 19-year-old phenom on the basketball court, was having a stroke. “I knew something was wrong inside me,” he said. “They called my parents and they rushed to me to find out what was happening. I was in the hospital and I still couldn’t say anything.” In the hospital, doctors scrambled to find a cause for Evan’s collapse. “They did an MRI, then they did a CAT scan,” he said. The answer came like a sledgehammer into the world of a young man just starting his life … there was a hole in Evan’s heart, there from birth, and that defect had caused the young man to have a stroke. “I was laying there in the hospital, trying to understand what was going on,” he said. “I was supposed to be leaving for college. That was the plan, not this. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

His friends from high school, some who were going to Baton Rouge CC as well, came by the hospital to check on Evan … and to say goodbye as they headed off to college. “I cried,” he said. “I was supposed to be going with them.” Instead, Evan lay in the hospital for two weeks and then started the painful journey to recovery. “I didn’t say a word for four months,” he said. “When I did start to speak again, I had to read kiddie books out loud to re-teach myself how to say things.” Physically, he was back on his feet but was slower and less steady as he moved across the floor, far from the finely tuned athlete who dominated in the paint at Cypress Springs. Eventually, doctors offered Evan a choice … heart surgery to repair the defect or an aspirin regimen that would thin his blood to prevent future clotting.

“They told me that if I had surgery I wouldn’t be allowed to play basketball ever again,” he said. “They told me I could take an aspirin every day and still be able to play.” The choice for Evan was easy. “I wanted to play and my family supported me in that,” he said. It would have been easy for Evan to withdraw into the darkness of his situation, relinquishing his usual optimistic demeanor for self-pity and anger. Instead, with basketball as his driving force, he went to work.

He worked out to recondition his muscles, teaching his body how to function again, one step at a time. He estimates that during that period of time, he took a million shots at a basketball goal. It was his love of the sport that drove him to succeed but, he is quick to add, it was the love of his family and those in his church that made the difference.

“I see my stroke as something that changed my life but not completely in a bad way,” he said. “I got closer to God, closer to my family, and I was able to overcome what will likely be the biggest challenge in my life. I came out of this a stronger person, a better person.”

A year after his stroke, Evan was a legitimate college basketball prospect again. But with the head coach at Baton Rouge no longer there, Sims had a change of heart about his collegiate destination. “I knew this was going to be my do-or-die year on the basketball court,” Sims said. “How I did this year would determine whether I played Division I NCAA basketball or NAIA. I needed to be at a school where I could shine.”

With offers coming from NJCAA Region XIV schools Navarro, San Jacinto and Lee colleges, Sims had his pick of the top programs in the league. Instead, and on the advice of his Baton Rouge CC coach and mentor James Rix, Evan met with new Lamar State-Port Arthur Head Coach Lance Madison.

“I asked Coach Rix what he thought and the first name he gave me was Coach Madison’s,” Evan said. “Coach Rix spoke so highly of Coach Madison and then he came down and watched me work out at a church in Houston, and later I worked out for him at Memorial High School in Port Arthur. Coach Madison offered me a full scholarship and I accepted. “God was giving me all the signs that this is where I needed to be,” he said. Evan is a solid force off the bench for the Seahawks this season. Standing 6-foot-8 and broad at the shoulders, Sims is strong in the paint and can knock down a silky-smooth jumper from the wing as though he’s done it his whole life. With a few weeks left in the 2012-13 season for Lamar State, Sims has already gotten offers from Division I colleges like Abilene Christian University, Louisiana Tech, University of New Orleans, Chicago State and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. “Knowing that I still have that hole in my heart, I think about that sometimes. Not a lot,” he said. “Me having a stroke? That’s never going to happen again. I already fought that battle and won.”

NJCAA National Basketball Poll – Men’s DI

Port Arthur, TX (March 2, 2013) Seahawks fans join the basketball team in a prayer circle surrounding the entire court at the Carl Parker Center after their final home game in 2013, a win over Angelina College (above). Fans join team in celebrating a 20 win season at Lamar State College (right). You Tube Video Link…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4_o4axtcl0

Seahawks Promote Sportsmanship with “Milkshakes for Handshakes”

Port Arthur, TX - Coaches and players from Lamar State College-Port Arthur (TX) and Angelina

College joined together in a sportsmanship initiative called “Milkshakes for Handshakes” during

Saturday’s regular-season finale. The two teams met at center-court prior to their Region XIV

game to shake hands and encourage positive sportsmanship as an integral part of NJCAA

basketball. During the game, the Lamar State College PA announcer read sportsmanship-related

information and quotes while the Seahawks Dance Team took to the court at halftime to read the

tenets of sportsmanship in college athletics and a poem about athletes as role models.

The event was sponsored by Dairy Queen of Port Neches, Texas. Dairy Queen donated a

Blizzard (milkshake) to all the players, coaches, and cheerleaders for their efforts in modeling

positive sportsmanship through collegiate athletics. Pictured, from left, from Lamar State-PA,

are sophomores Evan Sims, Ty Allen and Kieran Woods, Student Assistant John Hopkins,

Assistant Coaches Anthony Anderson Jr. and Chad Kish, and Head Coach Lance Madison, and,

from Angelina College, Head Coach Todd Neighbors, Assistant Coach John Dillard, and team

captains Thaddeus Fortune, Quentin Ellis and Mikal Mazik.

NJCAA National News Headlines

Lamar State College Basketball Staff Supports NABC Coaches vs. Cancer Campaign