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Recent graduates are embarking on an exciting college journey this fall aware of the dramatic impact additional education can have on their future lifetime earning capacity. Cameron Guidry-Lewis is one of those graduates and the recipient of the 2024 George L.H. King Memorial Scholarship. He is pursuing a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in computer science at Texas State University in San Marcos. Cameron wants to specialize in cybersecurity, a rapidly growing field with high demands for hiring qualified professionals.
Cybersecurity involves protecting network information and data from digital attacks or “cyber hacks.” It involves halting information theft or hardware damage. With electronic devices and networks growing at an exponential speed, security challenges are intense. Companies look for highly skilled employees to strengthen their online security and protect valuable data. That is just the thing that Cameron is preparing for—being a valuable employee by building a strong foundation in computer science.
The start of his college experience sounds exciting. He shared, “One thing that is nice about college is that I live in a dorm in the middle of the campus at Texas State where I have access to just about everything. I have met so many new people.”
Cameron worked at HEB in LaGrange to save money for college and plans to go back to work during holiday breaks.
Mrs. Leah King created the scholarship in memory of her husband, George L.H. King, with the help of the Columbus Education Foundation, Inc. (CEF). Applications were screened by CISD teachers familiar with applicants’ classroom performance. It was a fitting, coincidental “accident” that Cameron received this specific memorial scholarship that will be used to study computer science. It is a continuation of a “computer science trail” since Mr. King was the first person to introduce computers to CISD campuses. He set up computer labs at all campuses and taught staff how to use them before he taught the first-ever computer courses to CISD students.
Born in 1937, Mr. King was a 1955 graduate of CHS and 1959 graduate of Texas A&M with a degree in mechanical engineering. After working for Dallas Power and Light Company for 15 years, he returned “home” in 1974 and soon found himself pursuing an unexpected career teaching for CISD. He later returned to A&M and earned a master’s degree in education.
It is noteworthy that Mr. King received an international award from the Instrument Society of America when he worked for Dallas Power and Light Co. The award applauded Mr. King’s successful feat in designing software to conduct steam turbine performance tests while the unit was in “normal” operation—an acclaimed and celebrated “first” in the world.
Making this type of software work was a celebrated accomplishment, and in 1974, he decided to leave Dallas and return “home” where he was instrumental in getting computers into the classroom. He retired in 1995 after a long inspiring career of patiently helping students. Before his passing in 2023, he shared, “All in all, it has been a great life!”
The Columbus Education Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, is grateful to people like Mrs. King for reaching out with a scholarship in her husband’s memory. Additional community donations created 20 more new scholarships in 2024. Community support with each donation of any size grows to produce brighter futures. Call CEF at 979-733-2122 to learn how you can help to make more career dreams come true.
