Lance Houston

Summa Cum Laude: 
Lance Houston 
Written by Matt Robinson 
The Advocate
Among the many things that students need these days are increased arts education
and, on occasion, legal advice. Despite the fact that Massachusetts is known internationally as a center for both fields, fewer and fewer students are getting the support they need.
Fortunately, there are people like Lance Houston.

A 1992 graduate of the B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River, Houston went on to Harvard before earning a degree from Suffolk University Law School in 2005. With his credentials firmly established, Houston took his talents to the realm of human resources.

                                                                                                                 
 An expert on human capital management, Houston has
helped many schools and other institutions find innovative ways
to enhance and support their personnel.
 He has served as Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at Roxbury Community College, Assistant Vice-President for Legal Affairs and a Human Resources/EEO officer
at Delaware State University, and as a compliance officer for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). In 2007, Houston was selected to the State of Massachusetts Community College Leadership Academy.
He has also earned a certificate in Advanced Mediation and Negotiations Skills from Harvard Law School .
When the noise of the boardroom, the courtroom or the classroom gets to be too much, Houston has a second avocation

at local high schools,” he says, “my passion for the arts is rooted in the desire to help those who believe in the arts and want to help promote them.”
Houston recently took an opportunity to show his appreciation and support for those who helped him by participating in the Fall River school department’s annual Educator Conference. “Going back
to Durfee is my way to give back to the community,” he explains. “I now want to be the spark that inspires a student’s flame!”
In his comments at the Conference, Houston reflected on the work ethic he developed while at Durfee.
“This is a [place] where you have to go out and get it,” Houston remarked. “You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and create opportunities for yourself.”
While much of Houston’s success is due to his work ethic and his devotion to his causes, he also credits his teachers with sparking his intellectual and artistic fires. “They encouraged me to follow my dream,” Houston said, noting how important such a message can be to students who are just starting their own journeys. He also suggests that more people should volunteer their time and talents
to support those who follow them. “Teachers are in a unique position
to inspire, volunteer and mentor students,” he says. “With volunteering and mentorship, the sky would be
the limit to revealing each student’s potential whether musical, academic, scientific, or anything!”

TOOTING HIS OWN HORN...FOR OTHERS Lance Houston hits the right notes for students and others in need.

that also serves him and others quite well. As an internationally-acclaimed flugelhorn player, Houston has been able to calm his own nerves and those of others with his music. As
a professional musician, Houston also knows full well the benefits that can come of music lessons and arts education in general.
“I was not a music student in high school,” Houston admits. “I had a deep interest in music...but I could not afford to rent an instrument and I also did not have the training.” These early obstacles made Houston sensitive to the challenges that today’s students face as arts programs continue to be cut. “Think of all the musical talent out there that is not harnessed due to these administrative fees,” he muses.

Despite the challenges involved, Houston’s love of music “remained intact” and he found the fortitude
to teach himself trumpet. His talent proved so profound that Houston was eventually accepted to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music.
“Music education is important because it teaches so much more than

just notes,” Houston suggests. “It teaches perseverance, learning how to keep going if you miss a beat and, most importantly, that your voice is unique but it can only be effective when it’s used.”

By speaking out and “tooting your own horn,” Houston says, students and teachers can get what they want out of both school and life. “Let your voice be heard,” he encourages. “That’s a powerful message whether you are a musician...a teacher, a business professional or...anyone!”
Despite the fact that he was unable to study music at Durfee, Houston still thanks his teachers for inspiring him. “The lessons I learned from music
are with me for a lifetime,” he recalls, “but they are made more powerful by the great teachers I had in high school who inspired me to follow my dreams despite the obstacles in front of me.”
With his music education and his law degree, Houston is a passionate advocate for arts education. “Whether it’s supporting programs that help
to waive instrument rental fees...or volunteering my time to teach Jazz.
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