LETTING EDUCATION ACHIEVE DREAMS

Letting Education Achieve Dreams (LEAD) is a comprehensive higher education awareness and participation campaign, which UHV began in 1999.  The LEAD mission is to increase the educational attainment rate in our service region by creating within students and communities a Pre-K – 14/16 mindset and by facilitating a seamless transition from high school to college or technical school.  Strategies for the LEAD program include creating awareness of the value and accessibility of higher education through presentations to community, workplace, and parent groups; sending LEAD Ambassadors to area schools to talk with Pre-K – 12th graders about the importance of higher education; arranging visits to UHV and community colleges for 4th, 7th, and 10th graders; and, developing and supporting mentoring programs.  This past year over 9,500 students and 1000 adults participated in the LEAD program.

OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

 & SPECIAL PROJECT (IPSP)

The Office of International Programs and Special Projects (IPSP) designs and implements strategies which will help our students, faculty, staff and community become more effective citizens in an ever increasing global world through study abroad and other international initiatives. Through our collaborative efforts with the University of Houston System, other U.S. universities,  as well as international partners in England, Mexico, Spain, France and China, we provide to our students the opportunity of firsthand experience to learn and live the language and culture of these countries.  IPSP is also making Study Abroad more affordable to all those who would choose to participate in international studies by providing information and connections to sources of traditional and non traditional financing for study abroad and international students. Through the sponsorship of the Spanish Initiative Committee IPSP coordinates campus wide and community wide activities of Hispanic Heritage month, September 15 to October 15,  proclaimed to educate, celebrate, and take pride in Hispanic contributions to U.S. society. IPSP also organizes Fiesta Day which not only celebrates Hispanic culture but earns monies for student scholarships and adds to the importance of creating more higher education opportunities for Latino youth in our area.   

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

The University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center is a partnership program with the United States Small Business Administration and is part of a nationwide business assistance program that offers free and confidential business management assistance and technical service through consulting and training related activities. The center’s mission is to build the economy one small business at a time by focusing on starting, growing and expanding small businesses. The center covers 11-counties surrounding Victoria, and offers offsite consulting in Beeville, Cuero, Edna, Hallettsville, Rockport and Yoakum.

CENTER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP

The UHV Center for Nonprofit Leadership embraces an interdisciplinary approach designed to provide a broad-based perspective on nonprofit leadership and community service. The Center and the UHV School of Arts and Sciences offer specialized undergraduate and graduate academic courses.

Nonprofit Leadership programs include:

Undergraduate Minor (15 credits required) See School of Arts and Sciences, Academic Minor Requirements.

Graduate MAIS Concentrations (36 credits required) See School of Arts and Sciences, Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree requirements.

A component of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership (CNL) is community outreach. The CNL provides community nonprofit organizations with professional development opportunities through workshops, seminars and continuing education opportunities. The Center also engages nonprofits in monthly networking opportunities. Community nonprofits also can benefit from the Center’s library and grant resources.

Outreach Services

Resource Library

Leadership Institute Workshop Series

Foundation Directory Online

Nonprofit Community Coffees

Nonprofit Management Consulting

AMERICAN BOOK REVIEW

Founded in 1977, by avante-garde novelist Ron Sukenick, American Book Review champions new and innovative works of fiction, poetry, literary and cultural criticism, critical theory, creative non-fiction and translation from university, regional, ethnic, gender-focused, and micro presses. ABR’s project is to cultivate a sense of engagement and communitas among underrepresented writers and introduce their works to a wider reading public. ABR's objectivity and credibility among writers and readers alike remains beyond reproach due to its status as the sole non-advertising supported literary review printed in the United States.

The University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences and the American Book Review have joined to create the UHV/ABR Reading Series. The series features nationally recognized writers on extended visits to the Victoria campus. Scheduled events include a public reading and discussion of their recent work; purchase of signed editions of the author's works; author roundtable discussion with UHV faculty and students; Week-long Residency and individual Master Class consulting for graduate and upper division students; Podcasts of Reading Series lectures as well as access to transcripts of Q&A with the ABR editors and private receptions for University advancement.

Each author’s agenda will be tailored to best meet the needs of UHV students and faculty as well as raise UHV’s profile in the community and enhance the cultural offerings for the entire Coastal Bend.