University of Houston-Victoria administrators announced Monday afternoon that the university would remain in Phase 2 of the university’s COVID-19 reopening plan when the spring semester begins on Jan. 19.

“We made this decision based on the high hospitalization rate in Victoria County and the infection rate in Texas,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “The safety of our campus community continues to be of paramount importance.”

The University of Houston-Victoria has been recognized as the best value for online students in the state based on the university’s high-quality, affordable online degrees, financial aid and scholarships, flexible online class schedules and regionally accredited programs.

Texas Online Colleges, a website that gathers information about online degree programs in Texas, ranked UHV No. 1 on its Best Value Online Colleges in Texas list. The website determined its rankings by accreditation, tuition, available financial aid and scholarships, and whether the school offers at least three online bachelor’s degrees.

Uncertainty recently became a big part of running a business, but a presentation by businesswoman and consultant Haley Robison will help area students and entrepreneurs see that uncertainty doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

Robison will lead a virtual workshop about how to expand career opportunities post-graduation during the next installment of Bridge to Brilliance – Building Resiliency to Inspire, Develop and Grow Entrepreneurship. The virtual event will begin at 4 p.m. Jan. 26 through Microsoft Teams and is free and open to the public.

The University of Houston-Victoria has released the names of undergraduate students who made its fall 2020 President’s and Deans’ lists.

The President’s List honors undergraduates who earn a 4.0 grade-point average on all work completed during the spring semester. To qualify for the Deans’ List, undergraduates must earn at least a 3.5 grade-point average.

As a University of Houston-Victoria student studying communications, Alex Salinas knew she wanted more than an ordinary desk job after she graduated from college.

And after her fall semester internship with Townsquare Media, Salinas knew with certainty that the right career path for her was one that requires both skills and ingenuity.

A new fund for the University of Houston-Victoria Library will help bring an array of diverse literature for UHV, Victoria College and the Victoria community.

The Library Fund for Diversity Resources kicked off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will accept donations during February in honor of Black History Month. The fund was created to help bring more support to the library to purchase more literature about and written by people of color, LGBTQ people and more. These resources include printed books, audio books and electronic books.

Throughout her experience as an executive coach and working in business, Jeanette Winters has seen the value of employees willing to give their all every day.

“Your name doesn’t have to be on the side of the building for you to make a difference,” she said. “Just by doing your best, you can have a positive influence on your workplace and everyone around you every day. That’s an important message that a surprising number of people don’t understand.”

As communities across the world reflect on how to address racial injustice and inequities, the CommUNITY Book Club is continuing the conversation with the Victoria area through literature.

Created in the fall, the CommUNITY Book Club is supported by the University of Houston-Victoria Diversity and Race Task Force. The book club is a collaboration between UHV, United Way of the Crossroads, Be Well Victoria Coalition and Center for Peace Victoria. 

With the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine underway, a University of Houston-Victoria faculty member has gained insight into which communities of people are hesitant to get the vaccine.

Michael Wiblishauser, a University of Houston-Victoria assistant professor of health studies, co-authored the medical research paper “COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy in the United States: A Rapid National Assessment.” The paper recently was published in the Journal of Community Health, a national academic journal.

For the first time, the University of Houston-Victoria will host free, public virtual events to celebrate Black History Month in February. These will include a poster contest for fifth-graders, community book club meetings to discuss race and a webinar featuring a panel.

“Although we are unable to meet in person to celebrate Black History Month, we are excited to offer a panel to discuss an important topic in the Black community and the annual poster contest,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. 

As the University of Houston-Victoria and other universities across the nation continue to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, the university has received positive news: preliminary spring enrollment is up more than 4 percent compared with this time last year.

As of Wednesday, the university’s 12th class day when preliminary enrollment must be reported to the state, UHV had 4,514 students enrolled, a 4.5 percent increase from last year’s preliminary spring enrollment of 4,319.

Esther Cuenca has pondered and pored for several years over documents to learn more about town clerks and the authors of written local customs in medieval English towns. Her work recently paid off with an award from the Medieval Academy of America.

Cuenca, an assistant professor of history at the University of Houston-Victoria, recently was awarded the 2021 Van Courtlandt Elliott Prize, which recognizes an outstanding first published article in the field of medieval studies.

Abran Rodriguez, an assistant professor of counselor education at the University of Houston-Victoria, recently was a recipient of the Chi Sigma Iota Excellence in Counseling Research Grant in the amount of $2,170 for wellness counseling research.

Rodriguez received the grant for his study titled “The Essential Self: Gay Men’s Perceptions of Spirituality, Gender Identity, Cultural Identity and Self-Care.” This study and grant will help to inform further research into the topic at UHV, Rodriguez said.

Prospective students of all ages interested in attending the University of Houston-Victoria will have the opportunity to learn more about the university from the comfort of their homes on Feb. 20 during virtual Jaguar Day.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through Zoom and is free to those who sign up. Students of all ages and their families are invited to attend the event to learn more about all that UHV offers.

The University of Houston-Victoria has awarded 581 degrees to undergraduate and graduate students who completed their coursework during the fall semester.

Students graduating cum laude, with honor, had grade-point averages of 3.5 to 3.67 on a 4.0 scale. Students graduating magna cum laude, with high honor, had GPAs of 3.68 to 3.84, and those graduating summa cum laude, with highest honor, had a GPA of 3.85 or higher.

Several University of Houston-Victoria degree programs from each of the university’s three schools recently were ranked as some of the best in the country by a national student-focused website. UHV also was named a top school for students with disabilities.

Intelligent.com, a website that provides research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs, announced its 2021 rankings for degrees at universities throughout the U.S.

Throughout 2020, Hardik Gohel, a UHV assistant professor of computer science, made significant contributions on both a global and local front.

Most notably, the World Health Organization recently included two of Gohel’s collaborative research publications in its global literature database.

The University of Houston-Victoria was honored Friday night with three prestigious ADDY Awards for advertising excellence, including an award for the best sales and marketing entry in the competition.

The awards were announced during the American Advertising Federation-Corpus Christi Chapter ADDY Awards virtual event on Facebook Live.

When things don’t go as planned, it’s important to be able to bounce back and find alternative ways to reach goals. That’s one of the topics mental health care worker Christopher McDonald will speak about during the next Bridge to Brilliance – Building Resiliency to Inspire, Develop and Grow Entrepreneurship virtual event.

“I learned a lot by building resilience through failure,” he said. “When I think back on how things didn’t work out for me, I remember that parts of me were established because of these failures and ultimately helped me get to where I am today.”

A University of Houston-Victoria Information Technology staff member who has helped the university adapt to online learning during the pandemic was named the 2020 Employee of the Year on Tuesday during the UHV Faculty & Staff Recognition Virtual Event.

Systems analyst Kayla Sappington was given the honor during the event that also recognized faculty and staff celebrating employment anniversaries at the university.

As the pandemic has caused more people to work and learn from home, internet bandwidth has become a necessity to continue life as normally as possible.

The University of Houston-Victoria Center for Regional Collaboration has teamed up with other organizations to help rural communities in DeWitt, Lavaca and Refugio counties get broadband internet service for their residents.

After a year of enduring the coronavirus pandemic, the end is within reach with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, and members of the University of Houston-Victoria community are helping to distribute the vaccine in Victoria.

Dozens of UHV faculty, staff and students have volunteered their time this spring to help the Victoria County Public Health Department administer the vaccines to thousands of residents during the vaccine clinics at the Victoria Community Center.

When University of Houston-Victoria Homecoming Committee members were considering possible themes for the 2021 celebration, the one that came out on top perfectly matches the plans for the week of events. 

The 2021 UHV Homecoming theme will be “Jaguars Stay Home(coming).” Homecoming will be April 5 to 10, and all events will be offered through virtual platforms, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, or through social media. 

Hardik Gohel, a University of Houston-Victoria assistant professor of computer science, recently joined the University of Houston’s Hewlett Packard Enterprise Data Science Institute as a faculty researcher.

Gohel will serve as a researcher of data science and artificial intelligence and conduct collaborative research and teaching activities.

Liz Adams, a University of Houston-Victoria graduate student from Morton, first came to the university to learn how to help people improve their mental health. Now, a change to the university’s graduate counselor education programs is expected to give her and other students more professional opportunities after graduation.

The UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development’s graduate counselor education programs are changing from a Master of Education in counselor education to a Master of Science in clinical mental health counseling with two available concentrations in clinical mental health counseling and school counseling.

The University of Houston-Victoria plans to start the fall semester Aug. 23 with more face-to-face classes and a greater number of students, faculty and staff on campus.

“The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff remain our highest priority,” UHV President Bob Glenn said.

In an ongoing celebration of March’s International Women’s Month, members of the CommUNITY Book Club in April will read “Hidden Figures” to continue their conversation about the accomplishments of women and the challenges women still face.

The CommUNITY Book Club will meet virtually through Microsoft Teams at 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday in April. The club welcomes new members at any point throughout the month to discuss “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly. The true story is a New York Times Bestseller about three African American female mathematicians at NASA who played a crucial role in the space program in the 1950s and 1960s.

For the first time, two female University of Houston-Victoria graduates will be recognized with the highest awards given to the university’s graduates each year.

Christine (Hafernick) Hollinden, principal and founder of Hollinden | marketers + strategists in Houston, was selected for the 2021 Distinguished Alumnus Award. Kristen (Lindley) Sayegh, a CPA and tax senior manager for Whitley Penn in Houston, will receive the 2021 Young Alumnus of the Year Award.

The University of Houston-Victoria will move on Tuesday to Phase 3 of its Phased Reopening Plan.

The decision was based upon a recommendation from the university’s COVID-19 Reopening Taskforce and a review by administration of COVID-19 data for the Victoria and Katy communities.

In less than a year of working as teachers, a University of Houston-Victoria alumna and a student have proven themselves as beloved teachers to their students and as excellent colleagues to their peers.

Jasmine Sharifi, a UHV alumna, and Denise Caldwell, a UHV student in the Victoria Online Initial Certification for Educators Program, have both been named Rookie Teacher of the Year at their respective Katy elementary schools.

When fifth-grader Ma’liah Brown was thinking about who to feature on her poster for the annual Black History Month Poster Contest, she knew she wanted to feature a woman who stood out to her from her studies.

“I chose Shirley Chisholm because she’s an amazing woman,” she said. “She was the first African American woman in Congress.”

Students of all ages who are interested in attending the University of Houston-Victoria will have one last opportunity this spring to attend a virtual Jaguar Day and learn more about the university without leaving their homes.

Jaguar Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 17 through Microsoft Teams and is free to those who sign up.

The University of Houston-Victoria “Jaguars Stay Home(coming)” 2021 Homecoming Week will be from April 5 to April 10, and community members are encouraged to attend many of the virtual events.

“We’re excited to offer a safe, fully virtual Homecoming celebration this year,” said Hilary Kofron, UHV Student Life director. “The past year has been difficult for everyone, and we are ready to have some fun with our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members. Because it’s virtual, this also means that more family members and others who live out of town will be able to participate than in past years.”

The design and development of intelligent health care for COVID-19 management, interactions between Union soldiers and Southern women during the Civil War, and the development of town law in medieval communities are just three of the areas that University of Houston-Victoria faculty members will spend time researching this summer and next school year.

The research is made possible after the university awarded two $10,000 Junior Faculty Summer Research Grants and $6,000 through a 2021-2022 Internal Research Grant.

University of Houston-Victoria International Programs will offer a virtual version of its International Festival this month showcasing countries and cooking demonstrations from different cultures.

The International Festival will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. April 16 on Microsoft Teams. The event is free, and UHV student, faculty, staff and community members are welcome to attend. During the event, UHV international students from countries that include Angola, India, Nigeria and South Africa will share elements of their culture and demonstrate how to cook their country’s popular dishes.

Budgeting doesn’t have to be a difficult task. In fact, with some knowledge and strategy, just about anyone can set and reach financial goals, according to a Victoria financial advisor and University of Houston-Victoria alumna.

Financial literacy will be the topic of discussion during the next Bridge to Brilliance – Building Resiliency to Inspire, Develop and Grow Entrepreneurship virtual event from 4 to 5 p.m. April 13 through Microsoft Teams. Michele Rohde, president of Rohde Financial Group, bestselling author and UHV graduate, will lead the workshop.

The University of Houston-Victoria is planning a virtual commencement ceremony on May 15 to individually recognize 2020 alumni and students who will graduate this spring.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and will be webcast on the UHV Facebook page and the university’s graduation website at www.uhv.edu/graduation. The university is working with Full Measure, a national virtual media education company, to provide a quality graduation experience that students and their families can attend safely from home.

The University of Houston-Victoria has won a Gold ADDY award for creative excellence in the four-state District 10 competition of the American Advertising Federation Awards.

The award in the Card, Invitation or Announcement Campaign category was for marketing pieces to promote UHV Athletics’ 2020 Weekend for the Jaguars event. District 10 includes Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

Two University of Houston-Victoria faculty members will spend the 2021-2022 academic year pursuing research projects that include looking into the compensation of executives of major companies, and studying student learning anxieties and academic integrity.

Sandy Venneman, a professor of psychology and biology, and Yixi Ning, a professor of finance, were granted faculty development leave for the academic year.

The University of Houston-Victoria will hold its first-ever virtual diversity and inclusion conference, which will focus on showing area students the importance of recognizing underrepresented groups in today’s world.

The Race, Inclusion and Social Equity Diversity Conference is a free event that will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 24 on Microsoft Teams. The conference is hosted by UHV Student Life in partnership with the university’s Multicultural Advisory Council student organization. It is open to students from the UH System, Victoria College and area high schools. 

The University of Houston-Victoria awarded three students the new title of Royal Jaguars during the virtual Student Government Association Celebration Friday night as part of UHV Homecoming week.

Noemi Bustamante of Houston, Dominic Flores of San Antonio and Eli Juma of Sabinal received crowns delivered to their residence hall rooms during the virtual celebration. The theme for the week was “UHV Jaguars Stay Home(coming).”

As protests and conversations continue throughout the country about the removal of Confederate monuments, an Alabama professor is studying how more were removed in 2020 than any previous year.

The Victoria community can learn more about the removal of the monuments during the second annual UHV History Day on April 23, hosted by the UHV history program. Hilary N. Green, an associate professor of history at the University of Alabama and a Vann Professor of Ethics in Society, will be the keynote speaker and will deliver the lecture “Confederate Monument Removals: Contextualizing the Post-George Floyd Moment,” at 6 p.m. through Microsoft Teams.

Four University of Houston-Victoria degree programs from two of the university’s schools recently were ranked as some of the best online programs in the country by a national student-focused website.

Intelligent.com, a website that provides research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs, recently announced its 2021 rankings for online-based programs at universities throughout the country.

University of Houston-Victoria alumna Carmen Uruj Perwaiz has been actively involved with alumni since 2013 and was keen to share how her experience with the School of Business Administration accelerated her career. Perwaiz was one of 10 speakers for the school’s annual Alumni Week, and the advice she offered captivated the students.

Although Caitlin Bartosh has been a geometry teacher at A.C. Jones High School in Beeville for four years, she has been teaching math for much longer. The University of Houston-Victoria alumna has spent years tutoring and teaching math, and now, she has earned the title of Teacher of the Year at her school.

Bartosh recently was nominated by her fellow teachers and is now a candidate for the District Teacher of the Year, which will be decided at the end of April.

The University of Houston-Victoria recently recognized three faculty members for their work in teaching, research and service that impacted the UHV community.

The faculty members are selected by their colleagues and students each spring for the prestigious awards.

When Jena West was a University of Houston-Victoria student, she soaked up all the information she could from faculty members to prepare for her career. Now, she is happy to help the UHV and Victoria communities by serving in emergency preparedness.

West, a Victoria County deputy emergency management coordinator, will speak with Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Rick McBrayer at the UHV Alumni Networking Luncheon on May 5 at the UHV University North Multi-Purpose Room, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St.

Vangie Kolesar is known at the University of Houston-Victoria as being a dedicated 20-year employee, but that dedication and passion also extends to her church, her family and the creative hobby known as cosplay.

Cosplay – a portmanteau of the words “costume play” – is an activity, subculture and form of performance art in which participants dress up as characters from movies, TV shows, books and video games.

If University of Houston-Victoria student Kemi Sowunmi Donahue ever doubts the path she is on in her life, she reminds herself of the time a few years ago when she found old notes from friends in high school while cleaning her house. Her friends poured out sensitive details about their lives, confided in Donahue and asked her for advice.

Donahue, who will graduate in May with a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, recently was named the Spring 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student for the UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development.

Middle and high school students in Victoria and surrounding areas will have a variety of science, mathematics, engineering and technology-related virtual summer camps to choose from at the University of Houston-Victoria including topics such as mathematics, robotics and data science.

The summer camps are listed on the UHV School of Arts & Sciences’ webpage at www.uhv.edu/stem-events/summer-camps, including links to register for the different camps and permission forms for students.

As a proud, new member of the University of Houston-Victoria community, freshman Jacquelyn Velazquez knew she wanted to volunteer in a way that would impact people.

For National Volunteer Week, Velazquez, an Eagle Pass native, decided to donate blood for the first time.

For Adriana Razo, her years as an undergraduate at the University of Houston-Victoria were bookmarked by Hurricane Harvey and a pandemic, but it was the time between those events that brought her the knowledge, experience and friends for life that she celebrated during the April 23 Jaguar Ring Celebration.

In observance of National Foster Care Month, the Bridge to Brilliance series hosted by the University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration will feature a panel discussion with UHV students previously in foster care about how education and other resources have impacted their lives.

Bridge to Brilliance: Foster Youth Celebration will be a virtual event from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday on Microsoft Teams. 

For Freja Magnussen, her interest in the fields of social science began with a curiosity about criminals and psychology. She would watch crime dramas on TV, and it only developed her interest more.

Flash forward a few years, and Magnussen is working on a project involving statistics and crime and ready for wherever the field of criminal justice takes her. Magnussen, of Vallensbaek, Denmark, recently was named the Spring 2021 Outstanding Undergraduate Student for the University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences.

At a time when educators have encountered new challenges in how to successfully teach children during a pandemic, University of Houston-Victoria education alumni are more motivated than ever to be a positive influence in the lives of youth.

For Ashley Reyna, a passion for teaching is something that has always been inside her that only continues to grow. With National Teacher Appreciation Week from May 2-8, Reyna is reminded even more of the importance of the role of a teacher.

For about 14 weeks, Ambra Frank and a small group of classmates spent hours each week researching and discussing various components of an analysis for the 28th University of Houston-Victoria Bachelor of Business Administration Case Conference. Their hard work paid off Saturday when they won first place in the competition.

“We were so happy when we received good feedback from the judge’s panel, but we didn’t expect to win,” Frank said. “We just wanted to do the best we could.”

Tuesday night was a double celebration for the University of Houston-Victoria Multicultural Advisory Council because the group was officially chartered as a student organization and was named the Student Organization of the year.

The Multicultural Advisory Council hosts events throughout the year that range from international holiday celebrations such as Oktoberfest and Cinco de Mayo to leading awareness campaigns focused on issues related to topics such as race or gender.

The University of Houston-Victoria will move toward more normal operations before the start of summer classes to allow more students, faculty and staff on campus.

The university will move from Phase 3 to Phase 4 of its Phased Reopening Plan on June 1. Phase 4 allows a greater number of students to take face-to-face classes with classroom occupancy at 70 percent. UHV will continue to offer classes through a mix of hybrid, real-time online and traditional online modes as it has this school year to give students increased choices.

For Mark Martinez, being able to work with people in area communities and help build small businesses as a business advisor is a dream job. Now, his hard work has been recognized with a state award.

Martinez, a senior business advisor for the University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center, recently received the State Star Award from the South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center Network.

After more than a year of courses, assignments, tests and hours studying, Saima Bagha will finally have her graduate degree from the University of Houston-Victoria this month.

What she didn’t expect was to be recognized for all her hard work. Bagha, of Houston, recently was named the Spring 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student for the UHV School of Business Administration. Jessica Janis of Inez was named the Outstanding Undergraduate Student for the school.

The University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences soon will have a new dean with 26 years of higher education experience and a career of excellence in leadership.

Kyoko Amano, dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Education at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, will take the reins on Aug. 1 as dean of the school.

University of Houston-Victoria leaders announced Monday that there will be six in-person commencement ceremonies this July in Victoria and Katy for the university’s 2020 and spring 2021 graduates whose ceremonies were delayed because of the pandemic.

“We are looking forward to having these ceremonies and celebrating our graduates in the manner they deserve,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “Our graduates, faculty and staff have been disappointed by the delays that the pandemic has caused, but conditions have improved, and we are working with our regular venues on the details while still keeping everyone’s health and safety in mind.”

For Frederica Amfo, she knew she wanted to be a doctor when she became a student at the University of Houston-Victoria. When the UHV sophomore heard about a special state program that helps students pursue a medical degree, she applied and was happy to be accepted this summer.

“I am very excited and looking forward to being a part of the program this year and having access to so many resources to help me get into medical school one day,” Amfo said.

Two teams with completely different approaches to a food supply business tied for first place Saturday in the 27th University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration’s Master of Business Administration Case Conference.

Chelsea Creamer of Tomball, Lorraine Smith of Katy, and Karyna Maraghi and Saima Bagha of Houston were on a team that tied for first place with a team made up of Safa Qureshi of Richmond and Sakina Kasamali, Jesse Nemons Jr. and William Rivers, all of Katy. The conference was held virtually for the first time through Microsoft Teams and included 93 students on 25 teams.

The University of Houston-Victoria is celebrating outstanding faculty, staff and students with a new set of Academic Affairs awards that acknowledges achievements including junior faculty members, mentors, administrative leaders, academic advisors and outstanding students.

“These awards are intended to recognize those who have gone above and beyond in the 2020-2021 academic year,” said Chance Glenn, UHV provost and vice president for academic affairs. 

Construction at the University of Houston-Victoria Northwest, 1604 E. Airline Road, is almost finished with offices including Athletics, the Small Business Development Center and the Center for Regional Collaboration ready to welcome students and the community this fall.

“We are really excited to welcome our faculty, staff, students and community members into this facility this fall,” said Matt Alexander, UHV director of capital projects.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The underdogs keep on rolling.

Jackie Longoria’s two-out, walk-off single has propelled the University of Houston-Victoria into their first National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Softball World Series with a 2-1 win over Central Baptist (Ark.) on Wednesday at Joseph and Nancy Fail Field.

University of Houston-Victoria computer science graduate student Trang Huynh will spend her summer interning at one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratories.

“This is a such a great opportunity,” Richmond resident Huynh said. “I am so happy and proud to be a UHV student, and I look forward to learning so much through this summer internship.”

University of Houston-Victoria administrators are officially encouraging students at Harmony Public Schools to attend UHV and complete their degrees after leaders from the two institutions signed a partnership agreement on Tuesday.

The signing event took place in Houston. UHV now will offer expedited admission to students who graduate from the Harmony district and meet certain criteria, including being in the top 50 percent of their class and having at least a 2.5 GPA. The agreement sets a goal of 15 Harmony students attending UHV annually and will start this fall.

In just a few short months, University of Houston-Victoria students will have their first face-to-face classes in University South, the newest academic building on the UHV campus dedicated to science, technology and mathematics programs.

UHV faculty began moving into their offices in University South, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St., this month. Equipment and other items for research labs and classrooms will be moved into the building throughout the summer, and more faculty are expected to move into the new building within the next month to prepare for the fall semester.

Two health-focused University of Houston-Victoria School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development programs recently were ranked as some of the top programs for value in the country by a national student-focused website.

HealthcareDegreeSearch.com, a national resource for students seeking business colleges and university-level programs across the U.S., recently announced its 2021 Healthcare Degree Search rankings.

When Brooks Sterritt first started working on his novel, a phrase by a famous painter generated an idea for the title that encompasses both his interests and the fast current of American history.

“The title is a reference to the painter Francis Bacon, who once quipped that a goal of his was to capture the history of Europe in his lifetime in a single image,” said Sterritt, a University of Houston-Victoria assistant professor of English. “Since I ran across that phrase, I’ve always been fascinated with the question – what if you could capture the history of America in a lifetime in a single book?"

In February 2021, Stuart Denton retired from the Sugar Land Police Department after more than 33 years of service. The former assistant chief and captain of the patrol and criminal investigations divisions and University of Houston-Victoria alumnus now teaches criminal justice courses at UHV Katy.

“I’ve only taught a few so far, both all online and hybrid,” Denton said. “But I prefer face-to-face classes, which allow for better interaction with the students.”

A University of Houston-Victoria student will spend the summer gaining international business experience after being awarded a virtual internship with a German company.

Graduate student and Houston resident Mayte Rios Lopez will intern for HHX.blue, a Germany-based international brokerage for maritime transportation. She was placed with the company after receiving a scholarship through Virtual Internships, a website that helps high school and college students find internships with companies around the world. 

Beginning this fall, undergraduate and graduate students majoring in computer information systems at the University of Houston-Victoria can take new degree concentrations in the latest technologies, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data science.

Students earning a bachelor’s degree will be able to select from concentrations in cybersecurity or data science, while those earning a master’s degree can choose from cybersecurity, data science and artificial intelligence concentrations.

When Emi Ruiz first started a project for her job with University of Houston-Victoria Title IX and Equal Opportunity, she had no idea how much it would help her grow as a leader. Now, the Harlingen native is being recognized statewide for her work.

Students who plan to attend the University of Houston-Victoria this fall will have several opportunities this summer to attend orientation events to prepare for success in college.

UHV will host multiple ROAR Orientation events for students in June, July and August. The sessions will be hosted virtually, and there will be separate sessions for first-year students, those attending the UHV Katy instructional site and transfer students. 

A University of Houston-Victoria Athletics employee recently was voted by his peers as the Red River Athletic Conference 2020-2021 Sports Information Director of the Year.

UHV sports information specialist Paul Ebner was selected for the award through a vote of all RRAC sports information directors. The award is given to individuals who go above and beyond to promote their school’s athletics program, collaborate with other sports information directors, serve the conference, maintain timely and accurate information, drive media coverage, conduct game day operations, and expand social media outreach and broadcast capabilities.

Eryka and Tamera Hosey have spent their whole lives working together and supporting each other, even placing as the valedictorian and salutatorian in high school, and they are looking forward to continuing that tradition as freshmen this fall at the University of Houston-Victoria.

The identical twins recently graduated from Bloomington High School and plan to attend UHV to start working toward their career goals. They chose UHV after speaking with UHV Recruitment Manager Oscar Torres and learning about how the campus is growing and offers excellent programs and facilities close to their Victoria home.

The University of Houston-Victoria will return to normal operations on Aug. 2 in preparation for the fall semester.

The university will move from Phase 4 to Phase 5 of its Phased Reopening Plan. Phase 5 is the final phase in the plan and signifies that the university is returning to pre-COVID normal operations. UHV will offer face-to-face classes in addition to the hybrid and online classes that were offered before the pandemic.

The University of Houston-Victoria has released the names of undergraduate students who made its spring 2021 President’s and Deans’ lists.

The President’s List honors undergraduates who earn a 4.0 grade-point average on all work completed during the spring semester. To qualify for the Deans’ List, undergraduates must earn at least a 3.5 grade-point average.

The University of Houston-Victoria will have four new members join the President’s Regional Advisory Board this fall, including the 2020 American Business Woman of the Year, a longtime real estate broker, an attorney and a retired educator.

Joining the board in September are Diane Kliem, Victoria attorney and president of Kliem & Associates; Russell Cain, a real estate broker and owner of Russell Cain Real Estate in Port Lavaca; W. Lee Keeling, a Victoria attorney and UHV adjunct faculty member; and Michael Cavanaugh, a retired Cuero Independent School District principal and educator. The new members each will serve three-year terms beginning in September.

The University of Houston-Victoria will host six in-person commencement ceremonies next month in Victoria and Katy for UHV students who graduated in 2020 and the spring and summer of 2021.

There will be three ceremonies on July 24 at Faith Family Church, 2002 E. Mockingbird Lane in Victoria, and three ceremonies July 31 at the Leonard E. Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane in Katy.

Readers of the Katy Times have named the University of Houston-Victoria a top choice to attend college in the Katy area.

The university received a top spot this week in the 2021 Katy Times’ Best of Katy readers’ choice awards contest in the Best College category. The university has been named a top choice by Katy Times readers for several years.

“It is a humbling and wonderful feeling for the university to receive this recognition and support from the Katy community,” said Chance Glenn, UHV provost and vice president for academic affairs.

The University of Houston-Victoria has awarded 584 degrees to undergraduate and graduate students who completed their coursework during the spring semester.

In the most challenging year ever for college athletic trainers and team doctors, University of Houston-Victoria head athletic trainer Thomas Pribyl has been named the 2020-2021 Red River Athletic Conference Trainer of the Year.

Given annually, the RRAC Athletic Trainer of the Year award recognizes a National Athletic Trainers' Association certified athletic trainer from the RRAC who has distinguished himself or herself as a model of the profession in personal conduct and professional allied health service to student-athletes.

University of Houston-Victoria students living in the university’s residence halls this fall will be eligible for a new housing scholarship to help with their living expenses.

The new UHV Commitment is a housing scholarship for up to four years for new and returning full-time students who live on campus.

Two retired University of Houston-Victoria faculty members have each received the title of professor emeritus for their years of service to the university and their profession.

The UH System Board of Regents recently named history professor Hal Smith and computer science professor Meledath Damodaran as professors emeriti.

For as long as Jeanniery Gonzalez can remember, she has been someone who sees the humanity in people and in business.

Gonzalez, a recent University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration graduate, sees the value in all employees in a business and wants to be a positive force in her new role as a procurement manager for a company that helps children with autism.

“I believe that when you are in the right position, you can bring change to all levels in a business for the best for all people in the company,” Gonzalez said.

Two University of Houston-Victoria School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development students are the recipients of a scholarship awarded to only seven college students in the state from the Texas Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Sandra Coleman of Wharton and Amy Spalik of Pflugerville will each receive the 2021-2022 Cynthia L. Schneider Mathematics Preservice Teacher Scholarship from the council, a professional organization that provides development for math teachers and encourages an active interest in mathematics.

The University of Houston-Victoria recently was named by the Houston Business Journal as offering the fourth-largest Master of Business Administration program in the Houston area.

“We are extremely pleased with the enrollment growth we’ve had in our MBA programs,” said Ken Colwell, dean of the school. “It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our talented faculty and staff that so many students choose us to help them advance their careers.”

The University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration will host a live panel July 20 featuring faculty, staff and alumni sharing their expertise in finance, personal growth, networking and more with area high school students and Victoria residents.

“Talko-Tuesday” will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Room 111 of UHV University North, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. It will feature a panel of previous Bridge to Brilliance speakers discussing topics from their individual presentations. There also will be tacos and a chance to mix and mingle before the event. The event is free and open to the public to attend either in person or through Microsoft Teams.

University of Houston-Victoria graduates from 2020 and the spring and summer of 2021 will be able to walk the stage later this month in one of six in-person commencement ceremonies in Victoria and Katy.

UHV will hold commencement in Victoria on July 24 at Faith Family Church, 2002 E. Mockingbird Lane, and in Katy on July 31 at the Leonard E. Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane. Three ceremonies will take place at each location. 

University of Houston-Victoria students soon may have access to free textbooks in some of their courses.

The university is joining more than 60 other institutions this fall in the OpenStax network by participating in the 2021-2022 OpenStax Institutional Partner Program. The educational initiative, which was created by Rice University, partners with foundations, educational resource companies and other universities to provide students with high-quality openly licensed college textbooks that are free online and can be bought in print for a low price.

The University of Houston-Victoria’s Specialist in School Psychology program recently was awarded a national accreditation that will help the university recruit new students and streamline the professional certification process for the program’s graduates.

The National Association of School Psychologists accredited the program earlier this month, and UHV is now one of only 13 Texas universities accredited by the association, said Craig Goodman, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences. The association is the world’s largest organization of school psychologists.

The University of Houston-Victoria is proud to announce that Kelsey Norgard of Victoria will be joining the university as the new director of alumni relations and annual giving.

Norgard, director of sales and marketing for The Club at Colony Creek, will join UHV’s University Advancement team Aug. 5.

The path that led Robert Merino to the field of financial aid services started when he was an undergraduate student worker at the University of Houston-Victoria. Now, the UHV School of Business Administration alumnus is tapped to lead a statewide financial aid association.

Merino, the dean of financial aid services at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, recently was named the president-elect of the Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. He will serve as the 2021-2022 president starting in October.

When Mary Field took on the role of University of Houston-Victoria Staff Council chair last school year, she had no idea what to expect during a pandemic. Now, she’s ready to continue the work she started.

Field, an administrative assistant in the UHV School of Business Administration, is the 2021-2022 UHV Staff Council chair after volunteering to stay in the position for another year.

Albert Scaria, a University of Houston-Victoria graduate student from Sugar Land, presents research about artificial intelligence during a June webinar as Hardik Gohel, UHV assistant professor of computer science, listens. Scaria was one of two UHV students who presented research during a webinar on June 17 and 18 for the Charotar University of Science and Technology in India.

When Melissa Bruton graduated from UHV this spring with a Bachelor of Business Administration in healthcare administration, it was an achievement more than a decade in the making.

Bruton started her journey at UHV in 2008, taking a professional writing and statistics course. However, attending the university was difficult while juggling finances, full-time employment and weekend jobs.

Camden White, left, and Abdul Nusayr watch their robots navigate a maze Friday using sensors the students wired after learning skills in the UHV Arduino Robotics Summer Camp. Camden, 12, and Abdul, 11, are both students at Cade Middle School.

Jeff Blodgett began his three-year commitment to the UHV Faculty Senate in 2020 as vice president during a pandemic. Now, he’s ready to continue to serve the faculty in the role of president.

Blodgett, a marketing professor in the UHV School of Business Administration, will serve as the 2021-2022 UHV Faculty Senate president.

Readers of Living Magazine recently named the University of Houston-Victoria as the Best College/University in Katy and Fulshear for the third consecutive year.

UHV was nominated by readers for the magazine’s annual Best of Readers’ Choice awards.

The University of Houston-Victoria is once again being recognized as a top affordable Texas university for online students based on its high-quality, affordable degrees and regionally accredited programs.

Texas Online Colleges, a website that gathers information about online degree programs in the state, recently ranked UHV No. 2 on its Most Affordable Online Colleges in Texas list.

The Albert and Mary Dick Charitable Trust recently made a second donation to the University of Houston-Victoria to help students experiencing sudden hardships that could prevent them from staying in school.

The $10,000 donation from the foundation, which provides support for various Victoria County causes and organizations, went to the UHV Student Emergency Fund. The trust also donated $5,000 to the fund at the beginning of 2021.

From a very young age, Kelsey Schuenemann knew she wanted to work with children and adolescents who were struggling.

And after earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2008 from the University of Houston-Victoria, she spent the next five years pursuing job opportunities across the juvenile mental health field at Gulf Bend Center, juvenile probation services, Child Protective Services, and Mid-Coast Family Services.

Nearly a dozen University of Houston-Victoria faculty members recently were promoted, with seven becoming full professors and three receiving tenure.

“Our faculty members are committed to our students and education, and I am proud of the work they have demonstrated in the pursuit of scholarly and teaching excellence,” said Chance Glenn, UHV provost and vice president for academic affairs.

The University of Houston-Victoria is launching a new free community health program focused on helping individuals in the Crossroads improve their mental health and, by extension, their physical health.

Getting Better, Together is part of a continuation of programs funded by a previous grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. It is an expansion of the Victoria Alliance Against Chronic Kidney Disease program established through the original Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas grant awarded two years ago. The kidney disease program also is continuing for another year.

Joann Olson, an associate professor in the School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development, is the University of Houston Victoria’s new associate provost for research and dean of graduate studies, a role that will help expand the university’s research operations and graduate programs.

Olson’s new position started Monday after the university conducted an internal search.

As the new school year begins, University of Houston-Victoria alumnus Ronnie Edwards has a main objective in mind – how to best serve and support the students, teachers and staff of the Katy Independent School District.

Edwards recently was appointed as the district’s new assistant superintendent for school leadership and support. In that role, he helps oversee more than 87,000 students.

Navigating college and a career as a first-generation student can be a challenge, but with help from an expert, University of Houston-Victoria students can graduate with a path and plan to achieve their career dreams.

Daniel Botero, founder of the Mastering College to Career mentorship program and author and podcast host of the same name, will discuss strategies, tips and more during the Bridge to Brilliance: Mastering College to Career with Daniel Botero webinar. The virtual event will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Sept. 14 through Microsoft Teams.

For years, Karla DeCuir has advocated for education and encouraged young women to pursue leadership roles. Now, she is being recognized nationally for her role as a leader.

DeCuir, UHV Katy senior director of enrollment management and external affairs, will be one of 26 people recognized as a National Latino Leader during the sixth annual National Latino Leadership Conference held virtually from Sept. 14 to 15.

Tiarah Figueroa took over the reins last year as the University of Houston-Victoria Student Government Association president with a goal of helping students feel comfortable and getting more involved. Now, she’s ready to continue to work for her fellow students.

Figueroa, a UHV senior from San Antonio, was appointed president of the Student Government Association for the 2021-2022 school year.

The University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma recently was named to the society’s Chapter Honor Roll program and designated an honors chapter, earning the chapter global recognition and the ability to nominate for awards from the international business honor society.

Beta Gamma Sigma is the international business honor society for programs accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The association accredits less than 5 percent of business schools worldwide. 

Mark A. Martinez, a senior business advisor for the University of Houston-Victoria Small Business Development Center, poses with his State Star Award from the South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center Network.

University of Houston-Victoria graduate students Vu Pham and Pavithra Sivashanmugam come from different computer science backgrounds but had a similar goal while working from home during the pandemic: enhance their skills and learn more about their respective fields.

“When you love something, you will find a way to make time for it,” Pham said. “For me, sometimes that means working on a solution or studying late until I find a result, or at least see some good results before going to bed.”

Pham and Sivashanmugam, both Katy residents, are working toward Master of Science in computer science degrees at UHV.

The University of Houston-Victoria is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with free public events that include an outdoor festival featuring different dance styles and an art collage showcase.

The first event is a showcase of the art collage project titled “Juntos En La Vida” on Oct. 5, and the second event on Oct. 14 will be Fiesta Latino. The events will be hosted by the university’s student-run Multicultural Advisory Council. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

University of Houston-Victoria student Angel Davila of Brownsville paints a T-shirt during the Operation Clothesline Project event Tuesday at UHV University Commons. The UHV Counseling Center invited students to paint positive messages on donated T-shirts in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

University of Houston-Victoria student Vishal Bachani didn’t think he would receive an opportunity to pitch a business idea to a group of entrepreneurs before he earned his graduate degree. But thanks to an Oct. 12 UHV Bridge to Brilliance event, Bachani will be able to practice his business pitch and receive feedback from business professionals.

Despite the recent pandemic and the struggles that many people have experienced during the past year, the University of Houston-Victoria’s employee giving campaign has seen its second-highest number of donors in a year.

During the university’s fiscal year from Sept. 1, 2020, through Aug. 31, UHV’s One For All, All For One employee giving campaign received donations from 225 donors, about 48 percent of the university’s employees. Throughout the year, employees donated $68,500 to 71 departments, programs and initiatives.

University of Houston-Victoria leaders and the family of Kay Kerr Walker broke ground Thursday on the site that will be Kay’s Grove, a 29,000-square-foot memorial landscaped garden for students, faculty, staff and visitors to enjoy on campus.

A nearly $20,000 grant from the Dow Chemical Co. Foundation will allow University of Houston-Victoria faculty and staff to record and store oral histories from Victoria-area residents and underrepresented populations for future generations to access for free.

The Dow Chemical Co. Foundation and Dow Seadrift Operations are providing $19,815 to fund the Texas Coastal Bend Community Oral History Project. The grant will pay for the equipment and space to record, transcribe and store the oral histories of Victoria area residents with diversity and civil rights experiences, including those who are disabled, Black, Hispanic, Asian and/or LGBTQIA+.

The University of Houston-Victoria is launching a new series – UHV Discovers – to highlight the research conducted by faculty members and share how they are impacting their fields of study.

“The events of the past year and a half have shown the importance of scientific research, and UHV has faculty members who are doing amazing work,” said Joann Olson, UHV associate provost for research and dean of graduate studies.

University of Houston-Victoria faculty, staff, students, community leaders and representatives from the UH System gathered Thursday to celebrate the opening of the university’s newest academic building that is home to its science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs.

The ribbon cutting for UHV University South, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St., began with statements from UHV President Bob Glenn; Chance Glenn, UHV provost and vice president for academic affairs; Tiarah Figueroa, UHV Student Government Association president; and UH System Chancellor Renu Khator.

The University of Houston-Victoria announced Thursday that its three academic schools will be renamed and reorganized into colleges, including the addition of a fourth college that will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs and will eventually be home to UHV’s first engineering degree.

The announcement was made Thursday afternoon by UH System Chancellor Renu Khator as part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony for UHV’s newest building, University South, which is home to the university’s STEM programs. 

The University of Houston-Victoria will welcome students from area high schools, Victoria College and all UH System universities at an annual conference that will focus on leadership, confidence and self-improvement strategies.

The eighth annual ROAR Leadership Conference will be from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 6 in UHV University North, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. The event also will be streamed through Microsoft Teams, so students who are unable to attend in person can participate online.

The University of Houston-Victoria raised $2,896,065 during the 2020-2021 fiscal year in donations, the second largest amount in the university’s history as donations to the university continue to increase.

The university received 1,568 gifts in 2020-2021, with gifts ranging from $1 to $2 million. The largest gift in university history also was made during that time: $2 million from the M.G. & Lillie A. Johnson Foundation to help fund the construction of a UHV health and wellness center.

With the support of local leaders, government entities and entrepreneurs, the University of Houston-Victoria College of Business has secured $915,000 for a partnership with a company to help increase entrepreneurship and economic development in the Victoria area.

The university has entered into an agreement with Innovation Collective, a company based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to help the Victoria region create and develop a new ecosystem of business.

The University of Houston-Victoria will host its first on-campus Jaguar Day in nearly two years to allow prospective students and their families to learn more about the university.

Jaguar Day will be from 9:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 13 throughout the UHV campus, beginning at UHV University Commons, 3006 N. Ben Wilson St. Prospective students of all ages and their families are invited to the free event to learn more about UHV.

The University of Houston-Victoria women’s soccer team will host Huston-Tillotson University in a Red River Conference Quarter Final match Saturday at 1 p.m. at The Cage, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St.

The Jags took fourth place in the Conference after a 2-1 win over HTU this past Saturday. The loss dropped the Rams into fifth place. UHV finished the RRAC season with a 7-3-1 record (11-5-1 overall). The Rams dropped to 7-4 in conference play and 8-5 overall.

Sneha Nayar-Bhalerao, second from right, a University of Houston-Victoria assistant professor of professional counseling and internship coordinator, poses for a picture during the Oct. 15 Counseling Internship Fair with The Parris Foundation staff members Al Bacon, left, director of education and outreach services; Daniela Colburn Prado, director of counseling and wellness; and Natika Johnson, right, clinical and program operations manager. The Parris Foundation is one of the counseling and mental health agencies that attended the UHV College of Education & Health Profession’s Counseling Internship Fair at UHV Katy. 

As employers post available jobs online and as job seekers post resumes on websites and social media, it is easy to wonder: What happens after I apply online for a job?

That question and more will be answered during the upcoming Bridge to Brilliance: Digital First Impressions webinar. The virtual event will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Nov. 9 through Microsoft Teams and will feature representatives from several companies who will speak about what they look for in applicants.

Students at the University of Houston-Victoria will be equipped to excel in a world that increasingly relies on massive amounts of data collected through digital systems, thanks to a new graduate data science program that will be offered starting in the spring.

The new Master of Science in data science will be offered for the first time by the UHV College of Natural & Applied Science beginning in January 2022.

The University of Houston-Victoria School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development recently recognized four faculty and staff members for their exemplary teaching, scholarship and service.

The awards have been presented every year since 2013 to recognize outstanding accomplishments by the school’s faculty and staff. The recipients are chosen by a committee of faculty and staff members from the education school.

Students and alumni of the University of Houston-Victoria School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development are invited to attend a new event to celebrate and support the school’s alumni.

The inaugural UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development Alumni and Future Alumni Celebration is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at UHV Katy, 22400 Grand Circle Blvd.

The University of Houston-Victoria’s second UHV Discovers faculty research series will feature a presentation by a faculty member and a student on different applications for artificial intelligence in the fields of medicine, energy and weather prediction.

Hardik Gohel, a UHV assistant professor of computer science, will showcase his research in a presentation titled, “Applied AI for Accessible Health Care and Energy Security Transition,” followed by a presentation by Pavithra Sivashanmugam, a UHV computer science graduate student from India, who will present her research “AI in Rainfall Prediction.” 

University and community leaders gathered Tuesday evening for the 2020-2021 University of Houston-Victoria President’s Annual Report & Excellence Awards, which included the presentation of awards to community partners, a student and to the late Victoria mayor, as well as a special announcement.

About 170 people attended the event, which took place at UHV Northwest, the university’s newly renovated property at Airline Road and Laurent Street. 

The University of Houston-Victoria recently received a $300,000 grant from the M.G. & Lillie A. Johnson Foundation to fund scholarships for area students who are pursuing degrees in nursing and other health-related fields.

The university acknowledged the grant Tuesday evening as a special announcement at the end of the UHV President’s Annual Report & Excellence Awards. The funds will be distributed as scholarships to students who are from Victoria County or one of the 13 surrounding counties.

Students in University of Houston-Victoria’s Global Master of Business Administration program recently showed the world they have the knowledge, skills and mental might to excel in the global marketplace.

A team of four UHV students won several top-100 rankings this fall during their participation in the eight-week online Global Business Simulation competition. They competed with about 3,000 student teams from universities and colleges around the world by making business decisions for their simulated drone and digital camera companies.

Students recently formed the University of Houston-Victoria’s first political science student organization as a way to explore their interests in law and criminal justice through activities outside the classroom.

The group, called the Association of Future Advocates, Leaders and Lawyers, received formal approval from the university on Oct. 7. The idea to create the organization came from UHV student Sarah Stanaland, who was interested in expanding extracurricular opportunities for students and is now president of the group.

Just a year and a half ago, Robert Royer’s marketing company included a small cohort of professionals. Royer, a University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration alumnus, started his company in 2018 with the vision of creating a business centered around the marketing needs of the client.

Now, Building Brands Marketing is one of Victoria’s fastest-growing companies, working with everyone from businesses to schools and hospitals in the Victoria, Katy and Gulf Coast areas.

Jazmine Matthews, a University of Houston-Victoria forensic psychology graduate student, comes face-to-face with vulnerable people every day on the frontlines of the homelessness crisis.

“There are a lot of stereotypes of homeless people, but when you talk to someone as a person, as a human, and not what they’re labeled as, you really get to know what's going on, and for some of them, it wasn’t their choice to be homeless,” she said.

Matthews of Kansas City, Missouri, was named the UHV School of Arts & Sciences’ Fall 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student.

As November comes to a close and the season of giving begins, the University of Houston-Victoria is inviting the community to take part in the university’s sixth annual Giving Tuesday campaign, including the opportunity to reach a matching bonus goal.

UHV’s Giving Tuesday campaign will begin at midnight Nov. 30 and end at 11:59 p.m. that day. The fundraising event is open to all supporters of the university, including faculty, staff, students, community members and corporations.

A top strength and conditioning team is coming to Victoria in December to lead a one-day certification course.

For the first time on Dec. 4, the University of Houston-Victoria will host the eight-hour level 1 certification course by Mike Boyle’s Certified Functional Strength Coach organization. Boyle is the leading functional strength coach and most sought speaker in the world on strength and conditioning, said Raymond Tucker, associate professor of kinesiology and chair of the department of kinesiology, health studies, counseling and nursing.

For Sneha Nayar-Bhalerao, her counseling skillset is something that should be shared to help as many people as possible. That’s why she and Abran Rodriguez, another University of Houston-Victoria professional counseling faculty member, offered training for child advocates in Victoria.

Through virtual webinars and workshops, the UHV professional counseling faculty members are helping the volunteers of Golden Crescent CASA.

As a mom, graduate student and full-time employee, Karyna Maraghi already had enough responsibilities last February when her Spring Meadows home was hit by a devastating fire as winter storms swept across Texas and caused power outages.

Maraghi was raising two young children while working full time and studying for her Strategic Master of Business Administration in accounting from the University of Houston-Victoria. She managed to recover from the tragedy and maintained her 4.0 GPA.

A graduate business student at the University of Houston-Victoria won first place in the fourth annual UHV President’s Holiday Card Contest and will receive a $1,000 university scholarship for her artwork.

Karen Soni of Dallas was awarded first place out of 27 art submissions. Her design will be featured on the front of the university president’s holiday card. Ilana Ahmed of Houston won second place and will receive a $500 scholarship, and Melenie Niemeyer of Sweeney placed third and will receive a UHV swag bag.

Kyoko Amano, dean of the University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences, was recently elected to serve as a board member of the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences, a national organization that represents hundreds of colleges and universities.

The council is a national association of more than 500 colleges and universities working together to represent the liberal arts and sciences disciplines at a national policy-making level and to improve the intellectual stature and public understanding of those disciplines. At the council’s annual conference in November, the member institutions elected Amano to serve a three-year term on the council’s 12-member board of directors.

Meeting almost every week to prepare for the 29th University of Houston-Victoria Bachelor of Business Administration Case Conference paid off for the top team when they presented their analysis of an oil exploration company.

“My team and I were very happy when we came to know that we actually won,” said Yasmin Ali of Sugar Land, whose team took first place. “We couldn’t stop smiling when we met afterward.”

Discipline and perseverance pave the way to success, say two University of Houston-Victoria students who recently were recognized for their academic excellence by the UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development.

“Don’t talk about it. Be about it,” said Patrick Zapien, a first-generation college student set to receive his Bachelor of Science in kinesiology later this month. “That’s been my motto for myself for a long time. It’s helped me push myself.”

University of Houston-Victoria fall 2021 graduates and their families will have the opportunity to celebrate graduation and listen to words of encouragement from the 2021 UHV Teaching Excellence Award winner during the university’s Dec. 11 commencement ceremony.

UHV will hold commencement Dec. 11 at the Leonard E. Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane, in Katy. Each UHV school will have its own commencement ceremony.

The quality of the University of Houston-Victoria’s undergraduate kinesiology program has been recognized once again as a “distinguished program” by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

The UHV College of Education & Health Profession’s Bachelor of Science in kinesiology program is reviewed every three years by the NSCA’s Education Recognition Program for its ability to prepare students for the organization’s Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certifications.

A team of University of Houston-Victoria students tapped into their personal knowledge of young adult behavior to formulate a winning strategy to rank first place Saturday in the 28th UHV College of Business Master of Business Administration Case Conference.

The students have been taking the capstone course for UHV’s MBA program, “Seminar in Strategic Management,” which requires students to spend a semester analyzing a company both individually and on teams.

When Myanmar native Thin Nadi San arrived in Texas at the beginning of the fall semester to attend school at the University of Houston-Victoria through a federal exchange program, it was almost like an out-of-body experience.

“It was my first time in the U.S., and I thought it was a dream,” San said. “I almost couldn’t believe that I was here and that I was going to study here in Texas. Being here by myself is a big opportunity for me.”

The university hosted three exchange students from different countries as part of the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program, also known as the Global UGRAD Program.

A longstanding partnership between the University of Houston-Victoria and Victoria Independent School District recently expanded to help schoolchildren develop intellectually in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, otherwise known as STEM subjects.

The partnership took on a new dimension this summer after VISD Innovation Specialist Ann Avila contacted UHV science education professor Teresa LeSage-Clements to explore how educators from both institutions could collaborate in helping children develop their STEM skills.

The University of Houston-Victoria received the highest amount of donations yet during UHV’s sixth annual Giving Tuesday campaign on Nov. 30, including a $50,000 donation to create a scholarship endowment.

The university received $113,648 from 469 donors, the second-highest number of donors for the campaign. Donors included UHV employees, alumni and students as well as businesses and community members. Donations came in from across the country as well as Canada, Colombia and Nigeria.

A University of Houston-Victoria professor was recently elected to become president of the largest organization in Texas that represents professional counselors and improves access to them.

In November, Katherine Bacon, an associate professor of professional counseling in UHV’s College of Education & Health Professions, was elected president of the Texas Counseling Association by its members.

This semester, Neil Huskey moved 50 yards closer to his goal of becoming a college athletics director, thanks to an internship he did for his kinesiology degree program at the University of Houston-Victoria.

He graduated this month with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and a concentration in sport management. During his final semester, the Pettus student completed the UHV kinesiology program’s new internship requirement by working part time as an intern for St. Edward's University’s Athletics department.

As he takes the reins of the University of Houston-Victoria’s new academic college, Dmitri Sobolev plans to focus on the three Rs: recruitment, retention and research.

Sobolev, a UHV biology professor, was recently named interim dean of the new UHV College of Natural & Applied Science. In that role, he will work with the university’s administration to establish an infrastructure for the college and work to promote growth in the university’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics academic offerings and in enrollment in both Victoria and Katy.

Mark Ward Sr., an associate professor of communication at the University of Houston-Victoria, has authored a new textbook on public speaking that brings a different approach to a course millions of college students take as part of their general education.

“Introduction to Public Speaking: An Inductive Approach” was published in December by FlatWorld, a leading Boston-based publisher of college textbooks.

A new employee organization at the University of Houston-Victoria is off to a strong start with a successful first year and more activities and fun in store for 2022.

Since starting in 2020, the UHV Latino Faculty & Staff Association has grown its membership, held gatherings online for members to connect, collected donations for a Victoria early childhood center, and held an in-person holiday social.

For years, Penelope Gibbs has dreamed of becoming a first-grade teacher, and her dream is about to come true as she celebrates the completion of a semester full of challenges.

“It’s been crazy, but if you want to do something, you do it,” she said. “You don’t let anything get in the way.”

Nursing students at Texas State Technical College will have a new academic pathway into the University of Houston-Victoria’s nursing program, thanks to an expansion to the transfer credit agreement between the two institutions.

UHV and TSTC recently updated their transfer agreement to include a transfer pathway for students in the TSTC Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing into UHV’s Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, giving TSTC nursing students an easier way to continue their education to receive a bachelor’s degree.

The University of Houston-Victoria will continue to host public events and youth camps focused on math, computer science and robotics for middle and high school students in the Crossroads, thanks to a $30,000 grant from Alcoa Foundation.

Kevin Riggs, location manager at Alcoa, Point Comfort said, “The Alcoa Foundation is proud of the longstanding relationship with UHV and excited to support of the events and camps that both enlighten and encourage area students to learn, grow, and explore mathematics, computer applications, and robotics.”