UHV President Bob Glenn, far right, stands with the award winners from Thursday’s UHV Annual Report Event. Shown from left are Rob Angerstein, senior vice president and trust officer at Prosperity Bank, who accepted the Community Partnership Award on behalf of the Wood Family Memorial Trust; Josiah Hawkins, a UHV senior who received the Student Leadership Award; Bill Blanchard, retired CEO of DeTar Healthcare System, who received the People Who Make a Difference Award; and Texas Rep. Geanie Morrison, who accepted the Presidential Medal honoring her late husband, Jack Morrison.

The University of Houston-Victoria spent Thursday evening celebrating the achievements of the past year and thanking its supporters as part of the 2021-2022 UHV Annual Report event.

About 200 people attended the event, which was hosted at UHV Northwest, the university’s property at Airline Road and Laurent Street. During the evening, attendees learned about the university’s accomplishments and other highlights from the 2022 fiscal year. The university also presented awards to community partners and a UHV student.

The theme for this year’s annual report is “Value Beyond Numbers.” While there are many important numbers when gauging the value of higher education, the true value of earning a degree and going on to live a successful life is about more than a good salary or other elements that can be measured with numbers. More information about UHV’s successes and major events in 2021-2022 can be found online at www.uhvannualreport.com.

“The UHV Annual Report is an opportunity for us as a university to say ‘thank you’ to everyone who has supported us throughout the year and to show them how their support has led to our success,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “I am always honored to see so many people come out to celebrate our university, and I look forward to seeing UHV and our regional leaders continue to work together for many more years to come.”

Throughout the night, attendees heard about major accomplishments from each of the academic colleges, as well as UHV Student Affairs and UHV Athletics. The university also presented four awards as part of the celebration.

During the ceremony, Glenn posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal to Jack Morrison, a longtime supporter of health and higher education in the Victoria community. Morrison was a longtime trustee of the M.G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation and was serving as chair of the foundation’s board when he passed. He also was a personal friend of the Johnson family, and he was committed to making sure their foundation fulfilled its intended purpose. Through the years, the foundation has contributed millions of dollars to UHV, Victoria College and other community organizations to grow and support health-related programs at the university and in the community. Morrison’s wife, State Rep. Geanie Morrison, accepted the award on his behalf.

“I want to thank UHV for recognizing all the good work and investments made by the Johnson Foundation and Jack,” Geanie Morrison said. “Jack didn’t say much and preferred to work behind the scenes, but he was friends with the Johnson family, and he was honored to continue their legacy.”

Another award from the evening was the People Who Make A Difference Award, which pays tribute to those who have supported the university and made a difference in the quality of life of the community. The award was given to Bill Blanchard, the retired CEO of DeTar Healthcare System. Blanchard has been a strong supporter of higher education and the Victoria community for years. One of his major contributions to the community was helping to bring the DeTar Family Medicine Residency Program to Victoria through a partnership between the Texas A&M and the DeTar system. Blanchard also has supported many UHV initiatives through the past, including helping to fund Innovation Collective.

“It’s an honor to even be considered for this award,” Blanchard said during the event. “This room is full of community leaders who helped make Victoria what it is today. There are so many fantastic things going on in Victoria, and I encourage the incoming generation of young leaders to get involved and share that enthusiasm for our community.”

The Community Partnership Award is presented to a person, business or organization that has helped advance the quality of life in the region and at the university. This year, the award was given to the Wood Family Memorial Trust. The trust first donated to UHV in 1984, and over the years has donated more than half a million dollars to the university to fund scholarships. The trust is operated through Prosperity Bank’s Trust Department. Rob Angerstein, senior vice president and trust officer at Prosperity Bank, accepted the award on behalf of the trust.

“The Wood Family Memorial Trust greatly appreciates this honor,” Angerstein said. “This honor truly belongs to Corin and Margaret Wood, who had a desire to support the youth and education in this area. We in Prosperity Bank’s Trust Department are proud to carry out their wishes.”

The university also presented the Student Leadership Award, which recognizes a student who demonstrates excellence in leadership and academics. This year, the award was given to Josiah Hawkins, a senior communication design major from San Antonio. Hawkins is a resident assistant in Jaguar Court and has been very involved on campus, especially when it comes to serving residents in UHV’s residence halls.

“I’m so thankful to UHV Residence Life for this opportunity to grow personally and professionally,” Hawkins said. “When I first came to UHV in 2020, everyone was in their rooms with no interaction because of COVID. When everyone came back out in 2021, I decided I wanted a change. I applied to be a resident assistant and began engaging with students and learning more about UHV. I’m so grateful for the ride and the chance to keep growing.”

In addition to the awards, the event featured videos about UHV’s four academic colleges, Student Life and Athletics as well as highlights from the past year. To see the videos and hear more about UHV’s successes throughout the past year, go to the 2021-2022 annual report website at www.uhvannualreport.com.