The University of Houston-Victoria is gearing up for a golden celebration that will last all year, and the community is invited to join the festivities.

Fifty years ago, UHV opened for its first full academic year as the University of Houston Victoria Center, a teaching center for the University of Houston. Today, UHV is a thriving university that offers more than 50 academic programs with a wide selection of concentrations and is an integral part of the Victoria community. Now, the university is planning a full year of events and activities to celebrate that history and look forward to future successes.

Bob Glenn

“The 50th anniversary is a momentous achievement for UHV and the Victoria community,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “It has been an honor to serve as Victoria’s hometown university, and we hope that everyone will come share in our celebration. We’ve grown so much in the past 50 years, and we hope to serve the community for many more years to come.”

One of the major ways that UHV plans to celebrate the 50^th anniversary milestone is by supporting its students through scholarships. Throughout the academic year, UHV will be awarding fifty $1,000 scholarships to students during different events. The first 10 scholarships will be awarded through a drawing at the university’s annual Convocation on Sept. 6. Students can enter the drawing by participating in the Welcome Week activities during the first week of classes. As the year progresses, students will be able to enter contests and drawings for more opportunities to receive scholarships.

UHV also plans to celebrate some of the people and organizations that have helped the university succeed. On Sept. 12, the university will open the 50 Faces of UHV display on campus. The display will feature portraits of 50 individuals and organizations who have had a significant impact on the university during the institution’s history. The portraits will be displayed throughout the year in five buildings on campus: Center, West, North, South and Commons.

This milestone also offered a chance to do something new and exciting. This year, UHV has published the first-ever UHV Magazine. The magazine will be an annual publication that will feature articles and information about the university, its students, alumni, employees and programs. This issue is focused on the university’s 50^th anniversary and includes features about a faculty member who has been with the university for 50 years, UHV alumni success stories, families with multiple generations of UHV students, a list of UHV traditions and even an illustrated timeline of UHV’s history. In the back of the magazine, readers will find a UHV sticker sheet. Copies of the magazine can be found on campus in Victoria and at UHV Katy.

The university also is celebrating with special decorations around campus. New banners with the university’s 50^th anniversary logo can be seen in the walkways in Victoria and at UHV Katy. Also, new murals and window decorations will be seen on campus in Victoria. A new vinyl window display can be seen on University Commons, 3006 N. Ben Wilson St. In addition, Josh Vega and the Free Art Project will be painting two murals on campus. The murals will be on the side of University South chiller yard wall that faces Red River Street and on University Center next to the picnic area.

In addition to these special events and displays, all of the annual events that UHV’s students and employees typically enjoy will feature 50^th anniversary themes. From Welcome Week to Homecoming, all of UHV will participate in this year-long celebration. We hope you will join us.