Dear UHD Family,

I don't know what's harder to believe … that it's already late November or that temperatures in Houston have finally gotten cooler. Either way, I hope that all of you enjoy your days off at the end of this week and take time to be thankful for the many wonderful things happening in our city and at our university.

Here at the University of Houston-Downtown, we have many reasons to be thankful. We're expanding our footprint in the city and continuing to touch the community in many ways. People are noticing us. This semester, we've hosted civic leaders who told me personally how impressed they are with our university. Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Independent School District Superintendent Richard Carranza are just two local figures who are UHD admirers. With supporters like these guys, we're definitely doing something right.

But it doesn't take kudos from local leaders to make me thankful to be here. Seeing the hard work of our faculty, staff and students is definitely energizing and among the many reasons I am grateful to lead this institution.

I encourage all of you to take a look around you before you depart for your respective holiday destinations. We have much to be thankful for here at UHD including talented people, a growing campus (one of the safest in the country) and many great programs.

It's very easy to take things (and people) for granted. During a long week of work and school, we may sometimes forget those who help us on a daily basis … or even the little things that make our campus special. Even if we don't vocalize our appreciation to our peers (for some, that's not an easy task), we should remember to try to express our thanks in some way.

The late John F. Kennedy sums up this sentiment perfectly:

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

With that in mind, I want all of you to enjoy your time away from campus this week and look upon both your campus and home families fondly … and with thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Michael A. Olivas

UHD Interim President