A Gator Congregation
UHD Gives Back on National Day of Service
Last Saturday, a collection of UHD students, staff, faculty, and community members gathered at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston to volunteer and make a difference in the community, all while marking a National Day of Service commemorating Sept. 11.
The event, facilitated by the Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning (CCESL), resulted in hundreds of helpful items being assembled into kits that included essentials such as soap, towels, and hygiene products as well as underwear. Volunteers also crafted cat toys for the felines served by the aniMeals program and created more than 100 birthday cards for seniors in the Meals on Wheels program.
Caroline Smith, Associate Director of CCESL, provided the event’s opening remarks, saying, “It’s important to not only remember the lives and honor the heroes of that day, but to rekindle the spirit of what it means to truly come together and serve the community. It is inspirational to witness so many members of the UHD community join efforts and make a substantial impact on the lives of strangers. This spirit of service is what helps to define UHD Gators, and this is evident at every GatorServe event.”
Please take the time to view the photo carousel above, courtesy of Michael Costilla of Interfaith Ministries.
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates more than 15,000 students, boasts more than 64,000 alumni, and offers 46 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences & Technology. For the fourth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranks UHD among universities across the nation for Best Online Criminal Justice Programs (No. 27 and No. 15 for Veterans) and Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. UHD has the most affordable tuition among four-year universities in Houston and one of the lowest in Texas. U.S. News ranked the University among Top Performers on Social Mobility and awarded UHD a No. 1 ranking as the most diverse institution of higher education in the southern region of the U.S. The University is noted nationally as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Minority-Serving Institution, and Military Friendly School. For more on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit www.uhd.edu.
