Gator Grit Series Kicks Off With East End Legislators
By Mark Kramer
A new year of the Gator Grit Speaker Series will kick off with a Legislative Wrap-Up featuring State Sen. Carol Alvarado and Rep. Christina Morales from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 24 in UHD’s TDECU Tour Room.
This is the third year of the speaker series, which highlights regional leaders who showcase examples of grit that inspire courage, resolve and tenacity within both UHD and the Houston community.
Alvarado and Morales will update guests on recent legislative actions and provide information from the State Capitol of interest to their constituents. UHD Political Science lecturer Dr. Edgardo Colon will serve as moderator for the event.
Alvarado was elected to the District 6 Senate seat during a special election held in 2018. During her campaign, she participated in a debate with her challengers that was hosted by UHD. She served as District 145 Representative in the Texas House of Representatives from 2009 until she assumed her Senate post. In addition, Alvarado served on the Houston City Council from 2002 to 2008. She is a native Houstonian and longtime resident of the city’s East End.
As State Senator, Alvarado’s primary focus has been economic development, public health and public education, along with strengthening the state’s workforce and regulating criminal justice reform.
Morales, the granddaughter of late well-known and beloved Houston civic leader Felix Morales, was elected as State Representative for District 145 in Spring 2019. Her previous leadership experience includes serving as a commissioner for the City of Houston Planning Commission and as a board member for the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, the Houston Independent School District Foundation, the Houston Community College Foundation, the East End Foundation and the Denver Harbor Seniors.
Morales’ main objectives as a member of the House is on the creation and support of legislation that helps educate the children of her district and protect the seniors in her community.
To attend the event, please RSVP.
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 approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
