Higher Education Headlines: May 13
By Sheryl E. Taylor
ESPN Brings National esports Championship to Houston, a ‘Hotbed' for Gaming—Houston Chronicle
Note: UHD opened the city’s first college esports center in November
ESPN brought its inaugural Collegiate Esports Championship finals to Houston last week with more than 100 student gamers from 20 colleges around the country competing against each other in popular video games like “Overwatch” and “Hearthstone” for scholarships.
Opinion: Rice University Expert: Surge Flooding Greatest Threat to Economic Security—Houston Chronicle
Surge flooding poses the greatest threat to Houston's economic security, according to a new research paper by Jim Blackburn, an environmental lawyer and professor of civil engineering at Rice University. And he's calling for quick action to address the risk.
Canceling Student Debt Has a Life-Changing Effect on Borrowers—Raises Their Income by An Average of $4,000—MarketWatch
Cancelling student loans frees up borrowers to make decisions that can improve their financial lives. When roughly 10,000 borrowers had their private student loans cancelled, they were more likely than similar borrowers to move, change jobs or return to school.
Baylor Receives $100 Million from Anonymous Donor—Houston Chronicle
The gift adds to the private Baptist University’s $1.1 billion Give Light campaign—the largest gift in its history to fund scholarships, faculty positions and other initiatives.
San Jacinto College Takes Step to Open Aerospace Training Center at Houston Spaceport—Houston Chronicle
San Jacinto College is taking steps to open an aerospace workforce training center at the Houston Spaceport, providing a talent pipeline that could help attract companies to Houston.
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.
