New Students Join Gator Correspondents Team
By Emily Christiansen
Six new students have joined the Gator Correspondents team, a social media initiative that allows students to share their daily campus experiences at UHD through either Instagram or Twitter.
The program began in 2017 and has quickly gained popularity on campus. Currently, nine correspondents are participating (with more to join this fall) and serving as social media ambassadors for the University.
Mike Emery, director of communications, described the importance of a student-centered view of the university on social media.
“Students are the eyes and ears of this university,” Emery said. “They can provide a unique lens into what’s happening in class, on campus and in our community.”
The program started out with two correspondents in 2017 and has continued to grow. Not only do correspondents post about daily campus life, but they also have covered university events, such as the 2018 candidate debates for U.S. Congress and Texas Senate District 6.
These campus correspondents gain social media storytelling experience, networking opportunities, and have the opportunity to be a voice for UHD from a student’s point of view. They cover a range of interests from Sports and Fitness to the Study Abroad program and Houston places they love. Recently, Gator Correspondents have been sharing their Study Abroad experiences from Costa Rica, India, Taiwan and China.
New correspondent Jessica Gonzalez, an Interdisciplinary Studies major, explained that being a Gator Correspondent means she can represent UHD and show how great it has been for her. She said when she transferred from Houston Community College, it was hard not knowing where anything was located, but other Gator Correspondents helped her find her way around campus.
Leboriah Chavez, an accounting and finance major, agrees that Gator Correspondents should help their fellow students.
“I wanted to become a correspondent because I wanted to help new, future and current Gators feel comfortable on campus,” Chavez said. “I wanted to spread awareness of the amazing opportunities UHD offers."
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.
