24
November
2021
|
09:12 AM
America/Chicago

President's Message - Happy Thanksgiving!

UHD President Loren J. Blanchard

Dear UHD Community,

I want to extend my best wishes to you this Thanksgiving season, which always gives us reason to reflect on the previous 12 months and show our gratitude. For me, I’m thankful for each of you who comprise our Gator Family. You powerfully represent the University of Houston-Downtown’s spirit through your thoughts and actions. I could not imagine finer representatives for the University.

This is also a good time to take stock of how much has changed during the last year. We made significant strides since COVID-19 hit. We held forums with nationally respected health experts, worked with community partners to provide vaccinations, and returned to in-person classes and activities. Our Student Wellness & Success Center underwent significant progress in its construction. We launched the new “Determined. Dedicated. Downtown.” branding campaign, which features some familiar faces in advertisements across our campus and city. Personally, I cannot forget that this is the year you welcomed me as UHD’s President.

Of course, so many other experiences occurred during 2021 that are worth cherishing and remembering, both in our personal lives and as a University Community.

I hope you are able to enjoy this holiday break to connect with loved ones and appreciate what brings you a sense of gratitude. As always, please remember to stay safe at any gatherings by practicing caution and courtesy.

Our campus will be closed November 25 and 26, but finals are just around the corner, as well as our 71st Commencement Ceremony scheduled for December 18 at NRG Stadium. Find time to rest and prepare for these last weeks of the semester. Also, let’s not forget that the spring semester will soon be here, greeting us with exciting events and a bevy of continued opportunities to grow, learn and impact our region.

Sincerely,

Loren J. Blanchard, Ph.D.
President, University of Houston-Downtown