11
November
2019
|
16:16 PM
America/Chicago

President's One Main Message: Celebrating Veterans at UHD

Dear UHD Community,

Today is Veterans Day, and I’d like to thank UHD’s faculty, staff, and student veterans for their service to our country. Likewise, I’d like to extend my gratitude to the entire UHD Community for its support of veterans on campus.

Our institution has more than 700 student veterans who are assisted by UHD Veterans Services. This office helps former members of the military adapt to an academic environment by providing guidance with regards to admissions, registration, scholarships, financial aid and other university processes.

Additionally, it is home to the Student Veterans Organization (SVO), which advocates for our student veteran population. Today, SVO and Veterans Services staff members represented UHD in our city’s Veterans Day Celebration and American Heroes Parade. They rode through downtown in a UHD truck with our Gator mascot prominently featured on it. This year marked UHD’s seventh year to participate in this event.

Having served in the Marines, I am pleased to know that veterans are selecting UHD as their university of choice. And, I am honored that UHD is consistently ranked as a Military Friendly School and a Veteran Friendly University.

This edition of the One Main Message further spotlights two upcoming events that celebrate veterans. I look forward to seeing you at these events and encourage you to take the time to thank a veteran for his/her service on this Veterans Day.

Dr. Juan Sánchez MuñozUHD President

Latinas in the Military

UHD’s Center for Latino Studies’ presents this lecture from Dr. Valerie Martinez, an assistant professor of history from Our Lady of the Lake University. The event is at 3:30 p.m., Nov. 12 in UHD’s TDECU Tour Room. Dr. Martinez’ lecture will address her research on Latinas in the United States Armed Forces during World War II. She recently co-directed the project “Military City, USA: An Oral History Project Dedicated to Women and War” collecting the stories of women in the military and researching archives at the 37th Training Wing History Office at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and the Fort Sam Houston Museum.

A Vet With Gator Grit

I am honored to welcome alumnus and veteran Marcus Bowers back to campus for the next installment of the Gator Grit Speaker Series on Nov. 19. He served in the U.S. Navy’s Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen and is the founder of successful company, She’s Happy Hair. I will moderate this discussion with Marcus, who was featured on the cover of the latest edition of UHD Magazine. In addition to overseeing his own business venture, Bowers is committed to the success of his fellow veterans. Over the weekend, he led the Fishbowl Experience in which veterans presented ideas for startup businesses to himself and other business leaders. He is an inspirational alumnus, and I look forward to our conversation next week.

 

About the University of Houston-Downtown

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.