13
February
2020
|
15:18 PM
America/Chicago

Scene at UHD: New Gator Wall Progress

As the sun finally came out on Thursday Feb. 13, much progress could be seen on the new Gator Wall mural near the Willow Street Pump Station.

Artist Sebastien “MrD1987” Boileau and his Houston-based mural company Eyeful Art returned to UHD this past week and are busy bringing the new pride-inspiring piece of art to life on campus. The new GatorWall is now clearly visible from windows on the east side of the One Main Building and the Main Street Bridge. Once complete, faculty, staff, students and alumni can venture to the Gator Wall for selfies and photos via a paved pathway near the Wood Street Parking Lot. We'll keep you updated on the progress.

UHD was also on the scene of several other events on campus during the week.

UHD’s Office of Financial Aid Fair transformed the Special Events Center into “Candy Land” on Feb. 11. Students and others in attendance were able to learn about various types of aid and resources available, while also being to help themselves to sweet treats or showing off their singing talents during a karaoke session at the event. In addition to the fun, scholarship information was provided, as well as help in filing FAFSA paperwork.

Noted scholar and author Dr. Tina M. Harris was welcomed to campus this week as the 2020 Scholar in Residence at UHD’s Center for Critical Race Studies. She attended a series of seminars and workshops centering around the theme, “Getting in the Trenches: Navigating Race Talk During Hostile Times.” Harris also attended the Student Activist Luncheon that was held on Feb. 12. As a professor, Harris taught at Bowling Green State University and her alma mater, the University of Georgia (where she served its Department of Speech Communication for more than 20 years). Last year, she accepted the role of Douglas I. Manship and Dory Maynard Endowed Chair of Race, Media and Cultural Literacy at Louisiana State University (LSU).

The UHD Office of Student Activities hosted its fifth annual Student Organization Leadership Development (SOLD) Conference on Feb. 7 in the Wilhelmina Robertson Cullen Auditorium. Highlighting the event was nationally recognized inspirational speaker, author, podcast host and entrepreneur Odell Bizzell. Bizzell has been featured in the USA Today, Yahoo Finance, CNBC.com, and over 200 media outlets. Odell has partnered with more than 200 colleges, youth organizations, and the military to reach tens of thousands of students. The event also featured interactive workshops and breakout sessions that focused on enhancing leadership and organizational skills.

 

 

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.