SGA Continues to Help Houstonians
By Mike Emery
Many Houstonians are homebound as they keep a safe distance from others due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Some community members, however, are lacking in basic supplies due to inventory shortages as local stores and other factors.
Leave it to University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) students to lend a hand, even in this time of social distancing.
Members of the Student Government Association partnered with Gallery Furniture and its owner Jim McIngvale (aka Mattress Mack) to assemble care boxes with toiletries, supplies and non-perishable foods. These students delivered these items to seniors who are unable to leave their homes as well as manned a phone bank at Gallery Furniture.
Students participating in this initiative included SGA President Shay Tatum, Emerson Romero, Rashelle Garcia and Aamir Merchant.
"Many of the people we served literally have no one for support," Tatum said. "They have no family in the area, so this effort from Mattress Mack is providing them with some supplies to help them through this time. We managed to social distance while lending a hand."
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.
