01
March
2021
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13:49 PM
America/Chicago

UHD, City of Houston Partnering on Internships for UHD Students

MOU Focused on Professional Development Opportunities

Summary

By Mike Emery

The University of Houston-Downtown and Houston City Hall have always maintained a collaborative, close relationship. Last week, the ties between both institutions became even stronger thanks to a new partnership placing students into City Hall internships.

UHD Interim President Antonio D. Tillis, Ph.D. and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner donned protective masks and put pens to paper for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing focused on supporting professional development opportunities for students.

As he promised during his first 100 Days as Interim President, Tillis has worked to secure City of Houston internships for students. Six students will fill interns’ roles in the following city offices: Mayor’s Office of Education; Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities; Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; Houston Municipal Television; and the Mayor’s Office of Governmental Affairs.

This initiative will be led by Dr. Creshema Murray, Special Assistant to the Office of the President and Associate Professor of Communication Studies.

“It was indeed an honor to sign this MOU with Mayor Sylvester Turner,” Tillis said. “Given his many responsibilities following last week’s winter storm, he was committed to supporting this initiative and to helping our Gators obtain invaluable learning experiences within City Hall. Mayor Turner and others such as Juliet Stipeche, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education, recognize the significance of UHD in our city and the importance of these internships in preparing tomorrow’s community leaders. This is a proud partnership and one that yields many benefits for Houston, UHD and the state of Texas.”

Details on how students can apply for these internships are forthcoming, and according to Dr. Murray, she is looking forward to working with students as they further hone their professional skills while serving the city.

“This is a historic collaboration, and I am proud to be a part of it,” Murray said. “I anticipate many great things happening for our city and our University as a result of these internships. Considering the proximity of UHD to City Hall and our hard working students, this is definitely a perfect partnership.”

 

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.