UHD Hosts Harris County Department of Education
College of Public Service Supports Professional Development
By Sheryl E. Taylor
UHD’s College of Public Service (CPS) is hosting the Harris County Department of Education (HDCE) on Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 13 and 14 to support teacher and staff professional development workshops.
This opportunity for the College is also an effort to support teacher education and social justice advocacy within the community. These HDCE employees will be facilitated by community partners and CPS faculty to provide the necessary development for teachers and staff members to effectively support students and adult learners who may face a variety of social, emotional, academic and behavioral challenges.
Members from UHD’s Urban Education faculty who will be participating include: Dr. Matt Fugate, Dr. Ash Tiwari, Dr. Bernado Pohl, Dr. Laura Mitchell as well as Steven Villano, director of UHD’s Center for Public Service & Community Research.
In addition, this collaboration supports recruitment and increased enrollment at UHD by providing paraprofessionals exposure to the University as well as the opportunity to learn more about CPS degree programs as they seek to further their education. CPS has already placed social work and criminal justice students within HCDE to complete field study hours as they earn their degree. HCDE supports more than 160,000 students and 47, 000 educators in 25 districts around Harris County.
“This collaboration with HCDE is essential for our communities. Their mission is our mission in the College as we work together to change lives long term,” said Dr. Jerry Wallace, assistant dean, College of Public Service and director of advising, recruitment and retention.
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.
