Dear Friends of UHV,
The 2020-2021 year continued to challenge the University of Houston-Victoria and the communities we serve as we worked from home, taught or took online classes, attended virtual events, wore masks and socially distanced.
Despite the changes we all faced, there were many bright spots throughout the year as we opened two new buildings, offered new degree concentrations, partnered with the community on projects and helped students move toward their goal of earning a degree.
I hope you will enjoy this online annual report that allows us to make information about the year available to a wide audience. We also have featured videos and highlights from the Nov. 9 President’s Annual Report & Excellence Awards program.
Here are just a few of UHV’s highlights from 2020-2021:
- The M.G. & Lillie A. Johnson Foundation committed to providing $2 million for the university’s first student recreation and health center. The gift, the largest in the university’s history, will help fund construction of the center along with a student fee that UHV students voted in December 2018 to approve.
- We opened two new buildings:University South, which is dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, and UHV Northwest, home of the UHV Small Business Development Center, Center for Regional Collaboration, Athletics and the university’s kinesiology program.
- UHV announced that it would be showcasing the work of Houston artist Tom Sayre with the upcoming outdoor installation of “Contemplation,” a painted steel sculpture that is part of the Public Arts of the UH System collection.
- Readers of Living Magazine voted UHV the Best College or University in Katy and Fulshear for the third consecutive year, while Katy residents voted UHV as a top college choice in the 2021 Katy Times’ Best of Katy contest.
- Representatives from UHV and Harmony Public Schools signed a partnership agreement to streamline admission, provide scholarships and offer resources for Harmony students attending UHV after high school graduation.
- The university announced its new UHV Commitment housing scholarship, which is renewable for up to four years for new and returning full-time students who live on campus.
- UHV joined more than 60 institutions participating in the 2021-2022 OpenStax Institutional Partner Program to provide students with openly licensed college textbooks offered free online or low cost in print.
- The UHV Diversity and Race Task Force launched its first initiative, the CommUNITY Book Club, a collaboration between the university, United Way of the Crossroads, Be Well Victoria Coalition and the Center for Peace that encourages community members to read and discuss books written by diverse authors about race and diversity. It also established the UHV Library Fund for Diversity Resources to support the purchase of literature representing diverse authors and experiences.
- Donors contributed $2,896,065 to the university throughout the year, including more than $400,000 for Kay’s Grove, a campus memorial landscape garden being constructed in honor of Kay Kerr Walker, a former member of the UH System Board of Regents and longtime supporter of the UH System and UHV.
- Numerous state and national organizations ranked UHV for our quality and affordable degree programs.
Because of the way UHV and our area communities continued to push forward through the challenges that we experienced this year, our theme for the annual report is Up to the Challenge.
As you look through this website, be sure to view the short videos featuring students, faculty, alumni and community members talking about how UHV has made a difference in their lives. You also will see videos of our special recognition award recipients.
As I look at the changes at UHV this past year, I am thankful for the support we have from Victoria and the region. Without our students, faculty and staff, our generous donors and our supportive community, these accomplishments would not have been possible. We are all definitely Up to the Challenge of making this region a better place to live, work and play.
Sincerely,
Robert K. Glenn
President, University of Houston-Victoria