Each year, UHV’s three schools are up to the challenge of creating new academic programs and make improvements to better meet the needs of the university’s students and the community.
Here are just some of the academic highlights from UHV’s three schools that took place in 2020-2021:
School of Arts & Sciences
- A $198,028 U.S. Department of Defense National Defense Education Program for STEM grant was awarded to UHV for a two-year project in collaboration with Alabama A&M and Navajo Technical universities. The project is helping UHV students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics prepare for internships and technical careers in national security and defense.
- The Specialist in School Psychology program was awarded a national accreditation that is helping UHV recruit new students and streamline the professional certification process for the program’s graduates. The accreditation through 2028 from the National Association of School Psychologists makes UHV one of only 13 universities accredited in Texas.
- The school announced it would begin offering new degree concentrations in the latest technologies for its students majoring in computer information systems. Students earning a bachelor’s degree now can select from concentrations in cybersecurity or data science, while graduate students can choose from cybersecurity, data science or artificial intelligence concentrations.
- Free, virtual courses and camps for middle and high school students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics were offered throughout the year. These courses and events included a Data Science Summer Camp and an after-school Robotics, Programming and Simulation Course, both for high school students, and a Texas Women in Computing Summer Camp for middle school girls. Many of the events were funded by a $30,000 grant from Alcoa Foundation.
School of Business Administration
- The “Bridge to Brilliance – Building Resiliency to Inspire, Develop and Grow Entrepreneurship” virtual monthly series was launched by a subcommittee of the school’s Dean’s Advisory Board to connect UHV students with area business owners and interested community members. The free presentations featured speakers followed by a discussion period about topics such as financial literacy, networking strategies and how to expand career opportunities.
- The Strategic Master of Business Administration was recognized as a top program when the Princeton Review included it in its list of Best Business Schools 2021: Best On-Campus MBA Programs. The list included schools worldwide and was determined using factors such as institutional data and student surveys. The school also ranked No. 7 in the Greatest Resources for Minority Students category.
- The Houston Business Journal ranked the Strategic MBA on its list of 2021 Largest Houston Area MBA programs. The Strategic MBA is offered online and face to face at the UHV main campus in Victoria and the UHV Katy instructional site.
- Ten alumni representing different business professions spoke to students virtually during the school’s 11th annual Alumni Week about their professional journeys and how to be successful.
School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development
- The school’s graduate counseling program updated its degree offering to a Master of Science in Professional Counseling with tracks in clinical mental health counseling and professional school counseling. The change from a Master of Education to a Master of Science was made to increase professional opportunities for students after graduation. The degrees are nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs and are the only CACREP-accredited professional counseling degrees available in the Victoria and Greater Houston areas.
- Twelve UHV alumni were named teachers of the year for their outstanding work at their respective schools in the Victoria Independent School District. The school offers 11 certifications for students who want to become teachers.
- The Victoria Alliance Against Chronic Kidney Disease Program, which focuses on ways to reduce chronic kidney disease in at-risk populations, held meetings online because of the pandemic and then expanded with a new program called “Getting Better, Together.” The new program focuses on improving area residents’ mental health and is led by two UHV faculty members. Both programs are funded by a grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas.
- A virtual pinning ceremony was held for the first time for 11 students graduating from the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Students were sent a unique UHV nursing pin to wear on their lapels to let patients know that well-educated nurses are caring for them. Nursing Schools Almanac, a national nursing website, also recognized the program as one of the best in Texas.