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2010ARTSCALENDAR
SCHOOL OF THEATRE & DANCE
April 16–18, 22–25: Dangerous Liaisons
April 30–May 2: Spring Dance Concert
SCHOOL OF ART
Through April 24: 2010 Masters
Thesis Exhibition
BLAFFER GALLERY
May 14–July 31: Tomás Saraceno:
Lighter Than Air Exhibition
(May 13: Opening Reception)
MOORES SCHOOL OF MUSIC
April 19: Percussion Ensembles
April 21: Jazz Orchestra /Jazz Ensemble
April 23–25: Symphonic Band /Symphonic Winds
April 24: Choral Artists
April 25: Wind Ensemble
April 30: Symphony Orchestra
June 12, 19, 26, July 3: Texas Music
Festival Orchestra
June 8, 15, 22, 29: Festival Artist
Series Concerts
New Frontier of Pride
From Past to Present, the Cougar Legacy Endures
“II viaggio a Reims” | Moores Opera House
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• UH Inspiration
• UH Motivation
• UH Determination UH RECEIVES $3.5 MILLION GRANT FOR APPLIED RESEARCH HUB p. 4
Magazine
The Univer sity
of Houston
Spring 2010, Vol. 4, No. 2
Publishers
Michael Rierson
Vice President for University Advancement
Karen Clarke
Associate Vice President for University Relations
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY
MARKETING & BRANDING (Interim)
Elisa Crossland (’09)
Assistant Director of Marketing
Liz Selig
Managing Editor
Jo Anne Davis-Jones (’79)
graphic designER
Watson Riddle
Message from the President
Contributing Writers
Mike Emery
Kelli Ferrell
Eric Gerber (’72, M.A. ’78)
Amanda Hosey
Michelle Klump
Shawn Lindsey
Marisa Ramirez (’00)
I’m sure those of you fortunate enough to view
the recent “Legacy of the Pride” exhibit in the
M.D. Anderson Library will agree that it was a
marvelous and inspiring display. The multimedia
presentation, which traced our university’s evolution
from a modest junior college founded in 1927 to its
current status as a world-class institution, offered a
rich array of historical artifacts, vintage photographs,
period documents and a wonderful video putting
this all in context.
Photographer
Thomas Campbell
Chancellor and President
Renu Khator
University of Houston System
Board of Regents
The exhibit certainly helped me understand why
“You Are the Pride” rings so resonantly with our
campus community and our alumni. “Legacy of the
Pride” was another reminder of what a truly impressive
heritage our institution can claim. For those who
missed this important exhibit, you can read more
on page 8 then treat yourself to an online version
at www.uh.edu/magazine/bonus.
Welcome W. Wilson Sr. (’49), Chairman
Jim P. Wise (’66), Vice Chairman
Nelda Blair (J.D. ’82), Secretary
Nandita Venkateswaran Berry (J.D. ’95)
Tilman J. Fertitta
Jarvis V. Hollingsworth (J.D. ’93)
Kristen Lindley
Jacob Monty (J.D. ’93)
Mica Mosbacher
Carroll Robertson Ray (J.D. ’02)
Send address and e-mail updates to:
University of Houston
Donor and Alumni Records
306 McElhinney Hall
Houston, Texas 77204-5035
www.uh.edu/magazine
Send feedback to: magazine@uh.edu
The University of Houston Magazine is published by
the UH Division of University Advancement.
Printed on recycled paper.
The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.
144162 | 04. 2010 | 75,000
Copyright © 2010 by the University of Houston.
(Inside Cover) Philip G. Hoffman (HON ’87), UH President (1961–1977) and UH System Chancellor (1977–1979),
plays with Shasta IV.
(Cover Photo) Welcome W. Wilson Sr. (’49), UH System Board of Regents chairman, is joined by fellow UH Frontiersmen:
(l-r) Stephen Ontiveros, Loy Collin New and Mark Cortez. The group was established in 1948 to promote Cougar spirit.
(All archival photos in this issue are courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, University of Houston Libraries.)
d | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
ask those in attendance how many of them are UH
students or alumni. A number of hands shoot up, usually
making the “Go Coogs” sign as they do! Then I’ll ask
the remaining folks how many have a friend or a family
member who attended UH. More hands go up. Then I’ll
ask how many work at a business alongside a Cougar?
Or attended a football game or theater performance
on campus?
I invariably wind up with every person in the room
holding up a hand.
I could continue, of course. How many have children
taught by school teachers and principals who graduated
from UH? Gone to an optometrist or a pharmacist or a
lawyer from UH? Been in homes and buildings designed
by our architects? Driven across bridges devised by
our engineers? Had medical treatment facilitated by our
researchers? Eaten at a restaurant staffed by Cougars?
We can talk at length about this university’s high-profile
accomplishments and trumpet its internationally
recognized researchers and scholars, renowned
Olympic and professional athletes, show business
stars, celebrated artists, prominent political leaders
and powerful business magnates. That is indeed a
legacy of which to be proud.
Semester after semester, year after year, decade
after decade, the University of Houston has played
an essential role in shaping and sustaining the city
whose name we proudly bear.
There is, however, another kind of legacy that is every
bit as uplifting and personally pleasing to me.
When I’m invited to appear at local functions, I often
And, we share a pride built on determination,
achievement and success.
UH System Chancellor and UH President
Inside
Message from the Regents
The University of Houston had only 3,500 students by the
close of the 1946 spring semester. A little more than three
months later, 10,500 students had enrolled for the fall. I was
one of them. Most were returning
GIs from World War II.
There were only three permanent
buildings on campus then. To
accommodate the tremendous influx
of students, housing was in the form
of 300 army surplus house trailers
located where the Bauer College of
Business parking lot is today. My
brother Jack and I lived in trailer
number 67. The bathroom was a
block and a half away — not exactly
convenient during a cold and wet
winter day.
My point is this ­—
the University of Houston is
still a very exciting place.
A world-class campus with
state-of-the-art laboratories,
modern classrooms, nationally
ranked academic programs
and sports teams, an annual
budget of almost $1.3 billion
and 37,000 students.
Legacy of the Pride...
10
Exceptional Cougars
Humble Beginnings + Committed
Supporters=Remarkable Future.
Tales of Inspiration: Cougars Remember
Special UH Moments.
14 Creating a UH Tradition
Four Families Share Their UH Journey.
Nevertheless, the University of
Houston was an exciting place to be.
We had few traditions and few rules.
We students, the faculty and the
administration were all “winging it.”
I got a job as business manager for
The Daily Cougar (then a weekly newspaper). I sold advertising,
had six employees, contracted with the printers and, in effect,
at age 18, ran a small business. What an opportunity for me!
In 1949, I graduated with a business degree and got married
the same day to a campus beauty named Joanne Guest. Last
August, we celebrated 60 years together. I owe much to the
University of Houston.
My point is this — the University of Houston is still a very exciting
place. A world-class campus with state-of-the-art laboratories,
modern classrooms, nationally ranked academic programs and
sports teams, an annual budget of almost $1.3 billion and 37,000
students. We have renowned faculty members who are doing
groundbreaking research and are inspiring our students. And we
have strong leaders — including our incredible president — who
are committed to seeing our university achieve Tier-One status.
6
24 Leaders of the Pack
Spirit of Houston Band Pumps Up
the Excitement.
In every issue
1 Message from the President
2 Message from the Regents
4 Making an Impact
6
13 Play-by-Play
19 Community Connections
20 Faculty Honors
This issue of the UH Magazine explores the meaning of the
“Legacy of the Pride.” For me, that meaning is simple — I am
as proud of our university today, and will continue to be, as I was
when I first set foot on campus 63 years ago.
22 Reflections
26 Giving Matters
Welcome W. Wilson Sr. (’49)
Chairman
UH System Board of Regents
10
14
24
www.uh.edu/magazine
8
2 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
3 | www.uh.edu/magazine
Making An Impact
Making An Impact
Applied Research Hub Gets Green Light
Building the UH Health Initiative
UH Receives a $3.5 Million ETF Grant for
High-Temperature Superconducting Technology.
New Hires and Texas Medical Center Membership Pave the Way
to Expanded Health-Care Presence.
by Amanda Hosey
by Shawn Lindsey
Since its founding in 1987, the Texas Center for
Superconductivity at UH, or TCSUH, has been making
advances in the development of high-temperature
superconducting (HTS) wires. The new TCSUH Applied
Research Hub will make it even easier for the university
to partner with industry to transition HTS discoveries
to the marketplace. The TCSUH Applied Research Hub
will help realize the potential of HTS technology and
establish Houston as a center for HTS applications,
especially in the areas of energy and medicine.
The Applied Research Hub will build on existing resources
and foster key collaborations in an effort to develop
HTS applications that have the potential to revolutionize
medical equipment and improve the efficiency, security
and stability of the next-generation electric power grid.
By partnering with UH mechanical engineering faculty
and leading HTS company SuperPower Inc., the Applied
Research Hub will create pathways to quickly move
superconductivity innovations into industry.
SuperPower’s specialty products facility will provide
a pipeline to full-scale manufacturing directly from
the hub.
A recent $3.5 million Research Superiority Acquisition grant
from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) — the
second such award for UH — was the final crucial piece
of the Applied Research Hub puzzle. The ETF grant
allows Venkat Selvamanickam (M.S. ’88, Ph.D. ’92),
director of the Applied Research Hub and M.D. Anderson
Chair Professor in Mechanical Engineering, to round
out his team of top HTS researchers and construct
research facilities.
“The ETF grant will be used to establish facilities with
state-of-the-art equipment to conduct research on
superconductor wires, devices and other materials,”
explains Selvamanickam, with the goal of transitioning
the research to industry.
Venkat Selvamanickam
“The hub will bring together research expertise to translate
superconductor products to the energy market and
eventually to the medical instrumentation market,” adds
Don Birx, UH vice president for research. Support from
the ETF “is key in developing TCSUH’s capabilities and
advancing HTS applications to put UH and the state of
Texas at the center of the international stage,” Birx says.
Plans currently are under way for the construction of the Applied Research Hub facilities in the
UH Energy Research Park.
4 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
Xiaoliu Shaun Zhang’s career in medicine
and cancer research has taken him around
the world. He received his medical training
in China, a Ph.D. in Australia and conducted
postdoctoral work in Australia and the U.K.,
coming to the U.S. in 1999 as a faculty
member with an established lab at the
Baylor College of Medicine (BCM).
So, some might consider the five-mile
move from BCM to join world-renowned
scientist Jan-Åke Gustafsson at the University
of Houston, a short one. In reality, it has
far-reaching implications, as Zhang illustrates
the long distance UH will go to recruit top
talent as it builds UH Health and strengthens
its ties to the Texas Medical Center (TMC).
UH Health coordinates under one umbrella
the existing strengths of the university’s
health-related academic programs, including
psychology, pharmacy and optometry, and its
$61 million in health-related research.
Zhang left BCM to become part of a 40-member
team undertaking world-changing research
related to understanding and curing complex
health problems such as cancer and diabetes.
“Even though my group has only been
here for about six months, all the research
projects have been going extremely well. I am
confident that we have made the right move,”
says Zhang, a tenured faculty member in the
Department of Biology and Biochemistry.
Under the direction of Gustafsson, who was
recruited last year to head the new Center
for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling
(CNRCS), the group is part of UH President
Renu Khator’s strategy to build a Tier-One
research team through “cluster hires” —
acquiring a research superstar with his/her
full research team.
Quick Takes
The UH Wellness comprehensive alcohol
prevention program is among the nation’s
best, according to the National Association of
State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors and
the National Prevention Network. The program
received the 2009 National Exemplary Award
for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention
Programs, Practices and Policies.
The UH Law Center is ranked 34th in
the 2010 Super Lawyers U.S. Law School
Rankings. The list ranks law schools by
the number of graduates included in the
annual Super Lawyers list, which is based on
evaluations by peers within legal specialties.
Xiaoliu Shaun Zhang
While Gustafsson, one of the world’s leading
hormone researchers, is considered the
“superstar,” there are a number of co-stars in
CNRCS. Zhang’s work has brought more than
$2 million in federal grants to UH. His team is
collaborating with several renowned clinicians
in the TMC to take a patented cancer-fighting
biotherapy agent to clinical trials — one of a
growing number of collaborative opportunities
with TMC institutions after UH became an
official member of the world’s largest medical
center in late 2009.
“UH is possibly the most exciting university
in the nation right now, especially if you’re
interested in the momentous race for
Tier-One status, closer ties with the TMC,
new breakthroughs in health-related research,
and innovative new interdisciplinary health
science programs,” says Kathryn Peek
(M.S. ’70), longtime biomedical educator
spearheading UH Health.
UH is ranked 14th among the nation’s
“best neighbor” colleges and universities,
according to a presentation, “Saviors of Our
Cities: A Survey of Best College and University
Civic Partnerships,” compiled by Evan Dobelle,
president of Westfield State College. The
academic institutions were selected for their
positive impact on their urban communities,
including both commercial and residential
activities such as revitalization, cultural
renewal, economics and community service
and development.
The C.T. Bauer College of Business
Entrepreneurship Program ranked
second in the top undergraduate category
of the 2009 Best Schools for Entrepreneurs,
according to Entrepreneur magazine and
The Princeton Review.
The Young Artist Apprenticeship
Program, a six-week comprehensive
art-making workshop for teenagers from
neighboring Houston Independent School
District high schools, earned national
endorsement with a Coming Up Taller award
and $10,000 from President Barak Obama’s
Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
First Lady Michelle Obama presented the
award. The program is organized by
Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the
University of Houston.
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 5
UH Pride
A very young Wilhelmina “Beth” Robertson
and Corbin J. Robertson Jr. eagerly wait in
the stands of Robertson Stadium prior to a
UH Homecoming game.
Legacy of the Pride…
14 Reasons
to be UH Proud
Humble Beginnings + Committed Supporters = Remarkable Future.
by Jo Anne Davis-Jones (’79)
1
UH is well on its way to becoming Texas’ next Tier-One university.
2
UH is one of the nation’s most ethnically diverse major research universities.
L
egacy can be defined as the
passing of a gift or a precious
memory to future generations.
The University of Houston’s
legacy is filled with an overwhelming
number of success stories that paint a
beautiful tapestry of promise, excellence
and pride.
A Seed is Planted
E.E. Oberholtzer, the University of
Houston’s founder and first president,
heeded the call of a small group of eager
and enthusiastic working-class high school
students who sought higher education. On
June 5, 1927, with a student enrollment
of 232 and 12 faculty members, their
dream began to take form with a few
college classes held in downtown Houston
churches and area schools.
On April 30, 1934, that young college had
burgeoned into a four-year institution with
a fall enrollment of 909 students under
the formal charter name of the University
of Houston. A secure place to call home,
however, still eluded Houston’s university.
That was until the J.J. Settegast family
heirs and Capt. Ben Taub donated two
contiguous tracts of swampy land filled
with oaks, pines and other native trees and
shrubs three miles southeast of downtown
Houston along St. Bernard Street (now
Cullen Boulevard). The only stipulation:
construction must begin by Jan. 1, 1938.
Hugh Roy Cullen
The Birth of a University
Enter oilman Hugh Roy Cullen, who personally guaranteed that “a university would rise on their land.”
6 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
3
Sure enough, the first building was
dedicated June 4, 1939, as a memorial
to Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen’s only
son, Roy Gustav, who died at age 31.
When Hugh Roy Cullen made that
first gift, one of many Cullen family
contributions over the years — now
totaling nearly $70 million — to UH and
the UH System, he said, “I have only
one condition in making this gift. The
University of Houston must always be
a college for working men and women
and their sons and daughters. If it
were to be another rich man’s college,
I wouldn’t be interested.” Thus, the
University of Houston’s legacy of
promise was born.
Board of Regents; Lillie T. Robertson, friend
and supporter of UH arts programs; Corbin
J. Robertson Jr., advocate for the Texas
Center for Superconductivity at UH; Carroll
Robertson Ray (J.D. ’02), current member
of the UH System Board of Regents; and
Alison S. Robertson Baumann.
With 83 years under its belt, the university’s
legacy of pride continues with thousands
of other alumni, friends and supporters,
such as the late LeRoy (’33) and Lucile
(HON ’87) Melcher, George (HON ’84) and
the late Cynthia Woods Mitchell, former
regent John (’70, J.D. ’75, HON ’95) and
Rebecca (’70, J.D. ’78) Moores, the late
C.T. “Ted” Bauer (HON ’01), the Hilton
family, Gerald N. Hines, Michael J. Cemo
(’68) and the list goes on.
Supporting an Evolution
Officially becoming a state university
in 1963, the university has since grown
leaps and bounds in the number of
bright and creative students and faculty
members who have passed through
these hallowed halls. And, those two
tracts of swamp land have evolved
into a lush, 667-acre campus featuring
fountains, sculptures and recreational
spaces surrounding modern classrooms,
high-tech laboratories, student housing
and state-of-the-art facilities.
The Cullen family has remained a strong
supporter of the University of Houston
for decades. Leaving a legacy of service
and philanthropy including the late Hugh
Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen; the late
Wilhelmina Cullen Robertson Smith
(’44, HON ’88) and first husband, the
late Corbin J. Robertson Sr., who were
strong supporters of athletics; Wilhelmina E. “Beth” Robertson,
former chair of the UH System and leaders who are helping to develop
and advance society — solidifying its
legacy of excellence.
4
A Bright Future
Here we sit at the beginning of a new
decade ready to march into 83 more
years of achievement — laying the
path for many more to add to the
legacy of pride cultivated by thousands
of proud Cougars.
This issue of The University of Houston
Magazine highlights those special
memories of pride and tradition. Having
awarded a total of 253,643 bachelor’s,
master’s, doctoral and professional
degrees since 1927, there is a wellspring
of stories to share.
Impacting the World
Today, the University of Houston, with
an enrollment of 37,000 students, is a
nationally ranked research institution with
a rich legacy that has positively impacted
the lives of its graduates, students, faculty
and staff members, and a global society.
Its legacy can be measured by a tradition
of innovation, dedication, distinction and
achievements. UH is a pivotal player in the
growth and success of the city of Houston,
state of Texas and nation.
UH is a major provider of innovative
research and technology, including
energy, environmental, biomedical,
superconductivity, nanotechnology as
well as social and economic research
with real-world applications. UH’s strong
creative and performing arts programs
have touched tens of thousands
locally, nationally and globally. Of equal
importance, the university continues
to provide educational and cultural
opportunities and the skilled employees
Dedication of the Ezekiel W.
Cullen Building, 1950.
5
6
UH faculty is internationally recognized and includes National Academy of Science, National Medal of Sciences and National
Academy of Engineering members, Nobel Laureates, and Pulitzer
and Tony Award winners.
UH’s world-class facilities are home to more than 40 high-tech research centers, institutes and laboratories, where faculty and
students conduct cutting-edge research.
UH has numerous nationally recognized programs, including entrepreneurship; health, intellectual property and public interest law; creative writing; pharmacy; music; hospitality; health and human performance; and retention programs.
UH is honored among the top “community-engaged” universities in the nation by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
7 UH optometry clinics serve more than 40,000 patients annually;
UH students work about 920,000 hours in the community annually; UH has more than 200 college and faculty outreach projects in public schools.
8 UH’s space architecture is the only graduate program of its kind.
9
UH has the only social work program to have a Nobel Laureate on faculty.
UH’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics has 20 10
international academic programs in 17 countries.
UH’s Technology Project Management-Information Systems 11
Security program is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.
UH has more than 3,500 alumni who head their own company
12
or are presidents or CEOs and has the second most alumni in
the Texas Legislature.
UH Cougar athletic stars include Olympic medalists Carl Lewis
13
and Leroy Burrell; Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware; NBA stars
Elvin Hayes, Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon; golfers
Fred Couples, Steve Elkington and Fuzzy Zoeller; and MLB pitchers
Doug Drabek, Ryan Wagner and Woody Williams.
UH has numerous successful alumni in the arts, including actors 14
Dennis and Randy Quaid, Brent Spiner, Loretta Devine, Robert Wuhl and Jim Parsons; authors Alice Sebold and Padgett Powell; singer Larry Gatlin; artists Julian Schnabel, Michael Ray Charles, “The Art Guys” — Michael Galbreth and Jack Massing; broadcasters
Jim Nantz, Tom Jarriel, Dominique Sachse; clothing designer Victor Costa; film producer Walter Coblenz; and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Adrees Latif, and the list goes on.
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 7
UH Pride
UH Pride
Legacy of
You Are The
Pride Campaign
the Pride exhibit
In a highly competitive landscape of higher
education choices in Texas, the University of
A
Houston needs to distinguish itself from other
s the University of Houston continues its path
to Tier One, it’s important to reflect on the
institution’s history to understand just how far it
has come. “The Legacy of the Pride” exhibit did just that
— celebrating the university’s history while highlighting
what the future may hold.
institutions. Through the “You Are the Pride”
campaign, launched in the summer of 2009,
UH explains that it’s our students that set us
apart. At other universities, students get their
identity from the university itself. But UH gets
its identity from its students, faculty, staff,
alumni and community.
The exhibit, held Feb. 8–11 at the Elizabeth D. Rockwell
Pavilion in the M.D. Anderson Library, commemorated
UH’s glory years and acknowledged the founding fathers
who helped shepherd the university from its beginning
as a fledgling college to an accredited, metropolitan
research institution.
Presented by the Division of University Advancement,
the exhibit offered material from the university’s
Our stories are their stories . . .
stories of diversity and entrepreneurialism,
of accessibility and authenticity, of passion
“It is gratifying to know that pride and love for this university did not begin during
our Tier-One campaign. It began when we opened our doors in 1927.”
and sacrifice.
From these stories of astronauts, Olympic
special collections and archives, a UH Legacy photo gallery,
a presidents’ exhibit and a “Legacy of the Pride” video
presentation. Several colleges, the University of Houston
Alumni Association, The Daily Cougar, the Student Video
Network and UH Athletics also participated.
“My favorite part in organizing this event has been uncovering
the story of the University of Houston and presenting it to those
who maybe never knew our roots of success,” says Gus Forward
(’09) marketing manager and event organizer. “It is gratifying to
know that pride and love for this university did not begin during
our Tier-One campaign. It began when we opened our doors
in 1927.”
“This was a wonderful pride-building tool. I’m so pleased
that we could furnish a fitting backdrop to document such a
bold assertion — Legacy of the Pride. UH Libraries’ Special
Collections is home to the University Archives with all the
nostalgic memorabilia and documentation that come with a rich
past such as ours,” says Dick Dickerson, university archivist and
historian. “Our legacy is clearly that of a Tier-One university.”
athletes, actors, writers and business executives
holding close ties to the university, to the stories
From the Hugh Roy Gustav Memorial Building and the Science
Building, UH’s first structures, to the College of Nursing, one of
the first schools established on campus; from returning WWII
veterans playing practical jokes to a young Jack J. Valenti
(’46, HON ’02) stealing a kiss, the “Cougar Spirit” has remained
strong throughout UH’s history. See more vintage pictures online.
of the everyday students who are committed to
their education, UH has plenty of which to be
proud. Their stories are UH’s stories; their pride
is UH’s pride. (see page 10) We don’t follow the
old mold of other universities, we’ve created a
new mold. We are a reflection of our great city,
and our graduates are ready to contribute to
its workforce.
Throughout the community, the “You Are the
Pride” campaign conveys the rich heritage
of the University of Houston. By sharing our
stories, we inspire current and future students
to feel pride in their association with UH and
to be excited about UH’s promise for the future.
Everyone’s story contributes to the unique
tapestry that is the University of Houston.
By illustrating our strengths, we can raise
the profile of the university, and sustain the
momentum that will take us to Tier One.
8 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
More Online | www.uh.edu/magazine/bonus
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 9
Exceptional
Cougars
from Baytown, who inspire their students to love math, success comes in many forms at the University of Houston.
Each person’s unique story of struggle and triumph, of unexpected victory and determination tells something
about the university and its strengths. Pride at the University of Houston stems from the achievements of the students,
faculty, staff and alumni who have made UH home throughout the years. Their successes provide the foundation
and inspiration for future success. Their
stories are your stories, because You Are the Pride.
Tales of Inspiration Cougars Remember Special UH Moments
Hakeem Olajuwon
by Michelle Kump
Growing up in Nigeria, Hakeem Olajuwon saw his first athletic
success on the soccer field, using his fancy footwork to fend
off points as a goalie.
But after picking up that first basketball in high school, he
found his true passion — one that would lead him first to a
stellar career with UH’s “Phi Slama Jama,” which made it to
three Final Fours and two national championship games,
and eventually to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
“The University of Houston enabled me to grow as a man,
to grow as an artist,” he says. “And it gave me the ability to
do what I do now.”
Arriving on campus with hair down to his waist and sand in
his flip flops after a summer spent surfing in California, Cullen
says he probably didn’t look the part of a serious actor. But
very quickly, under the direction of theatre professors Cecil
Pickett, Sidney Berger and Claude Caux, he learned the skills
that would serve him well in his career.
One of Olajuwon’s fond memories of UH includes living in
Moody Towers.
“It was just a wonderful life for a student to experience,” he
says. “When you live on campus, you don’t worry about the
outside world.”
Chitra Divakaruni
Chitra Divakaruni, an award-winning author and poet
whose works have been translated into 20 languages,
thinks a lot about her early days in America — learning
how to cope with missing her family in Calcutta and the
traditions of her culture.
Her experience taught her that she had stories to tell —
stories that could bring people together and reveal the
common humanity in everyone.
As a UH creative writing professor, she’s also inspired
by her students and tries to use her experiences to
help international students feel comfortable in their
new environment.
“One of the things I love about UH is that while it is
striving to become more and more highly ranked in the
country, it wants to still remain inclusive ... particularly
for students who maybe their family hasn’t been
to college before,” she says.
www.uh.edu/pride-stories/chitra-divakaruni
10 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
He also enjoyed his classes, especially business law, which he
says gave him “exposure to the real world.”
Reflecting back on his career, Olajuwon says he is thrilled at the
opportunities he found at UH, and couldn’t imagine having gone
anywhere else.
“To be here at the University of Houston, to be drafted by the
Rockets in Houston ... that is something that is part of a dream
situation,” he says.
www.uh.edu/pride-stories/hakeem-olajuwon
Brett Cullen
Actor Brett Cullen (’79) has garnered many roles in more than
100 movies and hit television shows, including recent stints
on “Ugly Betty,” “Friday Night Lights” and “Lost.”
Photo by Kyle Howard
Exceptional Cougars
From the young woman born in Calcutta, who draws people together through the power of story, to the twins
That experience paid off almost immediately, when Cullen
moved to Hollywood and landed a part on a television series,
www.uh.edu/pride-stories/brett-cullen
“The Chisolms.”
Barbara Padilla
Born in Guadalajara, Barbara Padilla (M.A. ’04) remembers
being touched by opera at a young age. Now she is an opera
sensation herself and runner-up in the 2009 season of
“America’s Got Talent.”
Diagnosed with cancer in 1996, Padilla underwent chemotherapy
and radiotherapy near her vocal chords and was even told she
wouldn’t be able to sing again. But that didn’t stop her.
While in Houston for treatment, she managed to audition for
Peter Jacoby, then music director at the Edythe Bates Old
Moores Opera Center, who offered her a full scholarship.
“I just wanted to suck everything in ... like a sponge. Whatever
you learn, you learn for life, and I really wanted to seize the
moment and learn from all of these people,” she says of her time
at UH. “It’s like working with the greatest opera company.”
www.uh.edu/pride-stories/barbara-padilla
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 11
Exceptional Cougars
Play-by-Play
Cougars Make It
to the“Big Dance”
Binh Vu
Inspired by the death of a brother he never had a
chance to meet, Binh Vu is pursuing a career in
medicine, hoping to help others with limited access
to health care.
Born in Vietnam, the senior biology major was drawn
to UH. Because of UH’s connection and nearness
to the Texas Medical Center, he now works in the
pharmacy department at the UT Health Science Center
and is a researcher at The Methodist Hospital.
Coleman Scores Big
by Shawn Lindsey
After 18 years, the Houston Cougars didn’t
sit this dance out. Choreographed by a
four-game winning streak and the Conference
USA tournament title, the Houston Cougars
(19–15) managed to two-step their way to
the NCAA Big Dance, two points at a time.
Vu, a recipient of several scholarships, including a
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo scholarship,
still finds time to enjoy the college experience.
“The university has a lot of events where you can
have a chance to experience school pride,”
he says. After graduation, he says he wants
“to stay in Houston, close to family and close to
UH. I want to give back.”
The Cougars earned
a No. 13 seed in the
first-round Midwest
Regional matchup against
No. 4 seed Maryland in
Spokane, Wash., where
they fell 89 –77. Head
coach Tom Penders
resigned a few days later,
saying he had achieved
his goal of returning UH
to the NCAA tournament
and looked forward to
the challenge of building
another program.
www.uh.edu/pride-stories/binh-vu
Marisa and Larisa Coy
Twin cheerleaders and middle school math teachers
Marisa (’08) and Larisa Coy (’08) have learned to shine
on the sidelines and in the classroom.
“Our mom has this saying — anytime we do anything,
whether it is performing or teaching, she always says —
‘You have one shot to do your very best,’” says Marisa Coy.
The twins apply that theory as cheerleaders for the
Houston Texans and as math teachers in Baytown.
They use skills they learned as education majors at
the University of Houston to inspire students to learn.
“I love math, and I just want to instill that same passion
in my students,” says Larisa Coy.
One way they do that is by incorporating the technology
they learned while students at UH — something that
impresses other teachers.
“They are like, ‘Wow, they really taught you a lot,’” Larisa
says. “I am really proud to say I learned it here [at UH].”
www.uh.edu/pride-stories/marisaandlarisa-coy
“To know that from now on everyone is
going to know us, the 2010 Cougars, as
the team that won the Conference USA
championship and took Houston back to
the NCAA tournament, that’s amazing,”
says junior guard Adam Brown.
“We kept believing and kept the faith
through all of the struggles that we had
this season,” said national scoring leader
and UH guard Aubrey Coleman going into
tournament play.
In 1992, the last time the Cougars played
in the NCAA tournament, the team’s oldest
member, Sean Coleman, was only 5 years
old; freshman forwards Bryce Clark and
Kendrick Washington were not more than
13 months old. This team knows how
special it is to take this program back
where it belongs.
Coach Joe Curl and the
UH women’s basketball
team joined the men in
postseason play, traveling to Lubbock
to play Texas Tech on March 18 in the
first round of the Women’s National
Invitational Tournament. Though
suffering a defeat, the 2010 WNIT berth
put the Cougars back in postseason for
the eighth time in program history. Curl
took the program to new heights, but
also resigned after the season, citing
ongoing health issues.
For Cougar basketball fans, it may
have been a long time coming, but
most dances are worth the wait.
Senior guard Aubrey Coleman is a leader,
but not just of his Houston Cougars basketball
team. Coleman leads the nation in scoring.
A complete player, he also ranked in the
top 10 in steals and pulled down an average
of 7.4 rebounds per game.
“Aubrey is one of the finest kids, both on
the floor and off the floor, that I have had the
privilege to coach,” says Tom Penders, who
resigned as head men’s basketball coach at
the end of the season. “He is an exemplary
student-athlete in all ways.”
Coleman often made basketball look easy —
but making it to the University of Houston was
a bumpy road. After graduating from Gulf
Shores Academy in Houston, he enrolled at
Southwest Mississippi Community College.
It was there that Coleman’s unrelenting work
ethic paid off, earning him scholarship offers
to universities across the country. His choice:
the University of Houston.
“I’m able to hug my mom and sister after the
game, and it feels good to see a smile on their
faces,” Coleman told NCAA.com.
“He put in hundreds and hundreds of hours
before we even practiced,” Penders told the
NCAA. “I’ve been doing this for 36 years, and he
has, without question, the best work ethic of any
player I’ve ever had.”
—Thomas Campbell
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www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 13
UH Families
Creating a UH Tradition
UH Families
“I want to create a tradition
Four Families Share Their UH Journey.
of my family being a part of the University of Houston’s history of education.”
— Callistus Nnabuife
by Michelle Klump
W
Nnabuife Family
hen Lauren Aalund (’09) donned her
cap and gown to walk the stage for
the University of Houston’s December
graduation, she looked across the sea of new
UH alums to find two very proud Cougars in the
audience — her parents.
From the moment he stepped foot on campus in 1978, Callistus
Nnabuife (’82) felt at home at UH. Now, it seems natural that his
children should find a home here as well, he says.
“I want to create a tradition of my family being a part of the
University of Houston’s history of education,” Nnabuife says.
“We have seen other families do that … we are trying to follow
in their footsteps to become a Cougar family.”
“She saw me cry,” says Niels Aalund (’79),
Lauren’s father.
Aalund already shared his passion for UH with
his wife, Charlotte (’78). But when one of their three
daughters decided to attend their alma mater,
a wish was fulfilled, and a legacy started.
Charlotte, Lauren and Niels Aalund
Aalund loved UH from the beginning. As a freshman,
he walked onto the football team, received a scholarship
and played defensive lineman for three years, including
1976 — when the team won the Southwest Conference
championship. He lived in Moody Towers, joined the
Sigma Chi fraternity and took full advantage of an
education he describes as first rate.
elementary school. “My education at UH fully prepared me for
a career I really enjoy,” she says.
Today, he remains active, showing up to nearly every
home football and basketball game, even after he has given away his own tickets to encourage others to experience UH athletics. He serves on the College
of Technology Dean’s Advisory Board, co-chairs UH’s Center for Logistics and Transportation Policy and tries to give back to the university he says gave him so much.
“My parents had gone here, so I knew it was a good school,” says Lauren. “I had been to UH so many times,
and I liked it. I decided this is where I belonged.”
Charlotte received her degree in art education and now teaches art at an
14 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
“I like the many study areas and the different resources for the
courses. I also like the different services they have that help
students move into graduate programs,” she says.
With three more children in middle and high school, Callistus says
he hopes to see other family members on campus soon.
As a student, Nnabuife, a native
of Nigeria, was thrilled with the
diversity that made the campus
feel “like an international town.”
He spent time attending student
activities on campus and
he enjoyed playing soccer
with friends.
For the Aalund family , and many others,
attending the University of Houston has become
a family tradition.
“I wanted my daughter to receive a great education
and, hopefully, enjoy some of the same things that I
enjoyed,” Niels Aalund says.
Ogechi also decided her father’s alma mater provided the best
resources for her as well.
The couple always hoped one of their daughters would attend
UH, but feared their chance for a legacy was lost when Lauren
attended another school her freshman year. But after many
visits home, Lauren began to give UH as second look.
Thirty years to the month after her father graduated, Lauren
walked the stage, earning a degree in psychology and sealing
the family tradition. Now, she works in UH’s Bauer College
of Business management office and has plans to pursue her
master’s degree at UH.
“We were really pleased,” says Charlotte Aalund. “It just makes you feel close, that we all went to the same place.”
He stayed on at UH after
graduation — working in
the library, the chemistry
department and, now, in
the environmental health
department, where he works
as a lab safety officer. Nnabuife
gives back by participating in
campus outreach programs,
such as Cougar First
Impression, a program designed
to welcome new and returning
students. He considers
encouraging his children to
attend UH another way of
giving back.
Currently, his two daughters — Ogechi, a biology major, and
Emeka, a psychology major — attend UH.
“As a kid, I was always with my dad. I would go to work with him
when I was off from school, so I was here already,” says Emeka.
“I had more support here. I had friends and family … and looking
at financial packages, UH was the best.”
Emeka, Callistus and Ogechi Nnabuife
“I don’t think I would be what I am today without the University
of Houston,” he says. “Part of my own way of sharing that
appreciation is bringing my own kids to the university — having
them experience the Cougar spirit and sharing the experience
that I had in college.”
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 15
UH Families
UH Families
Johnson Family
Joel and Margaret Johnson advertised their hopes for
a UH family tradition on their vanity license plate. When
they bought it, ‘VCOOGS’ was intended to represent five
Cougars — themselves and their three children.
Their oldest, Beth Ann Johnson (’90), made the first step
when she decided to attend UH. After their remaining two
children moved away to attend school, it was decided
the ‘V’ stood for victory. With Beth Ann at UH, the family
tradition lived.
“There was no separating us after that,” says Margaret.
“We just started going out, and we ended up getting
married my senior year.”
Since then, they’ve maintained their interest in the
Houston Cougars — buying season tickets to football
games every year.
“I love UH.
It gave me everything. It gave me the
jumping off point for my career.”
— Rick Carrasco
“We are both fans of football and the University of
Houston,” says Joel. “We struggle with them through
good years and bad years.”
Along the way, they encouraged their kids to attend UH.
That encouragement paid off for Beth Ann, who credits
her time at UH, including the invaluable experience
she gained working on the yearbook and for The Daily
Cougar, with helping her succeed in her chosen career as
a senior communications manager.
“I was really happy there,” she says of her time at UH.
“It’s fun growing up in a UH family.”
Carrasco Family
It was cheerleading that started the Carrasco family
tradition at UH. With six brothers and sisters, Rick
Carrasco (’92) knew he had to find a way to help pay
for college, and after discovering he had a talent for it,
he opted for cheerleading.
(L-R) Jenny Lynn, Margaret, Noel, Joel and Beth Ann Johnson
“Obviously, I had been indoctrinated in the UH spirit,”
Beth Ann says. “My parents often told me they were
happy to pay for college as long as I went to the University
of Houston. While they said that in jest, once you repeat
it enough times, it starts to sink in.”
The Johnsons’ love for UH began in the 1960s when the
two were undergraduates and living in the same private
dorm just off campus. Margaret Johnson (’67) was majoring
in home economics education and Joel Johnson (’69)
was majoring in electrical engineering. A traffic accident
brought them together.
Margaret was injured, and the driver went to the dorm
for help. Joel was manning the front desk and went out to
assist. Because both of their last names were Johnson, the
ambulance drivers assumed they were related and asked
Joel to accompany Margaret to the hospital.
Raised in Garland, Texas, just outside of Dallas,
Carrasco’s first stop was a junior college, and then
Sam Houston State University. But the University of
Houston beckoned.
“The University of Houston had, and still does have,
a phenomenal cheerleading squad,” he says. “They
would go to nationals and place high every single year.
I wanted to be on the best squad I could be.”
When he tried out and made the squad, Carrasco moved
to UH to begin what he describes as one of the happiest
years of his life.
“I love UH,” he says. “It gave me everything. It gave
me my jumping off point for my career, it is where my
education was, and I’m still in Houston because of
my love for UH and the city.”
(L-R) Brothers Ramiro, Rafael, Ruben and Rick Carrasco cheer on
the Cougars at the UH vs. East Carolina C-USA Championship game.
Carrasco earned a degree in history and went on to
become an attorney. When it came time for two of his
(continued on page 18)
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www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 17
UH Families
Community Connectionsmpact
Student News
Impacting Math and
Science Education
Cougar Class
of 2023
Erica Fletcher, junior anthropology
and psychology major, has produced
UH’s teach HOUSTON Program Inspires Former Regent.
In 1991 two UH students, Gina Gardner (’92) and Scott
Shasta and Cougar Covell
“People either loved it or
thought we were insane,” says Gina.
Now 9-years-old, Cougar, or “Coog” as his friends call
him, is well known in his Florida community.
“I love it!” says Cougar. “My mom says it’s unique, and
everybody else says it’s unique, and I like it that way!”
The pitching ace, who tossed a 45-mph fastball during
little league last season, hopes to become a studentathlete at UH — following a long family legacy that
includes his parents and grandfather, Jerry Gardner
(’70), UH football captain (1965– 69).
“My friends are like ‘What’s the University of Houston?’ and I say, ‘It’s the best place
in the world!’”
— by Shawn Lindsey
to the spread of the disease among
by Michelle Klump
Latino women.
Even on his wedding day, Ruben Carrasco (center) and brothers
Rick and Rafael (l-r) couldn’t get enough of that Cougar Spirit.
(continued from page 16)
Nothing was spoken of the
idea until almost a decade
later. During a doctor’s
appointment while Gina was
pregnant with their only child,
Scott took the ultrasound
paddle like a microphone and,
in his best sports announcer
voice, proclaimed “In the
starting lineup … Cougar
Covell!” From that moment
on, their little cub was known
as Cougar.
explores HIV/AIDS among Latinos
and the cultural factors that contribute
Covell (’92), were young and in love — both with each
other and their university.
“If we have a son one day,”
joked Scott, “we should name
him Cougar.”
a documentary, “Marianismo,” that
younger brothers to attend college, he made the case
for UH. That insistence, along with scholarships and
financial aid, soon brought Ruben and Rafael Carrasco
to Houston.
“It was because of my brother talking so highly of the
university,” says Ruben Carrasco (’98). “It was just the
perfect place for us.”
Both ended up at the Bauer College of Business, with
Rafael majoring in business marketing with an emphasis
on advanced professional selling and Ruben majoring
in accounting.
“I loved it. It was great … to be able to attend college
with your brother,” says Rafael Carrasco (’98), adding
that he also felt the professors at Bauer really prepared
him for his future as a real estate broker. “It was just a
great program to be in.”
The three brothers still love UH, attending football
games when they can — they traveled to North Carolina
in 2009 for the Conference USA Championship game —
and promoting the university to anyone who will listen.
Ruben, who was married on New Year’s Eve, even put
the UH logo on his groom’s cake.
The Carrasco brothers say they would love to see the
tradition continue. Rick says if he has anything to say
about it, it will.
“My daughter is going to go to UH,” he says. “She’s only
9, but she’s committed already!”
As a long-time education
advocate, John Cater
watched with interest over
the years as he saw great
strides being made in reading
education, in part due to
work done by researchers at
the University of Houston.
When he heard about
the development of the
teachHOUSTON program,
which encourages math and
science students to prepare
for careers in teaching, it
was enough to call Cater
back into service at the
University of Houston. Cater
previously served as a
member of the UH System
Board of Regents from 1989
to 1995, including a stint as chairman from
1991 to 1993.
“The program excited me as an opportunity
to have a real impact in the Houstonarea schools,” says Cater, who serves as
chairman of the teachHOUSTON Advisory
Committee. “Where we have fallen behind is
teaching math and science. This program is
one that actually seems to be unique in the
way it addresses the problem.”
Modeled after UT-Austin’s successful
UTeach program, the teachHOUSTON
program recruits students early, offers five
semesters of opportunities for students
to practice teaching and provides strong
mentoring extending through the first two
years of teaching after graduation.
Jeff Morgan (’81,
M.S. ’83, Ph.D. ’86),
chair of UH’s math
department and one
of the co-directors
of the program,
foresees the program
resulting in more than
1,000 new math and
science teachers in
the Houston area by
2025.
As Advisory Committee
chairman, Cater has
a dual role — to
broaden community
awareness and to
John Cater
raise money, both
for operations and for
the endowment.
Of particular importance is a goal to raise
$1 million for the endowment by the summer
of 2011, to receive matching funds from the
National Math and Science Initiative.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to make an
impact on what happens in this community,”
Cater says of the committee’s work.
Four UH students will travel to
Washington, D.C., for a semester-long
internship as part of the UH Mickey
Leland Congressional Internship
Program, which is housed in the
Center for Public Policy. The 2010
Mickey Leland Congressional interns
are: Rachel Burnett, junior political
science major; Jeneba Haffner,
senior political science major;
Kaine Hampton, junior finance major;
and Janae Ladet, junior political science.
Joseph Stromberg, public history
Ph.D. candidate, has been awarded a
grant by the Environmental Institute of
Houston for his dissertation, “Atomic
Cowboys: Regulation and Resistance
to Nuclear Power in Texas.” The
$12,500 prize will help him complete
his dissertation, which looks at the
collapse of commercial nuclear power.
The UH David M. Underwood Chapter
of American Humanics program
received the 2008–2009 Outstanding
“It’s also exciting to be a part of an innovative
program at UH, as the university continues to
strive toward Tier One.
“Having seen the University of Houston grow
from when I came to Houston 50 years ago,
to when I got involved on a day-to-day basis
20 years ago, to where it is now, is really a
remarkable story,” Cater says.
Fundraising Benchmark Award by
the National American Humanics
organization. The chapter was cited for
the high quality of its annual report, the
variety of fundraising projects and for
its successful fundraising efforts.
More Online | www.uh.edu/magazine/bonus
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www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 19
Faculty Honors
Quick Takes
Patricia Belton Oliver has been named dean
of the Gerald D. Hines
College of Architecture.
Oliver previously served as
the senior vice president
of educational planning
and architecture at
the Art Center College
of Design, where she
created an environmental
design department to
bridge architecture and
product design. She also
established the Institute for
Community Development
to collaborate on projects
with low-cost housing
organizations. Oliver chaired the 2009 American
Institute of Architects National Convention
and National Education Committee. She also
is a director on the National Architectural
Accrediting Board.
Paul C.W. Chu, founding director of the Texas
Center for Superconductivity
at the University of Houston,
has returned to campus
full time. The T.L.L. Temple
Chair of Science, professor
of physics and executive
director of TCSUH,
concluded an eight-year
term as president of Hong
Kong University of Science
and Technology, where
he continued to lead his
productive research group in
Houston. Chu has received
a $2.8 million grant from the
U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research
for his ongoing efforts to search for novel
materials that become superconducting at
higher temperatures, preferably close to or above room temperature, and with higher current carrying capacity.
Faculty Kudos
Lisa Alastuey, clinical assistant professor of health and human performance, has been
honored with the 2009–2010 Southern District University/College Educator Award for her
research on the physical and emotional health of women and young people. Alastuey also
received the 2009 Texas Health Educator of the Year Award.
Kimberly Birtcher, clinical associate professor of pharmacy, has been elected Fellow of the
American Heart Association’s Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Seth Chandler, Law Foundation Professor, developed the spatial and dynamic model of jury
behavior featured on the Numb3rs TV series on CBS. The model illustrates how jurors may
vote to convict or acquit based on a random variable affected by factors such as actual guilt.
The show’s plot used the concept to illustrate jury tampering.
Yuhua Chen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, has received
two National Science Foundation grants, totaling more than $890,000, to develop a
multimode switching platform that will allow the transfer of all types of data using one
piece of technology.
Diana Chow, professor of pharmacy, with alumnus Harshal Bhagwatwar (’95) and U.T.
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s Borje S. Andersson, received the 2009 Inventor of the Year
Award from the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association for developing intravenous
formulations of a pre-transplant drug for leukemia patients prior to stem cell transplantation.
Mark Clarke, associate professor of health and human performance, is the principal
investigator in research that has resulted in a process that grows real human bone in tissue
culture, which can be used to investigate how bones form and grow. The technology will
examine ways the breakthrough research can be used in a clinical setting for applications
such as spinal fusions, facial reconstructions following bomb blasts or the re-growing of an
individual bone outside of the patient.
Gavin Clarkson, associate professor of law, had a paper titled “The Social Efficiency of
Fairness,” which was co-authored with an MIT economist, listed on the Social Science
Research Network’s Top Ten download list for Property, Citizenship, & Social Entrepreneurism.
Seamus Curran, associate professor of physics and head of UH’s Institute for NanoEnergy,
and his research team have found a rare element in the waste excreted by tiny bacteria that is effective in limiting high-energy light. Its applications could range from use in eye
glasses to aircraft defense. The findings on tellurium, a scarce metalloid typically used as a
semiconductor, have been published in the journal, Chemical Physical Letters. The project
was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Steven Deyle, associate professor of history, has received the American Antiquarian
Society’s Joyce A. Tracy Fellowship for 2009–2010.
Jan-Åke Gustafsson, Robert A. Welch Professor and head of the Center for Nuclear
Receptors and Cell Signaling, has received the Fernström Foundation’s Nordic Prize, one of
Scandinavia’s most prestigious medical prizes, for his discoveries of nuclear receptors and
his groundbreaking research on their significance in several common diseases. One of his most important findings is a previously unknown receptor for estrogen (ER-beta), which his research group discovered in the mid-1990s.
20 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
Bookshelf
Thomas T.C. Hsu, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
has been honored for his contributions to structural engineering. His Universal Element Tester is
one of only two machines like it in the world. The American Concrete Institute and the American
Association of Civil Engineers sponsored a four-part symposium in his honor with presentations
from researchers from around the world who shared their own research that has been heavily
influenced by Hsu’s accomplishments.
Amanda Baumle, assistant professor of
sociology, has written “Sex Discrimination and
Law Firm Culture on the Internet: Lawyers at
the ‘Information Age Water Cooler’.”
Tahir Hussain, associate professor of pharmacology, and Ming Hu, professor of pharmaceutics,
have received $2.65 million in renewal awards from the National Institutes of Health for their
respective research projects into obesity and flavonoids.
Paul Butler, assistant professor of English, has
written “Style in Rhetoric and Composition:
A Critical Sourcebook.”
Alex Ignatiev, director of the Center for Advanced Materials, received a five-year appointment
as World Class University Professor by the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South
Korea. Distinguished University Professor of Physics, Chemistry and Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Ignatiev’s research in resistive memory gained international recognition as a possible major
paradigm-shifting technology for computer memory.
Alice Cepeda, assistant professor of sociology,
has written a chapter, “The Relationship of
Ecological Containment and Heroin Practices,”
in “Geography and Drug Addiction.”
Craig Joyce, Andrews Kurth Professor of Law and co-director of the Institute for Intellectual Property
& Information Law, has been reappointed chair of the American Society for Legal History’s Committee
on Conferences and the Annual Meeting.
Noah Lim, assistant professor of marketing, has received the 2009 Management Science Meritorious
Service Award for his notable service as a reviewer for Management Science.
Brian K. McFarlin, associate professor, and Thomas W. Lowder and Richard J. Simpson, assistant
professors of health and human performance, have been appointed section editors for the International
Journal of Exercise Science.
Antonya Nelson, Cullen Foundation Chair in Creative Writing and award-winning author, has been
named the United States Artists Fellow for 2009. The prestigious $50,000 fellowship recognizes the
best and brightest artist.
Ray Nimmer, UH Law Center dean, has made the list of The Best Lawyers in America in his dual
specialties of Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law.
Carlos Ordonez, associate professor of physics, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical
Society for his contributions to the “effective langrangian theory of the nucleon-nucleon interaction and
to conformal quantum mechanics and its applications, particularly to black-hole thermodynamics,
and for extensive efforts toward developing science in Latin America.”
Monica Perales, assistant professor of history, has been elected to a three-year term on the board of
directors of Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Submit your faculty kudos: magazine@uh.edu
UH FACULTY: YOU ARE THE PRIDE
Helen Rose Ebaugh, professor of sociology,
has written “The Gulen Movement: A
Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement
Rooted in Moderate Islam.”
Joseph L. McCauley, professor of physics,
has written “Dynamics of Markets: The
New Financial Economics, 2nd ed.”
Michael Leroy Oberg, professor of history,
has written “Native America: A History.”
Guadalupe San Miguel Jr., professor of history,
has co-written a chapter, “Latino Education
in 20th Century America: A Brief History,”
in “Handbook of Latino Education.”
Spencer Simons, director of the O’Quinn Law
Library and assistant professor of law, has
written “Texas Legal Research.”
Tamler Sommers, assistant professor of
philosophy, has written “A Very Bad Wizard:
Morality Behind the Curtain.”
Steve Werner, professor of management
and doctoral coordinator, has co-written
“Managing Human Resources, 10th ed.”
Ira Wolinsky, professor emeritus of health
and human performance, has co-edited
“Nutritional Concerns in Recreation,
Education, and Sport.”
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 21
Reflections
Reflections
John M. O’Quinn: The Consummate Cougar
1941–2009
by Marisa Ramirez (’00)
Cynthia Woods Mitchell: A Life of Creativity
by Mike Emery
T
he capacity crowd at Robertson Stadium was quieted
as the public address announcer spoke. His hushed
tones conveyed the sobering news of the death of
famed Houston attorney and UH alum, John M. O’Quinn. For
a moment, the sea of red shirts was still, as were the voices
that would soon cheer their team to victory.
John M. O’Quinn (’65,
L.L.B. ’67, J.D. ’69 ), a
man who was the
consummate Cougar —
frequently joining fans in
the stands — had been
killed on a rain-slicked
Houston road.
His UH team kept him
close in mind that
afternoon. “JMO,”
O’Quinn’s initials, adorned
the playing field, flowers
placed there in respect.
Before the first kickoff that
began the Cougars’ routing
of Southern Mississippi,
the crowd joined in
one rousing cheer
for John O’Quinn.
What does it mean to
be a Cougar? For the
late O’Quinn, it meant
being dedicated, loyal
and generous.
and to the UH Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching
Band. A good deal of this school’s success can
be credited to John’s unflagging commitment to
making UH a better institution,” Khator says.
he University of Houston recently lost one
of its most passionate supporters of the
arts. Cynthia Woods Mitchell (’43) passed
away Dec. 27 at age 87.
“The vision and generosity of the Mitchells have added
so much to what the festival offers to its participants,
and to Houston audiences each summer,” says Alan
Austin, the festival’s general director.
The 1967, magna cum laude graduate remembered
his home in the UH Law Center (UHLC) and
generously contributed to its renovation. His gift
made possible a three-year makeover that began
with the top of the plaza’s roof, continued to the
college’s entrance, and then inside to the many
upgrades in communication and other technologies.
Mitchell was born in 1922 in New York City. She arrived
in Houston in 1939 and enrolled at UH to study art,
literature and psychology. Two years later, she met
George Mitchell (HON ’84) on a train ride from College
Station to Houston. That meeting led to marriage and a
lifetime partnership fueled by their mutual dedication to
the greater Houston and Galveston communities.
Through a generous unsolicited gift, she also launched
UH’s Distinguished Authors Program. Mitchell has
provided support to the university’s Gerald D. Hines
College of Architecture as well.
“John was one of those rare ‘larger-than-life’
lawyers who instantly commanded attention
and respect in any gathering,” says UHLC Dean
Ray Nimmer. “His generosity is recognized in
our state-of-the-art John O’Quinn Library, and
an endowed chair, the A.L. O’Quinn Chair in
Environmental Law, named in honor of his father.”
Her enthusiasm for the arts prompted her to make one
of the largest individual grants in the university’s history
— a $20 million gift to create the Cynthia Woods
Mitchell Center for the Arts. The center cultivates
collaboration among artists of different disciplines and
forms an alliance of UH’s School of Art; Moores School
of Music; School of Theatre & Dance; Creative Writing
Program; and Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the
University of Houston. The center hosts public events,
residencies and curriculum that unite renowned visiting
artists with UH students in all artistic disciplines.
All the UH Libraries benefited from his $1.5 million
gift, as did the UH Honors College. O’Quinn’s
gifts also support the arts, including the Moores
School of Music, the UH Alumni Association,
and many scholarships.
“In addition to his generous financial support,
John also provided great leadership support to
this university,” says Welcome W. Wilson Sr. (’49),
UH System Board of Regents chairman. “He was
so enthusiastic about the Tier-One initiative and
was looking forward to the day this university would
reach that status.”
“He worked tirelessly on behalf of this university and was one
of our most generous financial contributors,” UH President
Renu Khator says.
O’Quinn’s name graces many UH buildings and
halls, including the appropriately named Great Hall
in the Athletics/Alumni Center.
“The O’Quinn Law Library and O’Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium are the most prominent examples of his philanthropy
at UH, but they are by no means the extent of it. Over the years, he made numerous gifts, including significant donations to the UH Libraries
Great was his passion. Great was his dedication. Great is the legacy of this great Cougar.
22 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
T
and Community
1922–2010
More Online | www.uh.edu/magazine/bonus
Following a renovation in 2006, the facility housing the
Wortham Theatre and the School of Theatre & Dance
was renamed the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for
the Arts. The center has commissioned world-premiere
performances and brought renowned artists to campus.
“She was a visionary philanthropist whose dedication
to the arts was apparent in the founding of the
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center,” says Karen Farber,
the center’s director. “Mrs. Mitchell and her family’s
generosity has made dozens of significant new art
works possible and left a lasting legacy that will
continue to infuse the entire university and city of
Houston with creativity and innovation.”
Mitchell also has provided support for UH’s
Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival.
Each year, the event introduces audiences to student
musicians through the Cynthia Wood Mitchell Young
Artists Competition.
“Just as she lived a productive and creative life with
extraordinary commitment to our community, she has
left a legacy that will fuel creativity for future generations
in our community and far beyond,” Khator says.
More Online | www.uh.edu/magazine/bonus
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 23
Keepers of the Pride
Keepers of the Pridempact
Leaders of the Pack
Spirit of Houston Band Pumps up the Excitement.
“It’s about pride.
Whenever and wherever the Spirit of Houston performs,
it’s representing thousands of UH students and the thousands
of alumni in Houston and around the world.”
by Mike Emery
— David Bertman
I
t’s halftime, the Coogs are exiting the field for
the locker room. Some fans are lining up at the
concession stands for their favorite snacks, but
hundreds more are still perched in their seats eager
to witness the Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching
Band sprint on field with their “untraditionally
organized chaos.”
Always ready to pump up the
excitement, the Spirit of Houston
Band, Cheer and Dance team
exude university pride with every
high-energy performance and
appearance.
David Bertman (M.M. ’98) has
led the band since 2000 and has
overseen its immense growth
over the past decade. When he
arrived at UH, only 87 musicians
comprised the marching squad.
Now, there are 280 members.
Combined with the Dolls and
cheerleaders, it has 350 students
committed to promoting UH.
Bill Moffitt
In addition to wowing Cougar fans,
the Spirit of Houston is a parade
favorite. It also brings its brand
of school spirit to pep rallies and
other UH functions.
In 2003, the band played to its biggest audience ever
at Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium. More than
71,000 fans were in attendance and approximately 144 million television viewers witnessed the Cougar Marching Band performing alongside Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and others.
That performance was a high point for the Spirit of
Houston, but it was not the group’s creative zenith.
According to Bertman, the Cougar Marching Band
strives to make every show better than the last.
“It’s hard to do that,” Bertman says. “It’s all entertainment
with quality, so we try to add a twist in every show to
draw the audience’s attention. We always try to deliver
a top-notch performance that will keep people talking
about UH and the band.”
The Spirit of Houston began entertaining audiences in
1946. Through the years, it has earned a reputation as
one of the country’s top university bands.
In 1969, the arrival of band director Bill Moffitt signaled
a new era for the Spirit of Houston. With Moffitt’s
pioneering “Patterns of Motion” drill techniques and
reworking of rock and pop songs into marching band
numbers, known as “Sound Power,” UH served as a
model for other college band programs. He passed
away in 2008.
Bertman has followed in Moffitt’s footsteps, energizing
the student musicians, dancers and cheer squad. In
turn, the student performers consistently invigorate
Cougar fans with dazzling marching routines and
brilliant musicianship.
For the university, the group is not just an entertainment
machine. It’s a symbol of Cougar pride, and one that
continues to personify UH’s energy, diversity and
commitment to excellence.
“It’s about pride,” Bertman says. “Whenever and
wherever the Spirit of Houston performs, it’s
representing thousands of UH students and the
thousands of alumni in Houston and around the world.
That’s what drives traditional college marching bands,
and that’s what drives us.”
David Bertman and the Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band perform at the Moores Opera House during the band’s annual gala.
More Online | www.uh.edu/magazine/bonus
24 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 25
Giving Matters
Giving Matters
Creating a Legacy
Alumna Encourages UH Supporters
to Make a Planned Gift.
I
“The college today is a
long way from the ‘school’
I attended in the ’70s,”
says Nicholson.
“Following graduation, I was disconnected
from UH for 25 years,” says Nicholson.
“An event at my college brought me back
and ‘wham!’ ... I was reinspired!”
As a result of her inspiration, Nicholson
became involved with her college by
taking on the role as chair of the Eric Hilton
Distinguished Alumni Club, which sponsors
a biannual lecture series in honor of
Eric Hilton. This further motivated her
to raise $1.2 million to help fund the
“Think about what UH and the Hilton College has meant
to the city, to education, to thousands of students who went on
to make enormous contributions to our world.”
“What has been
accomplished in the
last 30 years is nothing
less than remarkable.”
The same can be said
of Nicholson, who has
enjoyed a successful career
as a result of her degree.
She uses her experience
and education as principal of Nicholson Interests, a private
equity investment firm.
Plan a gift that will change lives, beginning with yours.
To learn more about making a planned gift at the
University of Houston, contact the UH System Office of
Planned Giving at 713-743-8680 or plannedgiving@uh.edu
Education Advocate Credits UH for
Paving the Way for Her Success.
“This gave me the opportunity to really get to know
many of the university professors, and they provided
guidance and a great opportunity for hands-on
learning,” she says.
by Kelli Ferrell
by Shawn Lindsey
n 1977, the price of gas was 65 cents a gallon, Jimmy
Carter became president, and UH beat Maryland in
the Cotton Bowl. Dorothy Nicholson (’77) remembers
the year well. It marked her graduation from UH’s Conrad N.
Hilton College of Hotel and
Restaurant Management.
Giving Back Feels Great
Clinton L. Rappole Endowed Chair, the first
time an endowed chair has been initiated
by HRM alumni. In addition, Nicholson
established a charitable bequest, earning her
a place in The 1927 Society, a distinguished
group consisting of supporters of the UH
System who have made planned gifts
through their wills or other assets.
“Think about what UH and the Hilton College
has meant to the city, to education, to
thousands of students who went on to make
enormous contributions to our world. And
many have then given back to UH so that
it would become the premier institution of
today. How can I not be a part of that? It’s a
small way I can say thanks for the education
I received.”
It was 1963 when Kaye Stripling
(M.Ed. ’67, Ed.D. ’85) walked into her
first classroom and became a teacher.
She was hooked.
This began a decades-long career in
education, culminating with her being
named superintendent of schools for the
Houston Independent School District.
Stripling says she owes much of her
success to the UH College of Education.
“They taught me the skills that I needed to be successful,” she says.
“They showed a sincere interest in me excelling in my profession.”
Stripling’s career started with Teacher Corps, then a joint program
between UH and HISD to train teachers to work successfully
in inner-city schools.
From there, she held many positions throughout
Houston-area schools, which led to her appointment
as superintendent in 2001. Stripling retired in 2004,
but she still wanted to support education.
In 2009, a $7 million gift from an anonymous donor
created the UH TierOne Scholarship program. Stripling
was drawn to this program because gifts are matched
dollar for dollar, allowing more deserving students to
benefit from scholarships.
“It is a great feeling to be able to give back to a
university that gave me so much,” she says. “I am
proud to be a graduate of the University of Houston,
and I want to give that same opportunity to others.
“I had a wonderful career, and I owe much of that
to the University of Houston.”
Plan a Plan
gift athat
willwill
CHANGE
LIVES,
gift that
change lives,
beginning
with yours.
beginning with
yours.
Leaving a legacy — it’s about giving back, investing in the future, enriching the
lives of others. Join the growing number of alumni, faculty and friends who are
leaving their legacy at the University of Houston with a bequest that will support:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Presidential Priorities & Initiatives
Scholarships
College/Department Faculty
M.D. Anderson Libraries and Archives
Athletics Programs
Research
Contact the Office of Planned Giving to learn how you can shape the
university’s future through a gift in your will and become a member of
The 1927 Society.
Office of Planned Giving
www.uh.edu/plannedgiving
713-743-8880
plannedgiving@uh.edu
or visit www.uh.edu/plannedgiving.
This information is not intended as legal advice. Please consult your CPA or attorney.
26 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 27
Giving Matters
Your UH Connection…
A Heart for UH
You Make the Difference.
This is Ryan Callard. Talk with him and it’ll be difficult to guess
Unwavering Devotion Leads to
Decades of Generosity.
that he has ever been concerned about striking up a conversation with
someone he doesn’t know. One of the UH Call Center’s outstanding
students, Ryan may be calling you soon. Motivated in part by gratitude
for his Kappa Sigma scholarship, Ryan talks with hundreds of UH
alumni each week about how their support impacts the university and
its students. The number of alumni who choose to participate in giving
this year can positively impact our Tier-One journey. Ryan also looks
forward to receiving your advice.
by Kelli Ferrell
E
lizabeth Dennis Rockwell (HON ’99) has always
had a place in her heart for the University of
Houston, and her loyalty and generosity have
never wavered. Her journey started in 1938 when
classes were still being held in the San Jacinto High
School building, and it continues today, with her presence
constantly felt across campus.
“My all-time favorite is learning about how a grad’s college experience
shaped them for life outside of school. It helps me see what I can
look forward to in the future, and it also helps me make some decisions
while I’m in school. It’s surprising — the things I learn and what alumni
say they would have changed. Some of the answers will make
you laugh.”
Rockwell left UH in 1944 during her senior year to take a
job as a cashier with a mortgage company to begin her long
career in finance — becoming widely respected as an expert
in retirement, estate, investment and tax planning.
In the mid-1970s, she gained national recognition for her
work with IRA rules and regulations. She later became
executive director of the Private Client Division of CIBC
Oppenheimer Corp., retiring in 2001.
Ryan Callard
College: HRM, Sophomore
Major: Hotel and Restaurant Management
Minor: Marketing
Hometown: Quinlan, Texas
As her career spanned decades, she never forgot her
UH roots.
“I decided to support three endowed deanships: One at the
M.D. Anderson Library, which is the source of information for
all fields of learning; one in the Cullen College of Engineering,
which takes current scientific thinking and applies it; and one
in the College of Education, which prepares the teachers who
help students understand prior knowledge and how to use it
to make our world better,” says Rockwell, who was awarded
a UH Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1999.
UH President Renu Khator and Elizabeth Dennis Rockwell
S av e t h e D at e
2010 Elizabeth D. Rockwell
Ethics and Leadership Lecture
Speaker: Nathan Wolfe, Epidemiologist and Self-Described “Virus Hunter”
Date: Monday, April 26
TIME:
7 p.m.
Place: UH Hilton Hotel
www.uh.edu/rockwell
28 | The University of Houston Ma gazine | printed on recycled paper
“I was very proud to receive this honor,” she says. “Over
time, I have seen UH position itself at the forefront of higher
education in the 21st century.”
Why Give?
Alumni support is especially important to
UH, and it is a university tradition across the
United States. Whether you are an alum, the parent of a
student or a member of the Houston community, you have
a role to play in the future of the University of Houston.
Gifts from individuals have a direct and
immediate impact, funding a level of excellence not
Rockwell’s name adorns many facets of the university: the
Elizabeth D. Rockwell President’s Suite in the Houston Alumni
Center; the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Career Services Center in
the Bauer College of Business; and the Elizabeth D. Rockwell
Pavilion in the M.D. Anderson Library.
supported through state assistance. State support for
Rockwell underwrites lectures and events, including the
Elizabeth D. Rockwell Library Heritage Lecture Series and
the prestigious Elizabeth D. Rockwell Ethics and Leadership
Series, which brings national speakers to campus.
Individual annual giving is critical to our ability to
“I have an interest in two things — the preservation of the
past and the direction of the future. And what better way
to secure our future than by supporting the education of
tomorrow’s leaders,” she says.
University of Houston System Operating Budget
17%
11%
14%
58%
14%
17%
16%
13%
26%
38%
43%
34%
higher education has steadily declined — a nationwide
trend. Until now, UH has relied heavily on an equivalent rise
in student support (tuition and fees) — funding university
programs at status quo.
1989
State
Support
1999
2009
Student
Support
Grants
&
Financial
Aid
Other
Give every year, impact every day.
enhance and expand support to students and faculty. Gifts in
support of scholarships impact students directly. Today, the
cost of a college degree is higher than ever before.
You can take UH to the next level and make a
difference in the life of a student. At any level, in support of any
college, department or program … it’s your choice.
Give online:
www.uh.edu/giving
Give by phone: 1-877-755-0559
Give by mail:
University of Houston
P.O. Box 867
Houston TX 77001-0867
www.uh.edu/ma gazine | 29