UH Report on Philanthropy 2022

Renu Khator University of Houston President

“None of our dreams can turn into reality without the support of our generous donors and alumni who continue to give their time and wealth to support our mission.”

BRICE Vice President, University Advancement

ELOISE

“Every gift, no matter the size, to the University of Houston is an investment in the future. These contributions inspire us as we dare to dream of a university full of even more opportunities for our students, faculty and staff to learn, explore and thrive.

“We are proud to report 2022 was a record-setting year for philanthropy with over $181 million raised. We were fortunate to have over 3,000 first-time donors in this past fiscal year. We were also honored to have more donors make gifts of over a million dollars than ever before.

“As we approach UH’s 100th anniversary, the meaningful support of friends and alumni is vital to our continued growth as a first-choice university. Our loyal donors are helping us provide a distinctive UH experience that inspires our students to become innovators and problem solvers whose skills and ingenuity will lead to positive change in the world.”

CONTENT

YOUR IMPACT

GRAMMY-NOMINATED ARTIST CONTRIBUTES TO COVID RESEARCH AT UH 8 DONNE DI DOMANI’S DELICIOUS, DEDICATED DONATIONS 9

RESEARCH IMPACT

PROFESSOR’S CRYSTAL RESEARCH MAKING ADVANCES IN MEDICINE, ENERGY 10

CAPITAL IMPACT

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER OPENS NATION’S LATEST ULTRAMODERN FACILITY, THE JOHN M. O’QUINN LAW BUILDING, WITH OFFICIAL RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY 11

BUILDING A NEW MEDICAL FUTURE 11 UH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION STARTS PLANS FOR REBUILDING 11

HEALTH IMPACT

FERTITTA FAMILY PLEDGES $50 MILLION TO UH COLLEGE OF MEDICINE TO PROPEL NEW ERA OF HEALTH CARE 12

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CREATES UH POPULATION HEALTH TO ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY 13

COMMUNITY IMPACT

DAKRI FAMILY GIFT SUPPORTS UH’S NEW CENTER FOR ECONOMIC INCLUSION 14

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON RECEIVES GIFT FROM GRATEFUL ARTIST 15

WINNING IMPACT

UH ATHLETICS RECEIVES $10 MILLION PLEDGE FOR NEW FOOTBALL OPERATIONS CENTER 16 GOING THE DISTANCE. UH STUDENT-ATHLETE EARNS PRESTIGIOUS PHI BETA KAPPA SCHOLARSHIP FOR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE 17

STUDENT IMPACT

UH’S 2022 GIVING DAY CONCLUDES AS ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL YET 18

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON RANKED AS TOP PRODUCER OF FULBRIGHT U.S. STUDENTS 19

GRAMMY-NOMINATED ARTIST CONTRIBUTES TO COVID RESEARCH AT UH

Aloe Blacc has a long list of titles: singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, husband and father. With a generous contribution to the University of Houston (UH), he has just added another title — philanthropist.

“What inspires me is the possibility of making the world a better place for myself, my kids and others,” said Blacc, a Grammy-nominated artist. “I love using my art for positive social transformation, creating songs that make people smile and inspiring them to live their dreams.”

Blacc made a contribution this past spring to support COVID-19 research in the University of Houston’s College of Pharmacy. A search online led the Los Angeles-based artist to a study by Gomika Udugamasooriya, associate professor of medicinal chemistry in the College of Pharmacy at UH. Udugamasooriya’s research focuses on a “molecular mask” consisting of synthesized chemical compounds that would prevent the COVID virus from entering human cells.

“I had contracted COVID in January, and as I was in quarantine, I was really interested in what efforts had been made to not just vaccinate against COVID but to stop transmission,” said Blacc. “I feel that we still need to work toward a solution to end the pandemic.”

He hopes his gift will help speed up research results. Whether it involves supporting medical research or giving to causes that advance social and educational services, Blacc hopes everyone would strive to improve their communities, both locally and globally. He is doing his part to inspire others.

“I would encourage them to recognize that the world is all of ours to manage and to care for,” he said. “We have to share what we have, and donating is part of that sharing and part of making the world a better place.”

He adds, “We all have our respective skill sets, and with those skill sets, we can offer a little bit of our hearts.”

“When you’re investing in the institution, in the University, you’re investing in human capital…those are the students, scientists, doctors, lawyers, educators, architects and engineers that will come from that [UH] campus. Your elected officials, people who will give to the public sector, your entrepreneurs and your innovators. Those are people that will be coming through the University.”

- Mayor Sylvester Turner

DONNE DI DOMANI’S DELICIOUS, DEDICATED DONATIONS

What does tomato sauce have in common with the University of Houston? More specifically, how does marinara sauce and UH scholarships go together?

The common link is Donne di Domani, Houston’s ItalianAmerican women-owned organization. Every year, a group of volunteers for Donne di Domani sells marinara sauce and the proceeds fund scholarships in Modern and Classical Languages and the Italian Studies Program at UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Donne di Domani, founded in 1985, was designed to be an organization of women with Italian lineage, either through birth or marriage, that fosters an awareness of the Italian culture and heritage. They chose the name Donne di Domani — Italian for ‘women of tomorrow’ — to reflect their commitment to look to the future as well as to remember the past. Before long, supporting local charities became a top priority.

“We have a specific focus for donating our money to UH,” said founding member Roz Pactor. “For us, it’s Italian Studies. We want to support people who share our love for the Italian culture. We develop a personal connection to the people who use our funds. If you’re

considering donating to the University and have a specific type of cause, just discuss it and UH can help make it happen.”

The fact that a Houston-born Italian-based sauce funds an Italian educational opportunity at UH, Houston’s university, seems like a natural connection. Fellow founding member Sandra Harris mentioned that when you donate to UH, you can participate in the selection of scholarship recipients. “Most UH students work and go to school, and we felt it was important to give scholarships based on financial need, as well as merit. We also wanted to hear from the applicants how our scholarships could benefit them. UH has always cooperated with us in structuring the awards.

“You can feel confident that your funds are cared for and supervised correctly. UH handles the financial accounting and scholarship funds are deposited directly into the student accounts, not to fund travel to Italy or other activities. It’s very controlled—and that’s a compliment to the University.”

PROFESSOR’S CRYSTAL RESEARCH MAKING ADVANCES IN MEDICINE, ENERGY

It is often said that one of the most important attributes of a business or home is location, location, location. That can apply to universities as well. Just ask Dr. Jeffrey Rimer, the Abraham E. Dukler Endowed Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering.

Rimer’s crystal engineering research includes work in the health care field — studying diseases and ailments like kidney stones and malaria that produce crystals in the body and developing treatments to prevent the crystals from forming. His research also focuses on the energy sector since crystals are used in the production of gasoline and chemicals.

Rimer said UH’s location attracted him to the University 13 years ago, providing the ideal spot for his research. “What I knew being at UH was its proximity to two resources that would really help my research, one being the Texas Medical Center is so close,” he said. “The biomedical work that I do could benefit from that close proximity. Then all the companies, especially in oil and gas, being here.”

In addition to his research, Rimer enjoys teaching and mentoring graduate students. In fact, he recently earned the Graduate Mentoring Award from the University. “That really meant a lot because that’s the most enjoyment I get personally out of the job,” he

said. “It’s working with a lot of the young students and seeing them mature over the course of a four- or fiveyear project.”

Endowed positions awarded to Rimer and other faculty are vital to supporting their educational and research interests. “The ability of the University to get outside funding to support endowments is really about two things,” Rimer said. “Number one, there’s prestige with that. To have an endowment is a point of pride for faculty. And it’s what can attract people to UH. It’s a big tool for retention, to keep people here.”

Rimer encouraged donors to support UH, referring to their gifts as “an investment” that will be stretched to accomplish much more than at other universities.

“But there’s also a hunger at the University, there’s an upward trajectory,” he said. “There’s a feeling across the campus that starts from upper administration, from the President all the way down, that we want to improve in the (Top 50 public university) rankings and want to really rise. So that hunger drives a lot of us, unlike other institutions that are maybe at the top and where some complacency can come into that.

“Money that comes to the University is spent very well in terms of what those companies or donors get in return for their investment.”

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER

OPENS NATION’S LATEST ULTRAMODERN FACILITY

After decades of dreaming of a modern, all-above-ground facility, the University of Houston Law Center celebrated the culmination of tremendous efforts to bring the John M. O’Quinn Law Building into reality this fall.

“This University encourages us to dare to dream,” said UH Law Center Dean Leonard M. Baynes. “It is the collective commitments and philanthropy of UH Law Center donors, alumni, faculty, students, staff, UH Leadership and members of the legislature that brought this building to life.”

Dr. Robert H. McPherson, UH Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost said, “I’ve long said that this outstanding law school is a crown jewel at the University of Houston. Now, that jewel’s value is enhanced for students, our institution and the state of Texas.”

UH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION STARTS PLANS FOR REBUILDING

The College of Education has made great strides in recent years, and the momentum will continue with the collective efforts toward the University’s mission of ending inequities in education and health.

UH President Renu Khator previously announced the University plans to create a Centennial Plaza, an expansive green space, that would necessitate the eventual demolition of Farish Hall and relocation of the College of Education. The College of Education will be housed in a newly renovated McElhinney Hall and the recently renovated Science Building, keeping the building centrally located around the iconic plaza. With active engagement from UH Facilities and the architects, the building will have modern spaces to enrich student learning, advance innovative research and facilitate community engagement. The current schedule makes the rebuild likely to occur in 2025.

BUILDING A NEW MEDICAL FUTURE

The Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine is focused on training future doctors committed to treating the underserved in urban and rural Texas and changing the future of statewide health care for the better.

“It’s taken a lot of people, and the stars aligned, but it happened. What we’ve created here is really special. We’re going to have 480 students every four years that are primary care physicians, which we really need in this country,” said Tilman J. Fertitta, chairman of the UH System Board of Regents. “When you put your head on the pillow at night, this is the one thing you can say we really got something done to help so many people out there. And there’s one thing I do believe we should have in the United States of America: Everybody should have equal health care.”

“We can say proudly that we are producing Cougar doctors here who are going to do things that others have not been able to do,” said UH President Renu Khator.

Prominent businessman Tilman J. Fertitta and his family have pledged $50 million to the University of Houston College of Medicine to ignite a new era of innovative and equitable health care in Houston and across Texas. In recognition of the legacy-defining support, the medical school is now named the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine.

The longtime chairman of the UH System Board of Regents, Fertitta was instrumental in establishing the city of Houston’s first new medical school in nearly 50 years. Founded in 2019 on a distinct social mission to improve health and health care in underserved urban and rural communities where poor health outcomes are often more prevalent, the Fertitta Family College of Medicine educates students to provide compassionate, high-value care (high quality at reasonable cost), with a focus on primary care and other needed physician specialties. Building on the University’s legacy of excellence as a Tier One research institution, interdisciplinary research involving the community and other disciplines at UH will propel improvements in patient care and health.

The gift will help address the state’s critical primary care physician shortage, especially in low-income and underserved communities, attract renowned scholars focused on health care innovation and establish support for the college and its faculty to pursue clinical and translational research, with an emphasis on population health, behavioral health, community engagement and the social determinants of health.

FERTITTA FAMILY PLEDGES $50

UH COLLEGE OF MEDICINE TO PROPEL NEW ERA OF HEALTH CARE

“Our family has such a passion for this medical school and its pursuit of health equity...”

TILMAN J. FERTITTA Chairman of the

UHS

Board of Regents

“Our family has such a passion for this medical school and its pursuit of health equity so everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code or socioeconomic status, has the same opportunity to be as healthy as possible,” said Fertitta. “My hope is that the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine will be a game-changer for the health and well-being of Texans by improving access to quality health care, advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care through health and health care research.”

The gift officially launches a $100 Million fundraising campaign for the Fertitta Family College of Medicine to support scholarships, faculty recruitment and operational needs for equipment, programs, student success initiatives and more. University of Houston President Renu Khator hopes the gift will inspire others to consider contributing to Houston’s newest “crown jewel.”

“Tilman Fertitta and his family have made a visionary investment, so it is only fitting this new, ambitious and forward-thinking medical school should bear the Fertitta name. It will have a remarkable and lasting impact on Houston and the world. Thanks to the Fertitta family’s amazing generosity, the financial security and longevity of the medical school is cemented for generations to come,” said UH President Renu Khator.

MILLION TO

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CREATES UH POPULATION HEALTH TO ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY

The University of Houston has launched UH Population Health, a first-of-its-kind initiative to advance health equity in Houston, the state of Texas and beyond through a holistic approach to health and well-being.

Unlike any other university in the country, UH is taking a multifaceted, University-wide approach to reduce health disparities and health care costs by addressing the full range of factors that affect health, such as access to healthy food, healthy behaviors, the environment, the health care system and other key factors.

“I am so proud that the University of Houston has accepted the challenge to lead a national effort to improve health patterns and trends for everyone. This is a bold step forward for our University, for our students and faculty and for the various communities we serve and impact through our work,” said Renu Khator, president of the University of Houston.

BETTINA BEECH

Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences at the UH College of Medicine

UH is currently working on 27 population health research grants totaling nearly $37 million. From National Institutes of Health-funded projects that aim to ensure the technology of machine learning benefits everyone and bolster the pipeline of diverse health faculty researchers in the field of obesity health disparities, to a pending CDC-funded national initiative to address COVID-19 health disparities among high-risk populations, Bettina Beech, clinical professor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences at the UH College of Medicine, is seeking to increase the population health research portfolio across the campus.

By harnessing the intellectual power of multiple disciplines at the University’s 16 academic colleges and schools, Beech believes the University of Houston will emerge as a world-class producer of diverse health and health care leaders equipped to build and maintain healthy populations.

“We are creating a space for internal and external thought leaders to gather, co-create, test and launch evidence-based solutions for chronic disease selfmanagement,” she said. “Improving our nation’s health will take a concerted effort, but UH Population Health stands at the precipice of leaving an indelible mark on our community and the world.”

The inaugural UH Population Health external advisory committee is a who’s who of nationally-recognized health experts: Dr. Roy Beveridge, former chief medical officer at Humana; Sally Shumaker, professor and principal investigator of the Women’s Health Initiative at Wake Forest University; Dr. Keith Norris, professor and executive vice chair of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UCLA; and Dr. Tamara Baer, McKinsey & Company, Boston Children’s Hospital.

“UH Population Health stands at the precipice of leaving an indelible mark on our community and the world.”

DAKRI FAMILY GIFT

SUPPORTS UH’S NEW CENTER FOR ECONOMIC INCLUSION

The Dakri family has pledged $4 million to support the University of Houston’s new Center for Economic Inclusion (CEI) in the C. T. Bauer College of Business. Launched in May, the CEI’s programs build on Bauer’s award-winning SURESM program (Stimulating Urban Renewal through Entrepreneurship), which trains students in business development while simultaneously educating and enabling under-resourced entrepreneurs in the community to launch businesses.

In recognition of the gift, the center will be called the Musa and Khaleda Dakri Center for Economic Inclusion. The gift establishes an endowed chair to support the center’s chair/director position and an endowed professorship to expand the institute’s research priorities, which includes research on small business entrepreneurship. It also provides significant support for research costs and graduate research fellowships for students.

“We are honored to offer our support for the Center for Economic Inclusion. The work done by Dr. Saleha Khumawala and the University of Houston has been life changing for so many in the Houston area. We hope that this gift will allow countless others within our community to achieve their goals regardless of their socioeconomic status,” said Asif Dakri.

Longtime supporters of the University of Houston, the Dakri family is committed to helping solve problems across ethnic boundaries, working for the betterment of the African American, Mexican American and South Asian communities. An endowment in UH’s Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies named for Musa and Khaleda, for example, provides support for student scholarships, research and more.

“The Dakri family is passionate about the betterment of Houston, generously offering their time and resources to truly make an impact in the community,” said Renu Khator, University of Houston president. “With this support for our new Center for Economic Inclusion, entrepreneurs from all communities, including those in most need of investment, will get access to education, expertise and training needed to build businesses and transform lives.”

The Center for Economic Inclusion aims to combine experiential education, rigorous academic research and real-world expertise to train university students in human-centered skills, while economically empowering under-resourced entrepreneurs.

“Our newly-established Center for Economic Inclusion will empower aspiring entrepreneurs, who are mostly women and people of color, to chase their dreams of

founding a successful new business, just as the Dakri family has done successfully for decades,” said Paul A. Pavlou, dean of the C. T. Bauer College of Business.

CEI Executive Director Saleha Khumawala, Robert Grinaker Professor of Accounting and founding director of the SURESM program, has known the Dakri family for decades, and said their support and generosity are vital to the center’s success.

“As the only higher education-based economic inclusion center in the country, we are helping build a more sustainable and inclusive society. This isn’t just about diversity, equity and inclusion, it’s about economic empowerment,” said Khumawala. “The Dakri family and Wallis Bank have been instrumental supporters of our programs for many years, and I am incredibly thankful for their generosity.”

As a visual artist, Betirri Bengtson’s talent has taken him around the world. The University of Houston graduate specializes in paintings and murals that focus on sports, particularly his passion for soccer. Bengtson has been able to showcase his art at World Cup events in Brazil and Russia as well as in Italy. “My art has allowed me to achieve a lot of my dreams doing what I love,” he said. Bengtson recently gave a generous gift to the School of Art within UH’s Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts. Starting out as an art student, he admitted he did not have focus or direction for his paintings. The School of Art faculty helped him hone his artistic vision. “I feel I had to give back to the University because that time was very valuable for me when I was a student,” said Bengtson, who also majored in the UH Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design. The gift has been a rewarding experience for him. “It gives me a lot of joy by giving back, hoping that it’s going to help someone. Sometimes it’s hard to get funds for scholarships and materials as an artist and maybe you have to work and study, so hopefully it will help some students. Just by knowing that, it brings me joy.”

Through his gift, Bengtson is leaving a philanthropic legacy at UH. “Legacy means doing something that doesn’t involve a fast transaction,” he said. “It’s something you do for the long term. I try to remember to stay within your values so that you create that legacy for the future.”

Bengtson hopes that his contribution will inspire others to give to the University, describing such financial support as “good energy.”

WINNINGIMPACT

UH ATHLETICS RECEIVES $10 MILLION PLEDGE FOR NEW FOOTBALL OPERATIONS CENTER

The University of Houston Athletics Department has received an anonymous $10 million pledge to support its planned state-of-the-art Football Operations Center. The gift is part of Houston Rise, the newly launched $150 million fundraising campaign centered on competitive excellence in the Big 12 Conference.

Considered the cornerstone of a new, championship era in the Big 12 for Houston Football, the Football Operations Center will represent a transformational resource to instantly impact recruiting, student-athlete development and competitiveness. With UH set to officially join the Big 12 in July 2023, the gift provides an immediate momentum boost at a critical time in the program’s history.

“This incredibly generous gift brings us one step closer to a new home for Houston Football as we continue to invest in and strengthen all of our athletics programs,” said Renu Khator, University of Houston president. “I’m thrilled by the outpouring of support from our alumni, fans and supporters. Investing in our student athletes and facilities is essential to success on the national level and we are committed to doing just that in the Big 12.”

Estimated to stand at 100,000 square feet, the Football Operations Center will reflect the Athletic Department’s drive to compete for championships in the Big 12. The Football Operations Center will feature cutting-edge

amenities and service Houston Football student-athletes and coaches in an unprecedented manner. Perhaps most importantly, it will instantly impact Houston’s recruiting efforts, with the competition for talent across the country at an all-time high.

“The Football Operations Center is the missing piece for us at the moment,” Head Football Coach Dana Holgorsen said. “Our infrastructure is relatively sound but without the facility, we are well behind our peers. This brings us up to standard and gives us a resource that will allow us to compete for the talent we need to win in the Big 12. Thank you to those who have and will come forward in support. This project is paramount to our goals for Houston Football.”

Houston Athletics and its fundraising division, Cougar Pride, hopes the $10 million gift will motivate other major gift donors to come forward and invest.

GOING THE DISTANCE

UH STUDENT-ATHLETE EARNS PRESTIGIOUS PHI BETA KAPPA SCHOLARSHIP FOR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE

“Even with few resources, you can create significant impact in your community through hard work and persistence.”

SONDOS MOURSY UH undergraduate student

Doing work to benefit the community is a mindset ingrained in Sondos Moursy’s family culture. Ever since the University of Houston student-athlete immigrated to the United States from Alexandria, Egypt, when she was 4 years old, she’s done work to uplift and empower neglected communities.

“We were always involved in charity projects when we were kids and that remains central to my purpose today,” she said.

It’s no wonder that now as a junior psychology major at the University of Houston, Moursy was one of 20 students selected as a Key into Public Service Scholar by The Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society. The award recognizes students who have demonstrated an interest in working in the public sector and possess a strong academic record in the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences.

“Once I see a gap in the community that needs to be filled, I become determined to fill it,” said Moursy, a student in the Honors College and College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

ACTION RESEARCH IN COMMUNITIES

The Spring, Texas, native has spent the last three years researching the mass incarceration of women and was saddened to discover minorities from poor communities are disproportionately incarcerated, despite misdemeanors making up the majority

of offenses. She proposes well-structured diversion programs as a solution.

“Our criminal justice system criminalizes poverty,” she said. “When a main provider is ripped out of their home because they can’t afford bail for a nonviolent crime, it creates a generational trajectory for the entire family. They don’t have options.”

In an effort to create an emotional support system for women returning to society after being in jail, Moursy initiated a weekly arts program at Angela House, a re-entry center for women in Houston which provides traumainformed rehabilitative services. She calls it a “safe space” for the women to connect and share experiences. The work was conducted through UH’s Action Research in Communities (ARC) program, a fellowship which offers exceptional undergraduates opportunities to conduct faculty-mentored action research based on service projects in the Greater Houston community.

Chosen from almost 900 applicants attending Phi Beta Kappa chapter institutions across the nation (PBK’s 284th chapter was installed in 2016 at UH), Moursy received a scholarship and will take part in a conference to provide training, mentoring and reflection on pathways into active citizenship.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

Not just a rising researcher and scholar, Moursy is also a runner on the University of Houston cross country team. With legs churning and

muscles burning, she grinds through rough terrain – hills, woods and mud are no match – to achieve a much grander goal than simply winning a race. Much like her work with mass incarceration, she competes to create opportunities for others.

Moursy is the only cross country or track and field athlete in the NCAA who competes while wearing hijab, a headscarf worn by Muslim women in public to maintain modesty and privacy in accordance with teachings of the Qur’an.

“I’ve seen so many amazing Muslim athletes give up on their dreams because they’re led to believe they have to choose between wearing hijab or playing sports. We shouldn’t have to choose. I didn’t,” she said. “I hope that by the time I graduate, we have a pipeline of Muslim athletes empowered to run – with hijab on – at the highest level.”

In addition to her research and athletic endeavors, Moursy initiated a tutoring program for elementary and high school students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and organizes UH Athletics volunteer days, consisting of packaging meals for distribution to those in need.

“Even with few resources, you can create significant impact in your community through hard work and persistence,” she said.

With every step she takes, Sondos Moursy is blazing a trail that could open doors for so many.

UH’S 2022 GIVING DAY CONCLUDES AS ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL YET

The University of Houston’s 2022 Giving Day concluded as its most successful yet, with $3.37 million raised to strengthen the University’s status as a premier public research institution. Generous UH family members and friends participating in the fourth-annual event more than doubled last year’s Giving Day total of $1.28 million.

More than 22,000 donors gave to this year’s philanthropic celebration, easily eclipsing the 2021 total of 7,300 participants. Their contributions supported various matching gift challenges throughout the campus. Among the dollar-for-dollar matches completed were those for the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, College of Education, Hobby School of Public Affairs, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and Cougar Pride/Athletics. The Fund for UH also fulfilled its matching gift challenge to support students and their educational experiences.

The enthusiastic Giving Day response from alumni, faculty and staff, students and others is vital to UH’s

drive to become a Top 50 public university. Alumni giving is one of the benchmarks U.S. News and World Report uses to calculate its annual rankings.

Cougars from nearly every state contributed to Giving Day. Among this year’s highlights:

• The most gifts originated from Texas by far, followed by California and Florida

• Online contributions to the Giving Day website increased more than 400 percent from the previous year

• Gifts ranged in size from $1 to $125,000

“By making these generous gifts, our donors demonstrate they recognize the transformative impact a UH education provides our students,” said Eloise Brice, Vice President of University Advancement. “We are grateful for their support, and we look forward to having them as integral parts of the Cougar family of donors for many years to come.”

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

RANKED AS TOP PRODUCER OF FULBRIGHT U.S. STUDENTS

The University of Houston is ranked among the top producing Fulbright institutions in the nation, announced by the U.S. Department of State’sBureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. With UH students receiving Fulbright awards for research and teaching, UH is one of only two researchinstitutions in Texas to make the prestigious list, published annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

In the last several years, the University has produced 18 Fulbrights, a significant achievement marking a sharp rise in national competitiveness. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, created to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries.

The University’s Fulbright recipients are currently teaching, studying and conducting research abroad and represent the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS), College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM), Bauer College of Business, College of Education and the interdisciplinary Honors College.

The Fulbrights have the chance to address critical issues — from sustainable energy and climate change to public health and food security — in all areas, while building relationships, knowledge and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States and the world.

“Our goal is to create a vibrant Fulbright culture at UH,” said Ben Rayder, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards. “To be recognized as a Fulbright top-producing institution not only demonstrates that we are well on our way, but also that UH students will continue to be competitive for this opportunity in the future.”