Alumni Special Issue 2014

special issue

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI, FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS JUNE 2014

DRIVE

How Talent, Perseverance and UH are Turning Dreams into Reality

FOR VICTORY IS NEAR!

Update on the New

Houston Football Stadium

SPECIAL ISSUE 2014

PUBLISHER Eloise Stuhr, Vice President, University Advancement

Richie C. Hunter, Vice President, University Marketing and Media Relations

Mike Pede (’89), Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations

EDITOR Nicholas Almanza, Director of Development and Alumni Communications

ART DIRECTOR Enita Torres (’89)

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tammi Bui

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeff Conrad Sarah Hill Jeff Sutton

PHOTOGRAPHER

UH President Renu Khator, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations Mike Pede (’89) and UHAA Board Chair Starlet Agrella 2014 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Downtown Parade. The University of Houston float received the Originality Award for

Jessica Villarreal

PRESIDENT Renu Khator

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM BOARD OF REGENTS Jarvis V. Hollingsworth (J.D. ’93), Chairman

inside 2

Tilman J. Fertitta, Vice Chairman

The Wait is Nearly Over Opening Day is right around the corner!

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Welcome W. Wilson, Jr., Secretary Beth Madison, (’72) Spencer D. Armour, III, (’77)

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Donor Profile: The Arp family gives generously.

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Roger F. Welder Durga D. Agrawal, MS (’69) and Ph.D. (’74) Paula M. Mendoza, UH Downtown (’95) Peter K. Taaffe, J.D. (’97)

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Asit R. Shah

Send address and email updates to: University of Houston, Donor & Alumni Records 5000 Gulf Fwy Bldg 1 Rm 272 Houston, Texas 77204-5035

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www.uh.edu/magazine Send feedback to: magazine@uh.edu The University of Houston Magazine is published by the Division of University Marketing and Media Relations The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.

06.2014 | 100,000 Copyright © 2014 by the University of Houston.

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Ways to Give Students, alumni and loyal UH friends find ways to give back.

Three Continents Alumna Lacey Richter (’13) travels to Italy to showcase her design prowess.

Discover the latest and greatest achievements of UH Alumni.

Cougar 100 Learn about a new initiative to honor the top 100 businesses run by proud Cougars.

Calendar

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Cover Story Ricardo Salinas (’12) is in the fast lane to success with a career at Lamborghini.

Class Notes

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Pencil us in! See the dates for events ranging from next August’s Stadium Opening Day to Homecoming Celebrations!

Life Member Plaza A bold new distinction for Life Members to be unveiled.

Staff Update Meet new members and reacquaint yourself with our Alumni Relations staff.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Alumni and Loyal Friends of UH, Welcome to a refreshed University of Houston Magazine. This exclusive edition places our alumni center stage and highlights their successes, reflections and hopes. It provides members of our university and surrounding communities with insight regarding the people and programs that have made UH a nationally competitive, exceptional learning environment. It is the story of the University of Houston, right now, at this moment in time.

This story is composed of hardworking students, dedicated faculty and staff, and generous alumni and community partners. We want to make you aware of the many exciting projects going on right this second—and celebrate great moments we have just shared, such as our Alumni Awards Gala. This year marked the 60th anniversary of the gala, and the overwhelming tone of the night was one of pride in our honorees and our alumni, in general. Each of the nine recipients volunteer their time and talent, advocate fiercely on behalf of the university and contribute daily to their communities.

a (’86, MBA ’89) gear up for the r the second year in a row.

MY STORY AT UH The articles in this magazine were made possible because so many alumni and friends chose to share their stories with us. We appreciate your boundless enthusiasm for UH, and would like to hear more about your unique University of Houston experience. To get in touch with us and let us know about your favorite memory, or to share something about UH that inspired you, please email mystory@uh.edu and tell us more!

The University of Houston’s new approach to unify and engage our more than 230,000 alumni is building momentum and success. With the Alumni Association now working with the University’s Office of Alumni Relations, UH is poised to deliver bigger, better and more exciting alumni opportunities than ever before. Our success is the sum of our community’s resolve and enduring belief in our mission: to offer nationally competitive and internationally recognized opportunities for learning, discovery and engagement to all.

For these reasons, success for one alumnus is success for the entire community. Within these pages you will read about Ricardo Salinas (’12), a graduate of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture’s Industrial Design program. His story is one of resilience and talent, and how one can achieve their dreams if they believe in themselves. You’ll also read about the Thompsons, a magnificent family who entrusted all three of their daughters’ educations to UH. Carl (’64) and Joe (’61) Arp grew up with UH and consider the campus as part of their family.

Let this magazine serve as a voice welcoming you home, a reminder that you are part of a Tier One educational community...

There are many events coming up at the university that we would like to highlight, as well. Lacey Richter (’13) will travel across the globe to represent UH in the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s foremost cultural institutions. And, of course, we have tried to capture in words the crescendo of excitement as Opening Day of the new Houston Football Stadium looms just months in our future. That is easier said than done, as it is difficult to define the feeling of 40,000 Coogs cheering feverishly in their new “house.”

We want these stories to inspire you and rekindle the pride that comes with being an alumnus of UH. Let this magazine serve as a voice welcoming you home, a reminder that you are part of a Tier One educational community, and a sign that your support is needed on campus for the next generation of Cougars to be intellectually challenged.

But, most of all, enjoy the stories even as you look forward to greater institutional achievements and more impressive accolades.

Renu Khator

President, University of Houston

A LONG TIME COM

A SHORT WAIT TO

It won’t be long now.

As you drive around the University of Houston campus these days, it’s hard to miss the ongoing construction on the new Houston Football Stadium. What once was a large, empty field with a gaping hole in the ground has turned into something amazing.

Located at the corner of Cullen Boulevard and Holman Street, this state-of-the-art facility continues to grow as construction workers march toward their August deadline.

The facility will open for Houston Football games in time for the season opener, scheduled for 8 p.m., Friday, August 29 vs.

UTSA, with another six games to follow.

The entire university will come together when the Cougars hit the field against the Roadrunners on the night of August 29.

Walk around the campus these days, and it is easy to feel the excitement building with the future opening of the new Football Stadium.

New Facilities, New Enthusiam

While Robertson Stadium served as the home of Houston Football for more than 60 years, starting in 1946, the facility was in need of drastic improvements by the time it was torn down following the 2012 season.

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In the world of intercollegiate athletics, the university needed the new stadium if it was to remain competitive with state and American Athletic Conference rivals, in both recruiting and elite-level play.

“New facilities, both academic and athletic, show a commitment to your prospective students and student-athletes,” Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades said. “Great facilities attract great coaches. Great coaches attract great studentathletes. The combination of great coaches and great student-athletes equals winning, and winning equals fan support. It’s not too complicated.”

In late January-early February 2012, UH students voted on a $45 per-semester, per-student fee increase in a student referendum. The money raised would be used to build the new Houston Football

Great facilities attract great coaches. Great coaches attract great student-athletes. The combination of great coaches and great student-athletes equals winning...

Support from all sides

The fundraising for the project was made possible through the hard work of the entire university. Athletics and Cougar Pride administrators worked to raise private donations, while UH students added more with a record-setting vote.

Stadium. Nearly 10,000 students—a record for the university—turned out to vote with an overwhelming 73 percent approving the measure.

After the UH System’s Board of Regents gave its approval to the project in March 2012, the Cougars competed for the final time in Robertson Stadium during the 2012 campaign. Just a few days after the Cougars’ 40-17 win over Tulane on November 24, 2012, workers began demolishing Robertson Stadium to make way for the new facility.

A Stadium with a View

Designed by PageSoutherlandPage and DLR Group, the 40,000-seat new stadium is being built by Manhattan Construction on the same site as Robertson Stadium, but fans will notice a different alignment. The new stadium will be turned approximately 90 degrees from Robertson Stadium, giving an east-to-west orientation. It still will provide fans in the stands and those watching on television a spectacular view of the downtown Houston skyline.

That’s only the beginning of the amenities offered. A 12,400-square-foot club area will

MING,

GO

UH: LIKE ONE OF

ALUMNI STORY

THE FAMILY

By Nicholas Almanza

By Jeff Conrad

overlook the field at the concourse level on the south side, providing fans with first-class hospitality and premium food and drinks.

On the field, Houston Football’s studentathletes will enjoy all the benefits of home.

The Cougars will compete on a state-of-theart synthetic turf designed to host a variety of events throughout the year and dress in a luxurious, 5,000-square-foot locker room in the southeast corner of the stadium.

It’s not just Houston Football and Athletics that will benefit. The 39,000-square-foot Bert F. Winston Band and Performance Center will be built on the east end, housing the Spirit of Houston Band Recital Halls, classroom spaces and a gallery multipurpose area.

Growing Excitement

While the current stadium site remains active with construction work as of this writing, Athletics administrators began giving some stadium donors a sneak peek in March and April. Armed with their hard hats, neongreen safety vests and absolutely no open-toe shoes, administrators have led fans over and around the typical mud at a construction site for their first glimpses of the new stadium. So far, the reviews have been nothing but glowing.

“We have received overwhelmingly positive reactions from our donors and seasonticket holders. We had some moments of awe in all our groups,” said Assistant Athletics Director for Development Brian Crawford, who has led several stadium tours. “It’s been a long time coming. People are starting to get excited about moving into a new building and picking out their seats for years to come.”

The Arps participate in UH Alumni’s newest tradition: Shasta VI guarding the class rings.

The weather on this Houston early spring day is cold and gray with on-and-off misty rain.

“It’s a good day,” remarks Carl Arp (’64) as he flashes a bright smile and glances out the window. “We beat Rice last night. If we beat them at tiddlywinks, I love it.”

“And, I used to sneak into Frontier Fiesta as a kid,” said Carl. “When I was there for college, those were the days just after Frontier Fiesta was on the cover of Life Magazine. We saw UH grow and improve right in front of us.”

Carl was referring to UH Cougar Baseball’s March 25th win over then No. 10 Rice University. For the four fans sitting in a cozy living room and discussing their favorite UH moments, nothing brightens a rainy day more than a winning season.

“And it’s an absolutely beautiful campus now,” said Elizabeth. “I ask people all the time if they’ve been out to see it recently.

Because they should.”

“We’re excited about the new football stadium,” said Dorothy, Carl’s wife. “We get excited anytime we go to campus and see and hear about all the things they’re doing. That’s how we’ve been getting people more involved with alumni groups. We tell them, ‘You’ve just got to go out and see what’s new there.’”

Carl, a graduate of the C. T. Bauer College of Business, and Dorothy are Life Member Alumni and active members of UH’s philanthropic community. Joe Arp (’61)— Carl’s brother and Bauer College of Business alumnus—and his wife, Elizabeth, also are generous supporters of UH and Houston Athletics. For Joe, UH remains THE University.

“We grew up with UH, that’s what attracted Carl and me to it,” said Joe. “When we were small, we lived a short distance from the campus. I even learned how to drive in the old stadium parking lot.”

Both Arp families decided recently to create a lasting impact by naming UH as a beneficiary of their respective estates. Carl and Joe are both members of the newly named In Tempore Legacy Society, which honors donors who include UH in their estate planning. For two brothers who speak as if the university is part of their family, this manner of giving back always seemed the right thing to do.

“I believe that every little bit you do for the university matters,” said Carl. “It’s amazing to me what UH has done in the past 30-40 years. It’s just gotten bigger and better, and it will, if we all work together, become unstoppable.”

For more information on gift planning, and to read the Arp family’s full story, please visit uh.edu/giftplanning.

Visit houstonalumni.com for more information on Class Ring traditions.

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WAYS TO GIVE

What It Means to Be UH The University of Houston is facilitating conversations between students and alumni about what it means to be part of the Cougar community and how a Tier One education can be applied to life outside the classroom. Promoting our campus environment, one that fosters excellence through innovation and experiential learning, helps students succeed and informs our communities about the university’s singular brand of excellence.

Here is a snapshot:

Q: A:

Q:

What is the most important thing UH students should know about the Houston community?

Bill Kelly (’02), Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs, Mental Health America of Greater Houston The University of Houston is just that: Houston’s university. It reflects the city’s diversity and community. The diversity speaks for itself with the student body, but the sense of community is unique.

Houston is the nation’s 4th largest city, but like UH, it really is a big small town. UH teaches you that if you are passionate and work hard, you can succeed. You don’t get that sense on other campuses, so when you look to enter the work force, you find that UH has given you a great training environment. In the nation’s best job market, what better place to learn than in our city’s university? If you work hard and maximize your talents, you are as much as a Houstonian as anyone else. Well, if you went to UH, you are a little more so.

What is the most important thing the Houston community should know about UH?

Bill Kelly (’02) and Alina Farrukh

A:

Alina Farrukh, sophomore, College of Education When it comes to my major, education, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than the University of Houston. In 2007, the Association of Teacher Educators awarded the UH College of Education with the Distinguished Program in Teacher Education, which marked it as one of the best teacher preparation programs in the U.S. When I visit schools in my hometown, Sugar Land, it seems like every teacher excitedly tells me that they, too, went to UH. Schools in Houston, and in towns all over Texas, like to see that their teachers graduated from UH because our program is incomparable. People can’t help but take note of our unstoppable achievements because each week we surpass another goal or affect the world in yet another positive way. I could go on and on about UH and what it means to the community, but what can I say? I’m a proud Coog!

Alumni support for the Fund for UH strengthens our university in ways described by Bill and Alina. It enhances Tier One learning opportunities for students and creates a vibrant campus community.

It also supports new alumni programming from the UH Office of Alumni Relations, including rewarding career services, stronger national networks and meaningful engagement through student recruitment and mentoring. Your gift expresses confidence in the future of our institution and builds a stronger community for Houston.

To make a gift to the Fund for UH, visit uh.edu/fundforuh.

UHOPE: Advancing Philanthropy UH Young Alumni Council Chair, Carlos Reyes (’10), wants you to join the University of Houston Ongoing Pledge for Excellence (UHOPE) initiative, our new recurring gift program that provides alumni and friends with a convenient way to make gifts in regular monthly contributions.

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Coming to UH, not knowing many people on campus, I was intimidated and didn’t know how I’d survive. I had a feeling I would be just another number and my voice would not be heard.

But, I saw how passionate UH students were about helping others. There were students who took time out of their day to help me study at the library, to be a support system

Carlos Reyes (’10)

when I struggled with a class and to defy any and all odds that were stacked against me.

There were professors at UH who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, who still keep in touch with me to this day.

3COOGS – Student Success

Inspires a Loyal UH Family When the Thompsons visit the University of Houston, it usually is in their red Honda Accord that proudly displays the license plate “3COOGS.” UH educated three Thompson daughters, provided each with distinct pathways to success and inspired a family tradition of giving.

Emily, their eldest daughter and a clarinet player, graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree from the Moores School of Music and is a former member of the Spirit of Houston Marching Band, where she marched for four years. Their second daughter, Annie, a percussionist, received her B.B.A. in Accounting in 2006 and her master’s degree in accountancy and taxation in 2007 from the C. T. Bauer College of Business. Their third daughter, Ellen, earned a B.S. in Sport Administration in 2009 and a M.Ed. in Allied Health Educational Administration in 2010.

Ellen also marched with the Spirit of Houston for one year as a tuba and trombone player.

While two of their children were still in college, John and Susan Thompson began to give generously in many ways and to many areas on campus. They directed gifts toward the UH Band and funded scholarship endowments for the colleges from which their daughters graduated.

But it wasn’t until UH’s Tier One designation and President Renu Khator’s subsequent Later as an alumnus, I came to appreciate the importance of giving. I came to understand how much had been given to me throughout my UH experience. Many people tend to misunderstand what giving is all about—it’s about giving back in recognition for what you’ve received from your community in any way you can.

I was especially excited about becoming a UHOPE donor. Giving is critical to our university, but for many of us, giving enough to feel as though we’re having a meaningful impact can really be a challenge. Through UHOPE, I have been able to sign up for a monthly recurring gift. Though I’m giving

challenge to support a Tier One Scholarship endowment that the Thompsons decided to direct their support toward this successful program. “The development to me was President Khator challenging the UH community with the Tier One program. The Tier One Scholars program got our initiative going. It’s the one that really grabbed us,” said John. Whereas some endowments take many years to fully mature and reach a place where they can provide scholarships, UH’s pledge to match gifts (including matching company gifts) to this scholarship program from $25,000 to $1 million had a certain, and gratifying, immediacy. “The program was structured with a generous match, and the benefits of these gifts started flowing to the scholars immediately,” he said.

They established the John D. and Susan K. Thompson Family Tier One Endowed Scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS). Susan completed a course in CLASS eight years ago and loved it.

She was impressed by the professionalism of her instructor and by the respect she garnered for her classmates during the course. “It was a junior level humanities course,” she recalls, “and I walked out of it thinking, these are good kids. The world is going to be just fine.”

Of course, John admits he is motivated partly by self-interest. He’s on the management team of a substantial Houston employer who looks at UH as a rich source of young just a modest amount each month, my contributions add up for the UH programs I care most about.

Recurring donations provide a steady flow of funds that enable UH to go above and beyond in terms of offering excellence in education, something that’s expected of a Tier One research institution. And most importantly, these contributions provide a long-term commitment to UH that helps produce positive change for our community over time.

I know that there are many proud Coogs out there like me. That’s why I want you to know

talent. The recruitment pool is likely to hold a much more educated and skilled list of candidates if they have been given the best resources during their University of Houston experience. “Susan and I have met some of these [Tier One] scholars, and they really are impressive. They are making the most of this unique program, and I suspect that when they hit the workforce, they are going to reinvest themselves in UH’s future, much like Susan and I are doing now,” states John.

The Thompsons’ license plate

President Khator’s challenge is near the finish line. Thanks to the meaningful generosity of friends and alumni families, like the Thompsons, UH is within $1 million of completing the Tier One Scholarship program. You can help the University reach this goal and support scholarship opportunities for outstanding, highachieving students by giving to the Cougar Community UH Tier One Scholarship.

A gift of any size supports remarkable opportunities for undergraduate students to succeed, helps students participate in groundbreaking research activities and allows them to receive well-deserved recognition for their work.

To make a gift to the Cougar Community UH Tier One Scholarship, visit uh.edu/uhtierone. that any alumnus can participate in giving by spreading their gift out incrementally over the course of the year. You can even gift $100, which qualifies you for Century Club recognition, over the course of one year through installments of only $8.33 a month! Even small gifts from a large group of Cougars will make a big impact.

Join me by setting up a monthly gift today!

To make a recurring gift or receive more information, please visit giving.uh.edu/gift or call the Office of Annual Giving via (713) 743-4708.

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COVER STORY

Taking the High Road

By Sarah Hill and Nicholas Almanza

Identifying a Problem

Not many people can claim that they found their life’s vocation by the age of six, but Salinas remembers the moment vividly. His father gave him a folder with which to store his countless original drawings and sketches, and on the cover of the folder was a picture of a car—a black Lamborghini Diablo. He then and there decided he would design Lamborghinis when he grew up.

Ricardo Salinas (’12)

When it came to his lifelong dream, UH alumnus Ricardo Salinas stopped at nothing to achieve it.

Ricardo Salinas (’12), impeccably dressed in a fitted dark olive suit coat and donning stylish designer sunglasses, approaches the columns of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture at the University of Houston after two years away. He warmly greets several students shuffling in and out of the college’s towering wooden doors, asking after their projects and responding to casual catch-up questions. He’s home. The air is energized, demonstrating how transformational the last two years have been in the evolution of the UH campus. Much like his alma mater, Salinas was always the type of student who pushed boundaries. “Ricardo is such a great talent.

He has charisma,” said his former industrial design professor, EunSook Kwon. “He pursued and achieved his dream.”

In elementary and high school, Salinas made a habit out of frequently checking who the best designers in the world were and researching where and in what disciplines they received their degrees. It wasn’t until his freshman orientation session at UH that someone suggested he study industrial design. The Industrial Design (ID) undergraduate program at UH is housed in the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, but focuses on marrying applied art and applied science to increase the functionality, desirability and usability of products. There are overtones of marketing in this type of work, and of engineering, business and even psychology, all in the pursuit of solving problems in our everyday lives. Professor EunSook Kwon founded the ID program at the University of Houston in 2003, and it is currently the only industrial design program in a four-state proximate area.

“Designers can change the world,” says professor Kwon. And Ricardo Salinas is an example of a student who did achieve the nearly impossible...

Salinas’ dream, one held since childhood, was to design Lamborghinis, considered one of the finest, most welldesigned and stylish luxury automobiles in the world. Salinas now lives in Seattle, Washington, and is an automotive designer at the Automobili Lamborghini Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory under the direction of Dr. Paolo Feraboli. Besides designing cars he says are “aerodynamically perfect” and “the fastest around,” Salinas doggedly pursues a goal he has cherished and nurtured ever since he sat in the back of classrooms surreptitiously filling his notebooks with car drawings: to design the future of Lamborghini.

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Perseverance was Salinas’ greatest virtue, and he credits his mother with teaching him that trait. “My mother would tell me to get back up when I was knocked down,” he reminisces.

to Success Salinas didn’t get accepted to the ID program on his first try, but he improved his grades and portfolio and was eventually accepted.

The process that ID teaches designers, which begins with identifying a problem, is the golden key to designing anything. “If you don’t find problems to solve,” says Salinas, “You don’t innovate.” And what is unique about UH’s program is the constant push for innovation. “A project could be aesthetically beautiful,” relates Salinas, “but if it wasn’t innovative, it wouldn’t be well-respected in the program.”

Excelling at Design

During his time at UH, Salinas participated in many award-winning design competitions and won several awards. His team placed second at the “Prevention Through Design” 2011 conference in Washington, D.C. with a lightweight beekeeper’s jacket that improved upon the design of more archaic beekeeper’s uniforms. He also won the Provost’s Award for undergraduate research for a joint project with the College of Technology. This research led to the creation of the MyVoice system, which translates sign language into spoken words and vice versa. With this innovative design research, he won the first paper award at the 2012 American Society of Engineering Education, GulfSouthwest conference. He also designed the well-received free dishwasher, which uses ionic changes to water and the concept of a rainstorm to clean grime from dishes.

After garnering considerable success from myriad design projects, Salinas decided to reengage his childhood dream by choosing car design for his senior thesis. This was a bold choice, considering the ID program has neither car design programs nor specialists on staff, but Salinas was determined. While employed at an Austin-based design firm after graduating, he continued to work independently on his original designs. He submitted his project portfolio to Dr. Paolo Feraboli at Lamborghini, the most innovative

mind Salinas had ever encountered. Much like his admission to the ID program, he didn’t get hired during his first round of interviews, but with his trademark perseverance, he was eventually given a chance by Dr. Feraboli. Now, working on Research and Development in the only satellite location Lamborghini has outside of Italy, Salinas has the freedom to design things that haven’t been seen before. “I have nothing but the highest respect for Dr. Feraboli,” says Salinas. He credits Dr. Feraboli with making his dream a reality.

Overcoming Adversity

Salinas has a message for current UH students—that is, to absorb everything and to never stop reaching for the impossible. He had naysayers, people who rejected the idea that he could achieve one of the few coveted designer positions at Lamborghini. He consistently proved them wrong.

Salinas recalls a time at UH when a visiting automotive design professor, an industry giant he truly admired, told him, “You wouldn’t even make it in my night classes,” when he saw the car drawings Salinas presented him. After that exchange, Salinas went back to the drawing board, quite

Professor Kwon

literally, and with award-winning designs covering his walls, he painstakingly improved his technique. Salinas says that certain personality traits helped him overcome negativity. He has a streak of what some might call stubbornness, but really, in his mind, it’s the ability to not take criticism too much to heart. As an alumnus of the University, he is extremely proud. He wears his class ring and remains engaged with current students. “Knowing that students look up to me is a great and humbling feeling,” he muses. “It makes me want to achieve even more.”

“Designers Can Change the World!”

With all the awards it brings in every year at national conferences, and the “Excellence in Teaching” award professor Kwon won from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in 2011, he is saddened that the Industrial Design program doesn’t have more resources. “When we would have high profile speakers come to the Industrial Design program to lecture, we had to provide our own food for the receptions,” he remembers. “These great, well-known designers would be at the college, and we only had Sprite and donuts to serve them—that we, as students, had purchased ourselves.”

Despite its limited resources, ID has established itself as an outstanding, nationally recognized program. Although it started humbly in 2003 with only six students enrolled, the primary message professor Kwon wants people to know about the program today is: “We can do it!” Her students are winning accolades, she herself is sweeping award presentations and patents are pending on several products her students have created. “Designers can change the world,” says professor Kwon. Ricardo Salinas is an example of a student who did achieve the nearly impossible and who is changing the world, thanks to a cutting-edge education from the University of Houston.

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UH Alumna Debuts at

One of World’s Most Prestigious Cultural Institutions

By Sarah Hill

The Venice Biennale represents the cutting edge in the fields of art and architecture, and this year’s theme involves the past, present and future of design.

The setting is perfect, as the historic surroundings of Venice will evince past design concepts, even as inventive projects point the way toward the future.

making, and we must do something about it now to save ourselves and our environment.”

Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture students will be in attendance this year to showcase some of their best work. “The most exciting part will be to finally see two years’ worth of planning and hard work come to its culmination at such a prestigious event,” says former UH architecture student and alumna Lacey Richter (’13). “We really pushed ourselves and strived to make some of the most innovative and exciting projects and models that the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture has ever seen. Now we have the opportunity to share our work with the rest of the world, and it is just a really profound experience.”

For a young girl who used to pore over real estate magazines during Lacey Richter (’13) family dinners while waiting for a table, Richter has come a very long way. Her personal project for the Venice Biennale is a self-sustaining prison composed of recycled shipping containers. “I researched quite a bit into how we currently build and operate prisons, and how it is very ineffective and costly,” she relates.

“...we must do something about it now to save ourselves and our environment.”

Lacey Richter

Professor Peter Zweig was Richter’s most influential mentor during her time at the college. “My first experience with Professor Zweig was on a study abroad trip led by him in Italy, so it is unique that my educational journey is going to end in an exhibition in the Venice Biennale—directed by Professor Zweig, as well.”

She says Professor Zweig taught her invaluable lessons as a designer and future architect. Many of those lessons involved sustainability and how it is integral in the future of design and architecture. This is an important aspect of design, she believes, “because we realize that society cannot continue to make the same mistakes it is currently

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Richter also was a major contributor to the Three Continents Studio, a project that started her team on the path to the Venice Biennale. This ground-breaking enterprise was a yearlong partnership among the Hines College and researchers from Tulane University, University of Buenos Aires and Technical University, Delft, the Netherlands. UH students and faculty worked alongside researchers from Louisiana, Argentina and the Netherlands to solve problems in coastal health across the globe. “The fifth-year architecture students at UH were challenged to research the negative aspects of living along the industrialized, 100 miles of the Buffalo Bayou and to propose innovative projects that will secure Houston’s future,” explains Professor Zweig.

Richter feels strongly that her role as an architect necessitates that she use sustainable measures when engaging in the design of coastal habitats as well as home, office and even prison spaces. “I believe the field of architecture has definitely become more concerned with energy use and sustainability. We are designers and innovators, and it is our responsibility to act as role models for society and to be held accountable for our decisions and designs,” she states.

UH Alumni Making News Around the Globe

class notes 1970

1992

John Mahaffey (’70), former University of Houston All-American and professional golfer, has published his autobiography titled, “Hogan’s Boy.”

Gina Gardner Covell (’92) has launched Going Public, a media relations and marketing company based in Tampa, Florida.

1972 Kay Lentz (’72, MBA 84), president of The Lentz Group, has been named a director on the Klotz Associates board and will serve a two-year term as an outside representative.

Klotz Associates, Inc. is a Texas-based multidiscipline civil engineering firm.

1987 Steve Aldous (J.D. ’87) has joined the complex bankruptcy law firm Forshey Prostok in the company’s expanding Dallas office.

1998 Steven Pike (’98), the manager of Klotz Associates’ TxDOT Department, has been named a director on the company’s board and will serve a two-year term.

Win Haggard Jr. (’02) has been promoted to Senior Vice President with Colvill Office Properties.

2003 M. Sakran (’03, MBA ’11) has a collection of poetry pending publication.

2004 Dr. Tony Talbert (Ed.D. ’98), professor in the Baylor School of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, received the McGraw Hill Distinguished Scholar Award in recognition of his career of scholarly contributions to qualitative and ethnographic research.

1999

1989 Ray Ferrera (’89) has been selected Partner in Charge of Adams and Reese’s Houston office, effective January 1, 2014.

2002

Prebble Q. Ramswell (’99, ’02) defeated seven other candidates, including the incumbent and two former councilmen, to become the fourth female ever to be elected to city council in Destin, Florida.

Courtney Crim (Ed.D. ’04) has been promoted to associate professor and awarded tenure at Trinity University.

Celina Ramirez Joachim (J.D. ’04) has been named a Partner in the Compensation & Employment Law Practice for Baker & McKenzie LLP, based in Houston.

2006 Amanda K. Brady (’06) has joined Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world’s leading legal search firm, as Managing Director and Global Practice Leader of its Law Firm Management practice.

Rayburn “Jake” Donaldson (March ’06), Three Square Design Group principal, has been named to ENR Texas & Louisiana’s 20 Under 40 list.

We invite you to submit your alumni news and updates at alumni@uh.edu.

SPECIAL ISSUE • 2014

9

Celebrating the 100 fastest growing Cougar-owned or Cougar-led businesses

The Cougar 100 is a new initiative designed to recognize and celebrate the 100 fastest growing Cougarowned or Cougar-led businesses in the world. This new program will be accepting nominations through September 1, 2014, with the official announcement coming November 6 at a special Cougar 100 luncheon. Additionally, UH and the Houston Business Journal have partnered to include a special “Cougar 100” edition that will be distributed throughout the State of Texas.

Companies nominated for the Cougar 100 must complete an online application, which can be found at houstonalumni.com/cougar100. As part of the application process, nominees are required to download and complete a form and documentation verifying sales/revenue, and then submit these via fax, US mail or email to PKF Texas, P.C. PKF Texas is a leading CPA firm located in Houston and is serving as the official accountant for the Cougar 100 program.

Here’s how to submit your business for consideration: • Visit houstonalumni.com/cougar100 • Fill out the Cougar 100 application online • Print, complete and sign the Company Performance Document and sales/revenue verification documents then mail, fax or email to PKF Texas • Complete the three steps above by September 1, 2014.

UH COMMUNITY DAY AT THE

HOUSTON FOOTBALL

STADIUM

Sunday, August 24, 2014 12:00 - 5:00 pm Mark your calendars!

SAVE THE DATE 10

SPECIAL ISSUE • 2014

For more information on the Houston Football Stadium, visit houstonfootballstadium.com.

Start Making Plans

calendar JUNE 21

8th Annual Cougar Saltwater Open Fishing Tournament Latitudes Restaurant, San Leon, TX

JULY 10

UH Alumni Career Fair

15

UHAA Alumni Reception

Campus Recreation and Wellness Center

29

Houston Football Stadium

Provo, UT

UHAA Alumni Reception

23

UHAA Alumni Reception

27

UH vs. Tennessee Tech

28

1

UH at BYU

San Francisco, CA

Washington, D.C.

2-8

11

UH at Memphis

17

UH vs. Temple

Homecoming Week uh.edu/homecoming

7

UHAA Celebrity Golf Classic

Bayou City Event Center

Reunion Events UH is hosting 10-, 25- and 50year reunions (’04, ’89 and ’64) during Homecoming Week!

Houston Zoo

UH vs. UCF

Tampa, FL

Cougar 100 Luncheon

Shasta’s Birthday

2

UH at USF

6

Houston Football Stadium

OCT

UH Community Day

8

UH vs. Tulane

22

UH vs. Tulsa

28

UH at SMU

Homecoming Game

Houston Football Stadium

Houston Football Stadium

Dallas, TX

Memphis, TN

UH vs. UTSA Houston Football Stadium

SEPT 6

12

UHCAA 8th Annual Golf Challenge Riverbend Country Club

24

11

NOV

CenterPoint Energy 25th Annual Cougar Golf Classic Northgate Country Club

Denver, CO

AUG 18

8

UH vs. Grambling State Houston Football Stadium

Athletic events, opponents and dates are subject to change

29

DEC

Houston Football Stadium

UHAA Alumni Reception New York, NY

6

UH at Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH

For complete updates on Houston Alumni events, visit houstonalumni.com.

SPECIAL ISSUE • 2014

11

INTRODUCING the

LIFE MEMBER PLAZA

The University of Houston Alumni Association is proud to announce a new project that will showcase those alumni who have made their commitment as Life Members.

The Life Member Plaza will be the new name for the open area directly in front of the Athletics/Alumni Center. The pillars located in front of the Athletics/Alumni Center will be fitted with panels bearing the names of every one of our valued Life Members as another way to show their importance to the University of Houston community for years to come.

Life Members are a very special part of the UH family. Their dedication, especially combined with their generous annual

support of the university, continues to build a stronger Tier One university and makes a resounding statement of pride.

The Life Member Plaza will be unveiled prior to the opening of the 2014 football season and the new football stadium on August 29. UHAA will be hosting all of its football tailgate parties at Life Member Plaza. Tailgating will open three hours before each game and will include tents, live music, cookers, bounce houses and more before every home game.

“We are very excited to honor our Life Members with the grand opening of Life Member Plaza at the Athletics/Alumni Center in August. This tribute will not only showcase the most ardent and supportive of our alumni and friends, but also will serve as inspiration for generations to come.

We look forward to adding many more names this fall and in the future,” said Mike Pede, Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations, UH Alumni Association.

Life Members are initiated through a $1,000 individual contribution, and $1,500 for a joint (two-person) membership. Newly established Life Member contributions benefit the Legacy Scholarship endowed through UHAA, making scholarships available for the children of UH graduates who attend the University of Houston.

Inspire Generations of Success Call the Office of Gift Planning to articulate your lasting gift — one that unites your interests, resources and unique vision.

You will create an impact that will last for generations.

CREATE YOUR HOUSTON LEGACY 12

SPECIAL ISSUE • 2014

uh.edu/giftplanning 713-743-8680

University of Houston System In Tempore Legacy Society

Alumni Relations Staff Update The University of Houston is pleased to introduce your new Office of Alumni Relations team.

As we launch exciting new initiatives to benefit all our Cougar alumni, we want you to feel welcome to get in touch with us by phone at 713-743-9550 or by email at alumni@uh.edu.

From left to right: Kristin Burch, Executive Director Mike Pede (’89), Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations, UH Alumni Association Kendra Hakanson, Program Coordinator Scotty Lopez (’09, MBA ’12), Program Coordinator

Daniel Gray (M.Ed.’11), Program Manager Jordan McPhail, Program Manager Michelle Raffety (’90, MBA’92), Administrative Assistant Bob Leaumont, Sales and Sponsorship Specialist Nancy Clark (’79), Director of Legacy Programs

UH CENTURY CLUB By making a gift of $100 to UH, you will be a part of the Century Club and receive several benefits, including…

• 15% discount on Cougar Spirit items at Barnes & Noble (with proof of donor card) • Century Club-branded car magnet • UH Return Address Labels • Annual Impact Report • Subscription to UH Magazine • Access to Purchase Wellness and Recreation Center Membership • UH Library privileges, and more!

For more information, contact the Office of Annual Giving via 713-743-4708.

SPECIAL ISSUE • 2014

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0073040572

NON - PROFIT ORG. U.S . P O STAG E

PA I D P E R M I T N O . 5 9 10 H O U S TO N , T E X A S

DONOR & ALUMNI RECORDS 5000 GULF FW Y BLDG 1 RM 272 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77204-5035

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED