FALL ISSUE 2011
The Magazine Of the University of Houston Alumni Association
Q U A R T E R L Y
Have CLASS, Will Travel
Jack Young prepares Master of Fine Arts graduates for success
Student-run radio station takes to the airwaves
Banner Year award winning groups are named
A look at the 2012 Alumni Awards Gala honorees
Volume 4 | Issu e N o . 4 | F a l l I s s u e 2 0 1 1
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Contents
Have CLASS, Will Travel Jack Young prepares Master of Fine Art graduates for success
COOG Radio Broadcasts Its Success Three UH students bring student radio station to life
Why I Am A Life Member George Bilnoski (’79) shares his pride in his university
Cougar At The Forefront Of A New Initiative Rick Noriega (’84), CEO of AVANCE, Inc., joins new CEO program
UHAQ Essentials 3
From the Desk of Mike Pede
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Campus News
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By The Numbers
18
Alumni Association Update
22
Newest Members
26
Class Notes
28
Leaving Their Print
30
Calendar
32
Paws & Remember
Write To: Director of Communications P.O. Box 230345 Houston, TX 77223-0345 E-mail To: alumni@uh.edu United States Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation 1. Publication Title: UH Alumni Quarterly 2. Publication Number: 018-676 3. Filing Date: October 10, 2011 4. Frequency: February, May, September, December 5. No. Issues Published Annually: 4 6. Subscription Price: $4.50 of $50 dues 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: P.O. Box 230345 Houston,TX 77223-0345, Harris County 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: Same as above 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor Publisher Publisher Mike Pede, P.O. Box 230345 Houston, TX 77223-0345 Editor Jeff Sutton, P.O. Box 230345 Houston, TX 77223-0345 Managing Editor Jessica Roberts, P.O. Box 230345 Houston, TX 77223-0345 10. Owner: University of Houston Alumni Association P.O. Box 230345 Houston, TX 77223-0345 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgages, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities; None. 12. Tax Status. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months Has Changed During Preceding 12 Months 13. Publication Name: UH Alumni Quarterly 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: October issue
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation
Avg. No. No. Copies of Copies Each Single Issue Issue During Published Preceding 12 Nearest to Months Filling Date a. Total No. Copies (New Press Run) 19,500 20,000 b. Paid and/or Requested Circulation (1) Mailed Outside County Mail Subscriptions 6,242 6,968 (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions 9,805 12,046 (3) Sales through Dealers & Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales & Other Non-USPS Paid Distribution 0 0 (4) Other Classes Mailed through USPS 0 0 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation 16,047 19,014 d. Free Distribution by Mail (Samples, Complimentary, and other free) (1) Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541 0 0 (2) In-County as Stated on Form 3541 0 0 (3) Copies Mailed at Other classes through the USPS 0 0 (4) Distribution outside the Mail 1,575 1,615 e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 1,575 1,615 f. Total Distribution 16,047 19,014 g. Copies not Distributed 3,453 986 h. Total 19,500 20,000 i. Percent Paid 100% 100% 16. Publication Statement of Ownership Publication required. Will appear in the October issue of this publication. 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner Jeff Sutton, Editor
On the cover: The Worthham Theater, located in the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts on the University of Houston campus. The theater is where students in the School of Theatre and Dance put their classroom experience into practice.
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UHAA banking from Bank of America. Bank wherever, whenever, however you want. Personal checking that shows your pride.
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★ Standard check order fees apply. ✼ Web access is needed to use Mobile Banking. Check with your wireless carrier for fees that may apply. Mobile Banking is available to Online Banking enrollees only. All terms applicable to Online Banking apply to Mobile Banking. Must have Transfers and Bill Pay set up previously in Online Banking to use these functions in Mobile Banking. Not available with accounts in Washington and Idaho. † Alerts received as text messages on your mobile access device may incur a charge from your mobile access services provider. Alerts are not available for accounts located in Washington or Idaho. ◆ For information about the rates, fees and other costs and benefits associated with the use of this Rewards card, or to apply, go to the website listed above, visit a Bank of America banking center or write to P.O. Box 15020, Wilmington, DE 19850. This credit card program is issued and administered by FIA Card Services, N.A. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association, and is used by the issuer pursuant to license from Visa U.S.A., Inc. Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. ▼ The $0 Liability Guarantee covers fraudulent purchases and payments made by others using your Bank of America credit and debit cards. To be covered, report purchases made by others promptly, and don’t share personal or account information with anyone. Access to funds next business day in most cases, pending resolution of claim. Consult customer and account agreements for full details. By opening and/or using these products from Bank of America, you’ll be providing valuable financial support to the University of Houston Alumni Association. A specialty account setup fee may apply to Houston deposit accounts opened in banking centers and over the phone in some states. Other accounts and services, and the fees that apply to them, vary from state to state. Please review the information for your state in the Personal Schedule of Fees (at www.bankofamerica.com/feesataglance or at your local banking center) and in the Online Banking Service Agreement at www.bankofamerica.com/serviceagreement. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. ©2011 Bank of America Corporation AR2174S2 1.6.2011 AD-07-11-0919
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{ From The Desk Of Mike Pede } Executive Publisher Mike Pede (’89) Chief Editor Jeff Sutton
The Power Of A Word A message from the UHAA President & CEO “Wow!” What a tiny little word with so much emotion. Plus, it’s a word we hear around UH all the time now.
Art Director Brice D. Wiley
The definition of the word is very simple. “Wow: to impress or delight somebody greatly; used to express admiration or wonder.” This small three letter word has become the most commonly used word among our alumni base when they return to campus for the first time or speak to anyone about the University of Houston.
Contributors Tonja Jones (’00) Caroline H. Brown Thomas Henley Jeremy Rakes (’06) George Bilnoksi (’79) Alumni Association Board of Directors Chair Ricky Raven (’83, JD ’86) Immediate Past Chair Reece Rondon (’92, JD ’95) Treasurer Starlet Agrella (’86, MBA ’89) Secretary Joe Pogge (’79) Chair Elect John Clarke (’82) President’s Council Rep. Vonda Mays (’98) Earl Cummings (’91) Fermeen Fazal (’96,’97, JD ’00) Cathy Coers Frank (’80) Carl Glaw (’77) Janet Hoover Russell Hruska (’93) Durg Kumar (’82, MBA ’83) F. Carl Lewis Judie Lilie (’95) Shannon McClendon (JD ’92) Gerald McElvy (’79) Trey Wilkinson (’92, MBA ’02) Martha Wong (MED’76, EdD ’83) Ex-Officio President Renu Khator Ex-Officio Mike Pede (’89)
It really came into focus for me this fall, when our alumni were returning to campus for Homecoming, the events on campus in conjunction with ESPN College GameDay and the final home game of the year. At Homecoming, in our gathering of alumni at the President’s pavilion, we were honored to have our Chancellor, Renu Khator, and Board of Regents Chair, Nelda Blair, address the group and inform them of all of the exciting things happening at the university.When they were through, no less than 10 alumni approached me with nearly the same response,“Wow, we have more leadership at UH than at any time I can remember.” Fast forward to the big weekend when ESPN brought its traveling road show, College GameDay, to campus. Many alumni who came had not been on campus in several years, some for several decades, and the reaction was the same, “Wow, I had no idea how much the campus has changed since I was here and I am so impressed.” The Monday following the SMU game, I received two calls and several emails from those alumni and by coincidence or not, they all had that one small little word inside the message, “Wow, isn’t it great how much our current students love UH?” What do I take from this? I can only take it to mean UH has its “Wow Factor” back. The Cougar pride and excitement is alive and well on our campus. It exists in our most senior of alumni, our recent alumni and it certainly lives in our current student body. The “Wow Factor” is very hard to obtain and, in most cases, very hard to maintain. That’s where you come in. We didn’t get here without your help in growing this great university. We got here together, with hard work and dedication in our own ways. Now, keeping our “Wow Factor” is up to us as alumni of UH. We need to continue to expect the best from our leadership and they will continue to deliver. Expect the best from our alumni and they will continue to impress and expect the best from our students and we will watch with wonder at where they can take our alma mater.
UH Alumni Quarterly is published for alumni, friends, donors, and members of the University of Houston Alumni Association. Views expressed within do not necessarily represent those of the University of Houston.
I am touched by the delight our alumni feel when showing off their university to their families and friends. I have the same feeling as a graduate of UH that I hope you feel when the University of Houston achieves at such a high level.
All editorial comments and class note submissions should be sent to alumni@uh.edu or ATTN: Director of Communications, P.O. Box 230345, Houston, TX 77223-0345.
True we’ll ever be,
For information on advertising or to discuss corporate partnership opportunities, contact UHAA at alumni@uh.edu or 713.743.9550.
UH Alumni Quarterly, Volume 4, Issue 4 (USPS 018-676) (SSN 1089-9154) is published four times a year (February, May, September and December) by the University of Houston Alumni Association, located at 3100 Cullen Blvd., Suite 201, Houston, Texas 77204-6000. Annual memberships start at $50, $4.50 of which is allocated for a subscription to this publication. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. Postmaster: Send address changes to the University of Houston Alumni Association, P.O. Box 230345, Houston, Texas, 77223-0345.
Mike L. Pede ('89) UHAA President + CEO Life Member
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What’s New?
Campus News
Live From Houston UH alumus and track & field star, Carl Lewis, joins the set of College Gameday on campus on Saturday, Nov. 19
University Growth Visible Across Campus Expansive new projects change the university landscape Lately on the University of Houston campus, construction of new buildings and renovation of old buildings has been visible and constant. The UH student body is the driving force behind these improvements as the university made, and continues, its push toward Tier One recognition and providing a top-notch education.
classroom and business building.”
“Student success is the top priority for the construction and renovations on campus,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. John Antel.
“We are not just supporting students through academics; we are also supporting student life outside the classroom. We have renovated the Moody Towers and the Quad. There is the new dining hall attached to Moody Towers, and of course, the Cougar Village freshman dorms and the Calhoun Lofts graduate living complex have made a huge positive impact on the quality of campus life,” Antel added.
He continued, “We recently opened Cemo Hall for business students, the Funston addition to the Valenti School of Communication is in operation, the student labs addition to the Fleming building will open in January of 2012, and next year we will open the new 4
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A stated goal of the university is as follows, “UH will have a student profile consistent with a nationally competitive public research university by creating an environment in which student success can be ensured.”
{ Campus News } Nimmer cited as Houston ‘Lawyer of Year’ in IT law
First Homecoming Queen Returns
University of Houston Law Center Dean Raymond T. Nimmer has been named Houston’s 2012 “Lawyer of the Year” in the field of Information Technology Law in a survey conducted by Best Lawyers in America, a peer-review publication. Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current, 18th edition of The Best Lawyers in America is based on more than 3.9 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers. Lawyers honored as “Lawyers of the Year” in the current 18th edition have received top marks in Best Lawyers surveys “by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity. “ Steven Naifeh, President of Best Lawyers, says, “We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one’s peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the legal profession. We would like to congratulate Raymond Nimmer on being selected as the ‘Houston Best Lawyers Information Technology Law Lawyer of the Year’ for 2012.”
College of Business New Dean
Mary Ray Dwyer, the first Homecoming Queen in the University of Houston’s history, returned to campus for the 2011 Homecoming game against Marshall and was honored on the field during halftime with the Homecoming Court. Dwyer, then Mary Ray Curry, was named Homecoming Queen in 1946 during the inaugural UH intercollegiate football season and the first ever Homecoming. One of the university’s first cheerleaders, Curry was very active on campus with a number of organizations that were also firsts on campus.
FACT
Former UH student-athletes and coaches have gone on to win a combined 33 Olympic medals
Latha Ramchand, a noted academician and expert on international and corporate finance, has been appointed as dean of the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, John Antel, provost and senior vice chancellor/vice president of academic affairs announced Wednesday. “Dr. Ramchand is uniquely situated to lead Bauer to greater heights,” Antel said. “Latha is a respected scholar. She has significant administrative experience. And, she is already extending Bauer’s programs and building bridges to the business community.” Ramchand began serving as interim dean in early March 2011 after Arthur D. Warga, who had been dean since 2001, stepped down from the position. Warga passed away Aug. 7, after a valiant six-and-one-half-year battle with brain cancer.
Remarking on the university’s progress, Dwayer said, “It’s incredibly fabulous how UH has progressed. I think Dr. Khator is an amazing woman and has done wonderful things for the university. I’m proud to have gone to the University of Houston.”
Ware, Couples Named Texas Sports Hall of Famers
Former University of Houston greats Andre Ware and Fred Couples are Texas Sports Hall of Famers. The induction committee, chaired by Texas Football Magazine founder Dave Campbell, announced its Class of 2011 presented by Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Companies. The banquet will be held in February 2012. Check www.tshof.org for updates. Ware was college football’s top player in 1989, throwing for 4,699 yards and 44 touchdowns en route to the 1989 Heisman Trophy and Davey O’Brien awards. He set 26 NCAA records over the course of his junior season and led the Cougars to back-to-back nine-win campaigns, including a berth in the 1988 Aloha Bowl. Couples has enjoyed an incredible professional career after starring at Houston. A two-time AllAmerican (1979-80) under another Texas Sports Hall of Famer, Dave Williams. HoustonAlumni.com
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{ Campus News } Gov. Perry Names Three New Regents for UH System On August 24, 2011, Gov. Rick Perry appointed to the University of Houston System Board of Regents three new members: Spencer D. Armour III of Midland; Roger Fleming Welder of Victoria; and Houstonian Welcome W. Wilson Jr., who replaces his father, Welcome W. Wilson Sr., whose term is expiring. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Texas State Senate. Each of the appointees will serve through Aug. 31, 2017. Armour is managing partner of Armada Gas and Oil. He is a past board member and past president of the Petroleum Club of Midland, and a past board member of Patterson-UTI Energy and the Midland Country Club. He is also a past board member of the Midland North Central Little League and a volunteer 7-on-7 coach at Midland Lee High School. Armour received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston. Welder is retired CEO of J.F. Welder Heirs, and current vice chair of the First Victoria National Bank board of directors. He is president of the Victoria ISD Education Foundation and Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust; vice chair of the Victoria College board of directors; board secretary of the Victoria Airport Commission; and treasurer, past board member and honorary director of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Foundation. Welder also is president emeritus and a past board member of the Victoria Business and Education Coalition, and a past board member of the Victoria Economic Development Corporation, Texas A&M University College of Agriculture Development Council, and University of Houston at Victoria Presidents Advisory Council. He received a bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University. Welcome Wilson Jr. is president and CEO of GSL Welcome Group. He is a board member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame, Houston Realty Business Coalition, Southwest TIRZ 20, Sharpstown Management District, and Houston Food Bank. He is also immediate past president of the Kinkaid School Alumni Organization, and a past member of the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. Wilson attended the University of Denver.
All the numbers that m a k e u p o n e g re a t u n i v e r s i t y
By The Numbers 232,050 In 2011, UHAA’s direct scholarship awards and donations toward scholarships and scholarship endowments equaled $232,050.
990,286
163
The number of days of the mission for astronaut Shannon Walker, the first native Houston astronaut. Walker spent the day at the University of Houston on Nov. 8 and presented a memento for her father that she carried into space.
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For the third time in five years, the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center at the Bauer College of Business has been ranked the best of its kind in the nation, landing at the top of The Princeton Review’s list of leading undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the U.S. for Entrepreneur magazine.
Thanks to new funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas , UH will soon be enhancing its cancer research facilities.The $990,286 grant will be applied toward the purchase and installation of an advanced imaging system for in-depth monitoring of tumor growth and cancer progression.
2,400
The parking capacity of the new Stadium Parking Garage currently being built in the Robertson Stadium lot. Construction began on July 18, 2011 and is set to be completed on May 18, 2012.
The number of schools each year honored with hosting ESPN’s College Gameday. On November 19th, the live show visited the University of Houston and a C-USA school for the first time ever for the UH vs. SMU football game. HoustonAlumni.com
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Have CLASS,
will travel
By: Jef f S u t t o n
D
emetria Thomas’ (MFA ’10) journey to the University of Houston began in the mid-1990’s, even though she wasn’t aware of it at the time. That was when she began as an intern working under Jack Young, then the Artistic and Executive Director for the Warehouse Theatre in Greenville, SC.
Thomas enjoyed performance from a young age but when it came time to make decisions for college, her parents made it clear she would study business. While in college at Southern Miss, she got involved with the theatre department and realized, “Oh, this fits.” She then changed her major to theatre and completed her undergraduate degree at Grand Valley State. “It was like this train I was on and I couldn’t stop. I realized I needed to make it work for me.” She continued, “I started doing more regional theatre and worked various festivals.” Fast forward to 2008, Thomas auditioned for Young (now the Head of Graduate Acting and Directing for the School of Theatre and Dance in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences) and enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts program. “Working with him, I did some of the best work I have ever done. He has a way of burrowing down to the core of what needs to happen in the moment. He does it in a very supportive way. He’s also very challenging and doesn’t let you get away with anything.” Thomas is currently an Artistic Associate with MPAACT Afrikan Centered Theatre. The regional theatre, located in Chicago, was a familiar stage for Thomas who had worked there on multiple occasions previously. MPAACT seems to be a perfect fit. “I wanted somewhere I could experiment, and most importantly, I wanted to be able to tell stories about black people. That’s not something that happens on many regional stages in America,” Thomas added. In addition to working as an actress, she stays busy writing grants as a part of her role as the theatre’s Director of Development. She added, “If I’m so busy making art for the rest of my life, then that’s alright.” 8
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g g g g g g g g g g Jack Young, Head of Graduate Acting and Directing, was hired by the University of Houston to revamp the MFA program in the School of Theatre and Dance in 2006 after an overture from Brian Byrnes, Head of Undergraduate Programs. He spent the three years prior running the Professional Actor Training Program at Ohio University. “They invited me to apply, I came down for the interview, and it looked like a great opportunity. Ohio was a good place and had been running for a good while.” He continued, “But, Ohio is in Athens, Ohio, which, if you throw a football hard enough you hit West Virginia. Meanwhile, Houston is Houston. It’s a major market, there’s money, and Texas is Texas. Recruiting people and building a program here looked like a good idea.” Announcing he was leaving Ohio, he had eight first year students, who he dubbed the “Crazy Eight,” that decided they wanted to follow him to Houston to complete their MFA’s. Young added, “Fortunately, UH said, ‘You’ve already got a class? Sure, bring them on.’” He then expounded on how starting off with a second year class allowed the faculty to work out the second year curriculum first. After the “Crazy Eight” graduated, he recruited a first year class and the faculty then worked out the first year curriculum and had the second year track set up for them when they started. g g g g g g g g g g Aline Elasmar (MFA ’07) and Bill Diggle (MFA ’07) were both studying under Young at Ohio University when he informed his students he was leaving for the University of Houston. Elasmar, who studied undergrad at the University of Dallas, quickly realized the program she signed up for at Ohio was no longer going to exist as she knew it. “Jack was leaving and I was going to have different teachers. It just made sense to follow Jack to Houston,” she said.
As for Diggle, he said, “After some deliberation, I decided to transfer to UH to continue the work Jack and I began together. The educational progression of Jack’s ating method really appealed to me, so I wanted to finish what we started.” That class of eight students who made the move from Ohio to UH were working at a theatre in Massachusetts that forced them to all start school in Houston a week late. “We sent two scouts to find an apartment in Houston and we all ended up living in the same apartment complex. Bill (Diggle) and I were roommates in Houston, sharing a loft apartment because we were both students,” Elasmar added. Elasmar is currently in Los Angeles, moving west in October of 2007. After six weeks, she got a commercial agent and booked her first national commercial. In her time in LA, she’s shot numerous commercials, appeared in multiple television shows that include Huge and 90210 while recently shooting episodes of New Girl and Southland. The most rewarding project thus far for Elasmar has been the film UnderCover, a short comedy about an American Muslim cop (Elasmar) attempting to solve a pig-napping case in hopes of earning a promotion to detective. The film has won multiple Best Short awards at various festivals and been nominated for others. “My first film was such an amazing experience because I came away as friends with everyone involved.” Elasmar continued, “It was the first time I’d been on set for that long.” As glamorous as acting on television shows, in a short film and in commercials may sound, she still holds a full-time job as a regional manager for a cosmetics company. A typical day when she has an acting job could have her on set at 5 am, filming until 11am and then working in a store from 1 pm until 6 pm. Elasmar hopes to reach a point where she can make her living as an actor, stating, “In LA, you will work one day a month if you’re lucky. If that means being in a sitcom and then making independent films on breaks, that’s what I want to do.” “When you start out in school, they always tell you, if you can do anything in the world, do that. (Acting) is the most challenging thing to me, and I love it,” she said. HoustonAlumni.com
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g g g g g g g g g g Bill Diggle, growing up in Lanham, Maryland, enjoyed acting and singing at a young age but was focused more on sports until a role as Macbeth during his junior year of high school whet his appetite for the stage. While majoring in economics at Wake Forest University, he participated in more than 16 productions and graduated with a minor in theatre. “While the economist in me knew a theatrical path was not the most lucrative one, I decided to give this theatre thing a try,” Diggle said. Despite the numerous productions he participated in at Wake Forest, as an economics major, he received little instruction in the form of coursework. Diggle noted, “My time at UH allowed me to expand the range of what I could do as an actor. I learned how to focus my senses, my feelings, my body and my voice into the creation of a theatrical moment and how to connect those moments in order to bring life to my characters on state. I use what I learned there in every audition room I enter and every time I step on the stage.” Since earning his MFA in 2007, he has performed in or directed more than 20 productions in nearly 30 states. He has performed at a litany of venues that include Ford’s Theatre, Olney Theatre Centre, the Kennedy Center and the Tony Award winning Signature Theatre. Favorite roles of Diggle’s include Salieri in Amadeus and Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, both of which are characters that never leave stage. Such a role tests an actor’s talent and endurance while leaving every performance open to scrutiny throughout the entire length of the show. His other favorite character is Cornelius in both Hello Dolly! and The Matchmaker. It’s a role, he says, “whose innocence and joy have become a part of me.”
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He continued, “Whether I’m acting, directing or teaching, I’m constantly challenged to learn, adapt and improve. Every now and then, there are moments when audience, actor and art come together. Those are the moments I enjoy most.” g g g g g g g g g g When finding students to enter his program, Young travels to New York City and Chicago for mass auditions, which he equated to the NFL combine. This past summer he auditioned 120 potential students in order to narrow it down to eight. That puts 16 students in the program at any given point. As Young pointed out, this pushes the second year students, who now have someone right behind them who they don’t want to be out-performed by while the first year’s have someone to look at and say, “This is impossible. What he’s asking is crazy. Oh wait, they made it, I can make it too.” Young said, “One of the banners is ‘Challenge and Support.’ They challenge each other and there’s support in them saying ‘No, you’re not going to do it that way and I’m not going to do it that way. You call me out and I’ll call you out and that’s going to make both of us better.’ That’s how performance gets better.” g g g g g g g g g g Touring with the American Shakespeare Center’s Touring Troupe, Patrick Earl (MFA ’10) is spending the current season traveling through New England and upstate New York, as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. On their tour, the troupe is performing three different shows, including stretches with a different show each night. The various roles Earl is bringing to life on tour include Polixenes in The Winter’s Tale, Giovanni in ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He recalled that it was a last-second decision to audition along with his wife Stephanie (MFA ’10), who he met in the MFA program at UH. He said, “Jim Warren (Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the American Shakespeare Center) comes to UH every year. We spur of the moment auditioned and he chose both of us. This is a great gig.” Patrick grew up in west Michigan and attended
Aquinas College for his undergraduate education as a biology major. He was a runner at Aquinas, but he continued acting and realized it was something he wanted to turn into a career. He said, “It is something I love to do. It’s like anything you do for a hobby. Doing theatre was something that made me happy. I can’t explain it. It’s exciting to entertain people.”
the same thing. What is your objective?” One project that challenges students in Young’s program is the “Turbo Project.” Students receive their casting as they leave for winter break and then come back early with their first rehearsal a full run-through, off book. They then have their first show in front of an audience seven days later.
A realization that he needed more training in order to pursue his acting career and a meeting with Jack Young led Earl to an audition in Chicago and then acceptance into the graduate acting program at UH. He quickly embraced the university and the city, adding, “I really did like the atmosphere in Houston. I didn’t think I would, as a northerner. You have this view of Texas where everyone is riding horses. Houston is not that.” He also met Stephanie Holloway in their first year at UH in the MFA program, growing close as they went through the stress of earning their graduate degrees. After graduating from UH, they moved to Amarillo for a summer before returning to Houston where Patrick did work at the Alley Theatre in a production of Peter Pan and Stephanie taught children’s theatre. g g g g g g g g g g Some students come to UH already knowing where they want to be when they finish. Elasmar was one of those. Knowing from the start that she wanted to move to Los Angeles, Young would stay on her in between her normal studying with questions like “What’s up with LA? Who have you made contact with? Where are you going to live? How are you going to make that work?” Despite her being in training, he didn’t allow her to lose sight of her goal. For others, artistic directors from various companies will come in to Houston to audition students for the following summer. Meanwhile, some will attend the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions in Memphis, Tenn. While there, approximately 600 actors will audition for up to 80 companies. Young stresses to his students that they be smart and think about what they want, adding “It isn’t just a matter of walking off the bus and saying ‘I’m here, make me a star!’” He continued, “It’s show BUSINESS. You have got to know what you’re going into. I’m not quite on them as much as the folks at Bauer may be, but it’s about
“A lot of university training doesn’t get people ready for what the industry will expect,” said Young. “Certainly, they have to learn to work and learn the craft and the skills, but if you only know how to do those skills with that much prep time, you’re not going to be ready. That’s what the business demands.” Young was clearly proud of his students and what they accomplish during their time studying under him in addition to what they are accomplishing after completing his program. He showed off “The Wall,” housed in The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, with clear pride. “The Wall” features pictures of all of his UH MFA graduates, what they have done and where they are working. The purpose of the wall is to serve as inspiration to current students and to provide a networking tool. If a student is interested in working in LA, they can find others who have been through the same program and who are working in LA. “I’m giving these folks the chance to work under closer to real world conditions so when they run into the real world, they look like they know what they’re doing. We run this program to get people ready to perform as actors. I think that’s one of the reasons they’re doing so well,” Young concluded. “The theatre program has come a long way. We are producing some great young actors.” Earl continued, “We are out there making a name for the school and putting the word out about this great program among the acting communities.”
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COOG Radio Broadcasts its Success
By: Thomas Henley
Two years ago, COOG Radio was nothing more than an idea between three friends who were sitting on top of the east parking garage admiring campus. Conner Clifton, Markley Rogers, and Matt Womack had just finished watching the film Pirate Radio and thought it would be a great idea for the University of Houston to have a student run radio station. “I wanted to be a part of building something on campus that would last and give students who are interested in broadcasting a chance to learn firsthand while also taking the opportunity to boost my resume,” says Clifton. After getting the run around for a while the three students decided to take the student organization route, which proved to be the right outlet. The three founders also contacted local Houston radio station KUHF to ask for some pointers. The KUHF staff ended up donating much of the equipment that COOG Radio uses to stream their station over the internet. “They have been really great to work with,” says Clifton. “They are one of our biggest supporters.” COOG Radio has no formal budget, so the donations from KUHF really helped the trio turn a dream into reality. COOG Radio now has over thirty-five student DJs that all work on a volunteer basis, putting their own unique twists on broadcasts. COOG Radio gives the DJs a lot of creative freedom so each DJ can really get a sense of what it’s like to run their own radio show. “Ever since I found out about COOG Radio, I was beyond ecstatic. I’ve found that being a pioneering, first generation DJ at COOG Radio has been a powerful opportunity to blend my passion for music, astrology and the arts in order to share them with other people,” says COOG Radio DJ and UH student Garron Ballard, who runs a segment called the Ecliptic which explores astrological and musical themes each week. “It’s great to identify with a diverse community that is just as passionate about music as I am, and that works to bring something different to the minds of the public.” One of COOG Radio’s goals is to promote the arts, culture, and music both on and off campus, and having a variety of programs, such as Clifton’s Professor’s Pick where he plays songs that UH professors listened to in high school, is a great way to accomplish this goal. University of Houston alumnus and local attorney Jason Bailey (‘94) had this to say about COOG Radio, “I listened for a while one night. It was fun and refreshing and seems to be a good resource for future events around the campus. As an alumnus I will be tuning in to the station on a regular basis.” COOG Radio is available twenty-four hours a day at www.coogradio.com and is even accessible on mobile phone browsers.
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Why I AM A
LIFE
MEMBER By: George Bilnoksi (’79)
I graduated from UH in ’79. Since that time, I have always been a UH Alumni Association member at some level. I have always seen this UH Alumni membership with a sense of pride while being thankful that I had the opportunity and encouragement from not only family alumni members, but also a UH professor on my first campus visit. I was eventually a graduate that experienced that long-term commitment, and with the encouragement from other alumni, to eventually finish. It was a seven year journey with the personal commitment to graduate that included five years as a night student and as a charter member of Houston Community College, then an additional two years completing that last 60+ hours on the UH Central Campus at night, all while working 40+ hours each week at Houston Lighting & Power Company, now CenterPoint Energy. Although none of my college years were filled with the college life that so many students have opportunities to experience, I am grateful I went to UH and most proud of the fact that I finished a UH Cougar. Since that time of 14
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graduation, I have always remained a proud UH alumnus with the designation of active, then Century Club. As years have passed, anytime I visit the UH campus, there is always a proud moment. Today when I see and read about the progress and recognition that UH continues to gain, together with gaining a Tier One designation in research, this is just another accolade that UH has earned. UH will continue to be one of the best universities, not only in Texas, but it will continue to be recognized throughout the United States and world because of its professors, leadership, and alumni. Pride and recognition as a UHAA member is something that is earned and not given. Today, as I realize what my degree from UH has offered me and continues to offer to others coming behind me, I feel honored to be part of that elite UHAA Life Member group together with the recent opportunity to serve as a member of the CenterPoint Energy UH Alumni Association Board of Directors. Go Coogs!
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B y : J e re m y R akes (‘06)
LONG-TIME COUGAR AT THE FOREFRONT OF A NEW INITIATIVE Rick Noriega (’84) is proud to say he bleeds Cougar red, and he wants the world to know who else call themselves proud alumni of the University of Houston. Noriega, a former state senator, has been president and CEO of the non-profit and community-based AVANCE, Inc., which helps families in at-risk communities through parent education and support programs, for the last two years. Now he has joined a different type of CEO program at UH - the University of Houston Alumni Association’s Cougar Executive Officer program - to help promote the university that has helped him in so many ways. “I thought it was a very exciting initiative by the University of Houston Alumni Association,” Noriega said. “I don’t know if we at the University of Houston get enough credit for the things that we do, but also credit for our alumni that are out there doing wonderful things. I thought it was a great way to celebrate the successes of a lot of our alumni and the great things that they are doing out there, whether it is out in the business world, the non-profit world, or whatever.” Noriega, who said he and his family have been UH fans and alumni their entire life, grew up watching UH football games in the Astrodome and basketball games at Hofheinz Pavilion during the days of Elvin Hayes. Noriega’s father used part of his GI benefits as a post-World War II veteran to attend UH, and Noriega followed the bloodline and attended UH on an ROTC scholarship. He met his wife, Melissa, whose father was a professor in Education Psychology at UH, at an alumni function. Even their youngest son attended UH’s early childcare center. UH has even helped him get him further in the business world with people like Ted Stanton in the Valenti School of Communication writing letters of recommendation for him. “In addition, I have had contact with many University of Houston ROTC alumni who were colleagues of mine that have moved up in military ranks in the Army,” Noriega said. “I believe it has been a great foundation for having those relationships and networking at both the state and national level.” Noriega continues to promote his school and said he hopes the CEO initiative will recognize that the University of Houston played a part in the growth and foundation of so many successful people. “I think that as this initiative unfolds, what we are going to see is that we are going to learn a lot,” he said. “We are going to learn a lot about the great things and great people out there that are doing things that have their roots based through the university. I don’t think that we have even scratched the surface yet. That’s what I’m excited about - to be able to continue to brag about our university and the people that are out there helping to make the world a better place.” 16
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Do you own or operate a business or company? Connect with other businesses run by University of Houston alumni as a member of the Cougar Executive Officer program. For more information and to join today, please visit HoustonAlumni.com/ceo
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Shasta speed, UPS reliability. UPS is a proud sponsor of the University of Houston Alumni Association. Save up to 26% on UPS shipping. Enroll online at savewithups.com/uhaa.
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What We ’ v e B e e n U p To
Association Update
UHAA Texas Hold ‘Em Showdown
M
ore than 300 University of Houston alumni and friends came out for the first annual UHAA Texas Hold ‘Em Showdown on August 25. The event was held in the Great Hall of the Athletics/Alumni Center and was hosted by ESPN SportsCenter anchor and UH alumnus, Robert Flores (’92).
David Carr (’81) emerged from the final table as the champion, walking away with a championship bracelet, donated by Klein’s Fine Jewelers (pictured above receiving his bracelet from Flores and Chair of the UHAA Board of Directors, Reece Rondon (’92, JD ’95)). All proceeds from the event went to UHAA alumni programs and scholarships and the Touchdown Club of Houston’s scholarships. The University of Houston Alumni Association will be hosting another new event on February 17, 2012 when we hold Casino Night! Visit www.houstonalumni.com/casinonight for more details.
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{ Alumni Association Update } UHAA Celebrity Golf Classic On October 3, the UH Alumni Association hosted thier annual Celebrity Golf Classic. Golfers enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of golf on the El Dorado course at Quail Valley Golf Course. Winning teams were Doug Bird, John Clarke, Keith Howard and Pat Cauley for the lowest gross score while Al Mills, Jerry Britner, Mark Wanner and Tim Bowers took first place with the lowest net score.
Fall Football Events Homecoming 2011 was a fun-filled week of incredible student, staff, and alumni activities! UHAA hosted its fifth annual Tailgate Spirit Challenge. Top winners from our groups were given special recognition and for the Grand Tailgate Champion funds will go toward their scholarship program. The winners were: Alma Mater Singing Competition: Spirit of Houston Alumni Association Best Food: TKE Alumni Network Most Spirited: UH Cougars Athletic Alliance The Grand Tailgate Champion: Fort Bend Alumni Club and Technology Alumni Association In addition, UHAA planned tailgate parties and pre-game parties for every home Cougar football game and several away games this year! Whether you were looking for somewhere to mingle with other Coogs before a home game or needed a place to stay on the road, UHAA provided great venues throughout the year for Cougars to engage in fellowship.
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{ Alumni Association Update } feedback
UH students lined up for C-USA championship game tickets Live Feed Views News Feed What’s on your mind?
Banner Year Awards The UH Alumni Association hosted its Fall Presidents’ Council meeting Friday, September 23. We recognized retiring alumni group presidents and awarded the 2010-11 Banner Year awards at this meeting. A record number of gold banners were given out this year (14) for the second year in a row! As an association, we are especially excited about awarding this many gold banners for two consecutive years. This is a direct indication that many of our alumni groups are meeting more of the priorities that the alumni association deems most important and are in support of UHAA’s mission. Below is a list of the award winners.
Susan Anderson I love seeing that!!! 12 minutes ago • Comment • Like
Art Skillman This reminds me of when we waited in line all night for UCLA vs UH in the dome...the greatest and most important game in college basketball history. Eat Em Up! This game is one of the most important in UH football 20 minutes ago • Comment • Like
Pete Brayton That’s so incredible! These students are having a blast this year! 24 minutes ago • Comment • Like Michael Porter likes this.
David Benjamin Blomstrom Sr got my tickets! 33 minutes ago • Comment • Like
Karen Hafer Erickson Memories of days of camping out in front of Hofheinz and waiting on Cotton Bowl tickets 50 minutes ago • Comment • Like Heather Bonnette Perez likes this.
Nina Miller Mata how great is this!!!!!!!!!! 57 minutes ago • Comment • Like
Gold Banner Winners
Red Banner Winners
Bauer Alumni Black Alumni Brenham Alumni CenterPoint Energy Alumni Education Alumni Engineering Alumni Hilton Alumni Fort Bend Alumni GCSW Alumni NSM Alumni San Antonio Alumni Spirit of Houston Alumni Technology Alumni UHCAA
Architecture Alumni
Join the conversation and become a fan of UHAA at www.facebook.com/houstonalumni
The Banner Year awards process will undergo a major overhaul for 2011-12. It will highlight nine (9) alumni groups in three (3) different categories (collegebased, special interest, and area club). The awards that will be given out to these respective alumni group winners are platinum, gold, and red banners. 20
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Hispanic Alumni Valenti School of Communication Alumni
Presidential Recognition Award Atlanta Alumni
White Banner Winner Katy Coogs
Austin Alumni Dallas/Fort Worth Alumni
{ Alumni Association Update } TicketCity Bowl #17 Houston vs. #23 Penn State Monday, January 2 | 11 a.m. Cotton Bowl Stadium | Dallas, TX The #17 Cougars will face #23 Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl on January 2 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas! The UH Alumni Association will be hosting multiple events for Cougar fans including an invitation-only event on January 1 and a pre-game tailgate before the game on January 2. UHAA has partnered with Anthony Travel to provide you with the best travel packages for the game! For more information and to purchase your travel packages visit HoustonAlumni.com/bowl.
Student Alumni Connection Student Alumni Connection (SAC ) got off to a great start this semester through helping out with various campus initiatives such as Family Weekend, co-sponsored with the Dean of Students Office inviting parents and family to visit their student on campus, an annual giving campaign for students called Cougar Cents, and Thank You for Calling where students work with annual giving to call UH donors and thank them for giving to the university. SAC board members also had a retreat at the start of the semester to outline their goals and events for the semester. The biggest goals that SAC is working toward are increasing networking opportunities with alumni and promoting the class ring. Homecoming week (October 15-22) was filled with activities hosted by SAC. The week kicked off with an array of student activities from banner contests to Go Coogs Day in Lynn Eusan Park with a live band and culminated with the annual student Homecoming Golf Cart Parade!
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{ Newest Members } The University of Houston Alumni Association expresses appreciation to our newest members who have joined as Century Club!
Century Club Members Carol Rocamontes Acosta (’79) Michael D. Alegre (’08) Ambrose A. Alcoser, Jr. (’86) Patricia L. Altman (’74, JD ’77) Thomas D. Altman (MS ’70) Julio U. Arizmendi (’09) Benito Avila (’81) Catherine Au (’75) Pius King Yue Au (’76) Jack Babchick (’58) David Lynn Bachert (’91) Sally A. Bailey (’01, MS ’05) Frank N. Ban (’69) Peggy R. Ban (JD ’76) Susan M. Bandy (’82) Erum Bhatti (LLM ’08) Joseph L. Bielamowicz (’93) Dr. Carl Joseph Blackburn (’64, OD ’69) Derek H. Blauser Megan Ruth Bockhorn (’09) Richard F. Bojanowski (JD ’62) Gerry A. Bollom (’72) Andrew R. Bounds (’95) Michael T. Bourgeois (’92) Jennifer Joan Bowers (JD ’94) Anastasia M. Bowman (’99) Judy Lynn Boynton (’77) Robert Joseph Bozka (’85) Jerry M. Brewer (’66, MBA’69) Bernard L. Bronstein (’71) Barbara Brown (’74, MA ’76, JD ’84) Robert L. Brown Gaston M. Broyles, Jr. (MS ’75, JD ’80) Angela R. Buchanan (’88) Dr. Gary S. Buchanan (’84) James Bujnoch (’68) Michael R. Burch (’68) Wanda H. Burch Dr. John Brian Burghduff (PHD ’94) Rick Burns, Jr. (’85) Vladimir A. Cabrera (’98, MBA ’10) Andrew Carr Capistran (’10) Kenneth Joseph Carbonari (’05, ’07) Sandra K. Carbonari (’93) Dr. Barbara B. Carlson (MA ’79, PHD ’83) Edward C. Carrillo (’78) Tony Carroll (MSW ’83) Guadalupe R. Casas (’59) Norma J. Casas (’60) Mr. Chuck N. Caskey, Jr. (’73) Robert Casteel (’90) Tami A. Casteel (’93) Reynaldo W. Castillo (’79) Shamina Chang (’10) Scott Chase (’68, JD ’71) Robert A. Cheiffetz (MS ’84) Robin Cheiffetz Matthew A. Chiara (’80) Steven J. Chiara (’07) Amanda Childers (’99) Dr. Kenny Chin (’71) Jacqueline M. Chude (’75) James W. Chude (’72)
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James R. Clark (’61) Harold Vaughan Coates (’67) Don S. Coffey (’78) Jenice G. Coffey (’78) John A. Coleman (’85) Adele Keck Collins (’80) Belvery B. Collins Helen Sue Collins (’75, MA ’03) Ross Collins (’85) Thierry Jean Comte (MCHE ’87, MBA ’88) Dr. Alice Conlon (MED ’72, EDD ’90) Michael W. Conlon Dr. Robert L. Conn (PHD ’73) Jim L. Connor, III (JD ’91) Erica R. Contreras (’98) Janet E. Cornell (’76) Linda Sue Cowles (’72) Gail R. Craig (’86) Nancy LeBlanc Crawley (’93) Thomas Robert Paul Crnkovic (’09) Annemarie S. Crowley (’80) Kevin R. Crowley (’80) Dr. Beverly R. Cunningham (’68, EDD ’97) Col Billy E. Cunningham (’68) Harold F. Cunningham, Jr. (’71) Frank J. Cutaia (’75) Dr. Charles R. Cutler (MCHE ’69, PHD ’83) Jerry Don Danner (’70) Angus Ray Davis (’72) Anthony C. DeBlanc (’90, MBA ’92) Chantay DeBlanc (MSW ’99) Raymond M. De Tullio, CCM (’86) Darrell W. Diestel (’73) Linda B. Dillon (’92) Thomas J. Dillon, Jr. (MEE ’95) Ron Dockal (’73, MS ’76) Kimberly Marie Dodson (’07) Lee Doggett, Sr. (’65) Richard Lee Doherty (’95) Janice S. Donalson (MA ’86) Dr. Thomas W. Dougherty (’72, MA ’77, PHD ’81) Ronald W. Dowden (’72) William T. Downs (’60) Michael Allen Draper (’90, MBA ’92) Andrew L. Ebersbaker (’98) Barbara M. Eckart (’69) Felton E. Eddings (’72) Dr. Kingsley C. Ejiogu (PHD ’97) Arnold R. Eledge (’63) Helen G. Elliott James Edward Engel (’91) Dr. Keith J. Ermis (’85, OD ’87) Vernon Eschenfelder, Jr (MED ’61) Juanita M. Espinosa Robert Arce Espinosa (’82) Angela O. Ezeude Christopher U. Ezeude (’81) Megan Faulkner (’93) Dennis C. Fitzgerald (’79) Celena Flores (’08) Brent Foster (’00) Don L. Foster (’75) Misty H. Foster
HoustonAlumni.com
Thomas M. Frank (MBA ’87) Jeffrey D. Fuller (’95, MED ’07) Kristyn Fuller (’93) Dr. Frank Garcia, Jr. (PHD ’74) Patricia P. Garcia (’86) Sherry M. Garcia (’00) Steven A. Garcia (’00) Kathryn A. Gaskamp (MED ’79) Dr. Russell William Gause (’72, MA ’73) Rick Fred Ghinelli (’82) Teresa Ghinelli (’80) Sara Ezat Ghorbanian (’09 MED ‘11) Thomas Garfield Gibbs (’02, MS ’08) Richard T. Gilbert (’77) Suzanne Gordon-Martin (’99) Joseph Frederick Govreau (’89) Albert Thomas Green (’73) Carole A. Green (’69) Patricia W. Green (MA ’02) Silvia Guidry (’87) James T. Haight (’68) Jack Hambrick (’69) Pamela Z. Hamilton (’83) Kathryn Newton Hansen (’85) Lisa C. Harrell (’88) Cynthia S. Harris (’88) D. K. Harris (’74, MBA ’86) William B. Harris, III (’71) Richard D. Hartle (’78) Charles W. Harvey (’80) Xiangmin He (MS ’97) John Arnold Heckendorn (’78) Robert Noel Hendley (’72, ’78) Teresa K. Hendley (’71) Cheryl Elaine Henson (MED ’82) Kathryn M. Hern (’73) Patrick A. Hern (’73) Sam L. Hernandez (’83) Kay Hesketh (’07) Jess P. Hewitt, III (’80) Herbert D. Hickman (’59) Karen L. Hillick (’92) Beverly J. Hogan (’66) Ronald Patrick Hogan (’65) Douglas Holbrook (’75) Kelly Hollamon (’85) David Walter Hollingsworth (’79) Yiting Hu (JD ’10) Robert G. Hughes, Jr. (PHD ’72) Safia Mubeen Hussain (’07) John W. Jameson (’79) Dr. Barney E. Johnston (EDD ’99) Dr. Judith A. Johnston (MS ’96, EDD ’00) Cheryl C. Jones (’84) Marvin A. Jones (’85) CDR Robert E. Jones, Jr. (’77) Russell A. Jumonville, Jr. (’75) Sultana Kaldis (’75) Sandra L. Kaller (’77) Veena Kaul (’84, MBA ’89) David Hill Keller (’74) Larry W. Kelm (’74) Mark A. Kerstein (JD ’98)
{ Newest Members } Michael Thomas Kilpatrick (’09) David E. Kim (’93) Daniel A. King, M.D. (’72) James G. King (’72) Vivian Radine King (’80) John W. Kinsel, Jr. Otto M. Kissinger, Jr. (’60) Doug Kitchens, Jr. (’99) Nancy A. Klein (‘94) Joseph W. Knobloch (’70) Diane L. Koester (’73) Harry F. Koester, Jr. (’72) Jodie Koszegi (’87, JD ’90) Lorin A. Koszegi (’87) Barbara L. Krebs (’80) Mary Hupe Kylberg (’80) Dennis J. Lacina (’62) Wayne Clyde Lapham (’73) Donald V. Lazenby (’70) Sandy W. Lazenby (’69, MED ’98) Nga Van Le (’85) Dr. Joel D. Lebsack (EDD ’93) Chadwick D. Lee (MBA ’00) Edwin Pankey Lentz (’94) David Lawrence Levin (’70, JD ’73) Wayman Lim (’92) James E. Lindeman, III (JD ’92) Linda P. Lindeman (JD ’82) Dr. Jiann-Ping Loh (PHD ’83) Ronald E. Lohec (’55) Robert J. Lopez (’74) J. Casey Lowery (’85) Julie M. Lowery (’87) Roland M. Luis (’00) Eric C. Mabrie (’76) Scott E. Maddox (’82) Jeffrey W. Maillet (’80) Dr. Gary Alvin Majors (’80, OD ’82) John R. Margenthaler (MED ’67) Gerald A. Marsh (’80, ’83) David Michael Martin (’97) Kimberly M. Mascis (’09) Dr. Christopher J. Matice (’83, PHD ’91) Helene Mayes (’78, MBA ’83) Jim C. Mayes (’82) Dr. Clyde Calvin Mayo (PHD ’72) Cameron R. McCall (’09) Leo V. McConnell (’51, MBA ’53) Carolyn McCoy Darrell R. McDaniel (’64) Kandee M. McGill (’86) Terrance L. McGill (’87) Jerry L. McGonigal (’81, JD ’85) James F. McKibben, Jr. (’67, JD ’69) Audrey McKim (’02) Jacob Alan McKim (’02) Clyde E. McKinney, Jr. (’50) John W. McKirahan, Jr. (MBA ’89) Rick McWhirt (’79) Susan C. Meador (’85) Monty L. Meier, Ph.D. (PHD ’87) Joseph B. Melenric (’83, MA ’08) Harry Melnick (’58) Vivian Rose Melnick (’83, MSW ’86) Eugene F. Mestayer Dianne D. Migl (’71) Jesse B. Miracle (’54, ’56) John Mixon (JD ’55) Judith Anne Mixon (MED ’73) Mark E. Molnar (’95) Viviana A. Molnar (’93)
(July - Sept. 2011)
Jane Montgomery (’82) Kristin M. Moorman (’04) John Parke Morgan (’66, ’69) Monica Nieves Moss (’01) William P. Mould, Jr. (’98) Diana B. Mulet (’73, MED ‘77) Wanda Sue Mullen (MA ’99) Wilfred L. Murray, Jr. (’51) Robert S. Nash (’71) Robert L. Navarro (MSW ’76) Robert W. Nelson (’59) Bobby Ngao (’88) Nancy J. Ngao (’91) Kenneth Darrell Niehl (’92) Harold G. Niemann (‘57) Leonard J. Nowak (’70) Harvey H. Nusz (’71) Janice B. Nusz (’95) Richard E. O’Brien (’91) John E. O’Daniel (’76, MS ’79) Kathy L. O’Keefe, D.D.S., MS (’81) Blessing Obaseki (’10) Jeremy M. Olguin (’97) Whitney Okam (’09) Richard Ong Thomas S. Ostrowski (PHD ’78) Melanie R. Padilla (’76) Michael Edward Padilla (’77) Donald M. Palmer (’53, ’54) Xiangjun Pan (MS ’94) Rodrigo Parra, Jr. (’87) Robert Lee Patterson (’61, MS ’64) Edward L. Payne (MS ’84) Dr. Demetrius William Pearson (EDD ’90) Karen Pearson Jose A. Perez-Bello (MS ’02) Guglielmo Mario Pernice (’87, MBA ’90) Katie L. Peyton (’71) Lance Phegley (’90) Sherri Phegley (’92, MED ’01) Dr. Douglas L. Pickle (’71) Carlos Pina (’86) Wanda M. Polk ’82) David M. Puryear (’72) Premkumar Rajagopalan (MS ’05) Rebecca Elizabeth Ramirez (’96) Adrian L. Ray (’05) Blair H. Read Richard Elmer Read (’53) Carol A. Ritter Melvin L. Ritter (PHD ’69) Ramon T. Rivero (’62) Thomas J. Roberts (’58) Dr. Ruth Robbins (MBA ’74, EDD ’86) Wendell A. Robbins, Jr. John P. Rohrer (’76) Juan Romero (’85) Kelley J. Roper (’86, MBA ’98) Edward John Rosser, Jr. (’69, MCHE ’72) John A. Ruck (’90) Rudolph Rusnak (’68) Vahid Sadeghpour (’94, MS ‘96) Israel Santana (’92) Stuart Satullo Lucien C. Schaffer, Jr. (’89) Carolee A. Schenk (’65) Norman Otto Schenk (’66) Ronald Lee Schroeder (’82, MBA ’96) Douglas Alan Schwartz (MBA ’88) Sandra K. Scott (MBA ’03) Diba Shamsi
Farhan Shamsi (’95) Sid M. Shaver, Jr. (’79) Lisa M. Silverman (’89) Frances Simmons James R. Simmons (’67) James Bartley Simmons (MBA ’81) Vicky K. Sit (PHD ’87) Chavonne M. Slovak (MBA ’05) Trent J. Slovak (’83) Alan Jackson Smith (MBA ’81) Ken M. Smith (’73,) David S. Spence (’90) David Shannon Stewart (’87) Michael Keith Stewart (MBA ’82) William B. Stewart, Jr. (’70) T. Linda Stokes (’88) Dr. Herman D. Suit (’48, ‘11) Bruce A. Sukaly (MBA ’83) Leslie A. Sukaly (’81) Teresa T. Szostak (MBA ’00) Toni Tate (’09) Gregory Charles Tatosian (’86) Angela Marie Taylor (’05) Earl Thomas Ed L. Thompson (’73) Jamal A. Thompson (’04) Terry P. Thompson (’63) Daniel J. Timmermeyer (’96) Donna D. Tindall Gary T. Tindall (’67) Stephen Adam Tower, II (’77) Christopher D. Tran (’04) Kim Elise Traylor (’89) Ellen Tsilimigras-Cokinos (MSW ’87) Dan N. Turner (’61) Johnese J. Turner (’64) Amadeo Valenzuela, Jr. (’86) Chris F. Vaughan (’79) Diane Vaughan Katherine Velazco-Lopez (’84) Robert W. Veyera (’87) Armando A. Villena (’00, ’04) Mark K. Vise (MBA ’91) Scott P. Vlasek (’09) Dang Tien Vu (’87) Sandra D. Walker (MSW ’07) Roger W. Walter (’81) Felix Wang (’04) Kenneth Ware, Jr. (’98) Clinton G. Weber, Jr. (’75) A. Joe Weikerth, Jr. (’70) M. Beth Weikerth (’71) Linda A. West (JD ’76) Richard Dennis Whelton (’88) Velma Galny Whitaker (’44) Joyce L. White-Shanks (MS ’86) Dr. Moye Wicks, III (’55, MCHE ‘’58, PHD ’67) Sarah M. Wiechkoske (’08) Richard M. Williams (’05) Bennie L. Williamson (’67) Delia Ruth Williamson (’88) Alice R. Wilson, Pharm.D. (’77) Raymond H. Wilson, Jr. (’68, ’73) Heidi A. Wuertz (’07) Daniel R. Wyant (’84) Jian Xu (MS ’02) Alex Yanez (’75) Lora Yanez Debra Anne Yeang (MBA ’94)
(Continued on page 27)
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APRIL 14, 2012 THE WESTIN MEMORIAL CITY
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Durga Agrawal serves as president and CEO of Piping Technology and Products, Inc. and was awarded the Texas Industrial Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. In August of 2009, Governor Rick Perry appointed Agrawal to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Durga Agrawal ’69, PhD ’74
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Brett Cullen has been appearing on television and on film since 1979 with recurring roles on shows such as The West Wing, Friday Night Lights and Lost. He will be appearing in the upcoming Batman film The Dark Knight Rises. Brett Cullen ’79
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Robert Milstead, deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs for the United States Marine Corps. After graduation from UH, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the Officer Candidate Course in 1975. Milstead earned an M.S. in National Security Strategy from the National War College. Lt. General Robert Milstead ’74
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Dorothy Nicholson is president of Nicholson Interests, LLC, a private investment firm providing equity and venture capital for hospitality-related concerns, real estate and fledgling start-up companies after spending years in the hotel industry. She has received multiple awards from HRM, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dorothy Nicholson ’77
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Dennis Quaid is an award-winning actor who has appeared in nearly 70 featurelength films, including The Right Stuff, The Rookie and The Big Easy. He recently appeared in the film Soul Surfer and will also star in the upcoming release of Footloose. Dennis Quaid
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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD Robert Wuhl, a two-time Emmy Award winner, has appeared in such movies as Good Morning, Vietnam, Bull Durham and Batman while also starring in the HBO original series Arli$$ from 1996-2002. He currently hosts The Robert Wuhl Show, a national sports talk radio program. Robert Wuhl
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Audray McMillian, a former Cougar football player who spent nine seasons playing in the NFL, was a driving force in founding the UH Cougars Athletic Alliance. He plays a major role in fundraising for scholarships and is an active supporter of UH athletics. He is the president of New Choice Builders, Inc. Audray McMillian ’84
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Ron Page was a six-year member of the UHAA Board of Directors, serving three years as treasurer. He also served for 15 years as a member of the UHAA finance and investment committee. Page is the controller of the Robert A. Welch Foundation. Ron Page
CHAIR’S AWARD Lillie Robertson is a major benefactor of the University of Houston Creative Writing program, Moores School of Music, athletics, and M.D. Anderson Library. She is the granddaughter of Hugh Roy Cullen and the daughter of Corbin Robertson, Sr. Robertson serves as an officer with Quintana Minerals Corporation. Lilie Therese Robertson
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER AWARD Judy Chong is actively involved with the UH Alumni Association Fort Bend Alumni Club, playing a significant role in major fundraising events for scholarships. She works at the MD Anderson Cancer Center as a finance manager. Judy Chong ’79
RISING STAR AWARD James Hong, founded HONG Financial in early 2010 and serves as principal after spending four years working for MassMutual Financial Group. A former University of Houston football player, Hong co-founded Be A Champion, Inc., a non-profit organization in 2001 and is president of the Bauer Alumni Association. James Hong ’05
UH Alumni Makin g N e w s A c ro s s T h e G l o b e
Class Notes 1961
1971
Eugene Cook (’61, JD ’66), former Texas Supreme Court Justin, is being honored with the prestigious George Washington Medal of Honor, the highest award given by the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge National Awards Program.
Steven A. Glover (’71, JD ’74) was inducted into the 35 year old “Southern Order of Honor” as scroll #54. The SOH recognizes key fraternity volunteers that have notably assisted Teke chapters located in the Southern USA. Glover is a former Chapter Advisor and Board of Advisors Chairman of the UH Teke Chapter and has been honored in the past by TKE with the TKE Key Leader Award and named to the TKE Advisors Hall of Fame. He is Associate General Counsel for AIG.
1964 Bob Cozens (‘64) finished second in both the M75 100 meter dash and the M75 200 meter dash at the 2011 World Masters Championships in Sacramento, Calif. this past July.
1971 Robert D. Planck (’71) was awarded the highest award that TKE can bestow, the Order of the Golden Eagle. One alumni Frater per year may receive this award. In the past he has received the Key Leader Award, been inducted in to SOH, been named Chapter, Houston, and Red River Region Alumni of the year, and served as TKE International Fraternity’s Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and President. He has served as a trustee for the Teke Educational Foundation, as well as many years as a member and Chairman of the UH Teke chapter’s Board of Advisors. Planck is President of Independent Marketing Alliance, a $15.5 Billion consortium of the nation’s largest independent food Service Distributors and as Chairman of Customer Advantage Network, a customer loyalty company with the same owners as IMA.
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1978 Chuck Schuetz (’78, MBA ‘84) recently took the position of CEO of University General Hospital in Houston, Texas.
1979 Janet Chandler Jones (’79, MBA ‘84) is the national champion for racewalking (1500M and 5K) for the 50-55 age group in the National Senior Games. She won two gold medals in the event that was held in Houston this past June.
1972
1983
Gail Hedrick (’72) recently had her book, Danger at Baird’s Den, re-released by Solstice Publishing. The book is a mystery for 8-12 year old’s.
Ricky A. Raven (’83, JD ’86), partner at Thompson & Knight LLP and Chair of the UHAA Board of Directors, has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Houston Zoo.
1972
1984
Greg (’72) and Paula (’73) Johnson own United Valve, which is celebrating its 50th year in business. The company, which is the industry leader in its field, has been in the family since its inception in 1961 and they are now in the third generation, with their son-law (class of 2005) and daughter (masters from UHCL 2008) now involved in management.
Richard J. Noriega (’84), President and CEO of AVANCE, INC., has been named one of the Top 100 Influential Hispanics for 2011 by Hispanic Business Magazine.
1973 Glen Boudreaux (’73, JD ’76) has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2012.
HoustonAlumni.com
1985 James Prappas (JD ’85) has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2012.
1986 Barron Bogatto (JD ’86) has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2012.
1986 R. Alan York (’86, JD ’89) was recognized for the ninth consecutive year in the 2011 Texas Super Lawyers listing for his Appellate practice.
1987 Oscar Martinez (B.A., ‘87) has been named publisher of neighborsgo, the community-news operation of The Dallas Morning News.
1989 Nancy Hamilton (JD ‘89) has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2012.
1993 Monica CavazosRosas (‘93, JD ‘96) and her husband, Carlos Rosas, welcomed their daughter, Bianca Alexa , on September 26, 2011. Bianca joins big brother Carlos Andres in cheering on the Cougars!
1994 Craig Enochs (’94) has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2012.
1994 Mike Nasi (JD ’94) has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2012.
{ Newest Life Members } UHAA welcomes our newest Life Members
1994 Nicole Nhan T. Nguyen (’94) has joined Total Family Care as a family medicine practitioner.
2000 On October 1, 2011, Alexandra Emsley (‘00) was promoted from Sales Manager to Vice President of Loan Sales & Operations at Members Choice Credit Union in Houston, TX.
2001 Yemi Adesokan (’01) has been recognized by Technology Review magazine as a TR35 honoree for 2011. The TR35 recognized the world’s top innovators under the age of 35, spanning energy, medicine, computing, communications, nanotechnology, and other emerging fields.
2005 Ommar Ortuvia (‘05) was a main lecturer at a course for physical therapists during August 13-14, 2011, titled “Primera Conferencia Internacional de Actualización en Terapia Física” in Trujillo, Peru.
2007 Karl Hearne (’07, MS ’10) received the 2011 Houston Mayor’s Citizen’s Accessibility Resources for Empowerment (CARE) Award in early October.
UHAA Life Members are listed in RED
Charles W. Adams (’76) Mohammad Anwar (’03) Rebecca Arizaga Armour (’76) The Honorable Spencer D. Armour, III (’77) Dr. Jill Bailer (MED ’86, EDD ’98) Frances D. Baird (’88) Robert Baird (’66) Maryan K. Baskin (MS ’78) Dr. Otis Wayne Baskin (MA ’78) P. Susanne Behrens (’95, MS ’98) Jeffrey D. Berlat (’94) T. Joelle Berlat (’90) Kenneth Walter Bernhardt (’91) George E. Bilnoski (’79) 1LT John Robert Blount (’84) Gayle A. Brand (’96) Sharon L. Briggs (’99) Carey B. Calabrese (’07) Jackson Campau Charles Louis Carpenter (’67) Karen Carpenter Marion Lamar Cessna (MBA ’88) Christopher Ashon Chan (’07) Nancy Vecera Clark (’76) Carol M. Crumrine (MED ’89) Daniel Scott Crumrine (MS ’86) Avinash H. Cuddapah (’10) Larissa R. Da Costa (’07) Edith Ellis J. Stephen Ellis (’70) Max F. Esses (’58) Wendell T. Few Cassandra W. Fleming (’75) Harry Fritzenschaft (’77, MBA ’82) Kayoor Gajarawala (’90) Warren J. Guidry (’58) Gregory E. Hampton (’93) Wykesha Cne’ Harrison The Honorable Robert E. Hebert Nancy Derr Hess (’81, MED ’89) Rusten Thomas Hess (’80) Albert Edward Hill (’01) James Hsu (MEE ’95) Richard H. Huckaby (’59) Dr. Sam T. Hwong (PHD ’72) Marc D. Iacono-Harris (’06) Ruben A. Jarrin Taylor Ryan Jeude (’07) Jeff Jin (MS ’93) Michael L. Jines (JD ’84) Rodney A. Johnson (’92) Gary W. Johnstone (’74, MED ’83) Nancy Jo Johnstone Timothy Russell Jones (’97, MBA ’01) Christi Witte Kennedy (’04) Satyajit M. Ketkar (’01, MEE ’04) Aadel H. Khan (’09) Wendy Korman, CPA, PFS, CFP (’92) Mark Alan Kramer (’90) Clinton Thomas Laechelin (’06) Buck M. Lay, Jr. (’72) Jaime Ledergerber-Gaitan (’75, MBA ’80) Maricela Ledergerber-Gaitan (’76, MBA ’79) Nathan L. Leu (’07, MS ’09) Stephen J. Lisko (’07) Tiffany M. Lisko (’07) Nancy June Locke (JD ’87) John V. Magee (LLM ’95) Anthony Makridis (’03)
(July - Sept. 2011)
Bruce Marshall (’82) Nena C. Marshall (’83) Amanda L. Martin (’05) Chasta T. Martin (’97) Mystic R. Martin (’04) Shelley S. McCain (’04, MBA ’07) Richard T. McCommon, Jr. (’69, ’74) Lindsey N. McDade (’01) Carrie E. McKeever (’07) Michael Robert Miller (’81) Yulanda S. Mitchell (’96, MBA ’01) Kenneth Michael Moore (’66) Mary Hardin H. Morrissey (’51) Gregory John Morrow (’80) Alton C Ng (’08) Dr. Sean O’Malley (’03, PHD ’07) Cindy Oatman Steven W. Oatman (’91) Yulia V. Pakhalina (’05) Sharon Jeanette Pampell (’76) Aline Pham (’07) Hien T. Pham (’08) Khiem D. Pham (’06) Brian Pool (’02) Ilse J. Rassin (MBA ’96) Keith David Rassin (MBA ’96, JD ’96) Dr. Hector Eliud Rodriguez (MBA ’88, EDD ’07) Elvia A. Saenz (’74) Joel J. Salinas (’94) Julio Cesar Salinas (’04) Elizabeth A. Sanchez (’97) Jose F. Sanchez Oralia M. Sanchez (’86) Silverio Sanchez Raquel H. Sasyn (’04) Diane H. Scardino (’92) Duane M. Scardino (’08) Carolyn N. Schellhorn (’89) Christi L. Schirmer (’05) Matthew H. Schirmer (’05) David L. Schwan (JD ’06) Louis Shirley, III (’73) Gerald C. Shows (’61) Dr. Darren T. Smith (’05, MS ’07, PHD ’08) Jaime E. Smith (’00, MBA ‘05) Jeremy J. Smith (’98) Keri T. Smith (JD ’09) Dr. Penelope Sue Smith (’67) Timothy H. Smith (’98, MA ’01) Caroline A. Strange (’06) Angela Y. Tang (’91, MBA ’96) Dorothea K. Tarver (’62) Dr. Thomas Tell Tyler Thompson (’80) Josephine P. Tittsworth (’06, MSW ’07) Dr. Lan Ngoc Tran (PHARMD ’08) Karl R. Trollinger (’91) Ethel B. Twitty (MED ’87) Dr. Eleanore Smith Tyson (EDD ’83) Kathleen Vossler (’93, JD ’97) Paula Waller (’74, MSW ’79) Alton L. Warren (MS ’65) Mark E. Webb (’93) Janna L. Webber (’93, JD ’98) Jack C. Weyand (’49) Allen A. Wicke (’67) Harry E. Wilbanks (’67) Dr. Henry M. Williams (EDD ’73) James E. Wimberley (JD ’82) Liangang Ye (JD ’01)
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{ Leaving Their Print } Uyen Nicole Duong (J.D. ’84)
Thurman W. Robins (Ed.D. ‘78)
Postcards from Nam
Requiem for a Classic: Thanksgiving Turkey Day Classic
Mimi is a successful young Vietnamese immigrant practicing law in Washington, D.C. when the postcards begin to arrive. Postmarked from Thailand, each hand-drawn card is beautifully rendered and signed simply “Nam.” Mimi doesn’t recognize the name, but Nam obviously knows her well, spurring her to launch what will become a decade-long quest to find him. As her search progresses, long-repressed memories begin to bubble to the surface: her childhood in 1970s Vietnam in a small alley in pre-Communist Saigon. Back then, who was her best friend as well as her brother’s playmate, and what did art have anything to do with the alleys of her childhood? What was the dream of these children then? Now Mimi must uncover the mystery of the postcards, including what might have happened to the people who where less fortunate: those who escaped the ravaged homeland by boat after the fall of Saigon.
In the era when segregation and Jim Crow laws ruled the land, “The Turkey Day Classic” was created. The event prospered from 1927 thru 1966. Newspaper accounts describe the Thanksgiving Day football game between Jack Yates and Phillis Wheatley High Schools as the annual largest attended schoolboy game in America. Thousands of football fans came, “Dressed to Kill” with eager anticipation and jubilant spirits to enjoy pep rallies, parades, Thanksgiving Day breakfast and dances. The halftime activities were eloquent with their pageantry, beautiful automobiles, floats, marching bands and drill units, and the crowning of the Miss Wheatley and Miss Yates. “Let the Games Begin”, is a chapter that provides highlights of each game played. The Classic was an annual rivalry between two teams like none other. The competition between the two schools were of epic proportion during their 39 years of play.
BP is a proud partner of the UHAA Scholarship Program
Together we can help UH students reach their educational goals
{ In Memoriam } Alumni 1940s Charles A. Saunders (‘45) Lamar H. Good (‘48) Thomas T. Shipp (‘49) 1950s 1960s
Robert L. Burda (‘50) Arthur John Nebgen, Jr. (‘51) Mike George Verges (‘51) Bertram Albert Wilson (‘51) Willard W. Porter (‘54) Gertrude Knorr MacGregor (‘57) Joseph F. Molloy (‘57) Dan B. Jones (‘58) Carolyn S. Morris (‘58) John S. Newton (’58) Kenneth Carl Weeden (‘58)
1970s
Clay W. G. Fulcher (PHD ‘70) W. Bennie House, Jr. (JD ‘70) Michael J. Maher (JD ‘70) Steven B. Toon (‘70) Donald N. Page (MS ‘71) Richard E. Wilkes, Sr. (‘71) Mike Gilbert Hernandez (‘73, JD ‘78) Joseph Charles Klapesky, Jr. (‘73) Milton R. Winebrenner (‘73) Frank Anthony Borreca (EDD ‘74) Noel T. Lamar (‘74) David K. Lowell (‘74) Noel S. Atkisson (‘75) Daniel Howard (‘77) Charles L. Mauch (MBA ‘77) Maria G. Cronin (MS ‘79)
Robert B. Kazee, Sr. (‘60) Jerome P. Bliss (‘62) Alice M. Cooper (‘62) Robert E. Flaherty (‘63) Joyce C. Godfrey (‘63) Inez P. Shoemake (MED ‘63) Raymond Benski (‘64) John J. Samsel, Jr. (MBA ‘64) Walter B. Reid (‘66) Jon W. Terrell (‘66) George T. Bass, Jr. (‘67) Katherine McKay (‘67) William S. Stinson (‘67) George William Gray (‘68) John Randolph Black (‘69) Cletha Jane McAllister (‘69, MED ‘74) William C. Timmins (‘69) Haven W. Toothman (MA ‘69)
Judith B. Kenesson (MS ‘79) Parke T. Reid (MS ‘79)
1980s
Martha V. Frietsch (‘80) Michael Lynn Gray (‘80) Joan M. Cox (‘81, MA ‘85) Marian E. Goffney (MED ‘81) Becki L. Hughes (‘82) William H. Brandenburg (‘83) Goldie Farer Waghalter (MS ‘83) Carolyn J. Reeves (MS ‘85) Mary Ann Gathergood (MS ‘88) Rodney Neal Peters (‘89) Pamela F. Williford (EDD ‘89)
1990s
Margaret C. Howard (‘90) Stephanie Gail Jones (‘90) Linda K. Landis (‘90) Justin Keith Springer (’91) Dorothy G. Boyes (‘92, MS ‘00) Steven Richard Berry (MA ‘93) John Stanley Rainey (JD ‘93) John D. Harris (‘94) Marilyn H. Westheimer (MSW ‘96) Betty L. Rubin (MSW ‘97) Phillip A. Ward (‘97) David Jude Vallejo (‘98)
2000s
Raymond J. Tuttoilmondo (‘00) Ron Harold Smith (‘01) Karen M. Taylor-Carlile (MSW ‘01) John A. Eberhart (MA ‘02) Sharona S. Tolbert (‘02) Chad D. Swenson (‘03) Sabrina A. Marsh (MED ‘04, EDD ‘08) Joseph D. Dilworth (‘05) Toni R. Burse-Ali (‘07) Ryan Raymundo Euan (‘08) Stephanie M. Wagner (‘08) Theresa R. McCall (‘09)
Friends
Eric Bolmer Devon Harold Floyd, Jr. Joseph Johansen Scott E. Schroen Clyde E. Willbern
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Star t M a k i n g P l a n s
Calendar DECEMBER 15
11
Cougar Power Hour Brian O’Neill’s – Rice Village, 6-9 p.m.
Fort Bend Alumni Thirsty Thursday Pappasitos Sugar Land, 5:30 p.m.
14
Men’s Basketball vs. Memphis Hofheinz Pavilion, 8 p.m.
16
UHCAA 7th Annual Holiday Social and Toy Drive UH Campus Recreation & Wellness Center, 8 p.m.
19
Circle of Excellence Reception Wortham House, 6 p.m.
17
Fall Graduation Ceremonies Hofheinz Pavilion
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Men’s Basketball vs. Texas State, Hofheinz Pavilion, 8 p.m.
JANUARY 2
TicketCity Bowl Houston vs. Penn St. Cotton Bowl Stadium, 11 a.m.
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Fort Bend Alumni Thirsty Thursday Pappasitos Sugar Land, 5:30 p.m.
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Hilton College Alumni Student Happy Hour, Hyatt Regency Houston, 5-7 p.m.
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Women’s Basketball vs. Rice Hofheinz Pavilion, 7 p.m. Pack The Pavilion Game
FEBRUARY 8
Jan. 1- Private Reception |TBA Jan. 2 - UHAA Tailgate Party 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Men’s Basketball vs. Rice Hofheinz Pavilion, 7 p.m. Cougar Power Hour Brian O’Neill’s – Rice Village, 6-9 p.m.
Travel Packages Available! For more & to register: HoustonAlumni.com/bowl 30
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UHAA Casino Night Athletics/Alumni Center, 6 p.m.
16
Fort Bend Alumni Thirsty Thursday Pappasitos Sugar Land, 5:30 p.m.
HoustonAlumni.com
Features: Craps, Slots, Roulette and Blackjack! Register or Sponsor: Call 713.743.0828 HoustonAlumni.com/ casinonight
17-19
Baseball vs. Delaware Cougar Field, 6:30 p.m.| TBA | 1 p.m.
19
Women’s Basketball vs. UTEP Hofheinz Pavilion, 2 p.m. Breast Cancer Awareness Game
21
EAA Engineers Week 2011 Reception & Program Hilton University of Houston, 6-8 p.m.
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Women’s Basketball vs. UCF Hofheinz Pavilion, Noon Senior Day
MARCH 15
Fort Bend Alumni Thirsty Thursday Pappasitos Sugar Land, 5:30 pm
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{ Calendar }
14
Softball vs. Texas Cougar Softball Stadium, 6 p.m. Striking Out Breast Cancer Game
Softball vs. East Carolina Cougar Softball Stadium, 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
March 30-April 1
April 14-July 1
Baseball vs. UCF Cougar Field, 6:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 12:30 p.m.
Anton Ginzburg: At the Back of the North Wind Blaffer Gallery
APRIL
27-29
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58th Annual Alumni Awards Gala Westin- Memorial CIty, 6:30 p.m.
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MAY 5
Softball vs. Southern Miss Cougar Softball Stadium, 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
11-13
Baseball vs. Tulane Cougar Field, 6:30 p.m. |6:30 p.m. | 1 p.m.
Spring Dance Concert “Between The Lines” School of Theatre and Dance Wortham Theater
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Alumni Travel Program France - Normandy & Paris
April 28-Sept. 23 Andy Coolquitt: Attainable Excellence Blaffer Gallery
Event dates, times and locations are subject to change. Visit HoustonAlumni.com for the latest information.
APRIL 14, 2012 THE WESTIN MEMORIAL CITY
Distinguished Alumni Award Durga Agrawal (MS ‘69, PhD ‘74) Brett Cullen (‘79) Lt. General Robert Milstead (‘74) Dorothy Nicholson (‘77) Dennis Quaid Robert Wuhl Distinguished Service Award Audray McMillian (‘84) Ron Page (‘80) Chair’s Award Lillie Therese Robertson Outstanding Volunteer Award Judy Chong (‘69,’76) Rising Star Award James Hong (‘05)
2-Tone Card Holder 4x6 Frame Ballpoint Pen & Pencil Set Crystal Football Paperweight 2-Tone Desk Clock Mini Football Helmet License Plate Frame Clear Colonial Mug Red Bistro Mug Straw Hat Nike Logo Hat Red Polo Silk Tie
$23.98 $24.98 $29.98 $59.98 $32.98 $19.98 $19.98 $9.98 $12.98 $32.98 $20.00 $49.98 $47.98
15%
Alumni Discount
with your UHAA card! 126 University Center Houston, TX 77004 713.748.0923 713.748.8719 bkhouston@bncollege.com www.uh.bkstore.com
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{ Paws & Remember - 1975 }
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Paws and Remember highlights photographs—some funny, some nostalgic—from a single year in Cougar history, to relive the dreams of students eager to make their mark on the world. Please enjoy these selections from 1975. 1. Business graduate student, Ines Pena, types in her program in computing statistics class. 2. The Homecoming entourage, including the president of the Alumni Association, Judge Shearn Smith. 3. Shasta III drinks a toast to the next Cougar victory. 4. The UH Wind Ensemble, directed by James Matthews, draws a crowd during a free concert at the UC arbor.
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HoustonAlumni.com
Our Business Cards Say... Our Diploma Says... The University of Houston The University of Houston taught us the fundamentals to run a successful business. We are thankful for the education and opportunities UH has provided for us. That’s why we continue to give back as a Life Members of the University of Houston Alumni Association.
Call us at 713.743.9550 or visit HoustonALumni.com/join
You’re A Cougar For Life; Why Not Make It Official?
P.O. Box 230345 | Houston, TX 77223–0345 713.743.9550 | toll-free: 1.877.Cougar1 HoustonAlumni.com