UHAQ- Winter 2011

Tier OneUH Has been designated tier One

by tHe carnegie FOUndatiOn

Everyday SuperheroesThe officers of The Uh sysTem Board of regenTs showcase Their sUperhero-like aBiliTies

THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Winter 2011

Uh alUmnUs Uses flags TosUpporT his alma maTer

Cougars Flying High

We are now one of three Carnegie-designated Tier One

public research universities in Texas (UT, A&M and now UH).

One more step forward in our journey to national prominence.

One more attraction for the world’s best and brightest minds.

One more honor for our students, faculty and alumni.

One more achievement for those who have supported us.

One more inspiration for those who believe in us.

One more ray of hope for those seeking new scientific breakthroughs.

One more source of pride for our exceptional city.

One more reminder that our ascension has only just begun.

One more reason to choose Houston’s university.

Please visit uh.edu/TierOne.

ONE ACHIEVEMENT.84 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

8

6 Cougars Flying HighUH alumnus Don Chaney finds a way to use flag poles to support his alma mater.

12 Cambridge OaksCambridge Oaks celebrates 20 years as a home for UH Students.

14 Kevin GeeThis professor in the College of Optometry founded the Sports Vision Performance Center to help support UH student-ath-letes on the field.

Everyday SuperheroesUniversity of Houston Regents, Carroll Robertson Ray, Nelda Luce Blair and Mica Mosbacher have learned to balance many roles with superhero-like abilities.

UHAQ Departments

3 ALUMLiNe A note from our President + CEO Mike Pede ('89).

4 CAMPUS NewS All the University news that's fit to print.

5 By THe NUMBeRS A numerical breakdown of UH fun-facts.

21 ASSOCiATiON UPDATe See what's new with your Alumni Association.

22 CLASS NOTeS Catching up with your graduating class.

24 LeAViNg THeiR PRiNT UH grads make their mark on the literary world.

25 CALeNDAR Upcoming arts, sports, and social events in the UH universe.

27 COUgAR BUSiNeSS CONNeCTiON You've got the hook up.

28 PAwS & ReMeMBeR Great Scott! We've taken you back to the year 1988!

On the cover: Board of Regent members Mica Mosbacher, Carroll Robertson Ray and Nelda Luce Blair gather in front of the Ezekial Cullen building in the heart of the UH campus. For the first time ever, the officers of the UH Board of Regents are all female.

Winter 2011 / Vol. 4 / Issue No. 1CONTENTS

“The culture is changing, there’s a revolution and we are working on sharing that revolution.”

- Mica Mosbacher - pg.8

5 Football ScheduleCheck out the Cougars' lineup of opponents for the 2011 football season.

17 57th Awards GalaJoin UHAA as we honor our most distinguished alumni.

w w w . h o u s t o n a l u m n i . c o m 1winter 2011 |

5 0 - Y E A R C L A S S R E U N I O N

Class of 1961UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

Save the dates: Friday, May 21, 2011 and Saturday, May 22, 2011

Look for information about 10 and 25 year reunions coming soon!

Senior class officers take time out for a game of bridge between classes- (Left to right) Bobbie Hainline, Cathy Young, Susan Wood & Brenda Busch.

Television lights flood the scene at the 1961 commencement exercises as KUHT cameras televise the proceeding- an end to college for 1,000 UH seniors.

A great chance to get re-acquainted and also to see and experience what a truly great university

our school has become.

It’s Great to be a Cougar

To paraphrase one of our great alumni, Welcome Wilson Sr., “Is this a great day or what?”

Not that we didn’t already know what a great

education we all received at UH back when we walked the halls, but now it’s official. The Uni-versity of Houston has been recognized as a “Tier One” university by the Carnegie Institute. Congratulations to all of us, it’s been 84 years in the making.

What has transpired on this campus over

the past three years has been nothing short of remarkable and the inspiration of Chancel-lor Khator, our Board of Regents and you as alumni has resulted in this great achievement. Do you realize that there are over 4,800 col-leges and universities in the U.S. and UH is one of only 108 that are Tier One quality. I’m not much for stats, but that one stands out pretty well.

So how did we get here and how do we

continue our meteoric rise to full Tier One status? Frankly, it all begins and ends with you. Your participation at UH and in UHAA is vital to the continuing rise of our alma mater. Just a few years ago, we were recording about 5% participation of our alumni and now we are pushing 13%, but we must get above 15% and even 20% to hold our place as Tier One. You are reading this letter because you already care and participate, but it’s time that we all pitch in and invite a few more folks to the party. There are plenty of ways to do that in the coming months.

On March 6, we will have an alumni party in

centerfield of Minute Maid Park as the Coogs take on Texas A&M. Our 57th Annual Alumni Awards Gala will take place on April 30th at the Omni Hotel and we will be honoring some of the greatest of the Cougar family, so you will want to be there. And as we make our way

through May, we will add another 6,000-plus Cougar graduates to our alumni family and we have events planned in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Chicago, Phoenix and the east coast during the summer and fall. Please join us at one or more, and when you do, bring another Cougar with you and let’s get everyone on the bandwagon.

Another way to participate and give back is

to sign up for our new affinity programs with UPS, Landry’s Restaurants, Choice Energy and don’t forget that we have a new Bank of America credit and debit card on the market and this is the only card that gives back to our scholarships and programs. You can help us continue to give out over $180,000 in scholar-ships by getting yourself or your company involved in one of these programs. Thank you in advance.

Sure, we have Pulitzer Prize winners, Emmy Award winning actors and commentators, and numerous graduates that have received award after award, but it’s all of us as a group that make a difference. Now’s the time, no more excuses. We have to continue to remind everyone around us how much the University of Houston has done for us over the years and will do for the next generation of UH gradu-ates.

As the end of the alma mater says, “And to

thy memory cherished, true we’ll ever be!”

With Cougar Spirit,

Mike L. Pede ('89)UHAA President + CeOLife Member

Reece Rondon (’92, JD '95), ChairJudie Lilie (’95) Immeditate Past ChairDurg Kumar (’82, MBA '83 TreasurerRick Bowen (’88, MBA '91 SecretaryStarlet Agrella (’86, MBA '89)John Clarke (’82)Cathy Coers Frank (’80)Jason Fuller (’94)Carl glaw (’77)Janet HooverF. Carl LewisVonda Mays (’98) President's Council Representative

Shannon McClendon (JD '92)gerald Mcelvy (’79)Ron Page (’80)Joe Pogge (’79)Ricky Raven (’83, JD '86) Chair ElectThaddeus "Bo" Smith (’67)Trey wilkinson (’92, MBA '02)Martha wong (Med '76, edD '83)President Renu Khator, Ex-OfficioMike Pede (’89), Ex-Officio

Mike Pede ('89)exeCUTiVe PUBLiSHeR

Jeff Sutton eDiTOR

Brice D. Wiley ART DiReCTOR

Caroline H. Brown CONTRiBUTiNg wRiTeR

Heather Staible CONTRiBUTiNg wRiTeR

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.

All editorial comments and class note submissions should be

sent to [email protected] or ATTN: Director of Communications,

P.O. Box 230345, Houston, Tx 77223-0345.

For information on advertising or to discuss corporate

partnership opportunities, contact UHAA at [email protected] or

713.743.9560.

UH Alumni Quarterly, Volume 4, Issue 1 (USPS 018-676)

(SSN 1089-9154) is published four times a year (February, May,

August 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.

Eighty-Four Years In The Making

by Mike L. Pede ('89) UHAA President + CeO

UHAQ t alumline

Please recycle this magazine.

UHAA BoArD of DireCtorS


UHAQ t Campus news

Houston Athletics: Football Coaching Updates

UH Named Tier One Research University by Carnegie Institute

University of Houston head football coach Kevin Sumlin announced the hiring of former Vander-bilt defensive coordinator Jamie Bryant and former Harvard assistant coach Carlton Hall to join the Cougar coaching staff. Bryant will coach the linebackers while Hall will handle defensive line duties. Sumlin also announced that Leon Burtnett, who tutored Cougar linebackers from 2008-10, will use his skills to assist in the program's administration as the Director of Player Personnel and Quality Control.

Bryant comes to Houston after 10 years at Vanderbilt where he most recently served as defensive coordinator and secondary coach in both 2009 and 2010. In 2009, the defensive unit ranked ninth nationally in pass defense and 46th nationally in scoring defense.

Hall just completed his fourth year as an assistant coach at Harvard. With the Crimson, Hall helped lead the team to a No. 11 national ranking in rushing defense, No. 13 in scoring defense and No. 16 in total defense. In 2007 and 2008 Harvard won the Ivy League, while finishing as the conference runners-up in 2009 and 2010. During the 2009 season, the Crimson allowed only 82.7 rushing yards per game.

Burtnett moves to his new role after 38 years of coaching college and professional football, includ-ing a five-year stint as head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers. The former Big Ten Coach of the Year tutored over 40 All-Conference players and put nearly 30 gridders in the National Football League.

In January 2011, the University of Houston joined the ranks of the top research universities in the nation with the announcement by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advance-ment of Teaching that placed UH in its top category of research universities. The designation makes the University of Houston one of only three public Carnegie-designated Tier One research universities in Texas, along with the University of Texas and Texas A&M. That’s right – 3 public in Texas, only 1 in Houston have earned this affirmation of our research ex-cellence from a respected, national organization.

We would not have been able to achieve this significant milestone without the support of the Houston community. We are Houston’s university, and we are grateful for your

belief in our ability to exceed expectations and perform at the highest level of national excellence.

This achievement is momentous, and has come more quickly than almost any of us imagined. But we want you to know that our Tier One journey is not complete. There is still unfinished business to solidify our place among nationally competitive research universities, including broadening our overall excellence and strengthening our performance and reputation for student success. We are firmly committed to achieving those goals, and transforming the University of Houston into the Tier One university that Houston deserves.

Jamie BryantLinebackers Coach

Carlton HallDefensive Line Coach

4 | winter 2011 w w w. h o u s t o n a l u m n i . c o m

1On January 18, 2011, President Khator announced the University of Houston had been elevated to Tier One status by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

6,065UH racked up 6,065 points in the Top 25 Gowalla Check-In Challenge, a contest using a location-based social networking application on cell phones. Houston finished with over 800 more points than second-place University of Texas to earn $10,000 for the Cougar Community TierOne Endowment fund.

270At the Fall Ring Ceremony events hosted by UHAA on December 8-9, 270 Cougars received their official University of Houston Class Rings.

11,000The University of Houston Alumni Association page on Facebook surpassed 11,000 “Likes” in early February.

22 Head Coach Kevin Sumlin signed 22 players to National Letters of Intent to join the Cougars for the 2011 season on National Signing Day, February 2, 2011.

1,000,000 teachHOUSTON, a University of Houston program that works to combat the national shortage of qualified science and math teachers, received a $1 million gift from Kitty King Powell in December.

by theNUmb3RS

2011 Houston FootballSchedule

Date Opponent Location

9.3 UCLA Robertson Stadium

9.10 at North Texas Denton, TX

9.17 at Louisiana Tech Ruston, LA

9.24 Georgia State Robertson Stadium

10.1 at UTEP El Paso, TX

10.8 East Carolina Robertson Stadium

10.22 Marshall Robertson Stadium

10.29 Rice Robertson Stadium

11.5 at UAB Birmingham, AL

11.12 at Tulane New Orleans, LA

11.19 SMU Robertson Stadium

11.26 at Tulsa Tulsa, OK

#7 | Case KeenumSenior Quarterback


One day last summer, Don was driving around Houston and noticed there were a vast number of flag poles going unused. Realizing what an untapped marketing resource this could be, Don was instantly struck with inspi-ration. His idea was straightforward: why not use those flag poles to have UH flags flown on home football game days? From this thought came the organization that is now known as Crank It Up Coogs.

The concept was easy enough, but then it was time to put things into motion. Don began contacting businesses that he saw had unused flag poles to see if they would be willing to let him hang UH flags from them. He contacted over a hundred business owners and ended up with twenty-nine that agreed to let him borrow their flag poles, two of which are UH graduates themselves. With the help of his wife, Lisa, and

two of their close friends that also graduated from UH, Don started organizing the logistics of getting flags to almost thirty different locations around the greater Houston area.

As if it weren’t enough to organize all this, Don spent his own money to purchase all of the flags and then dedicated his time to making sure that these flags were flying high at these businesses on game days. Many of the flags he would go and physically put up himself, while others he would drive by to ensure that business owners had followed through to get them up on time. For Don, donating his time and money just seemed like a great way that he would be able to give back, stating “I know there have been a lot of exciting things happening around the university and I’m ready to get involved.”

Don’s mission for Crank It Up Coogs is simple: increase UH’s visual presence around Houston. When

BY: Caroline Brown

For many alumni, Houston is still tHe place tHey call Home even aFter walking across tHat stage at graduation. For Don Chaney (class oF ’89), living in Houston Has provided new opportunities to better His alma mater and make an impact on His surroundings.

speaking with Don, he mentioned “As a native Houstonian I’ve noticed that there is not a lot of visual support for the university in the community like there is with other schools.” You can’t walk around Baton Rouge or Austin without seeing flags, banners, and other paraphernalia supporting their schools and Houston should be no differ-ent. With Crank It Up Coogs, Don hopes to jump start the ties that people in our community feel towards the University of Houston.

From this mission, Don has further broken down his goals into three major objectives. First, he hopes to encourage local high school students to attend the University of Houston. Second, he wants to encourage alumni and the greater Houston area community to show visible support for the university. Lastly, he hopes to provide a positive community image for businesses that participate in the program. Through these objectives, Don not only promotes UH to people around Houston, but also helps the businesses themselves by publicizing those who are friends of the UH community. It’s a win-win for both sides of the operation.

This organization may only be in its first year of existence, but it is clear the impact that can be brought about from its mission. Don hopes to recruit other alumni to help him and possibly see the organization grow to include student participation as well. For now, He plans on sticking with home football games as his primary target, but sees the potential to expand this to other UH athletic events as well. He is constantly looking for new businesses to get involved with the program and hopes to find other volunteers to help him in his efforts.

Don was like most UH graduates but set himself apart from many by acting on a simple idea to make a differ-ence. Through his perseverance and initiative came an organization that is making an impact on others and on the campus. Alumni such as Don are shining examples of what makes the University of Houston great as the UH com-munity persists on its path to becoming a Tier One institution. So next football season, be sure to look around and see if you can find any UH flags flying high around Houston and be proud of what they represent.

If you woulD lIke to see more about Crank It up Coogs, see a lIst of theIr busIness partICIpants, or learn about how you Can volunteer,

vIsIt theIr websIte at www.crankitupcoogs.com

Everyday superheroes

Story by: Heather StaibleJuggling, it seems, is the power superheroes talk about the least. Sure

there’s flying and invisibility, but the ability to manage many multiples of things simultaneously, well, it just doesn’t get the respect it deserves.

It’s a talent Carroll Robertson Ray, Nelda Luce Blair and Mica Mosbacher, three of the women serving on the University of Houston Board of

Regents, have perfected. Powerhouses in their own right, the trio are part of a dynamic group focused on elevating and improving the university.

For the first time ever, the officers of the University of Houston System Board of Regents are all female.

Meet the three amazing women who are helping lead the charge to Tier One.

T hese women bring history, experience and carefully cultivated power to the board. Their biographies are loaded with accom-plishments and accolades and while all of that is important, it’s

the less glamorous, day-to-day duties the women revel in. It’s also where the circus-worthy juggling comes into play. Ray and Blair are attorneys and Mosbacher serves as a Honorary Consul of Iceland, among other things. They are philanthropists, champions of the arts and education and on the rare occasion the women actually get to spend time together, Ray, Blair and Mosbacher share a warm and easy-going rapport. On a breezy fall afternoon, the women are gathered in front of E. Cullen for a portrait. They’ve already been in a full morning of meetings and there’s a university event that evening too. In between, all three have other commitments to attend to, but it’s really just business as usual. “I think as women we are used to multi-tasking,” Mosbacher says. Blair agrees. “Not to take anything away from men, but we are used to being decisive and getting things done.” Mosbacher chimes in, “I can shop for shoes in five minutes if I have to.” It’s not shoes, but the push for Tier One status on the regent’s To-Do list these days. The buzz word has be-come a reality after the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classified UH as a research university with “very high research activity.” The hard-earned status is the highest classification given to re-search universities and the equivalent of Tier One status. The news came in January and was met with great joy by President Renu Khator, who said in a press release she was “so happy and proud. They (our students) will finally be able to take their diplomas and say ‘I have graduated from a Carnegie Tier One university.’” Khator credits the faculty, staff, students, and the Board of Regents for the classification, although she has been a tireless and diligent cru-sader for the cause. Top Tier status for the University of Houston is impor-tant because it means the school has achieved world-class research, aca-demic excellence, an exceptional student body and the highest levels of innovation, creativity and scholarship. Of course, ask any one of the three regents and they will tell you UH is accomplishing many of those tasks now. “What I get a lot from people is how surprised they are about how wonderful the university already is,” Ray says. “The uni-versity is on the cusp of becoming a na-tional research institution and is already such a support to the community.” “The school has really been a best kept secret for a long time, and now that secret is out, partly because of the leadership of our chancellor,” Mos-bacher says. “The university is on the map.” Their admiration for Dr. Khator, who came to UH in January 2008, is sincere. When Blair speaks of her en-ergy and high expectations, she means it. “Instead of asking why not, she asks, “Why can’t we?” Blair says. “She is charming, smart and beautiful and makes everybody reach for a higher goal.” All four women are part of a mutual admiration society, born out of

their common goals, and Dr. Khator clearly appreciates each of the women for their talents and contributions to the university. In an e-mail, Dr. Khator lauds Blair for her business acumen and leadership. “Regent Blair is a graduate of the UH Law Center, and she studied finances at the UH Graduate Business School while attending law school. Her expertise in real estate law, business and litigation practice, as well as her experience as a legal consultant and government liaison for select organizations, are invaluable during these challenging economic times.” After listing Mosbacher’s many achievements including being hon-ored with a 2003 American Hospital of Paris Foundation Board Medal by Ambassador Howard Leach at a ceremony at the American Embassy in Paris, Dr. Khator spoke about her kind and giving nature. “Regent Mosbacher recently was appointed as the new Honorary Consul of Iceland in Houston and has an extensive history of community service. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and her concern for

others are noble traits that elevate the entire UH Sys-tem,” Khator wrote. And she did not forget Ray, who has deep roots with the university. “Carroll Robertson Ray is a person of great integrity who brings unique insight and experience to the role of chairwoman of the UH System Board of Regents,” Dr. Khator says in an e-mail. “She is a strong supporter of the university’s athletics programs and has been a tire-less advocate for UH’s goal to achieve Tier One status.” Ray knows first-hand the impact the University of Houston has made on its namesake city. Her connection with school goes back to her grandfather, Hugh Roy

Cullen, who not only helped purchase land for the school and fund the first building, but continued to donate money to the school through his lifetime and through the Cullen Foundation. He was on the UH Board of Regents, as was granddaughter (and Ray’s sister) Beth Robertson. Ray’s strong family connections coupled with her degree from The University of Houston Law Center (JD ’02) were an ideal combination, leading up to her current role as chair. It was her mother, Wilhelmina Cullen Robertson Smith however, that Ray draws great inspiration from. “Mom was a visionary and continued to come and do whatever she could for UH. She called it her favorite child,” Ray says laughing. She was also humble and Ray says her mother turned down multiple opportunities to have her name attached to university buildings and other high-profile

places. “Mom was old style and be-lieved a woman should be in the pa-pers three times in her life: When she’s born, married and dies,” Ray says. “She came in quietly.” Of course, as chair for the UH System which includes, University of Houston, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Down-town, UH-Victoria and teaching centers in Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch, Ray has to be visible and vocal. She is also impartial. Despite a photo shoot for the university, Ray opted out of wearing red, choosing instead a neutral camel-

hued outfit since not all the campuses colors are red and represented by a cougar. “I try to be sensitive because it’s my job to represent the whole

“From day one, we have always been adamant

that UH is already great.”

- Carroll Robertson Ray


board. We are all under the same umbrella and we all want to help each other. We all benefit that way,” Ray says. Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry in 2008, her duties as chair include attending all board meetings, calling special meetings of the board, reviewing and approving the board’s agenda, appointing special committees of the board, serving as the board’s official spokesperson and certifying the minutes of the ex-ecutive sessions of the board. Ray’s comments are thoughtful and honest and it’s easy to see why she ex-cels as the face of the Board of Re-gents. She warmly engages those around her and doles out credit where it’s due, giving special kudos to Wel-come Wilson Sr. who preceded her as Board of Regents Chair. And when she’s not busy fulfilling her duties on the board, she’s at the law firm of An-drews & Kurth, specializing in tax ex-empt organizations. As much as she likes cougars, Ray is also rather fond of other four-legged creatures, namely the dogs and cats she has rescued and cares for. Her dedication to animals is so great that she owns the Mead-owlake Pet Resort, a four-acre getaway for dogs, cats, birds, small rep-tiles and even small mammals. The venture allows Ray to indulge her love for animals and pamper them at the same time. It’s not surprising that Blair already had a closet full of red clothing considering her powerful and confident demeanor. A graduate of the University of Houston Law Center (JD ’82), Blair simultaneously studied finance at University of Houston Graduate Business School while attend-ing law school. She serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Regents and puts her extensive law experience to work in her role at the university. Blair is also a frequent legal contributor to shows on CNN, FOXNews, CBS News, MSNBC and CourtTV and even spent two years on “Power of Attorney,” a national show where Blair represented people in small-claims cases and where she admittedly had a lot of fun. Then there are the various organizations Blair serves such as Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, Foundation President, Board of Directors for the Conroe ISD Education Foundation, the Truitt Seminary at Baylor University Advisory Board and the Associ-ated Republicans of Texas Board of Directors. See? More juggling. More super human abilities. “You have to have the energy when you make commitments and be enthusiastic about it,” Blair says. “I am so enthusiastic about this university and where it’s going.” She gets a boost from Dr. Khator too saying, “she really empowers other women.” There’s no denying Blair’s strength, but there are lots of little touches that make her approachable and downright girlie, like her sparkle-laden cell phone, perfect manicure and the penchant for red. “I have always loved red and I’m convinced that’s why I got the job,” she says laughing. Blair was ap-pointed to the board in 2008 by Gov. Rick Perry and has used her government experience to shine light on UH, especially as the school pursues Tier One status. Another feather in her cowboy hat is her understanding of Texas. A Fifth generation Texan and born in Conroe, her allegiance to the Lone

Star State is deep. Her grandfather was a state representative who rode on horseback from East Texas to the state capitol and there is no lack of pride for heritage. As chairman of The Woodlands Township, Blair is certainly focused on her immediate community, but with a watch-ful eye on the big picture. Popular on the public speaking circuit, Blair carries her message of education and empowerment to luncheons and benefits. In preparation

for a speech given to the Montgom-ery County Association of Business Women in October of 2010, Blair told The Paper Magazine that women are naturally influential in a supernat-ural sense. She believes in embracing her inner super hero and encourages women “to realize their natural abili-ties. We are extremely capable and have a make-it-happen attitude that we use continually without even thinking about it.” It’s not all work for Blair though. Her Twitter account (@MsNelB) is full of fun Tweets about UH, Texans and Astros

games, plus concerts at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and time spent with family. She and her husband, retired attorney Jim Blair, are also active members of First Baptist Church of The Woodlands. Her greatest passion, though, is for a population that can’t speak for themselves. Like Ray, she’s an avid animal lover and Blair fosters dogs and supports many animal organizations. Blair’s face lights up even more when she talks about her favorite four-legged friend. “I love to be involved and I am a hound dog lover,” Blair says. “I follow my passions.” There is an air of Steel Magnolia charm among all three women, but Michelle McCutchen Mosbacher typifies the flowers’ delicate, but strong character. Called Mica by most, she was appointed to the Board of Regents by Gov. Rick Perry in 2008 and serves as secretary to the Board, vice chair of the Academic and Student Success Committee, as a member of the Endowment Management Committee, and a member of the Executive and Compensation Committee. Mosbacher is perfectly coifed, poised and wearing a trim pencil skirt, but don’t let the red-bottomed Louboutin’s fool you. There’s sub-stance with all that style.

Mosbacher was commissioned by the foreign ministry of Iceland to serve as a Honorary Consul of Iceland in March 2010 and has definite plans for that role. “I’m hoping to facilitate some sort of collaboration between the University of Houston and the University of Iceland. Iceland does renewable energy well, so that would be a preliminary focus,” Mosbacher said. “I’m also promoting the economies between Iceland and the U.S and I can share with envoy delegation how the university is a best kept secret.” She already had a unique Icelandic experience, namely being one of only a handful of people to see the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupt, stunning Europe with giant ash clouds and severely hampering travel. Fortu-nate to slip out of the country in April, Mosbacher will

return throughout the year and even though she was born in Florida, Mosbacher revels in her Icelandic and Scandinavian roots.

“We are extremely capable and have a make-it-happen attitude that we use continually

without even thinking about it.”- Nelda Luce Blair

10 | winter 2011 w w w. h o u s t o n a l u m n i . c o m10 w w w. h o u s t o n a l u m n i . c o m

While the role with Iceland is new, Mosbacher is an old hand in political circles. Her late husband, Robert Mosbacher, Sr, was the former Secretary of Commerce under President George Herbert Walker Bush (41) as well as a Member of President Ronald Rea-gan's Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives. Mosbach-er was the general chairman of Sen. John McCain’s White House bid and Mica served as national co-chair of Women for McCain, during the campaign.Mosbacher is close friends with the Bush family-she and Barbara Bush were inducted into the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in 2008 and she served as a chair for the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Birthday Celebration Honor-ing former President George H.W. Bush 41 when he turned 80. In addition to being named to Board of Regents, she was also appointed by Governor Rick Perry to serve as Chair of the 2007 Inaugural committee. Dr. Khator speaks of Mosbacher’s empathetic personality and as one starts to peel back the layers, stories of Mosbacher’s struggles in life show why. In 2009 Mosbacher shared with the Dallas Morning News that she had been assaulted as a college student traveling through Europe. She said in the article that sexual assault services helped her thrive and get through the pain. As a result, Mosbacher advocates for sexual assault victims and was named the 2007 Philanthropist of the Year by the Texas Association against Texas Assault for her fund-raising and advocacy ef-forts. Mosbacher has also chaired events for Houston Area Women’s Center, a shelter that provides support services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. A philanthropic heart is often born of struggle, just not privilege, and before Mos-bacher’s days were busy with board meetings, international affairs and galas, she was a sin-gle mother to a young son, embarking on a journalism career. Armed with a Communica-tions degree from the University of Texas, Mos-bacher wrote for multiple publications, winning two Press Club of Houston awards. Her evolution has been years in the making and as she em-braces her job as secretary, Mosbacher has years of life experience—plus something more.“Passion and following through,” Mosbacher says. Her enthusiasm for UH is evident, because even though she’s a Longhorn, Mosbacher has very much embraced Cougar Pride. “The culture is changing, there’s a revolution and we are working on sharing that revolution,” Mosbacher says. “The University of Houston is an asset to the state.” The Board of Regents is stirring things up for sure, but even with the influx of new ideas and personalities, the women say they are respectful of each other. “When there are a lot of people with opposing views, you learn to reach a consensus,” Mosbacher says. “Sometimes you agree to disagree, but you manage.” Just like Blair and Ray, Mosbacher has her pursuits outside of the university. She and her late husband, found joy on the ocean, something

she will always enjoy. “I love to sail. My husband was a two-time champion world sailor and we love to be on the water,” Mosbacher says. She also has an eye

for finding beauty among the ruins and with her hus-band, rescued and restored a River Oaks home listed in the National Register of Historic Places, a Record-ed Texas Historic Landmark and a City of Houston Landmark. Built in 1950 by Hugo Neuhaus Jr. the midcentury home and its gardens have been the site of many charitable events, plus a 2007 Greater Houston Preservation Alliance Good Brick Award for giving the home a second chance instead of tearing it down. Independently, the three women’s lives are engag-ing and vibrant examples of what one can do when choosing to take action and invest in something im-

portant. The fact that the University of Houston believes these three women are crucial to the future success of the school speaks volumes. “The University of Houston has a culture that welcomes diversity, and celebrates it. As the campus grows in size and stature, the univer-sity’s cultural landscape has been enhanced by our diversity,” Dr. Khator said in an e-mail regarding the trio. Each woman’s differences enhance the Board of Regents, bringing distinctive benefits. Ray’s ties to the university give her unique insight, while Blair’s political roles give her access to state legislators and Mos-

bacher’s extensive fundraising prowess can only mean an exciting take on potential capital for the school. There are other matters swirling just under the surface. The reemergence of the Cou-gar football team under head coach Kevin Sum-lin has ignited discussion about University of Houston’s current home in Conference USA.“I will say we are very happy in Conference USA. That said, we will always be looking into opportunities,” Ray says. The positivity is palpable among the Board of Regents, their sights set on meeting and exceeding goals for the university. Mos-bacher says Dr. Khator is instrumental in con-tinually raising the bar with faculty goals, year-end reports and generally holding fac-ulty and staff accountable. And Ray says that determination will pay off, especially for stu-dents, who deserve a top tier education.If anything, all three Regents agree that per-ception is the biggest hurdle for the univer-

sity. “From day one, we have always been adamant that UH is already great,” Ray says standing on the land her grandfather gave to the school. “This is a source of culture and enlightenment and we just have to believe in that role.”And then, with a quick check of Blackberry’s and iPhones, the Regents pop up from the interview and get ready for their next meeting, call or appointment. Look close enough and you just may catch a glimpse of a cape trailing in their wake. Red, of course.

“The culture is changing, there’s a revolution and we

are working on sharing that revolution.”

- Mica Mosbacher


Celebrating 20 years at the University of Houston, Cambridge Oaks has served as the home away from home for thou-sands of students from across the city and the world transitioning to college life and forging ahead with their degree goals.

What many people might not know about this on-campus residential community, managed by Campus Living Villages, is that the property helped to pioneer the privatized student housing niche as we know it today in terms of the way it was developed, designed and operated. As one of the country’s first on-campus student housing offerings conceived and built in partnership with a private company, Cambridge Oaks was trend-setting in its departure from the traditional residence hall style designs of its era and also introduced occupants to residential life programming meant to further enhance and engage their time in college and prepare them for independence, advanced studies or the workforce.

“The debut of Cambridge Oaks was an important tool for the University of Houston to expand interest in the campus as well as support and appeal to a growing demand from students around the globe,” says John Iannuzzo, Cambridge Oaks’ first on-site manager and now Campus Living Villages USA’s Vice President of Marketing. “From its inception, this has been a special place intimately tied into the fabric of the school,” he continues from Campus Living USA’s headquarters, just minutes from University of Houston.

Cambridge Oaks

CELEBRATES 20 YEARS AS A PIONEER IN STUDENT HOUSING

"From it's incepetion, this has been a special place intimately tied into the fabric of the school."


And the partnership with Univer-sity of Houston continues to flourish through the involve-ment of Cambridge Oaks on a variety of campus levels, rang-ing from supporting student as-sociations to working with ad-ministrators for residential life purposes.

With its gated and low-density garden-style layout, featuring spacious suite accommoda-tions, ample parking and green spaces with pool, grilling areas and volleyball court, Cambridge Oaks continues to be a draw for students and typically fills to ca-pacity each semester.

In most college living situa-tions, resident advisors (RAs) are upper classmen who take on the job of mentoring and look-ing after younger students in the residence halls. Cambridge Oaks employs its resident advi-sors– young adult mentors with experience in campus housing or student programming who

lead quarterly volunteering activities, help students adjust to life away from home, do nightly rounds and offer a stable presence. Furthermore, Cam-bridge Oaks has its own on-site man-ager and team of professional staff to assist with student, business and per-sonnel issues as well as building opera-tions.

Central to Cambridge Oaks’ suc-cess – and that of Campus Living Vil-lages – is a continually evolving model for student programming: “Live, Learn, Grow.” RAs and professional staff coor-dinate and implement a myriad of well-attended, resident-supported activities and offerings designed around pursuits such as education and life lessons, giv-ing back to the community, embracing a green lifestyle plus supporting a healthy mind and body. Students might find themselves joining study

groups with resident professors, min-gling poolside or working with neigh-boring communities on clean-up proj-ects.

Campus Living Villages, which owns and manages an international portfolio of student housing communi-ties, is also committed to the idea that students are members of the global vil-lage, and provides numerous endeavors designed to foster greater understand-ing of this concept. A prime example is the recently completed Impact Hunger and upcoming Impact Thirst initia-tives. The purpose has been to show the residents of Cambridge Oaks and those of their sister US villages the im-pact of volunteer teamwork by chal-lenging the combined collection of 20,000 pounds of non-perishable food and $20,000 earmarked for clean drinking water. A recent Cambridge Oaks food drive event, “Hungry for Halloween,” which was open to all Uni-versity of Houston students and staff, was named a "Live Program of the Month" by Campus Living Villages.

Under the direction of Cambridge Oaks’ Director of Sales and Marketing, Tenley Wood, and General Manager, Bob Freund, planning is currently un-derway on an array of festivities to for-mally mark the 20th anniversary this spring. For details on anniversary hap-penings and to share photos and anec-dotes about Cambridge Oaks, past resi-dents are being asked to email [email protected].

“Cambridge Oaks continues to be an integral part of the University of Houston Student Housing. With a di-verse and tightknit community com-prising 12 nationalities, a resident pro-fessor who has lived here 17 years, and an on-site staff dedicated to the ongo-ing enhancement of day-to-day life and programming, I believe Cambridge Oaks will continue to be on the cusp of Student Housing for years to come,” says Freund.


etween running his own private practice, serving as a Clinical Assis-tant Professor with the University of Houston College of Optometry and serving on multiple boards and com-

mittees, to say UH alumnus Kevin Gee stays busy would be an understatement.

Gee, a native Houstonian, knew from the time he was in high school that he wanted to be-come an optometrist. He enrolled at UH and quickly got involved with the Pre-Optometry Professional Society and worked at the optom-etry school with some members of the staff he now calls colleagues. His passion for optome-try eventually led to his being asked to give the student address at convocation.

“It floored me when they asked me. I’ve always taken a leadership role and I realized that our profession is better in numbers and we’re a very cohesive group. As a result of that, I chal-lenged my classmates, ‘Listen, if I come knock-

UHAQ t KeVin Gee

B

ing on the door in a couple of years, you haven’t paid your dues or we need your help. We need your volunteer-ism,’” Gee stated.

After graduation, Gee moved to Temple, Texas for a Se-nior Staff position with Scott & White Memorial Hospi-tal and became an Assistant Clinical Professor with the Teas A&M College of Medicine. After three years, he re-turned to his hometown and opened a private practice before being asked to join the staff at his alma mater.

Gee added, “You could have asked me after graduation if I wanted to teach and I would have probably told you no. It comes as no surprise to me, in hindsight, that I’m ac-tually teaching because I’ve always taught in one form or another.”

Around the same time Gee joined the College of Optom-etry faculty, head softball coach Kyla Holas was looking for someone from the school to help with vision training for her team. Gee had experience working with p r o f e s s i o n a l baseball players and developed the Sports Vision P e r f o r m a n c e Center at the University Eye Institute and now works with UH athletes on vision training and is the primary optometrist for the Cougar athletic department.

A member of multiple professional, regulatory and advi-sory boards, Gee feels a strong desire to improve the profession of optometry.

“I’ve always been a natural leader,” said Gee. “When it comes to the boards I’m on, it comes from leading the charge to help further our profession; to bring our col-leagues in to the fold with, hopefully, greater numbers and a louder voice.”

Gee keeps himself quite busy but also finds time to enjoy music and fuel his passion for sports, including a yearly trip to Florida for spring training.

“There’s 24 hours in a day and seven days a week and I usually find a way to squeeze 25 hours out of a day, somehow,” he concluded.

Kevin GeeClinical Assistant Professor, University of Houston College of Optometry


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UPS is a proud sponsor of the University of Houston Alumni Association. Save up to 26% on UPS shipping. Enroll at savewithups.com/uhaa.

The quality of a university, more than anything else, is measured by the quality of its graduates.

Join us for the 57th Annual Awards Gala.

Photos from the 2010 Awards gala

saturday, april 30, 20116:00 pm | reception & silent auction

7:30 pm | dinner and program

gala emcee- matt thomas (’98) clear channel radio

omni Houston HotelFour riverway, Houston, texas

black tie • complimentary valet parking

attendees can expect auction packages to offer

unique and exciting opportunities.

special live auction items will be available throughout the evening.

As the UH Alumni Association celebrates its distinguished alumni, we remain

committed to funding student scholarships and alumni programs.

The Awards Gala is an important aspect of those efforts.

gala tickets- Call 713.743.9550

2011 Honorees Distinguished alumni awardsdavid bertman ('98)cheryl creuzot ('81, Jd '92)leroy Hermes ('66)beth madison ('72)

Distinguished service awardsken and Judy baxter ('68)mike Holley ('90)

rising star award for achievementcarlos de aldecoa bueno ('97)

oustanding volunteer awardJoe green ('80)

Chair's awardJohn Hofmeister


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UHAQ t alumni assoCiation update

Circle of Excellence ReceptionOn January 20, UHAA held its annual Circle of Excellence at the Wortham House. Over 100 UHAA Life Members came out for a wonderful evening with their fellow Cougars.

President Renu Khator spoke about the recent Carnegie Tier One announcement and the great things still to come for our university.

ScholarshipsIn 2010, UHAA awarded over $180,000 in scholar-ships to University of Houston students!

UHAA offers a wide variety of scholarships to current and incoming students, ranging from $500 to full tu-ition.

Know of anyone interested in a UHAA scholarship? All Applications must be postmarked March 18, 2011.

www.houstonalumni.com/scholarships

20 | winter 2011 w w w. h o u s t o n a l u m n i . c o m20 | Summer 2010

Student Choice Awards

What’s on your mind?

Live Feed Views News Feed

feedback

Join the conversation and become a fan of UHAA at

www.facebook.com/houstonalumni

The University of Houston joins an elite club by being named a Tier One univer-sity by the Carnegie Foundation! This is a great day to be a Cougar!

Lynn Patterson Congrats!!!

2 minutes ago • Comment • Like

Laura Flores Woo hoo! We deserve it!


NhuHuu Tran We have been a Tier One from a long time ago. This just makes it official. Coogs year!!!!! Proud to be a Coog!


Art Skillman I am proud, but I have always been proud to be a Coog.


Tory Teykl likes this.

Ashley Ordaz Go Coogs!!!


Stephanie Gomez Yay what a great time to be a Cougar!!! :D


Grant Melhof likes this.

Cougar CookersHonoring UHAA President & CEO Mike Pede and UH Head Men's Basketball Coach James Dickey

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Cook-OffFeb. 24-26, 2011

For more information on membership to Cougar Cookers, visit www.cougarcookers.org.

Every year, The UHAA teams with the Student Alumni Connection to honor UH faculty and staff with the Student Choice Awards. The awards are open for any UH student to nominate their favorite faculty or staff member.

The 2010 honorees are:Simon Bott, Outstanding Faculty AwardGreg Hanley, Outstanding Staff AwardTrina Johnson, Outstanding Staff AwardRon Lazer, Outstanding Faculty AwardKatherine Zerda, Outstanding Faculty Award

This year’s honorees were recognized at UHAA’s Life Member Circle of Excellence reception held at the Wortham House on January 20.

We’re making our way toward spring and that means it’s time for golf tournaments. Check the list and keep an eye on www.houstonalumni.com for more information on these and any other tournaments that get scheduled.

4.4 Engineering Golf Tournament, Hearthstone country club

4.18 “H” Association Golf Tournament, willow Fork country club

4.25 15th Annual Bill Yeoman Scholarship Golf Tournament,

sugar creek country club

4.29 15th Annual Technology Alumni Association Golf Classic,

woodforest golf club

5.16 Ted Bauer Golf Classic, champions golf club

6.20 Kevin Sumlin Golf Classic, sweetwater country club

9.12 CenterPoint Energy Cougar Golf Classic, tour 18

10.3 UHAA Celebrity Golf Classic, Quail valley golf course

tba UHCAA Golf Challenge, tba

Upcoming Golf Tournaments


1960sArnold Battise (’66), represented the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Nation of Texas at The Sover-eignty Symposium, held at the Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City on June 2-3, 2010. The Sover-eignty Symposium is an annual conference jointly sponsored by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, the Indian Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the Law Schools of Oklahoma City University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa, and the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission.

He represented the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Nation of Texas as a delegate to the Indian Law Section of the State Bar of Texas annual con-vention at the Ft. Worth Convention Center. The convention was held on June 10-11, 2010.

Jane Bradfield (’69) has a new historical novel for children, All That Glitters, available on Amazon.com. Jane was in one of the first waves of women who went back to university to finish her degree after she was married and had children. This is her second book and her first venture into fiction.

Richard Brewer ('67) recently opened his new firm in San Antonio, Warrior Financial Group, concentrating in real estate, financial planning and insurance. Richard, a retired Air Force Colonel and Vietnam War veteran, is a Certified Financial Planner and was a pitcher on the ‘66 and '67 Cougar baseball teams. The '66 team played the first two college baseball games in the Astrodome and the '67 team finished second in the College World Series, beating Ohio State, Boston College and Arizona State before losing to Arizona State in the finals. The #2 final NCAA ranking is the highest of any UH baseball team.

Eugene A. Cook (’61, JD ’66), retired Bracewell & Giuliani LLP partner and Texas Supreme Court Justice, was recently honored by the State Bar of Texas with the Gene Cavin Award. The Gene Cavin Award is the highest award given in the Continuing Legal Education area of the state bar.

Alan E. Potter (’66) has been named Director of Marketing and Enrollment for the American Medical College of Homeopathy.

Pan Purdy Sticksel (’64) just got a new RED car, a little Prius named SHASTA!! Go Cougs!

Bruce C. Tough (’76 and JD ’80) is honored that his law firm, The Tough Law Firm, was named Small Business of the Year by Lone Star College-Montgomery on November 23, 2010. Each

year, the Lone Star College System Small Business Development Center Advisory Council recognizes successful small businesses that make special contributions to the local community.

1970s Randolph L. DeLay (‘72), President and Chief Executive Officer of Public/Private Strat-egies, LLC, in Houston, was elected to serve as trustee on the Kiwanis International Foun-

dation Board of Trustees.

Bruce A. Jackson (‘75) received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math-ematics, and Engineering Men-toring in January.

Diane (Simar) Vaughan (‘78) will retire on May 31st from Houston ISD after 26 years of teaching. Diane is married to Chris Vaughan (‘79) and they have a son, Alex Vaughan, who attended UH.

1980sJennifer Cooper (‘89) recently joined Third Sigma Investment Advisors, founded by UH alumnus George Cones (’82, JD ‘87), as a Man-aging Director.

Patrick Pettit ('89) was named general manager of The Clubs of Kingwood, one of the country's largest private clubs located in Kingwood, TX. The club boasts 5 championship golf courses, state of the art fitness center, spa, salon, water park, 26 tennis courts, 3600 members and a talented group of employee partners. The Clubs of Kingwod is part of the ClubCorp family of clubs.

Michael Swanson ('86) has a professionally produced video book trailer promoting his newest novel, The Angel Baby.

1990s R. Gregory Turner (MBA ’97), founder of TurnerDuran Archi-tects, LP, has recently won the McGraw-Hill/Texas Construction

Best of 2010 Design Award of Excellence Worship for the new Notre Dame Catholic Church in Houston, Texas. Other award winning projects include the University of St. Thomas Landmark which won the 2008 Keep Houston Beautiful Award and St. Agnes Academy Center for the Sciences and Student Services which received the Award of Excellence K-12 Texas Construction Best of 2008 Awards and was selected for the National School Boards Association 2008 Exhibition in Orlando, Florida.

2000sRobert Atcheson (‘05) was recently named President of the newly created national peak representative body for international students in Australia called the Council of International Students Australia (CISA). He is currently com-pleting his Juris Doctor degree at the Australian National University.

Kelsey McCarson (’07) recently accepted a po-sition with Fluor Corporation, the world's largest publicly traded engineering, pro-curement, construction, maintenance and project management company, as Global PC Lifecycle Management Lead.

Angie Neal (’04) recently won the title of Mrs. Texas United States 2010 and placed 6th at the Mrs. United States Pageant held in Las Vegas, NV over the summer. She also recently joined

the team at Hospitality USA Investment Group as their new Corporate Trainer. Hospitality USA is a diversified management company special-izing in the unique entertainment and hospi-tality industry.

Jennifer Raymond (MBA ’01) has been named as one of twenty exceptional women under the age of forty in the commercial real estate in-dustry in North America by Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network for her ex-traordinary professional accomplishments.

2010s Luke Gilman (’04, JD ‘10) was hired as an associate with Jackson Walker L.L.P.

Jamila Patten (JD ‘10) was hired as an associate with Jackson Walker L.L.P.

UHAQ t Class notes UHAQ t Class notes

Red denotes UHAA Life Members. E-mail your own class notes to [email protected].


1940s Mary Alice Fite (’46) Gordon E. Gathright (’49, MED ’62) Elsie Dobesh Gilfond (’45, MS ’47) Lawrence J. Gillingham (’47, EDD ’58) Harvey Roy Houck, Jr. (’49) Jack L. Parker (’49) James George Petheriotes (’47) Elizabeth D. Rockwell (’42) Beatrice Welch (’48)

1950s Sidney “Gerry” Allison (’59) Cleo Myrl Bickford (’50) Leroy H. Boenker (MED ’52) Joseph Keith Bruegger (’51) Fredric Howard Cowart (’55) Edward S. Cutrer (’53, ’55) John Houston Davis, III (’52, MED ’60, MED ’79) Alexander Rhodolphus Dearborn III (MED ’59) George Gilbert Drushel Jr. (’58) Helen M. Dunn (’58) Saul Friedman (’56) Hunter Franklin Garrison (’59) Arthur H. Grove (’50) Francis Joseph Halphen, Sr. (’53) Robert A. Hunter (’55) Clark L. Jackson (’50) Ding Wong Lee (MSEE ’53) Ernesto Villareal Marquez (’51, MED ’54) John Arthur McGee (’58) Herman C. Nester (’50) Buford Parrish (MBA ’50) Ralph Eugene Parshall (’55) Andres Portales (OD ’57) Richard D. Strahan (EED ’55, ’65, JD ’69) Robert Francis Tennant (’52) 1960s William J. Baldwin (’68) Arthur Lee Barringer (’66) Robert E. Beauregard (MSEE ’67) Charles L. Booker (’69) LeRoy S. Brack (’68, ’81) Richard Caldwell (’60) Peter C. Fisher (’67) Phillip R. Fruge (OD ’68) Joseph B. Grierson (’61) William Hogue (’61) Donald R. Holt (’66) Thomas Mills Lasater (PHD ’69) Jerome Gordon Murray (’68) Martin R. Nathan (’65, JD ’67) Jeanette Marie Perrin (’60) Howard Pollock (JD ’69) Mary A. Richter (’66) B. Mark Schoenberg (MA ’63, EDD ’69) Frances Latimer Shepherd (MED ’69) James Glenn Smith (MED ’60) Russel E. Spencer (’69) Lois C. Sturrock (’65, MED ’69) JoAnne C. Sweet (MED ’65, MED ’67) Charles R. Tovey (’66) James Leigh Thurber (’67, OD ’68) John Clayton Walling (’64) Robert Ruskell Wennagel (’67, MBA ’69)

1970s Brian Duane Barto (’77) Elaine M. Bergman (MA ’78) James Edward Butler (JD ’73)

Lynn Levin Cantini (MA ’74) Jeffrey Allen Carlson (’79) Geraldean Gratzer (MED ’77) Edward Harper (’73, OD ’75) Steve Hasara (MBA ’73) Ann Jumper (MED ’73) Ottis Lester (’75) Aubrey Dickson Martin Jr. (JD ’78) Mary Lou S. Metcalf (’71, ’72) Herbert J. Meyer (MSEE ’71) Lon C. Mitchell (’77) David P. Ryan (JD ’72) George D. Solana (MED ’78) Walter L. Stripling (’77)

1980s Mary Patricia Averill (’87, MA ’91, PHD ’93) Rebecca S. Cuculic (MS ’80) David C. Hicks (EDD ’82) Amelia S. Kornfeld (MED ’84) Susan Renee Mathis-Crites (’82) Mary L. Moore (EED ’86) Rajendra L. Naik (’87) Stanley A. Rejsek, Jr. (’88) Elizabeth A. Schnitzen (’81) Cynthia Settje (’82) Paul Dwain Slocumb (EDD ’87) Debra A. Technik (MS ’86) Jo Ellen Thompson (’81, MS ’84) Ernest Dale Tolliver (’88) Philip Theodore Yochum, Jr. (’85)

1990s Darwin I. Davis (’94) Richard Hamilton Fletcher (MHBA ’94) Billy Joe Harris (’96) Carey Hollis (MA ’92) Donald A. Huffman (’96) Bobby Don Morgan (’95) Ramona Schilhab (’92) Michael Anthony Sessions (’94) Darin M. Shapley (’94)

2000s Dawn M. Bilbrey (’01) LaShun M. Boyd (MA ’03) Oran D. Tarlton Jr. (MBA ’06) John H. Wright (LLM ’01)

2010s Dewayne Huckabay (PHD ’10)

friends Herbert H. Richter (Former Student) Ambrose Dominic Zubel (Emeritus Professor) Irene Merker Rosenberg (Emeritus Professor) Richard Arlen Jackson (Retired Faculty)

In Memoriam

George A. Alcorn, Sr. (’60)

Dorothy J. Anderson (’57)

E. Thomas Anderson, II (’58)

Roy Keith Armstrong (’84)

Bradley J. Berry (’04)

Patrick Biglarians (’99)

Jerrad D. Bloome (JD ’97)

Sara E. Bloome (JD ’98)

Keith Andrew Borgfeldt (’91, MBA ‘01)

Stacy Borgfeldt (‘90)

Michael Alton Buller (’95)

Katherine A. Caldwell (’78)

Shashank Chada (MS ’04)

Michael Chitty (’76, JD ’79)

Patrick Coleman (’91)

Dr. Chris E. Cookson (PhD ’98)

Robert D. Cowan (’76)

Robert J. Cunningham (’85)

Lisa Cushing (’01)

Matthew P. Cushing (’99, MS ‘08)

Dr. Amit T. Darnule (’99)

Neeta Darnule (’02)

Andre D’Aversa (’05)

Ashok Kumar Dhingra (’78)

Vijay Dhingra

Duke Ducoff (’73)

Harold E. Durham (’79, MA ’84)

Dr. Yomi Joseph Fayiga (’80, OD ’82,

MS ’85)

Richard D. Grimm (’74)

Gary B. Hargrave (’84)

Larry A. Harman (JD ’71)

Marilyn M. Harman (’66)

John H. Haskins (MBA ’80)

Luther D. Henderson, III (’74, ’84)

Kevin R. Hermis (’03)

Robert A. Hirsch (’78)

Lance Hooton (’96)

John R. Hutchings (’90, MBA ’97)

Dr. Gil Jong Kang (PhD ’83)

Michael Jon Katsus (’08)

Dr. Hee Yong Kim (PhD ’84)

Byron W. Knapp

Mary C. Knapp

L.C. “Max” Krchnak (’62, ’78)

Sandra D. Krchnak (’73)

Eugene Joseph Krus (’58)

Allen Lewis (MS ’05)

Kevin O’Hare Lotz (’07)

Harini Manda (MS ’04)

Jose R. Martinez, Jr. (’01)

Francis A. Mathew (’02)

Jakesia S. Mattax (’99)

Elizabeth J. Morgan (’09)

Dr. Jeffrey J. Morgan (’81, MS ’83, PhD ’86)

Amin Mukhi (MBA ’94)

Greg A. Newman (’96)

Madeline Nichley (’00)

Barbara Parsley (’61)

Meghan Raney (’08)

Nathan K. Raney (’08)

Paula L. Reid (’75, MBA ‘92)

Cathy Daza Reno (’92)

Ralph A. Reno (’96)

Georgia Sbrana

Leslie D. Schulze (’93)

Philip T. Schulze (’94)

Marshall R. Smith, III

Dr. T. Randall Smith (’69)

James Suchma (’85)

Jane L. Suchma (’88)

Roaxana Tamijani (’03)

Wilbert Taylor, Jr.

Annie Elizabeth Thompson (’06, MSA ‘07)

Ellen M. Thompson (’09)

John D. Thompson

Susan K. Thompson

Dr. Stephen Alan Tsui (’02, MS ’04, PhD

’08)

Maria Veloz-Gonzalez (’03)

Samidha Worah (’00)

Emily Thompson Wossum (’05)

Bilal Zakaria (’08, ‘08)

Kassi O. Zuerner (’10)

New Life Members

Congratulations and thanks to our newest Life Members! ( Sept.- Dec. '10)

Red denotes UHAA Life Members.

RememberingElizabeth Dennis Rockwell

Elizabeth D. Rockwell, UHAA Distin-guished Alumni Award honoree and former UHAA Board Member, passed away on January 28, 2011. Elizabeth was a great supporter of the University of Houston and showed a deep com-mitment to public service. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.1921-2011


UHAQ t leaVinG their print

Dr. Bernard Harris (’78, MBA ‘99)

Dream Walker: A Journey of Achievement and Inspiration Walking in the black void of space, staring at the blue-white planet Earth two hundred and fifty miles below, would be a dream for any young man. For Bernard A. Harris Jr. it became a reality on February 9, 1995, when he floated out the hatch of the space shuttle Discovery.

From humble beginnings in a small Texas town to making history as the first African American to walk in space, Dr. Harris has led a life of inspiration, dedication, and motivation. In Dream Walker, he recounts his formative years in the Navajo Nation into outer space and back to fulfill his earthly mission of planting seeds of self-empowerment and self-determination in today's young minds.

fran B. reed MPH (‘60) and elizabeth e. Haslund

We Are Not the Enemy; We Come Only With Our Dreams: Stories of your Neighbors, The New Immigrants (Vol. 1) For 52 years I've taught English to immigrants from around the world, most of whom have to come without documents. These are the stories of my friends, mothers, fathers and children who are our working neighbors. Forget the distortions on some TV shows. These are their real lives. Meet them.

Leslie Williams (PhD ’94)

The Judas ConspiracyThe discovery of a complete manuscript of the Gospel of Judas in a New Haven basement threatens to uncover a secret religious sect that has been growing underground for two millennia-a brotherhood active, dangerous, and determined to remain a secret.The murders begin on the eve of the manuscript's dedication at the esteemed Yale Divinity School's international conference. At first the targets are British and American scholars. But as the body count escalates, Scotland Yard and the FBI begin to suspect that the brotherhood has a much larger plan of destruction in mind.

Claude regis Vargo (’99, MS ‘00)

Beyond My Horizon: An Educational Odyssey & Combat Memoir Share the author's journey in Beyond My Horizon. Fall in love with the lifestyle of one of the world's most beautiful hotels; survive the sieges of the hell-holes of Hue and Khe Sanh, Vietnam; and stand beneath the stone archway of Cornell University. Here is a tale of determination, drive, and a courageous ride through life that you will not want to stop reading.

Ari Marmell (‘96)

The Warlord’s LegacyCorvis Rebaine, the Terror of the East, a man as quick with a quip as he is with a blade, returns in this highly anticipated sequel to Ari Marmell’s acclaimed The Conqueror’s Shadow, a debut hailed for its refreshing take on dark fantasy and surprising flashes of sharp, sarcastic wit. Now Marmell raises the stakes in a story that has all the humor and excitement of its predecessor, plus a terrifying new villain so evil that he may well be a match for Rebaine himself.


UHAQ t Calendar

UHAA/University events3.6 UHAA Member Appreciation event at Minute Maid Park, 6:00 pm3.8 Pre-CUSA Tournament Mixer, el Paso, Tx, TBA3.10 Cougar Power Hour: The Lot & The enclave, 6:00 pm3.24-28 Frontier Fiesta 3.25 UHBAA 22nd Annual Scholarships & Awards gala, 6:30pm4.1 guy V. Lewis: Celebrating Houston’s Basketball Pioneer, 11:30 am4.13 Senior Sendoff, Lynn eusan Park, 11:30 am4.14 Cougar Power Hour: The Lot & The enclave, 6:00 pm4.21 Bauer Breakfast, 7:00 am4.30 57th Annual UHAA Awards gala, 6:00 pm5.4 Spring Ring Ceremony, 6:00 pm

For a full, updated listing of alumni association events, please view our web calendar at www.houstonalumni.com.

Athletic events3.1 UHAA Tailgate at UH Baseball vs. UTSA, San Antonio, Tx, 6:30 pm3.9-12 UH Men’s and women’s Basketball @ CUSA Tournament, el Paso, Tx3.26 UHAA Tailgate at UH Baseball vs. TCU, Fort worth, Tx, 6:30 pm4.3 UHAA Tailgate at UH Baseball vs. Tulane, New Orleans, LA, 1:00 pm3.12-13 UH Softball vs. UAB, Cougar Softball Stadium5.6-8 UH Baseball vs. Rice, Cougar Field3.15 UH Baseball vs. Sam Houston State, Cougar Field, 6:30 pm4.21-23 UH Baseball vs. east Carolina, Cougar Field3.18-20 UH Baseball vs. Kent State, Cougar Field4.16 UH Baseball vs. Lamar, Cougar Field, 6:30 pm4.12 UH Softball vs. Baylor, Cougar Softball Stadium, 3.00 pm5.7-8 UH Softball vs. UCF, Cougar Softball Stadium4.2-3 UH Softball vs. Marshall, Cougar Softball Stadium

Game times are subject to change. For a full listing of athletic events visit www.uhcougars.com

Arts CalendarBlaffer Gallery: 713.743.9530 – www.class.uh.edu/blaffer

4.23-5.14 2011 School of Art Masters Thesis Exhibition – each year, Blaffer presents an exhibition showcasing works by graduating Master of Fine Arts students in the School of Art.

School of Theatre and Dance: 713.743.2929 – www.theatredance.uh.edu

4.29 – 5.1 Spring Dance Concert – whether you’re a dance aficionado or a dance newbie, you’ll enjoy this annual show featuring contemporary works by faculty and guest artists with the pre-professional dance company, the UH Dance ensemble.

Moores School of Music: 713.743.3313 – www.music.uh.edu

4.8 – 4.11 Il Postino – Based on the beloved film and novel from the 1990’s, this gorgeous opera will transport you to an italian island where the poet Pablo Neruda befriends an illiterate postman and teaches him to win a girl through poetry.

PICTURED:Shasta works the crowd at UH's Tier One celebration event on January 28, 2011.

The Cougar Golf Academy is designed to help young men and women learn and develop the skills they needed to improve their golf game. We welcome golfers of all skill levels. This camp will provide each player with exposure to top collegiate

players along with some of the most successful college and local high school coaches in the greater Houston area. This camp is a must for any player who has aspirations of playing golf competitively at the high school or college level.

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Session 1 | June 13-16Greatwood Golf Club, Sugar Land, Texas

Session 2 | June 20-23 Houston National Golf Club,

Cypress, Texas

Session 3 | June 20-23 Timber Creek Golf Club,

Friendswood, Texas

For more information, please visit HoustonGolfCamp.com or email University of Houston Assistant Golf Coach Chris Hill at [email protected].


More than 275 Restaurant & Entertainment Destinations

across North America

Upscale & Casual Dining • Entertainment • Hospitality

Experience it All!Landry’s offers something for everyone with a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and entertainment destinations from coast to coast.

www.landrysrestaurants.com1-800-5-LANDRY

Leon J. Keeble, LUTCFCareer AgentAUTO HOME BUSINESS

8515 Spring Cypress Rd. Ste 100Spring, TX 77379

On Your Side ®Tel 281-374-9933Cell 713-515-6555Fax [email protected]

UHAQ t CouGar business ConneCtion Cougar Business Connection allows UHAA members the chance to highlight their company or personal business venture to more than 20,000 UH Alumni Quarterly readers. Contact UHAA at [email protected] or 713.743.9560 to reserve your spot or to discuss corporate sponsorship opportunities.


“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 selec-tions from 1988.

1. Members of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity show thier school spirit at the Homecoming football game.

2. Why not? Students gather for a sidewalk barbeque in front of the architecture building.

3. Twins? No they just shop at the Univeristy Bookstore together. Sweatshirts were available throughout the year but were most popular during the week of Homecoming festivities.

4. Even "yuppies" need a break from the business suits and career plans. These two students head for the "Perpetual Park Party."

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P.O. Box 230345 | Houston, TX 77223–0345713.743.9550 | toll-free: 1.877.Cougar1www.houstonalumni.com

UHAQ- Winter 2011

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