News Releases
Up to News/Calendar | Media | News Release Archives


A Little Walk, A Little Talk - And a Great Service to the Community

(Houston, October, 2006)   When it comes to taking advice, nothing helps more than hearing it from someone who has walked in your shoes.    Fonville Middle School Principal Mr. Olivo knows that well, as does Dr. David Branham, professor of Social Sciences at UH-Downtown.   That is why Branham and five of his dedicated students -- Lynda Knippel, Yanh Nguyen, Dennis Golden, Dee Buitron, and Marian Niz - joined the Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) Walk for Success this past October.   They worked the neighborhoods of Fonville Middle School families, going to houses of 7 th and 8 th grade students.  There they talked to parents about the need to begin preparing children and family budgets now for college, and what form those preparations might take.  

"The University of Houston-Downtown, as a Hispanic serving university, understands that it is vital that we reach future students early on so that they can understand the importance of getting a college degree.   Our students at UHD participate in the Walk for Success because they understand that a lack of information can make getting a college degree more difficult and more costly," said Branham.

The families were receptive and the middle school students responsive because they could relate to the UH-Downtown students.   Most of those UHD students, close to graduation, had similar backgrounds to those of the Fonville students and were ready to share about the obstacles they had faced and the satisfactions they had achieved on their road toward a bachelor's degree.

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWN
UH-Downtown is a public university of nearly 12,000 students, offering a wide variety of bachelor’s degrees, as well as master’s programs in criminal justice, professional writing, security management and teaching. One of four distinct universities in the UH System, Houston’s Downtown University is nationally recognized for its student diversity, wireless campus, outstanding academic opportunities and productive community partnerships. At UHD, the emphasis is on excellence in teaching and student success.

Please use UH-Downtown, UHD or University of Houston-Downtown when referring to our university.