Impact Learning Office
Contact Information
Executive Director:
Poonam Gulati Salhotra, PhD
713-221-8066
Program Coordinator:
James Bjacek, MPA
713-226-5517
bjacekj@uhd.edu
Mailing Address:
University of Houston-Downtown (UHD)
University of Houston-Downtown (UHD)
One Main Street, OMB-S417
Houston, TX 77002
Houston, TX 77002
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm
Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm
Closed on holidays.
ILO@uhd.edu
Welcome to the Impact Learning Office (ILO)!
This is the place to learn about high impact practices (HIPs) at UHD. Such practices have been shown to be beneficial for college students from different backgrounds. The UHD community is engaged in several HIPs. We are starting with four, including Service Learning, Study Abroad, Internships/Field Experiences and Undergraduate Research. We hope you will explore this site and contact us soon about participating in your favorite activity!
View more information on high impact practices.
Interesting Facts:
Field Trips
- In the Spring 2022 term, the Impact Learning Office took students on field trips to a genetics laboratory, the Menil Collection, and an insurance/risk management firm to learn about opportunities and the impact of these organizations.
- In the Fall 2022 term students visited the Houston Astros organization to learn about careers and internships in a sports organization.
Workshops
- The Impact Learning Office hosted four (4) workshops over the summer to connect students with faculty and staff who facilitate these experiences, the students who participated, and representatives from partner organizations that help facilitate these.
Grants
- The Impact Learning Office supported 79 student interns across diverse fields with stipends aimed at assisting them financially.
Service Learning
- Service learning allows students to participate in 10 or more hours dedicated to projects that serve the community.
- The number of Service Learning courses offered has doubled compared to last fall.
ILO News!
The University of Houston-Downtown’s Impact Learning Office (ILO), led by Dr. Poonam
Gulati, connects students with high-impact learning experiences such as internships,
service learning, undergraduate research, study abroad, and capstone projects. These
opportunities, supported by dedicated faculty, help students build critical skills
for academic and professional success. Events like the Impact Learning and Community
Engagement Showcase highlight the powerful outcomes of these collaborations, including
student-led research on topics like the local impact of COVID-19.
On February 22, 2024 the Impact Learning Office hosted a virtual Alumni Panel with guests Fernanda Carrasco, Eduardo Landaeta, Asma Maknojia and Helen Martinez presenting their experiences in internships, service learning, study abroad, and undergraduate research.
Great Weather, Fantastic Attendance Underscore MLK Day of Service
The UHD Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning (CCESL) and the City of
Houston's Parks & Recreation department teamed up for the Martin Luther King, Jr.
GatorServe day for service. he GatorServe volunteers completed seven different projects,
including trash collection, mulching, window washing, pressure washing, sanitizing,
guiding, and helping with the set-up of an essential warming station for the inclement
weather to come. Click on the image above to read more!
Gators Combine Science and Service at Aldine ISD
Students in Dr. Shembekar's CHEM 2101 Service-Learning course have been researching
and presented both their data and findings on the chemical effects street drugs have
on the human body to Eisenhower High School Students in Aldine ISD, and, in the process,
provided both a health and chemistry lesson of sorts to the community. Click the picture
above to read more!