vitalalumni Speaker Series
In keeping with the purpose and intent of our vitalvoices series that brings professionals in the fields of Criminal justice, Social Work and Urban Education to campus to share the relevance of their professional experience and current work, The Center for Public Service and Community Research created vitalalumni.
Please select the title of the vitalalumni event to be directed to its video presentation.
Social Work Event
Apirl 17th, 2024
vitalalumni sessions are typically 90 minutes in length during which time invited guests share their life story: the good, the bad, the difficult, the highs, the lows, the struggles, and the victories. Through candid conversation, stories are shared with the purpose of encouraging you to complete your studies, and to let you know there is light at the end of the tunnel! Through the alumni panel, you will experience how others who have gone before you succeeded under similar and sometimes even more difficult circumstances than your own. Come join us!
Criminal Justice Event
March 27th, 2024
Richard Wille (BIO)
Pasadena Law Enforcement, Chief City Marshal and Director of Code Enforcement
Diana Rodriquez (BIO) (BSCJ '14; MSCJ '20)
Project Remix Ventures
Rafael Pruneda (BIO) (BAAS CJ ' 22)
Senior Investigator with the Harris County Attorney’s Office; Disability and Elder
Law Division
Ryan Kuriakose (BIO)(BSCJ '18)
Sugar Land Police Department; Crime Analyst
Ming-Li Hsieh PhD. (BIO)
Associate Professor in Criminal Justice Program at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez
Note: To view the videos, you must have Microsoft Silverlight installed.
From UHD to HISD
Apirl 18th, 2018
Leigha Curry, Class of 2005
Leigha Curry is a product of Galena Park Independent School District, a native Houstonian, and a proud graduate of University of Houston-Downtown. She is currently pursuing her doctorate degree from Texas Southern University.
Annie Lara, Class of 2007
Currently on the leadership team as a Literacy Teacher Specialist at Ketelsen Elementary in the Houston Independent School District, Ms. Lara also serves as the Campus Testing Coordinator and Gifted and Talented Coordinator and is a mentor/coach to first year teachers and teacher appraiser. Her afternoons are spent with intervention groups for third, fourth and fifth grade students.
Victor Garcia, Class of 2008
Mr. Garcia is the principal of Port Houston Elementary in Houston's East side where he is finishing his first year as principal and continuing his vision of providing an equitable education for all students through effective instructional and learning strategies.
Regent Paula Mendoza
September 27th, 2018
Native Houstonian, Paula Mendoza is an entrepreneur, innovator, advocate, barrier-breaker and tireless volunteer recognized not only for the quality of her work, but for the passion she brings to every endeavor.
Mendoza earned a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Houston-Downtown (1995) and recently earned her MBA from the University of Houston-Downtown Marilyn Davis School of Business. She and her husband of 30 years have one son, a wonderful daughter-in-law, three grandkids and a 16-year-old goddaughter, Natalie, who has captured their hearts.
SW
March 28th, 2019
Criminal Justice Alumni
October 8th, 2019
Henry Gonzales ('88, M.S. '08)
Executive Director, Harris County Juvenile Probation Department
Adjunct Professor, UHD's Department of Criminal Justice
Elias J. Rivera ('05, M.S. '11)
Crime Scene Investigator, Harris County Sheriff's Office
Constable Alan Rosen ('95)
Constable, Harris County Precinct 1
September 7th, 2021 from 5:30-7pm
Congressman Troy Nehls is a proud 2011 graduate of UHD’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice program. Currently, he represents the 22nd Congressional District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives. His district includes portions of Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Harris Counties. Congressman Nehls served in both Iraq and Afghanistan retiring with the rank of Major and as the recipient of two Bronze Star medals. From 2004-2012, he served two terms as the Constable for Ft. Bend County Precinct 4. In 2012, he was elected as Fort Bend County Sheriff. In 2016, he was re-elected and completed his second term in December of 2020. In 2021, he was officially sworn in as Congressman for Texas’ 22nd District!
A Non-Conformist Approach to Life:
A Chat with Houston City Councilmember Mike Knox
UHD alumni and current Houston Council Member Mike Knox, At Large Position 1 will join us to discuss his non-conformist approach to life! Council Member Knox ended his high school education, received his GED and joined the United States Air Force. He then earned his college degree from UHD in 1990 in General Studies. Mike realized he had an interest in public safety and crime, which influenced him to join the Houston Police Department as a Police Officer. During his HPD tenure, Council Member Knox worked many gang activity cases which resulted in the creation of HPD's first fulltime Gang Unit. He quickly became a gang expert and authored a book , “Gangsta in the House - Understanding Gang Culture" and public speaker touring the country. Council Member Knox, then left HPD 1995 to peruse a career as a consulting and public speaker on gang youth violence. After 20 years as a public speaker, he ran for office in 2015.
Council Member Mike Knox was sworn in and took office in January 2016. Mike believes
that good government requires good judgment, common sense, reason and logic. Council
Member Knox works daily to represent the best interests of the citizens of Houston.
Council Member Mike Knox is married to the same woman for 45yrs and is the father
of Jason M. Knox, who passed in the line of duty as a Houston Police Officer in May
of 2020.
For further information contact Steven Villano, director of the Center for Public Service and Community Research at villanos@uhd.edu.