In his autobiography, Malcolm X wrote that his alma mater was books, a reflection that conceives of education as something larger than what happens in a classroom. Across Houston, UHD alums are using what they learned at their alma mater to instill in students a sense that what they learn in school is a pathway to opportunity.
Leading that work is UHD alum Rim Mohamed, principal of Dogan Elementary. "My focus has always been developing the whole child,” Mohamed said. “We intentionally create opportunities for students to experience the world beyond their immediate community.”
Since becoming principal, Mohamed said the school has seen measurable growth in student achievement, particularly in reading, math, and science, and she credits that progress to a culture built around high expectations and targeted student support.
“One of the most important lessons I learned at UHD is the importance of meeting students where they are while maintaining high standards.”
That philosophy has also shaped how Dogan Elementary develops educators and future leaders within the school community. Mohamed points to one staff member who progressed from teacher assistant to teacher apprentice to fully certified teacher before earning Rookie Teacher of the Year honors for the 2024–2025 school year.
Perhaps surprisingly given her success, leadership was not originally part of Mohamed’s career plan. Inspired by her own teachers, she arrived at UHD with visions of a career as a classroom teacher. An early-career conversation changed her perspective.
The principal at her first teaching job—who had also been her principal when she was a ninth grade student—asked her: “Why limit your impact to one classroom when you can impact an entire school?” The question ultimately pushed her toward leadership and strengthened her desire to serve students in communities like the one that shaped her.
Today, her work intersects with the Houston Promise initiative, a citywide effort aimed at helping HISD schools achieve A- or B-level accountability ratings by 2027. As part of the initiative, UHD has partnered with Dogan Elementary, providing professional development support, student engagement activities, and campus experiences designed to strengthen college pathways for local children and their families.
Mohamed says the partnership has helped her students see higher education as attainable.
“Physically being on a college campus helps shift their mindset … it builds aspiration and normalizes the idea that ‘this is a place for me.’”
That exposure can create lasting change for students who may not initially see themselves in leadership or college environments.
Mohamed recalled one student who initially lacked confidence academically. Through mentorship, encouragement, and exposure to new experiences, the student eventually applied to a weeklong leadership camp in Austin for highperforming students across Texas.
“That shift is exactly the kind of impact we’re trying to create for every student.”
And Mohamed is but one of several UHD alumni, along with principals Alicia Puente at Durkee Elementary and Jeanette Cortez at Pugh Elementary—who serve in school leadership roles across Houston-area campuses, reflecting the university’s impact on public education and student success throughout the region.
And for Mohamed, the long-term goal lies far beyond the classroom.
“I want our students to leave with a strong sense of self-belief—that they are capable, that they belong in any space they choose to pursue, and that their voice matters.”