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May Newsletter

Spring Commencement Around the Corner

Hobby School graduates are finishing the semester strong, preparing to join loved ones, fellow graduates, faculty and staff at the 2024 commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 9, at 7 p.m. Dean Jim Granato will confer degrees to 45 graduates, including the first class of students to earn an undergraduate degree in public policy from the Hobby School. This also marks the first time Master of Public Administration candidates will cross the stage as part of the Hobby School.

 

Texas state Rep. Armando Walle, a proud two-time Coog, is the featured commencement speaker. Now in his eighth term in the Texas House of Representatives, Rep. Walle has long advocated for the Hobby School and has served as a mentor to numerous Hobby Fellows and Civic Houston Interns. His history of public service and personal values inform his legislative priorities centered around healthcare access, public safety and economic well-being.

 

Master of Public Policy candidate Enrique Garcia will speak on behalf of the graduating class. He is the deputy district director for U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a member of Pi Alpha Alpha honor society, a 2023 recipient of the Richard Murray Endowed Scholarship and a member of the school's graduate student advisory committee.

 

At the ceremony, two outstanding students will receive the Garnet Coleman Award for Student Excellence, named in honor of one of the Hobby School's greatest champions, former Texas state Rep. Garnet Coleman. This prestigious award recognizes graduates for their exemplary leadership and academic performance.

 

Undergraduate Cruz Almonaci returns from Washington, D.C., after spending a semester as a congressional intern with the office of U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. The 2024 Leland Fellow was selected for the award for her commitment to public service and understanding of the principles at the foundation of the Hobby School experience: interdisciplinary education and hands-on training and experiences. She will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy.

 

Andrea Duhon is a Master of Public Administration candidate and the board president of the Harris County Board of Education. Her public service perspective demonstrates her understanding of governmental accountability practices, educational equity and responsiveness to community challenges.  

 

Leonard Chan (MPA ’09), president of the Hobby School Alumni Association, will deliver the alumni address. You can watch the commencement ceremony online.

Leland Fellows Complete Washington Internship

In January, the 2024 Leland Fellows embarked as federal interns in the nation's capital. Their experiences included attending hearings, staffing committees, researching legislation, building meaningful connections, volunteering on food insecurity initiatives and interacting with constituents on various issues. As their chapter in Washington, D.C., ends, the Hobby School celebrates the transformative opportunity that has equipped them for a future enriched by these unique experiences.

 

Three of the dozen Leland Fellows, Cruz Almonaci, Marissa Rendon and Dawn Treviño, return to Houston to cross the graduation stage. In addition to earning her degree, Marissa will hit the ground running with a full-time role in the district office of U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garica. One of the Leland Fellows, Victoria Grajeda, will return to the nation's capital for a full-time position with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Two are taking on summer opportunities, with Gabriela Hamdieh participating in the Public Policy and International Affairs Program Summer Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and Winnie Phạm interning with AmeriCorps.  

 

The biennial Washington program was initiated by the late U.S. Rep. Mickey Leland, who represented the historic 18th Congressional District, including the University of Houston. Donations to the program allow students to enjoy paid housing and earn monthly stipends, affording the diverse UH student population a life-changing opportunity.

NextGen Service Corps Leaders Gather in Houston for Strategic Planning

The Hobby School of Public Affairs and Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs hosted The Volcker Alliance’s Next Generation Service Corps leaders and program directors from across the country in April. Representatives from the member universities arrived in Houston for a three-day retreat at the University of Houston and Texas Southern University to share best practices, build relationships and lay the groundwork for future planning.

 

NextGen Service Corps is a national network of university programs that inspires and prepares students to serve their communities through a comprehensive leadership development program that incorporates coursework, experiential learning, student-led projects, mentorship and hands-on training.

 

Retreat participants were welcomed to the Bayou City by education and local leaders, including Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, Texas state Rep. Ron Reynolds, Houston City Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, the Hobby School’s Dean Jim Granato, Senior Executive Director Renée Cross and Program Director Emily Janowski, TSU Provost Carl Goodman and TSU Professor Michael O. Adams, and Hobby School students Emily Cruz, Bryanna Nimmons and Alexander Westerbeck. The Hobby School is recruiting mission-oriented Coogs for its third cohort of participants in the Next Generation Leadership Academy through May31.

Hobby School Programs Celebrate Volunteerism

In honor of National Volunteer Week, the Hobby School celebrated our public service mission and spotlighted the volunteer work of our students and interns.

 

In addition to their required internship assignment, Civic Houston Interns commit volunteer hours throughout the semester. This spring, 36 students in the flagship program directed by the Hobby School’s Jessica Ruland O’Connor completed 418 hours in primary election campaigns, voting projects and community organizations addressing issues such as environmental equality.

 

To continue the legacy of the late U.S. Rep. Mickey Leland, the 2024 Leland Fellows in Washington, D.C., focused their volunteer efforts on addressing food insecurity, clocking 240 hours at local nonprofits.

 

Led by the Hobby School's Emily Janowski, Next Generation Leadership Academy students perform service projects as part of the program's mission to train undergraduates from various backgrounds for public service leadership. They organized a town hall to gather input from fellow students about the Hobby School experience and conducted a pet food drive benefitting homebound pet owners.

 

In Sara Sands' public policy lab class, students explored Houston through multidisciplinary coursework, classroom visits and volunteerism. They contributed ten hours each to community outreach initiatives, such as voter registration tabling events.

Local Officials Honored for Service to the Community

The Master of Public Administration program recognized four public service leaders whose professional practice reflects the values held by the graduate program by improving their communities through dynamic problem-solving, collaboration and innovative and ethical leadership. They were honored at the thirteenth annual awards luncheon on April 19 before a crowd of colleagues, family, public servants, university leaders, students and alumni.

 

MPA Director Peter Koelling praised the honorees for their dedication and unique abilities to lead by example in the public sector. City Manager Austin Bleess has positioned the City of Jersey Village to prosper through responsible budgeting and solutions-oriented decision-making. Fort Bend County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Coordinator Greg Babst was recognized for his tireless management of collaborative relationships to keep residents safe. As a Memorial Villages Police Department Board Commissioner, James Huguenard has mastered the complexities of enhancing MVPD programs and systems that best serve its residents and employees. Olivera Jankovska applies research to implement best practices and align policies and resources as director of the City of Houston Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement.

MPA candidates Dahlia Chaudhury and Elissa Miller received the 2024 Kathleen P. Rubinstein Best Paper Award. Rubinstein is a long-term adjunct lecturer in the MPA program who established a scholarship fund to recognize those who write the best papers each year. The annual awards ceremony benefits scholarships. Thank you to the generous sponsors who make the interdisciplinary coursework and training for tomorrow's public sector professionals possible.

RESEARCH

Future of Texas Energy includes Community Voice

As the energy industry continues to transform, experts are finding responsible ways to meet demands and preserve economic stability while protecting communities through education, engagement and shared decision-making. The Hobby School’s Gail Buttorff and Pablo Pinto convened a panel at UH Energy’s The Gulf Coast Hydrogen Ecosystem: Opportunities & Solutions Symposium in April to explore the role of hydrogen energy’s impact on communities. Buttorff moderated the panel of experts representing government, research and community organizations. They delved into the Community Benefits Plan, a Department of Energy mandate incorporating human and environmental players and resources like the Justice40 Initiative, a federal energy transition plan ensuring community benefits and environmental justice.

 

Buttorff and Pinto are the Hobby School’s Center for Public Policy associate director and director, respectively. The center conducts objective research using rigorous methodologies to tackle public policy issues such as energy, education, transportation and political participation.

 

Panelists included (from left to right) Carlos Gamarra, Houston Advanced Research Center; Gail Buttorff, moderator; Hilton Kelley, Community In-Power and Development Association Inc.; and Krystal York, Electric Power Research Institute.

PROGRAM NEWS

MPP Program Moves up in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

The Master of Public Policy program ascended in the U.S. News & World Report peer rankings from #88 in 2023 to #76 in 2024. The magazine surveys deans, directors and department chairs representing nearly 300 master’s degree programs in public administration, public affairs and public policy. The University of Houston once again proves it is a powerhouse in graduate education, with several programs securing spots among the nation’s best.

 

Like UH’s goal to become a top 50 ranked public university, the MPP program continues to rise by maintaining or improving metrics such as donor giving, research, student retention and student success. Each year, U.S. News ranks professional school programs in business, education, engineering, law, medicine and nursing, including specialties in each area.

The Hobby Hour: Disinformation in a Technology Era

What's next for TikTok, and what does the potential ban on the popular app mean for future technology policy and national security concerns in a digital era?

 

The spring season of the Hobby Hour concluded with Dean Jim Granato leading a timely virtual discussion in April with experts who spend time at the intersection of democracy and technology. The University of Texas School of Law’s Bryan Jones and the Hobby School’s Chris Bronk examined the reach and influence of misinformation and disinformation campaigns, how they have become central to political elections and the unique impact social media platforms have on disseminating propaganda and disinformation. Replay the Hobby Hour on our YouTube channel.

Scholars Join Global Honor Society

Dean Jim Granato and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies Sunny Wong welcomed five graduate candidates in April into Pi Alpha Alpha, the global honor society of public affairs and administration directed by the Network of Schools of Public Administration and Policy. The scholars join a society of students around the world who meet the rigorous standards required for membership by demonstrating academic excellence, commitment to public service and leadership distinction indicative of the Hobby School culture. The newest inductees include two two-time Coogs, four Master of Public Policy candidates and one Master of Public Administration candidate, with backgrounds and interests ranging from education and public relations to politics and nonprofit philanthropy. Congratulations to Rayne Pestello, Alyssa Chapa, RamyEl-Dowek, Gabriela Aguirre and Catherine Miers.

Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center Hosts Restorative Justice Lecture

The University of Houston community heard sociologist Michael Sierra-Arévalo discuss the underlying forces behind police behavior and his book, “The Danger Imperative: Violence, Death and the Soul of Policing.” The University of Texas at Austin professor conducted extensive research and field examination, drawing from over 100 interviews and 1,000 hours with law enforcement officers. His talk was part of the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center’s restorative justice lecture series focused on healing and rehabilitation following an experience with a crime. After the lecture, books for signing by the author were available for purchase by Kindred Stories, a Houston-based bookstore highlighting Black literature and celebrating diverse and genre-spanning stories.

 

Led by Professor Daniel Engster, the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center sponsors lectures, conferences and other educational activities that encourage reflection on ethical responsibilities.

FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS

Rayson Joins Business Team

She also worked at Common Spirit Health, the country's largest Catholic hospital chain. The Dallas native and Dallas Cowboys fan lives with her American Pit Bull Terrier Pherious (pronounced Furious), is a practicing "sneakerhead," enjoys Houston's culinary scene, and relaxes in her off-time cultivating a hobby turned creative outlet photography business. Welcome aboard, Dumonique!  

Witt Shares Work Culture Expertise

Hobby School Professor Alan Witt recently sat down for a fireside chat with KHOU TV anchor Shern-Min Chow at the From Day One Houston’s conference to share his expertise on building cultures for workers and companies to thrive in times of change. Witt’s research focuses on strategy-cultural alignment and how leaders can shape the work culture by endowing employee values, priorities and behavioral norms to successfully implement an organization’s strategy. He divides his Hobby School associate dean of undergraduate studies responsibilities with roles as a psychology professor at the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and a management professor at the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

 

From Day One is a conference series and media outlet focused on innovative ways for companies to foster stronger relationships with their employees, customers and communities.

STUDENT AND ALUMNI NEWS

A Place to Gather, Focus or Recharge

 

The first-floor halls of the Bates Law Building were abuzz last month with active construction in the student study room, BL105. The area got a “glow-up” to allow Hobby School students to recharge, relax between classes, collaborate with peers or find a quiet place to concentrate. Students were invited to a soft opening in April to get familiar with the new space on their way to classes and grab a quick snack provided by the school’s business department.

 

The changes resulted from input from undergraduates and graduate candidates on the Hobby School student advisory councils, who identified the need for a designated multifaceted student area.

BOARD SPOTLIGHTS

The Hobby School Advisory Board welcomes two new members, Curtis Huff and Beth Madison, in its ongoing efforts to promote the Hobby School and its vision to train future public service leaders.

 

Huff is the president and chairman of Freebird Partners, a private investment firm focused on energy, biotechnology and renewable technology. In addition to his professional expertise, Huff brings a wealth of community experience through his nonprofit leadership roles and as the former chairman of the board of directors at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

Madison is a member of the UH System Board of Regents and the founder of Madison Benefits Group, a commercial risk management and insurance firm. She is a philanthropic leader in several foundations and is involved in policy and cultural arts endeavors in the Houston community. A proud UH alumna, Madison was awarded the President’s Medallion and named Distinguished Alumni.

Hobby School in the News

Hobby School faculty members and researchers are sought-after experts in their fields, contributing to conversations on the most pressing topics of the day that affect public policy and address Texans’ opinions on issues of importance to the state and nation. In 2024, the Hobby School has appeared more than 220 times in broadcast, online and print media outlets.

Hobby Happenings

Hobby School Happenings captures lectures, events, application deadlines, programs and collaborations hosted or co-sponsored by the Hobby School and its centers. Mark your calendars and join us for the next Hobby School happening.

 

May 5-11
Public Service Recognition Week

 

Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m.
Graduate Programs Information Session
Virtual

 

Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m.
Hobby School Spring Commencement
Cullen Performance Hall, University of Houston
Watch Live

 

Friday, May 10
Civic Houston Internship Program Fall 2024 Application Deadline
Apply

 

Wednesday, May 22, 9 a.m.
Houston Matters Political Roundup, Renée Cross
Houston Public Media’s News 88.7
Listen Online

 

Friday, May 31
Next Generation Leadership Academy Fall 2024 Application Deadline
Apply