2023 in Sight

11 Hobby Fellows spent the spring semester immersed in the legislative process at the Texas State Capitol during the 88th Texas Legislature. The internship in Austin provides students with practical training, where they play vital roles in drafting and analyzing bills, staffing assigned committees, conducting research and working with constituents. Hobby Fellows earn course credit and a stipend to offset expenses.

Dean Jim Granato debuted ten episodes on the science behind research and public policy on “How Things Really Work,” a video series named after the book written by the school’s namesake, former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby. Watch the episodes on the Hobby School YouTube channel.

Hobby School’s Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center partnered with The OpEd Project to bring interactive training to the University of Houston to help elevate the diverse viewpoints of faculty members beyond campus. Two dozen participants from various disciplines emerged from a daylong workshop on Feb. 6 with the skills and resources to shape the critical conversations of the day.

The University of Houston recognized the Hobby School’s Pablo Pinto for his contributions to the university's 50-in-5 initiative. Pinto is the director of the Center for Public Policy and a leader in high-profile research efforts, such as the National Science Foundation's grant for the Data Science for Energy Transition.

Civic Houston Interns joined fellow Coogs in Austin on March 2 for UH Day at the Capitol. Cougar pride was front and center as the students met with legislative aides from the offices of state representatives and state senators to outline the university’s strategic priorities, including becoming a Top 50 public university.

The Hobby School celebrated its sixth commencement on May 11. Of the 26 graduates, 21 were Master of Public Policy graduates, two received dual degrees in Master of Arts in Applied Economics/Master of Public Policy and six earned graduate certificates in public policy. Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, whose passion for public service began as a Mickey Leland Fellow on Capitol Hill, served as the 2023 commencement speaker.

Leaders in Texas public affairs education convened students and alumni from the state's major public policy schools to explore ways to shape the public policy arena of the future at the University of Houston on March 28. Panelists stressed training the next generation of leaders to address challenging issues and developing a range of academic programs and innovative initiatives.

Six Harris Fellows worked as full-time summer interns in Harris County government offices.

 

Students in the third cohort developed skills in communications, research and data analysis while tackling projects on critical local issues, such as affordable housing, public safety and extreme heat.

26 Certified Public Managers, including the Hobby School’s Emily Janowski and Celeste Zamora, celebrated the completion of the nationally recognized certification program at a ceremony held at the Texas State Capitol on June 16. The program provides a comprehensive course of study for public sector managers to learn best practices while strengthening their network.

Four members of the Next Generation Leadership Academy attended the inaugural Next Generation Service Corp Summer Summit, a national gathering of NextGen Service Corp students from throughout the country, on June 5-8 at Montclair State University. The emerging leaders focused on developing team-building skills and thinking critically about complex problems.

Seven new faculty members joined the Hobby School in the fall, bringing diverse experiences, interdisciplinary backgrounds and a passion for our mission that will be invaluable to students and the school's continued growth.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program became part of the Hobby School in the fall of 2023.

 

Previously headquartered in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the MPA has a history of advancing the next generation of public service leaders spanning five decades.

The Hobby School sponsored a panel and a dozen students at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival, the state’s largest policy and politics gathering. The three-day event in Austin featured nearly 300 speakers examining timely topics such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, energy, immigration and the 2024 elections.

Dean Jim Granato delivered a keynote presentation on the impact Hispanics have on the region’s economy at the 2023 State of Hispanics Data Summit hosted by the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 23. The presentation featured data gathered by the Center for Public Policy from the U.S. Census Bureau and a Hobby School survey on the Houston election.

Ashley Smith was sworn in as the chair of the Hobby School Advisory Board, the second to lead the dynamic group of passionate community leaders. He recently served alongside outgoing chair Alice Aanstoos, who was integral to our growth. The advisory board welcomed new members Matthew Moseley (MPP ’22), Francisco Sanchez and Katherine Summerlin (MPA ’13).

Professor and legal scholar Anita Hill delivered the 2023 Elizabeth D. Rockwell Distinguished Lecture on Ethics and Leadership on Oct. 5. Hill testified against then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991 with allegations of workplace sexual harassment, bringing the conversation into the public consciousness and becoming a leading voice on gender equality.

The Hobby School presented “Your Houston, Your Vote,” a televised mayoral debate in partnership with Houston Public Media and Univision Houston to empower Houstonians with information at the ballot box. The debate broadcast on Houston Public Media's TV 8 and News 88.7 and in Spanish on UniMás 67 on Oct.19. Data from the Hobby School’s election survey was the foundation of questions from the panel of journalists.

The Hobby Hour featured 11 researchers, journalists, elected officials, historians and other experts on topics ranging from party polarization and the future of democracy to state legislation and historic U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

 

The virtual discussion series on policy and politics is available on the Hobby School’s YouTube channel.

Hobby School students and interns experienced deepened learning through classroom visits from local elected officials and community leaders and site visits across the city, including a tour of the office of Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess. These unique opportunities foster discussion and reflection and offer practical advice and targeted conversations on public policy issues.

Civic Houston Internship Program students completed part-time internships in government offices, nonprofits or electoral campaigns during the spring and fall semesters. The fall 2023 cohort was the largest in the program’s history, with 52 students. Over both semesters, in addition to their internship, the undergraduates contributed a total of more than 1,100 volunteer hours.

Over 100 students, alumni, program participants and community partners gathered for the 2023 fall mixer to network and honor the 2023 Hobby Award winners Jason Mangum and Karla Rodriguez.

 

The evening was partly sponsored by the Hobby School Alumni Association and directed by the Hobby School’s Jessica Ruland O’Connor.

Hobby School faculty and researchers are sought-after experts in their fields, contributing to conversations on topics that affect public policy and address Texans’ opinions on issues of importance to the state and nation. The Hobby School had more than 1,788 news mentions in 2023, including coverage of the Texas Legislative Issues, Houston Election and Texas Trends surveys and opinion editorials authored for the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News and The Hill.