CareersRam News
Austin Alumnus Named Public Citizen of the Year
Ora Houston is known as the “Community Agitator Extraordinaire.” She has had a 31-year career in public service working with disenfranchised populations. As an employee of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, she acted as a client and parent advocate in several key positions. She demonstrated a special talent for working effectively within a large state agency while incorporating changes for the benefit of the clients. She successfully worked in the Division of Consumer Rights, investigating complaints from clients and families in the State Schools, as well as coordinating a highly innovative In-Home Family Support Unit that empowered individuals to stay in their home communities. Her “temporary” five Legislative Session; post-retirement employment with State Senator Barrientos, allowed her to continue her close work with vulnerable populations.
Click here to LEARN MORE!
HT Represented at 2012 Olympic Games
Coach Howard Ware recently qualified to be a judge in the 2012 Olympic Games in London and in all other world championship Olympic track and field events. After taking an extensive qualifying test, he is now eligible to be a Starter, Finish Judge, and Umpire (coordinator) for Olympic track meets.
Congratulations on a world-class accomplishment!
Dobie Middle School visits HT
It really is important to start early preparing young minds to pursue higher education. Students from Dobie Middle School, AVID Program, visited campus on Oct. 22nd. The AVID Program is designed to encourage and cultivate an interest in higher education beginning at the middle school level. Click here to see letters from future HT students.
Alumnae Inducted into Oklahoma Hall of Fame
Wanda Jo Evaige is passionate in her advocacy of rural issues such as housing and job creation, whether with other local government officials or before the Oklahoma legislature or U.S. Congress. She has used her 26 years of service as a Councilmember, Vice Mayor and Mayor of her hometown of Frederick as a springboard for service and advocacy. She is a pioneer among local government officials in southwest Oklahoma, as the first female minority mayor of Frederick. Council members first elected her as Vice Mayor from April 1985 to 1987 and again in 2007, a position she continues to hold. She served as Mayor from 1987 to 1989.
Beginning in June 1990, she first served on the board of trustees for the Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG) as the minority representative for Tillman, Cotton and Jefferson Counties. Since she remained on the Frederick city council after serving as mayor, she was eligible to serve as the Tilllman County mayoral representative to ASCOG. The mayors of all communities in the county have unanimously elected her to that position for the past 17 consecutive years. Also at ASCOG she served nine years on the executive committee. During that time, she became the first female president of the 39-member board.
She was the first Chairperson of the Tillman County E911 board that implemented the first countywide 911 system in the ASCOG region. Her service also includes appointments to numerous committees of the Oklahoma Municipal League and a six-year term on the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Committee from 1993 until 1999. Her community recognized her in 1990 as “Frederick’s Most Useful Female Citizen” and again in 2004 as the Frederick Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year. She was recognized in 2001 as the Beta Sigma Phi Woman of the Year.
As noted in one letter supporting her nomination to the Hall of Fame, “Wanda Evaige is known across Oklahoma as the personification of open, equitable, selfless, participatory and consistent representative local government. Her pleasant demeanor in the face of challenging circumstances, positive determination in community building activities and vocal support of local government do all in local government proud.”
Thinking Outside of the Fundraising Box
As described in the feature story of the August 20, 2009 publication of Diverse Issues in Higher Education, "from black-tie events to direct deposit donations from alumni, private HBCUs are finding success in creative fundraising."
After Dr. Larry Earvin became Huston-Tillotson University's president, he crafted an annual black-tie gala to raise scholarship funds. Despite the country’s economic doldrums, Earvin’s event this year netted proceeds pushing the cumulative total since 2004 to more than $1 million. Click here to read the full story.
Manage Your Wealth
Helping you create and preserve wealth is a systematic process. We are introducing a network of professionals ranging from attorneys to accountants working together as a unit to offer you exceptional planning services. Business and individual planning requires skill and proper understanding of your needs. To assist us in assessing your needs, click here to learn more about wealth management and view a 10 minute webinar. Presentations have been scheduled in Austin for September, Houston for October, Dallas for November, and during Homecoming weekend in February. Contact the alumni chapter president in those cities for times and locations.
HT Men Interested In PhD Prep Program
The University of Pennsylvania is launching an 18-month academy focused on preparing Black males for admission to Ph.D. programs in education immediately upon completion of their undergraduate studies. They will begin the academy this fall with ten Black males who are in their junior year of college. Click here for more details.
Employer Matching Gift Programs
Your gift to Huston-Tillotson University may be doubled or even tripled by matching funds from the company or foundation you work for. Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contribution made by their employees. To find out if your employer has a matching gift policy, click here to view a list of companies.
If your employer is on the list, request a matching gift form and send HT the completed form along with your gift. We’ll do the rest. Some companies also match gifts made by retirees and/or employee spouses.
Alumni Successes
Dawn Cassanova, Sue Zhang, and Hanson Inyang (Class of 2007) successfully completed all of the requirements for the master's degree. Cassanova and Zhang received their Master of Accountancy degrees from Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. Inyang received the MBA degree in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Congratulations to each of you!!!
A Message from Enrollment Management
If you been paying on student loans for at least 25 years, the loan balance can now be 100% forgiven. If you have such loans, please contact your lender to request the loan forgiveness form. Federal tax implications are not clear, but generally such write offs would be considered non-taxable income and required to be reported on federal and state tax returns.
Antonio Holloway
Huston-Tillotson University
Dean of Enrollment Management (Interim)
512.505.3031
aholloway@htu.edu
Alumna Serves in Obama Administration
In Washington, D.C., Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, appointed former National Parks Service Director and HT alumna, Robert G. Stanton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management, and Budget.
"Since beginning his career as a Park Service Ranger 47 years ago, Bob Stanton has dedicated his life to improving the conservation and management of our treasured landscapes and national icons," Salazar said. "The Department of Interior will benefit greatly from his vast experience, extraordinary management skill, and dedication to our public lands."
HT Imprint
Ms. Earnestine J. Strickland is shown admiring her new commemorative brick placed on the Union Walkway during the Reunion Weekend 2009 festivities. Ms. Strickland is a 1986 HT graduate. She was also recognized during the recent employee appreciation day for 35 years of service to the University. Ms. Strickland has left her name permanently embedded into the landscape of HT in more ways than one. Thank you!
Current News
Reducing total municipal waste by more than 80% and other green efforts resulted in recognition for Huston-Tillotson University from the National Wildlife Federation. The University was awarded for its sustainability efforts and commitment to creating a campus community that focuses on recycling, energy conservation, and waste reduction. LEARN MORE.
HT in the Press
Listen to live broadcasts of home basketball games by clicking the icon below.
The Presidential Inauguration drew media attention to the campus on Jan. 20, 2009. View the links to hear and see more.
Huston-Tillotson University's new construction plans have dominated the news. View these links to learn more about the health and wellness multi-purpose complex.
Austin Weather
Want to know the weather condition in downtown Austin, Texas? Tune in to Time Warner Cable's 24-hour news for weather reports on the eights. The live weather camera is atop the Allen-Frazier Residence Hall.