UHV alumna to speak about life lessons
The University of Houston-Victoria is bringing back its Alumni Networking Luncheon series, and the first one will feature a presentation by Diane Kliem, who will share her story of starting a new career later in life and how she reached success.
The luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 11 in the UHV University North Multi-Purpose Room, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. The university is taking precautions to ensure adequate social distancing, including limited seating and boxed lunches. Attendees are required to register beforehand and wear masks except while eating. Registration is $10 a person to cover the cost of lunch. Both UHV alumni and community members are welcome.
“We’re excited to resume these face-to-face networking luncheons featuring UHV alumni,” said Kira Mudd, UHV director of alumni relations and annual giving. “We had great turnouts at our previous events before the pandemic and had some great speakers. We’re looking forward to continuing this trend by bringing Diane Kliem in to speak.”
The event will begin with networking from 11:30 to noon. Then, attendees will take a seat for lunch and listen to Kliem’s presentation.
Kliem plans to share her story, including how she decided to go to law school at age 40 and built a law firm from the ground up. Along the way, she received awards for her hard work, including the 2015 Small Business Person of the Year Award from the regional Small Business Week Awards in San Antonio. In October 2019, she received the 2020 American Business Woman award from the American Business Women’s Association. In 1992, Kliem earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting from UHV.
“I want people to know that we all have more inside of us than we know,” Kliem said. “I’ve faced many obstacles in life, from being a first-generation college student to making the decision to change my career late in life. But I was determined to see it through, and it’s turned out better than I expected. Others can experience that, too.”
In addition to sharing her story, Kliem wants to encourage attendees to be involved in bettering their communities, she said.
“I feel that when a person reaches a certain point in life, it’s important to focus on community service,” Kliem said. “I’ve been a part of several groups, and I also give back to UHV because I see how important the university is to Victoria and the region.”
To register for the event, go to www.uhvconnect.org\events or contact Mudd at (361) 570-4869 or muddke@uhv.edu.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
