UHV, Geico strike partnership
The University of Houston-Victoria and Geico have created a partnership to help Geico associates complete a business degree.
The Employee Partnership Program was established during the spring between UHV and the Geico regional office in Katy. The partnership is ideal because the Geico regional office is only a few miles from the UHV Katy instructional site, said Karla DeCuir, senior director of enrollment and external affairs at the instructional site.
“At UHV, we focus on helping working adults with their education,” DeCuir said. “This arrangement is great for Geico associates because we offer the flexibility of attending 100 percent online.”
Geico associates will have the opportunity to take advantage of the different ways to take courses at UHV Katy, which will begin with online courses this fall. UHV’s online courses allow Geico associates across Texas to apply to be part of the program.
“This partnership provides Geico an opportunity to support our associates who want to invest in their education,” said Yvonne Obeng-Curwood, Geico assistant vice president. “A core belief held by Geico as an operating principle is to respect, support and provide opportunity for all associates. Whether an associate’s pursuit is for enrichment or to prepare for future opportunities, this is a great way for them to achieve their goals and educational objectives.”
The program is designed to help Geico associates finish a bachelor’s degree while still working for the company. Approved associates will have access to deferred tuition, tuition reimbursement and scholarship opportunities.
Associates in the program will take courses from the UHV School of Business Administration, which is accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Less than 5 percent of business schools worldwide earn this mark of excellence, and the school recently was reaccredited by the association. Some of the courses in the program include “Finance” and “Project Management.”
“We are very pleased to begin what we hope will be a long partnership with Geico,” said Ken Colwell, dean of the UHV School of Business Administration. “These sorts of corporate programs fit very well with the university’s goal of meeting students where they are and aiding in local economic development. Our sincere hope is that we can help Geico grow in the Katy area and create more jobs here.”
To be eligible for the program, Geico associates need to work with the company for at least six months. The application deadline is Aug. 10 for the fall semester, which begins Aug. 24.
“It’s important to Geico that we support community partnerships and provide our associates with multiple education options,” Obeng-Curwood said. “We appreciate having a great university like UHV give Geico the ability to help our associates achieve their educational goals.”
To learn more about the UHV and Geico partnership go to www.uhv.edu/geico.
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.
