Caterpillar’s Victoria facility donates $10,000 toward UHV pandemic recovery process
Caterpillar Inc. made a $10,000 gift to assist the University of Houston-Victoria with COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts. The donation is earmarked for general use during the pandemic – from emergency grants to other continuing education initiatives.
“Through the years, we have seen UHV grow, and its vision for a strong future in the region aligns with Caterpillar’s vision, as well,” said Alan Yang, Victoria facility manager. “As our facility and the university continue to grow to better support the region, we look forward to this partnership with UHV.”
UHV officials plan to use part of the donation for the UHV Student Emergency Fund, Jesse Pisors, UHV vice president for advancement and external relations, said. The fund was created in 2019 to help students cover unforeseen emergency expenses that could cause them to drop out of the university. Students must apply for assistance, and most grants are $300. To apply for the fund, students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours at UHV and have an emergency need that could result in leaving school or delaying degree completion.
As of Wednesday, the fund had distributed more than $143,000 to 487 students impacted by the pandemic. Donations to the emergency fund have come from UHV faculty, staff and alumni as well as community members.
“UHV is deeply grateful to Caterpillar for this support to our students,” Pisors said. “The decision to help UHV’s students continue their studies despite the pandemic is a perfect way to begin a new partnership. Caterpillar is an important part of the area’s economy, and UHV is excited to see this new relationship develop.”
Support from Caterpillar and other donors is especially important because the university on its own does not have the financial resources to aid students during a crisis such as the pandemic or Hurricane Harvey, Pisors said. By investing in UHV’s students, the company and other donors are helping future generations reach success.
For more information about the UHV Student Emergency Fund or to learn how to support it, contact Pisors at 361-570-4829 or pisorsj@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.
