Record number of donations made to UHV despite pandemic
The University of Houston-Victoria saw an increase in the number of donations to the university in 2019-2020 that were equivalent to almost five gifts being donated every day of the year.
The university received 1,709 donations in Fiscal Year 2020, the highest number of gifts the university has ever received. This was despite the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, UHV received nearly $1.5 million in donations from alumni, university employees, foundations, corporations and individuals. Gifts ranged from $1 to $800,000.
“We are grateful to our donors and our communities who came together to support our mission of education,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “Although the spring was a challenging time, our students saw an outpouring of support from the community, and because of that generosity, our students were able to continue their educational journeys.”
More than 300 donors gave nearly $60,000 to student assistance funds throughout the spring and summer, said Jesse Pisors, UHV vice president for advancement and external relations.
“Donors responded generously to unprecedented student need brought on by the pandemic, and I am impressed and grateful to our donors who gave a record-number of gifts during such an historically difficult time,” Pisors said. “We also saw the most university employees give back to UHV. Education is more important than ever, and it is great to know that so many want our students to succeed.”
Other highlights from the year included an $800,000 grant from the M.G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation, one of the largest gifts in UHV history. The grant was donated to support scholarships and UHV University South, the university’s new science, technology, engineering and mathematics building. The Giving Tuesday 24-hour fundraising campaign also set a record with more than $52,000 being donated by 503 donors.
A record of 282 UHV employees, almost 70 percent of all full-time employees, gave back to the university, setting a record for the fourth consecutive year. For FY2020, 1,230 unique donors made gifts to UHV, the second highest ever in one year. More than 500 UHV alumni also supported their alma mater with financial contributions.
Todd Thetford, a UHV alumnus who lives in San Antonio, said he thought it was important to continue to give back to UHV. Thetford is an attorney and CPA who graduated in 1998 from UHV with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.
“My experience at UHV sparked a passion for education that set me on a career path beyond what I thought was possible,” Thetford said. “I give faithfully each year to UHV to honor the faculty who guided me and with the hope that others can discover their passion and exceed their expectations.”
UHV also saw gifts from local businesses, including the civil engineering company CivilCorp. The business generously supports a variety of scholarships and other areas at UHV throughout the year.
“CivilCorp recognizes the value of higher education and wholeheartedly supports UHV because of its commitment to our community,” said Ben Galvan, president of CivilCorp and a UHV alumnus. “We understand that a university like UHV can change the face of a city, provide professional job training and economic stability and, most importantly, we recognize that a college degree can improve lives for many generations. We are proud to be able to financially support all levels of education in our community and are committed to providing financial support to UHV.”
To learn more about how to donate to UHV, contact UHV University Advancement at 361-570-4812 or email Pisors at 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.
