UHV’s ‘Dn3’ students bag $25,000 donation from H-E-B
A grocery chain with South Texas roots has pitched in for the University of Houston-Victoria program that offers a three-year bachelor’s degree.
H-E-B, through its Tournament of Champions community investment program, donated $25,000 to the UHV Degree in Three, in which freshmen can enroll on a fast-track program for a full 120-credit-hour bachelor’s degree.
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Shelley Parks, director of public affairs, said H-E-B provides funds for charitable projects and programs that have a positive impact on communities in which the retailer operates.
“H-E-B is proud to be the founding sponsor for the Degree in Three program,” Parks said. “This is an innovative program that will allow college students an opportunity to learn at a faster pace and with the support of a group of peers that will create relationships that will last a lifetime.”
Amy Mundy, UHV’s director of corporate and foundation relations, said the additional financial assistance is a boost for the first class of UHV freshmen who enrolled in the Dn3 program.
“This is a huge deal for the students enrolled in the Dn3 program,” Mundy said. “Taking more classes in the Dn3 saves the students money over the course of their degree. And by offering scholarships that cover tuition, fees and books, students who believe a university education is too expensive and might not otherwise attend college will have the opportunity to do so.”
UHV’s Degree in Three, or Dn3 program, is the first three-year bachelor’s program in the state offered at a public university. Six students enrolled in the program this fall and more are expected in the spring. The students benefiting from the grant will be known as the H-E-B Dn3 Scholars.
Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences, said he appreciated H-E-B’s donation which helps the university achieve its goal of improving the education level and employability throughout the Coastal Bend region.
“The Degree in Three program at UHV is another education option for students and it helps get them into the workforce at a quicker pace,” Di Leo said. “This is the first donation from H-E-B to the university and we hope to establish a long-term partnership with this retailer that is very familiar with this area and its people.”
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.
