Virginia Lowman (’13) didn’t have roots in Texas when making the decision of where to pursue her undergraduate degree. The University of Houston caught her attention, from all the way in New Jersey, where she graduated from high school. “Attending a diverse school was one of the most important aspects of university se—lection for me,” she notes. “I’m not originally from anywhere,” she explains, “so attending a school like UH where students from all walks of life are represented felt very natural for me.”
While she may not hail from Houston originally, UH quickly earned a place in her heart. “My favorite memory from UH is living at the Moody Towers freshman year and participating in the Freshman Year Residential Experience program (F.Y.R.E),” she recalls. “It made my transition into college much easier and I met so many friends that I’m still close with today.” That closeness and sense of nostalgia came full circle when she attended the Highlight Houston National Presidential Event in November 2016, even though it took place in her new home town, New York City.
Lowman keeps busy in the city that never sleeps, and has created her own lifestyle brand, Voici Virginie, which she maintains in addition to her job as social media editor at the New York Daily News. Her go-getter attitude is definitely a reflection of her alma mater that has never escaped her. “Each time I go back to UH the campus has evolved even more than the last time,” she says. “While it may not seem like we benefit from these changes as alumni, we do. The more recognition that the school receives, the more value our degrees have.”
Although Lowman started out as a psychology major, she eventually switched to creative writing — a decision that she describes as “serendipitous.” “Alexander Parsons, who is now the director of the creative writing program, really made an impact on my writing practice,” she says. “He constantly encouraged me to push the envelope and make my writing more visual and more tactile.”
That visual, tactile writing style has helped her succeed in the world of magazine publishing. In three short years, Virginia has risen from being an editorial assistant, to a writer and editor at popular women’s lifestyle publications such as Glamour, Teen Vogue, and Essence magazines.
She recounts that in addition to honing her writing technique, her UH education taught her to read critically and carefully. “The professors improve your writing technique by improving your reading technique,” she says. “By the time I graduated, I read books, articles, and essays in a completely different manner than when I began. As an editor for a news outlet, that one skill has really determined my success or failure in a job.” As she applies to M.F.A programs in creative writing across the country, Lowman will always credit the University of Houston for being the place where her love affair with writing and editing began.