Jewel Drinkard (’84) loves to wear her UH gear, even far away from Houston in her Washington, D.C. area home. That makes it extra special when she sees other alumni and current students, and is able to make a Cougar connection.
She’s spreading the word about UH, too: “When I meet individuals who are interested in pursuing their education on a college level, I always tell them to consider the University of Houston,” she says. “UH students and alumni are high achievers in academics, competitive in sports and enjoy a great campus community.” Drinkard, who graduated from UH’s College of Technology, always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and has realized that dream in founding Genesis Events, Inc.
At the Highlight Houston National Presidential Event in Washington, D.C. on October 27, 2016, she visited with many other Coogs who share her passion. It also marked her first time being a committee member for the Highlight Houston events. An events professional herself, she was impressed by the thought that went into planning the reception. “The evening was filled with great memories being shared from everyone, and you could just feel the love for our University,” she gushes. “Indeed it was a highlight for the University of Houston, and what a time we had!”
One of President Renu Khator’s initiatives for student success is to create a more vibrant on-campus experience, including building more residence halls and offering the Cougar Experience scholarship to encourage students to live on campus and get involved with clubs and activities. Drinkard’s favorite memories of her time as a student at UH include living in the residence halls at Moody Towers, showing that this kind of devotion is nothing new! “I loved living on campus and walking to class on the beautiful and well-kept grounds,” she recalls. “I’ve always felt UH is and has one of the most beautiful collegiate campuses.”
Drinkard’s sister, Debra Griffin (’84), also attended UH, which made her UH experience very special. Their family is originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, and has family in Houston, so she is happy to have many opportunities to visit her alma mater. “I love visiting the campus to reminiscence,” she says, “but also to admire the new facilities and improvements.”
She has confidence in President Khator’s vision, and would like to see UH continue down its path of excellence, from academics to athletics. “I would like to see UH continue to compete academically and promote academic excellence, innovation and research; continue to engage students in the community through outreach projects and internships; and continue to pursue diversity in the recruitment of their students.”
With the help of enthusiastic supporters like Jewel Drinkard around the nation, new Cougars and alumni alike can look forward to a bright future for UH.