Expanding Katy area higher ed opportunities discussed at February GA

On Tuesday, February 18, Katy Area Economic Development Council hosted its General Assembly meeting at the recently opened University of Houston-Victoria Katy facility (shared with University of Houston). UHV Katy served as the perfect setting for the meeting which centered on higher education opportunities in the Katy area with presentations from host UHV Katy, Houston Community College and University of Houston. 

HCC leaders Dr. Kathleen Anzivino, College Operation Officer, and Susan Thompson, Director of Engineering & STEM Initiatives Science, Technology, Engineering & Math, provided an update on the new HCC Katy area campus which is expected to break ground in early fall. The new campus will be located close to the new UH Katy area campus at the northeast corner of Katy Freeway (I-10) and Grand Parkway. The first phase of campus construction will feature one building with plans to add two additional buildings and a parking garage in a second phase in the coming years. 

Dr. Bob Glen, UHV President, shared information on the institution which offers programs in Victoria and Katy, as well as online at part of the UH System. Transfer and graduate degree programs are available at UHV Katy in business, education and liberal arts. UHV Katy recently opened its doors on a new facility which it shares with the University of Houston at the northeast corner of Katy Freeway and Grand Parkway. 

Dr. Jay Neal, Associate Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for University of Houston at Sugar Land and University of Houston-Victoria at Katy, and Associate Professor, gave an overview of the recently opened UH Katy campus. The campus, which opened in the fall of 2019, offers degree programs from UH College of Nursing and the UH Cullen College of Engineering.   

In January, UH and HCC announced a partnership which will further enhance engineering undergraduate programs in Katy starting in the fall of 2020. As part of the program, accepted students are co-enrolled at both institutions. Students take core curriculum courses through HCC while taking engineering courses from UH Cullen College of Engineering faculty at the University of Houston at Katy.  

After completing all academy requirements, students then transition to the UH main campus to complete their bachelor’s degrees in civil, electrical, computer, industrial or mechanical engineering. Academy requirements are designed to be completed in one or two years. 

You can learn more about the program here. 

“We are thrilled with the continued growth of higher education opportunities in our community,” said Katy Area EDC President/CEO Lance LaCour. “I would like to thank HCC, UHV and UH for their commitment to the Katy area.”  

New members were introduced at the meeting by Membership Committee Chair Rick Lawler including Cy-Fair Chamber of Commerce and Oilfield Testing and Consulting. Members recognized for renewal were Board members Howard Hughes Company and Newland Communities as well as Amazing Place, EHRA, Goya, Fry Road MUD, Igloo, Lone Star College System, Rise Communities and Si Energy at the Associate membership level. 

UHV Katy served as the breakfast sponsor for the meeting. 

For more information on Katy Area EDC, please visit katyedc.org or contact Angie Thomason at AThomason@katyedc.org.