UH-Clear Lake honors community partnerships

March 21, 2017 | Jim Townsend

University of Houston-Clear Lake President William A. Staples believes that partnerships foster a thriving campus, student body and community. In his annual Report to the Community, he honored a long history of partnerships and singled out Clear Lake-based Logical Innovations Inc. as the recipient of UHCL’s 2017 Community Partnership Award.

“In my view, it’s all about partnerships,” Staples told a gathering of business and community leaders, donors and alumni at Lakewood Yacht Club on March 16. “With who? Everybody. With people, with corporations, with foundations, with legislators, with our alumni, with cities, and obviously, with the many donors who support the many initiatives we have at UH-Clear Lake.”

He highlighted the accomplishments of past year, which include the university’s third doctoral program, approval for three new bachelor’s degrees, creation of the Center for Robotics Software and the first-ever Greater Houston Area STEM conference, attended earlier in March by more than 300 science, technology, engineering and mathematics educators from 70 area schools.

Staples also pointed out that the university will break ground March 31 on a $65.7 million STEM and Classroom Building and a $38.2 million Recreation and Wellness Center. Also planned is a $22 million, 300-bed student housing project. In late April, the university will break ground on a $24.6 million Health Sciences and Classroom Building on its Pearland campus.

The STEM and health sciences buildings were funded by the 2015 Texas Legislature. In the same session, a bill gave UHCL authority to assess fees for construction of the recreation center, contingent upon approval by student referendum and support from the UH System Board of Regents. The referendum passed in 2016.

“How did all this happen? Our legislators, supported by the City of Pearland, Clear Lake Chamber, Pearland Chamber, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership basically stood up for UHCL and UHCL-Pearland and made it happen,” Staples said.

UHCL is “student-centered, partnership-oriented and community-minded,” he added. “I truly believe we’re in this together. In the 21st century, educated communities will win.”

Logical Innovations founder and President/CEO Denise S. Navarro said her partnership with the university began in the 1980s, when she transferred from College of the Mainland to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UHCL. Her son Michael and daughter Erica followed her path, both also receiving their bachelor’s and graduate degrees at UHCL. Together, they run the family business, which provides program and project management services, business management services, information technology support, outreach/strategic communications, training and strategic planning to high-profile clients including NASA, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

In 2016, Navarro was recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as Houston’s Small Business Person of the Year, “a strong, courageous and creative leader who helps build our communities and create jobs.” 

Logical Innovations’ support of education includes the creation of a six-figure endowment to fund UHCL’s Hawk Advantage Scholarship program, which provides need-based financial aid for incoming freshman.

“Education is really the foundation from which we base what we do,” Navarro said. “We really want to make sure that we’re making a difference.”

She added, “We were academically able. But we weren't always financially able. We are all here because someone helped us get here. Not everyone has that network, that community. So we want to be part of their community – to open the doors for them and help them establish themselves.”

“Helping someone get an education is a life-changing event,” Staples said. “It’s even more life-changing when you’re the first person in your family to go to college. So for students who are academically talented but economically challenged, we need to do something to help them get on that path to student success. Very simply, Denise Navarro and her family are making that happen. If your legacy is helping people get an education, that’s a pretty good legacy.”

This was Staples’ last annual Report to the Community. In August, he is stepping down as president, a position he has held since 1995. A nationwide search is underway for his successor.

To read Staples’ full report, visit www.uhcl.edu/president/presidents-report.