March 21, 2019 | UHCL Staff
University of Houston-Clear Lake has been offering undergraduate and graduate degrees since 1974. But beyond the classroom, the university is a community resource in ways that many might not realize. It’s Dwayne Busby’s primary focus in his new role as UH-Clear Lake’s executive director of strategic partnerships to change that.
Busby, who spent over three years as UH-Clear Lake’s executive director of development and alumni relations, said that UHCL President Ira K. Blake created the position because she’d encountered so many people in the community who weren’t aware of all that the university had to offer apart from academic degrees. “We can offer so much more to the community, and it’s my purpose to elevate the public’s awareness of what we have beyond our classrooms,” said Busby, who began his new position last summer.
There are some corporations and organizations in Bay Area Houston that know UHCL is an outstanding resource for applied research capabilities, said Busby, “but I’m here to broaden our scope even further. That’s one of my primary objectives — to create partnerships with more entities in the community based on our ability to give them the research facilities to work in and lend our faculty’s expertise,” he said. “We have plenty of students who are searching for internships and co-ops. We can facilitate research across so many industries that are vital in our community, including industrial safety, environmental, and mechanical and software engineering.”
Busby explained that although UHCL is not a research institution, it conducts applied research across all disciplines. “That means that the research we do and the facilities we have available are applicable to current industry needs. The research that comes out of those labs can be taken and used today,” he said. “For example, our Recreation and Wellness Building contains state-of-the-art labs and equipment to be used by students and faculty in our Exercise and Health Sciences program. Those labs accomplish applied research that can meet an external entity’s needs through our Exercise and Nutritional Health Institute.”
With faculty and students also available to provide expertise and assistance, a company can meet its applied research objectives quickly. “This also gives our students the opportunity to have interaction with professionals working in their chosen field,” he said.
President Blake said she chose Busby for this role because in his previous role in University Advancement, he’d been charged with building the relationships needed for the university to raise the funds to finance its set priorities. “Dwayne was already traveling in those circles, prospecting corporations and participating in multiple chambers of commerce and economic development partnerships on the university’s behalf,” she said. “He already has the ability to promote the university and its brand to these different parties through committees and councils.”
“In addition to networking in those circles, I’m also communicating our message through our internal partners, including the Office of the President, Office of Marketing and Communications, the Office of the Provost, and Career Services,” Busby said. “My goals are to set up students to become competent, confident, caring and courageous citizens in their lives, not just their careers, and to educate the community about UHCL and its resources.”
The Office of Strategic Partnerships continues to expand. Joyce Delores Taylor, director of internship programs, and Alexis Nwagui, program manager have recently been added to Busby's team.
For more information about the Office of Strategic Partnerships, visit www.uhcl.edu/strategic-partnerships/.
