With more than 67,000 alumni, the University of Houston-Downtown has a lot to be proud of! For its 50th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Hilton Americas-Houston, the university will honor six of those alums with very special awards.
The Alum On The Rise Award recognizes a recent alum who has experienced professional success and is within 15 years of their graduation. In 2022, Maria del Pilar Montes (’17, MBA) received the award, and last year, Christa Arefieva, M.D. (’15, BS) was recognized.
This year’s Alum On The Rise Award goes to Dr. Aubrey McKenzie Jones (’14, Psychology), who earned both her MS and Ph.D. in Human Sciences and has collaborated with the Texas Workforce to support students and individuals with disabilities, helping them achieve independence and enhance their well-being. She has also worked across Texas to develop inclusive and equitable training programs in workforce development while utilizing her expertise and passion to start a nonprofit organization focused on early childhood development, prenatal education, and family wellness. Currently, Dr. Jones assists students in rural communities by facilitating their access to essential services that fuel their personal growth and success.
The Alum Entrepreneur Award recognizes an individual who has had great success with their own respective business or enterprise. Previous recipients of this award are Marcus Bowers (’11, BAAS) in 2022 and Gabriela Smith (’18, MBA) in 2023.
For 2024, Krisshundria James (’14, Communications Studies) will be honored for her entrepreneurship as the CEO and Founder of Blossom Up, LLC, where she empowers teen girls, young ladies, and women to succeed despite the situations or circumstances they may face. She has been a transformational speaker for 18 years and has spoken at churches, women’s empowerment events, colleges, research conferences, and more. Dr. James is also an international best-selling author and an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to alumni who have demonstrated successful commitment to their careers and communities and have brought special honor to the university because of their accomplishments. Prior recipients are The Honorable Paula Mendoza (’95, BS and ’17, MBA) and José Antonio Marin, (’91, BS). This year there are three awardees! They are:
- Chinaecherem Eze Coleman (’21, Data Science) was just 19 years old when she was featured on Fox News as the youngest of her graduating class at UHD. Now at just 22 years old, she has not only established herself as a leader in the field of technology but also founded a nonprofit organization called Shaweh Hour, which is dedicated to empowering young adults to be peacemakers, community leaders, and entrepreneurs while still maintaining well-balanced mental health. Through this nonprofit, her event staffing agency, and event planning business, she has had the privilege of impacting more than 1,000 young adults worldwide across different cultures and disciplines, fostering personal and professional growth and inspiring them to reach their full potential.
- Roy L Jackson Sr. (’22, BAAS) is a world-class jazz saxophonist and recording artist who has worked with Conrad Johnson, Kyle Turner, Woody Witts Big Band, and the prestigious University of Houston-Downtown Civic Jazz Band. As a touring musician, Jackson merges the elements of jazz, soul, funk, and gospel to take listeners on a musical journey that exemplifies every emotional aspect of life. He is a recipient of the Horace Alexander Young Award for Improvisation, the Soloist of the Year Award, and the Duke Ellington Memorial Award for outstanding musicianship and composition. His latest single entitled “Time Change,” featuring Berklee's own David Caceres, was featured on KTSU 90.9 on the “Kyle Turner” morning show.
- Laura Dupree (’14, BS Interdisciplinary) is a highly trained and credentialed educator who joined Lone Star College-Tomball (LSCT) in fall 2019 and currently serves as Coordinator and Professor of the Associate of Arts in Teaching Program. A published author, Dupree has also received numerous awards, such as a Faculty Excellence Award from NISOD in 2024, Faculty Excellence Award from LSCT in 2023, Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award from Lone Star College-North Harris in 2019, and an LSC 20|20 Award for her commitment to student success.
Congratulations to this year’s alumni awardees! For more information on UHD’s 50th Anniversary Gala, click the button below.