HOUSTON (Feb. 7, 2024) – Thanks to a $125,000 Bridge Grant for Financial Gaps from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ (HLSR), University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) students who need financial support to complete coursework in their final semester will now be able to receive their diplomas in a timely manner and enter the workforce as professionals.
Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $600 million to the youth of Texas and education, making HLSR one of the largest scholarship providers in the U.S. The 2024 Rodeo is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 17.
“HLSR wants to ensure that the goals and dreams of UHD students are not derailed by financial burdens that could alter their careers and the earning potential that a college degree affords them,” said Chris Boleman, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo president and CEO. “Just as UHD offers academic support and interventions through targeted tutoring, mentoring, and advising for its students, HLSR is proud to partner with the University to provide the financial stability for its soon-to-be graduates who need the aid to succeed.”
“UHD is celebrating 50 years of helping students and families move up the socioeconomic ladder by earning degrees of value in a reasonable time and with as little debt as possible,” said UHD President Loren J. Blanchard. “Many of our Gators get so close to graduation yet don’t have the resources to cross the finish line. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is now making the dream of a college diploma a reality for hundreds of our would-be graduates.”
Seventy percent of UHD’s student population is first-generation, and 60% of students’ family annual income is at or below $30,000.00. Because of the financial strain imposed by the cost of a college education, many UHD students struggle with basic needs insecurities. In the face of competing financial demands, students often enroll part-time (six hours or less) to manage outside employment or “stop out” altogether to manage other obligations. These measures either increase the time it takes students to complete their degrees or create hardships that are so difficult to overcome that students cannot persist through degree completion.
Approved by the Educational Contributions Review Committee of the HLSR, the Bridge Grant for Financial Gaps (Finish Line Grant) will serve as a one-time award, aiding students completing coursework in their final semester at UHD. The value of each award will be in response to the needs of each student in need who has a graduation application on file, is in good academic standing, and is registered in their final semester before graduation.
For more information on HLSR, visit rodeohouston.com. For more information on UHD, visit uhd.edu.
