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News

Humanics program gets national award

Program that teaches how to manage non-profit organizations 
beats out 74 others for the honor

by MAYRA CRUZ
The Daily Cougar

The UH David H. Underwood chapter of American Humanics won the Program Excellence Award last month in Washington, D.C., beating out 74 other university programs.

"That says we're the best of the best," Alicia Hicks, a post-baccaularate student and participant in the program, said.

Though the award does not grant a monetary prize, Margaret O'Donnell, the director of the University's chapter, hopes the honor will increase the program's visibility.

"What this award does for us is to help us get your attention so more students can learn about this program and get involved in it and reap the benefits of it," she said.

Additional awareness could lead to more funding, UH and AH alumna Jennifer Battle said.

"I'm hoping we can leverage this national attention to increase funding and support both through the University of Houston as well as the greater Houston community to help grow the program and encourage more students and funders to participate," Battle, who now teaches for the program, said.

"The University of Houston's American Humanics program has been a standout since the very beginning of our program."

Hicks also said the award will generate more publicity for AH.

"I think it will definitely let the community know more about the program -- that it's a great program. It's not only open to students, it's open to people that are in non-profits as well," Hicks said.

AH is part of the Graduate College of Social Work and focuses on training undergraduates and non-degree post-baccaularate students how to manage non-profit organizations by providing them with skills in marketing, financial management and public relations.

Students involved AH can earn a certificate to show they have gone above and beyond the necessary requirements to graduate, O'Donnell said.

The certificate earned from AH is a degree enhancement and not a degree itself. It certifies that students have acquired the necessary skills to manage a non-profit organization and works in conjuction with any major.

"I look back and I'm like, ‘I have accomplished all this stuff!' And I don't think I would have ever been able to say that if I wouldn't have been in this program," psychology senior Megan Sharp said. "I think I would've just ... graduated and moved on, and instead I can say I've done a 480 hour internship (as a requirement of the program). I have experience."

More informations is available at www.uh.edu/humanics.

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