View web version

March Newsletter

Save the Date for the Spring Civic Engagement Boot Camp

Join the Hobby School of Public Affairs and the College Debates and Discourse Alliance for the Civic Engagement Boot Camp on Friday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Heritage Room at the Bates Law Building.

This interactive workshop, organized by Program Director Jessica Ruland O’Connor, will help participants strengthen the skills needed to engage in meaningful conversations and lead effectively in classrooms, organizations and public service. Attendees will explore political polarization and take part in a guided, non-competitive debate experience focused on civil dialogue around timely and complex issues.

During a catered lunch provided by the Hobby School, participants will hear from Julian Ramirez, an at-large council member of the Houston City Council, who chairs the Quality of Life Committee and serves as vice chair of the Public Service Delivery Committee.

The event is free and open to the campus and surrounding community, but space is limited. Register early to secure a spot.

Luncheon Honors Innovative Leadership

Houston Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum exemplifies compassionate leadership, serving her residents with dedication while guiding the city through major challenges. Her work advancing innovative initiatives and policies, along with national board service through the National League of Cities, has earned her the 2026 Pioneer Award.

“Steady leadership, thoughtful governance and unglamorous problem-solving still matter,” said the Houston City Councilmember who represents District K. “Some of the most important work in public service happens when no one is filming,” she added.

She will be honored alongside local public servants Corby Alexander of the City of La Porte, Trey Duhon of Waller County, Trent Epperson of the City of Pearland and Juli Mathew of Fort Bend County at the Master of Public Administration program’s Public Officials of the Year Awards luncheon on Friday, March 27, at noon at the Hilton University of Houston.

The honorees reflect the values of the graduate program by serving their communities through dynamic problem-solving and ethical leadership. The awards ceremony benefits the scholarship fund for Hobby School graduate students.

Honoring Dr. Richard Murray at April Roast & Toast

An expert in local and state politics, Richard Murray is widely respected as a pollster, scholar and mentor whose work has shaped generations of students. The Hobby School will honor the professor emeritus and senior research fellow for his 60 years of teaching, research and public service on Thursday, April 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the historic Eldorado Ballroom in Houston’s Third Ward neighborhood. Proceeds from the Roast & Toast will benefit the 2027 Hobby Fellows, supporting students who will serve as legislative aides during the 90th Texas Legislature at the Texas State Capitol and continue Murray’s legacy of engaging in government and politics.

The Role of Opinion Journalism on Hobby Talks

On an upcoming episode of Hobby Talks, Associate Professor Chris Bronk sits down with Evan Mintz, editor of opinion and community engagement at the Houston Chronicle. Their conversation explores the role of the newspaper’s editorial board, how opinion pages differ from daily news coverage and Mintz’s vision for elevating diverse voices in Houston. They also discuss the board’s political endorsement process, its influence on policy conversations and how residents can engage more effectively in civic dialogue. Listen to the episode on a popular podcast application on March 18.

Texas Primary Election Analysis on Hobby Talks

On an episode of Hobby Talks, an expert panel analyzes the results of the state’s primary elections and what they may signal for the political landscape ahead. Podcast host Renée Cross explores the results of the U.S. Senate primaries and key statewide and local contests with panelists Richard Murray and Mark P. Jones.

Renée Cross is senior executive director and researcher at the Hobby School of Public Affairs, where Richard Murray and Mark P. Jones are senior research fellows. Murray is also a professor emeritus in the UH Department of Political Science and the author of Letter from Texas. Jones is also the fellow in political science at the Baker Institute at Rice University.

RESEARCH

Harris County Primaries 2026: Where Voters Stand  

A report from the Hobby School examines Harris County voters’ opinions on the direction of the nation, Texas and the county, as well as their perspectives on the most important issues facing the third-largest county in the United States. Authored by Mark P. Jones and Renée Cross, the last report in the Harris County Primaries 2026 series, found stark differences between Democratic and Republican primary voters, not only in how they assess the trajectory of the country, state, and Harris County, but also in how they rank key challenges in their communities. The results were covered by statewide and local media outlets, including the Texas Standard, Texas Tribune, The Texan, Axios, Houston Chronicle, Houston Press, Fox News 26 and KHOU.

Letter from Texas: The Lone Star State and Democratic Primary Voting Surge  

In this latest edition of Letter from Texas, author Richard Murray examines the national attention on Texas's early voting for primary contests and indicates the state may be entering its most competitive election cycle in decades, driven by demographic change and heightened voter engagement. Murray highlights the unexpected Democratic flip of a Fort Worth state Senate seat as evidence of shifting dynamics.

Alumna, Researcher Highlight Energy Affordability at National Conference

PROGRAM NEWS

Career Readiness Workshops  

Students and alumni are invited to the Networking and Personal Branding Workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, March 23, in the Heritage Room at Bates Law Building. Led by Arquella Hargrove, human resources specialist and co-director of the Certified Public Manager program, the session will provide practical strategies for building a professional network and crafting a compelling story. Participants will learn how to highlight the skills employers value most while identifying their unique strengths and expertise. The workshop is part of a career readiness series designed to help Coogs get future-focused, with interactive sessions covering networking, application and interview skills, and confidence in professional settings.

Houston City Councilmember Connects with Cohort

Civic Houston Interns met with the newest at-large member of the Houston City Council, Alejandra Salinas, during a Feb. 20 meeting. She shared how early advocacy, from organizing a high school walkout to serving as president of the College Democrats of America and speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, shaped her belief in using her voice to serve others.

The South Texas native and attorney became the first LGBTQ+ Latina elected to the Houston City Council after winning a December 2025 runoff. She discussed what inspired her to run for public office, her vision for City Hall and her advice for students interested in local government.

Students in the Civic Houston Internship Program gain hands-on experience in public service through office assignments, voter education efforts, community engagement activities and conversations with civic leaders. Applications for the fall cohort are open through May 25.

Certified Public Managers Showcase Capstone Projects

The 2025-2026 Certified Public Manager program cohort presented their capstone projects, marking the culmination of the 14-month executive training program. The projects addressed real-world challenges in the public sector, including policy development for AI technologies, supervisor training to support employee retention, job performance analysis and community engagement initiatives.

City of Carrollton Assistant City Manager Shannon Hicks found more than practical lessons in the program. “The program has allowed me to learn alongside fellow local government professionals who face different challenges and bring varied approaches to solving them,” the seasoned municipal leader reflected. He added, “Hearing those perspectives has broadened how I think about policy and leadership.”

Co-directed by Emily Janowski and Arquella Hargrove, the CPM program provides public service leaders with practical skills in finance, communications, administration, program evaluation and information systems. In addition to their oral presentations, participants prepare a written report ahead of their summer graduation ceremonies at the Texas Capitol.

Data Analysis Summer Internships Available

Social Economy and Enterprise Academy interns work with nonprofits on research and data analysis projects during the summer months. The student teams are tasked with initiatives advancing the organization’s impact on the community.

The program is recruiting students like Master of Public Policy candidate Niamh Gerdes, who gained a deeper understanding of how organizations operate by working on volunteer development strategies at the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast last summer. The second-year graduate candidate is a Hobby School teaching assistant motivated by mission-driven environments that allow her to use the analytical, cross-collaborative skills she brings to the table.

In this competitive program, teams apply classroom theory to organizational challenges while building the practical skills employers seek in social science professionals. The summer course is taught by Pablo Pinto of the Hobby School and German Cubas and Piruz Saboury of the College of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts. The course is open to all majors and may be especially appealing to students in business, computer science, economics, engineering, public policy and political science. Applications are due Friday, March 27.

Harris Fellows Offers Full-Time Experience in Policy, Government

Jake McCutchen (‘25) applied for the Harris Fellows program last summer to build on his public service experience. His previous assignments in the office of U.S. Congressman Wesley Hunt and the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, as well as his transformative time as a Harris Fellow at the Harris County Office of Administration, reinforced his passion for a future career in foreign policy and diplomacy. Today, McCutchen is pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations at American University in Washington, D.C.

The Hobby School is recruiting UH undergraduates and post-baccalaureates for the summer internship in the third-largest county in the nation through Monday, April 6. Interns work full-time in a county office on a range of assignments, including constituent services, communications, research, policy analysis and special projects.

"My focus with the Justice Innovation Team was to create a more accessible reentry resource guide with various services, whether it's food, housing or employment support,” said Jake McCutchen of the Harris Fellows program. “The Mindful Justice Conference was a memorable experience and an opportunity to have conversations with justice professionals, practitioners and justice-impacted individuals, which taught me about the obstacles and possible solutions outside of traditional justice practices."

Scholarship Pairs Ethics and Analysis

The inaugural Ethics Bowl team competed in the 2026 Association for Practical and Professional Ethics Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl National Competition on March 7 and 8 in St. Louis, joining 35 other undergraduate teams from across the country. The student scholars were judged by their ability to identify and analyze the ethical dimensions of cases drawn from real-life challenges in education, business and politics. The team earned the 2026 Ladenson Award, also known as the “Spirit of the Ethics Bowl.” Voted on by fellow competitors, the award recognizes the team that best embodies the Ethics Bowl’s core values and virtues: civility, collegiality, respect, kindness and deliberative dialogue.

Congratulations to Nzube Anwaegbu, Sophia Bebawi, Cory Bush, JanMarco Flores and Jacobe West for representing the University of Houston on the national stage, and to Visiting Professor on Ethics and Leadership Nora Reikosky for coaching and guiding the team throughout the year.

The Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership, led by Brandon Williams, is offering six $1,500 scholarships to undergraduates from any major to join the 2026-2027 Ethics Bowl team. Students take part in regular training, scrimmages and ethical case analyses, and will compete in the Texas Regional Ethics Bowl in San Antonio in the fall. For those interested in applying ethical frameworks to today’s most pressing challenges, learn more about the opportunity and submit the required materials by Wednesday, April 15.

Building Better Communities through Public Service

IN THE NEWS

Hobby School faculty and researchers continue to contribute to conversations shaping public policy and elevating Texans’ perspectives on issues of importance to the state and nation.

The Texas primary election reports offered timely insight into competitive races and the state’s evolving political landscape, highlighting how Texans are evaluating candidates, key issues and national leadership in a high-stakes election year. The surveys generated more than 125 media citations in February, with coverage in national and regional outlets including Barron’s, CBS News, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Hill, The Independent, NPR, Breitbart, the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, the San Antonio Express-News, Texas Standard, The Texas Tribune and Houston Public Media.

The day after Election Day, Hobby School researchers Renée Cross and Mark P. Jones joined Houston Public Media’s “Houston Matters with Craig Cohen” show to analyze the closely watched U.S. Senate race, newly redrawn congressional districts, the impact of endorsements and what to expect in the May runoffs and November general election.

Research Assistant Professor Maria Perez Argüelles and Postdoctoral Fellow Soran Mohdati appeared on Houston Public Media’s “Hello Houston” show to discuss resident sentiments in Houston and Chicago, finding that affordability is a top concern in the two cities. The researchers shared key findings from a report from the SPACE City Panel series conducted in partnership with the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center.

HOBBY HAPPENINGS

Hobby School Happenings captures lectures, events, application deadlines, programs and collaborations hosted or co-sponsored by the Hobby School and its centers.

Wednesday, March 18

Hobby Talks Podcast Episode: Good For Houston

Learn More and Listen

Monday, March 23, 2-4 p.m.  

Networking and Personal Branding Student Workshop

Heritage Room (201), Bates Law Building

Career Readiness Workshop Series

Register

Friday, March 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

Master of Public Administration Program’s Public Officials of the Year Awards

UH Hilton's Conrad Grand Ballroom  

Table and Ticket Information

Friday, March 27

Social Economy and Enterprise Academy Application Deadline

Apply

Monday, April 6  

Harris Fellows Application Deadline

Apply

Tuesday, April 7, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Graduate Programs Information Session

Virtual

Thursday, April 9

A Roast and Toast Honoring Richard Murray: Celebrating 60 Years at the University of Houston

Table and Ticket Information

Friday, April 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Civic Engagement Boot Camp

Heritage Room (201), Bates Law Building

Register

Wednesday, April 15

2026-2027 Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center Ethics Bowl Team Application Deadline

Apply