Long time PROMES director Kathy Zerda passed the reigns last Friday to Diana de la Rosa-Pohl, and students, staff and faculty gathered to wish her well in retirement.
Zerda served as PROMES program director for nearly 10 years, leading the program to new heights and overseeing the evolution of the group to what it is today: a support system and community for undergraduate students throughout the Cullen College of Engineering.
PROMES, or the Program for Mastery in Engineering Studies, was established at the University of Houston in 1974 for the recruitment, retention, and academic development of Hispanic, African American, and Native American students in the Cullen College of Engineering. Today PROMES is open to all students in the college, and its mission is to provide a positive learning environment that supports the needs of undergraduate students.
De la Rosa-Pohl has served as a lecturer in the Cullen College’s department of electrical and computer engineering for over 10 years. Since 2003, she has won two awards from the college for excellence in teaching and played a central role in developing the curriculum for the Honors Engineering Program.
Click here to view the pictures from Zerda’s retirement celebration.