Webinar: Fall 2025 UH Graduate School Orientation - Session 2 by UH

Fall 2025 UH Graduate School Orientation - Session 2

About

Welcome!

It gives us great pleasure to welcome all of our incoming graduate and professional students to the University of Houston. You are now part of an exceptionally promising and diverse group of scholars.

Join us on Tuesday, August 19, 2024 at 1:00 pm for the graduate orientation webinar hosted by the Graduate School. Please note, that this orientation is for all newly admitted graduate and professional students, but it is separate from any college/department/program orientation.

Register to confirm your attendance by Friday, August 15.

We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the University of Houston campus.

WEBINAR ENDED

Agenda

Opening Session / Orientation Overview
Academic & Administrative Information
Student Panel

Presenters

Graduate School

Dr. Sarah Larsen

Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Dr. Larsen joined the University of Houston in July, 2018 as Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. Over the past five years, she has initiated cross-campus professional development for graduate students with campus partners in the Graduate School, University Career Services, the UH Library, the Writing Center and the Office of Research.

Tashemia Jones

Assistant Director, Academic Affairs

Dr. Tashemia Jones is currently the Assistant Director of Academic Affairs in the Graduate School. She graduated from Texas Tech University in 2018 earning a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration. Dr. Jones has over 16 years of higher education experience including student activities, student conduct, underrepresented students, and first-time in college students to name a few. Her passion has always been student success and creating innovate ways to enhance the overall collegiate experience for all students. She continues to gain knowledge in post-secondary education with the hopes of becoming a college dean and Vice President of Student Affairs in the future.

Mariel Rocha-Narvaez

Director of Finance and Operations, Grad School

Mariel Rocha-Narvaez joined the University of Houston in 2018 as a student worker. Over the years, she advanced into the role of Program Manager and is now the Director of Finance and Operations for the Graduate School. In this position, she oversees administrative operations, budget management, and internal processes that support graduate student success. Mariel is committed to improving efficiency and service across the Graduate School and the broader UH community.

Fitzgerald Smith

Associate Director of Graduate School Admissions

Fitzgerald Smith serves as Associate Director for Graduate Admissions, a role which allows him to facilitate the application process to many of our renowned graduate programs and oversees many of the administrative processes related to admissions. He joined the University of Houston Graduate School in 2015 out of a passion for fostering personal growth and development through higher education. Fitzgerald is also experienced in the realm of international education and loves working with students from various cultural backgrounds. He also serves as a main point of contact for all admissions related questions for both students and colleges.

Lorena Martinez

Sr. SEVIS Compliance Coordinator

Lorena Martínez is a seasoned education professional with a strong background in her home country’s academic system. She joined the University of Houston in 2021 as a Transcript Analyst, evaluating international GPAs against U.S. academic standards. Her expertise and commitment led to her promotion as SEVIS Compliance Coordinator, where she managed the issuance of Form I-20s, enabling international graduate students to apply for F-1 visas.
Currently serving as Senior SEVIS Compliance Coordinator in Graduate Admissions, Lorena advises international students on immigration requirements and the I-20 process. She holds a Bachelor's in Law and a Master’s in Public Administration, reinforcing her deep knowledge of educational and immigration regulations.

Funda Sahin, Ph.D

Ombudsperson for Graduate and Professional Students

Dr. Funda Sahin is an Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of Houston. She earned her Ph.D. in operations and supply chain management from the Mays Business School, Texas A&M University. She also holds an MBA degree from Texas A&M University and BA in accounting and finance from Marmara University in Turkey.

Her teaching and research interests are in operations and supply chain management. Dr. Sahin is passionate about the University of Houston community and student well-being. Over her career, she worked with graduate students in a wide variety of roles ranging from teaching graduate courses, directing graduate student research, coordinating the Bauer Supply Chain Management Doctoral Program, serving on numerous committees related to graduate student education, and graduate student policies to mentorship. The knowledge and experiences she accumulated over the years through these interactions helped her better understand the concerns and difficulties that graduate students may endure. These insights assist her in her Ombudsperson for Graduate and Professional Students role.

Stefan Johnsson

Associate Director, ISSSO

Luis Gonzalez

Financial Aid Advisor

Katherine Carter

Asst. Librarian

Kate McNally Carter is the Open Educational Resources Librarian at the University of Houston Libraries. In her role, she works with the Head of Open Education Services, Ariana Santiago, to support instructors in the adoption, adaptation, and creation of OER in order to meet teaching and learning needs and advance the university student success goals. Her research interests include open pedagogy and the intersection of open educational practices and information literacy.

Akash Bhatt

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