• Jackie Cohen, BS'11, President
• Madeline Guy, BA'21, G.O.L.D. Chair
• Sabrina Tour, JD'14, Alumni Association Board Member

About Houston

• Houston “Firsts” – “Houston” was the first word Astronaut Neil Armstrong spoke when he landed on the moon. It is home to the first major freeway in Texas. America’s first public television station is located here.
• Multicultural Houston – There are 90 languages spoken throughout the area. The diverse population consists of 37.4 percent Hispanic, 49.3 percent Caucasian, 29.3 percent African American and 5.3 percent Asian. There are 83 consulates—third largest consular corps in the nation.
• Business in Houston – Texas Medical Center is home to more than 42 nonprofit institutions; the largest medical center in the world; U.S. energy headquarters with more than 5,000 energy-related businesses; and the Port of Houston, a $15 billion petrochemical complex, No. 1 in the nation in foreign tonnage and No. 2 in total tonnage.
• Need medical help in Houston? – Houston has one of the country’s premier medical centers in our own backyard. The Medical Center, adjacent to downtown, is comprised of several hospital systems: University of Texas Health Science Center, Memorial Hermann Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, Methodist Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Woman’s Hospital of Texas. houstonmedcenter.com.

Where to live

If you are going to be working inside the inner loop, live in the inner loop, and vice versa with outside. Anytime you need to cross 610 you’re going to double your commute.

Take advantage of the Rodeo, Museum District, and the sports/music opportunities all throughout the city. ’11

I live in the Heights and I love it; also check out Midtown, Montrose and Upper Kirby. ’13

I love Midtown, Montrose, and the Heights! Houston has amazing food options. Some can’t miss ones are Ninfa’s on Navigation, Lupe Tortillas, Feast, and Bernie’s Burger Bus. Also check out Central Market for awesome grocery shopping, live music, and food trucks on the weekends. 19th street in the Heights has cute boho style shops. ’11

Montrose and the Heights are fun places to live and hang out! Houston has the best food, too. ’14

Things to do

You are undoubtedly in the best city in the nation, so you’re already winning. Hit the food parks, the “tunnels” downtown, Discovery Green, and Free Press SummerFest. All the hipsters hang out in The Heights, so you’ll probably find some Fido-esque coffee shop around there. ’14

Go to Free Press Summer Fest! Buy your tickets NOW! Bike or run on the Allen Parkway/Downtown trail—it is really nice and connects to so many places. Over summer, go to the Little Woodrow’s turtle races. Check out concerts at Fitzgeralds. Tour the Karbach and St. Arnolds breweries. ’13

• Professional sports: Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Dynamo (MLS)
• Theater District – One of only five cities in the U.S. with resident companies in the four disciplines of the performing arts: Alley Theatre, Houston Ballet, Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera.
• Museum District – 15 institutions, including Museum of Fine Arts—sixth largest in the country—and Museum of Natural Science.
• Theme Parks – Space Center Houston is the Official Visitors Center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Others include SplashTown water park, Moody Gardens on Galveston Island, Kemah Boardwalk, Downtown Aquarium and Discovery Green Downtown Park.
• Outdoors – There are more than 165 public and private golf courses. Houston is located 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and 30 minutes from Clear Lake, a 2,000-acre destination for boating enthusiasts. It is the third-largest pleasure boat basin in the U.S.
• Volunteer – YES Academy (founded by Vanderbilt alumnus Chris Barbic), Volunteer Houston, Junior League of Houston
• Major Parks – Memorial Park, Herman Park, Discovery Green

Shopping

It’s a good thing you are coming to Houston to work, because soon you will want to spend your hard-earned money with all of Houston’s fabulous shopping! These are a few of the larger destination shopping locations.

The Galleria, Highland Village, Memorial City Mall, CITYCENTRE, The Woodlands Mall, The Outlets at Katy Mills