Spotlight On: Richard Ludwick, President, University of St. Thomas
September 2024 — A strong indicator of the growth in the Houston area is the fact that the University of St. Thomas last year had the largest student class in history. “Our biggest challenge is just the overwhelming growth that we have experienced,” Richard Ludwick, president of the University of St. Thomas, told Invest:.
What are some of the highlights, achievements, and accomplishments over the past year for the University of St. Thomas?
One of the biggest achievements was the welcoming of our largest entering cohort students’ class in history. That’s been a strong indicator of the growth of the Houston area and certainly the University of St. Thomas.
We have welcomed year over year those classes in large numbers for the last six or seven years. We also anticipate, as we look forward to this fall, an even bigger class. Those are things that we’re excited about relative to the attraction that the University of St. Thomas has in the marketplace.
In terms of other things, we’ve launched new academic programs, including in recent years, three new engineering programs. Those are great. They’re chemical and electrical engineering. Our nursing school has expanded into the Shenandoah and Conroe region, down to the medical center, and in Sugar Land. There are signs of positive growth all over the university.
Can you give us an overview of where the higher education sector is right now here in the Greater Houston region and what are the biggest opportunities?
One of the things that is a real opportunity for higher education and the vibrant Houston economy is partnership. The partnerships between the University of St. Thomas and our growing list of corporate partners make it possible for our students to get hands-on educational experiences in all of the industries that make this community work.
Our Rising Stars program is a perfect example of that. Just in the last few years, we’ve engaged over 250 different companies and nonprofits that help us make learning applied and real for our students.
What would you say are some of the biggest challenges for the region?
One of the biggest challenges for this university is the overwhelming growth that we have experienced. When students, families, and employers see the talent that is formed at this university, they’re excited by that. It’s been a growth dynamic for us. As the region itself continues to grow, it is an attractor for all kinds of talent from around the world. That’s something that we’re blessed by in this location, and I look for that to continue.
What is the university doing to financially support the students?
That’s one of the things that makes the University of St. Thomas such a great partner for the talent pipeline in Houston, is that we are a university that makes quality, hands-on education available and affordable.
We offer scholarships for a full range of our students. Many of our students with the Rising Stars program or the St. Thomas Promise can attend this institution, and, likely, they will not have out-of-pocket costs because financial aid will provide them the full education.
How do you continue to add value to higher education?
A University of St. Thomas education prepares students for instant success in their career fields, but it also prepares them for long-term success in a changing work environment. That is a key element of higher education, and it is so important these days to teach students the skills that are needed now for the workforce and the formation that allows them to flex into what the future brings.
How have you adjusted your curriculum to align with these changing needs of students?
One of the great things about the University of St. Thomas is that it reflects the richness of God’s family on Earth and the demographic diversity that Houston represents. For us, our goal is to make accessible the future for all of our students in a way that aligns with the talent needs of the workforce and also with the aspirations that our students have for their careers. We stay relevant and current with all of the important economic sectors of Houston, and we do so in a way that resonates deep in the hearts and minds of our students.
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How are you supporting the growth in the entrepreneurial ecosystem?
We think that it is so important that people understand that they are empowered in an entrepreneurial way. We have different programs that support that. One of those is the McNair Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, which looks at how students develop those skill sets early on in the university and then apply those skills to the economy. We also integrate that concept throughout our various fields. Whether you want to be a nurse or whether you’re going to be an engineer, there are elements of understanding how free enterprise impacts our community at not only the business level but also the human level.
How are you integrating emerging technologies into the curriculum?
Technology is a broad term that we use. Right now, artificial intelligence seems to be one of the terms du jour. What we try to do is help our students understand that those tools, that toolkit that they build through the hands-on learning that they get at the University of St. Thomas, prepare them to integrate technologies like artificial intelligence.
What comes next in that toolkit is in conjunction with the kinds of learning and critical thinking that come from a well-rounded human experience for the liberal arts. It is this rich understanding of the things that never change, but the facility to go with the technologies that always do.
What are the key partnerships that the university has fostered with the business community?
There are so many great partnerships that we have now. One of those chief partnerships is with the Texas Medical Center. As a member institution of the medical center, it is a nice partnership for us with not only the group as a whole, but also with individual members.
We also partner with institutions and organizations in the energy sector. Exxon is an example of that. Within the accounting and business areas, banks in particular are the kinds of entities that we partner with.
That’s the exciting thing for our students and for those business partners that we have. It is that nexus of talent that represents this great Metropolitan area and the future of business here in our home community that makes it so appealing.
What are some of the goals and strategic plans for the university in the next two to three years?
The university has been on and continues to be on a strong growth trajectory. We are looking forward to building a new residence hall, increasing the size and scope of our library, as well as constructing new academic buildings. Those are just on the infrastructure side of it.
But certainly, our partnerships are key as we continue to grow enrollment and with the incredible faculty and staff that the university has, we will be an even stronger partner in that talent pipeline for all of Greater Houston and beyond.
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