September 13, 2023
Dear UHCL Faculty and Staff,
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of Professor Emerita Gretchen Mieszkowski on Saturday, August 26th, at the age of 85. Professor Mieszkowski was a cornerstone of the University of Houston-Clear Lake community, joining as one of our first senior faculty appointments in 1974.
During her distinguished tenure, Professor Mieszkowski was a trailblazer in Women's Studies and was instrumental in advising over 100 Master's theses and projects at UHCL. She earned numerous accolades, including the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award, and was one of the rare faculty members to receive the President's Distinguished Awards in research, teaching, and service.
Her tireless dedication extended beyond the classroom; she was a part of our transformative "Academics for Offenders" program, now known as "Transforming Lives by Degrees," where she taught incarcerated men. In many ways, the contributions of Professor Mieszkowski to the programs of literature, humanities, and women's studies represent an irreplaceable chapter in the history of our institution.
To honor her legacy, the Gretchen Mieszkowski Scholarship has been set up to support UHCL College of Human Sciences and Humanities undergraduates pursuing a degree or concentration in Literature. Her husband, Peter, and children, Jan and Katharine, have requested that memorial donations be directed to this scholarship fund. You may donate online and specify that the gift is for the Gretchen Mieszkowski Scholarship Endowment Fund. Checks can be made payable to University of Houston-Clear Lake and sent to the UH-Clear Lake Advancement Office, 2700 Bay Area Blvd, MC 318, Houston, TX 77058.
The passing of Professor Mieszkowski marks the end of an era for UHCL. Her influence will be profoundly missed, but her legacy will continue to shape our university for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Richard Walker, Ed.D.
President
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