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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Howard College celebrated its 75th anniversary with |
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a gala event at its main campus in Big Spring on September 30, 2021; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The Howard County Junior College District was |
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established in November 1945, and the following year, 148 students |
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enrolled, meeting for their first classes on September 30 in the |
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hospital unit of the former Big Spring Army Air Force Bombardier |
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School; the institution was admitted to the Association of Texas |
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Colleges in 1947 and later earned full accreditation from the |
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Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; in 1951, trustees |
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passed a resolution to admit students regardless of race, creed, or |
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color, and that same year, the college moved to its current campus; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Renamed Howard College in 1974, the school continued |
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to grow and thrive, and over the years, a number of new buildings |
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and programs were added, including the SouthWest College for the |
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Deaf, the country's first such institution of its kind; today, |
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under the leadership of President Dr. Cheryl T. Sparks, Howard also |
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offers courses at its San Angelo and Lamesa campuses, as well as at |
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the Big Spring Federal Correctional Institution and the Eden |
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Detention Center; proudly serving a diverse student body, the |
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college is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and it has |
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been ranked among the top Military Friendly Schools in the nation; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In commemoration of the college's 75th anniversary, |
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the Howard community has held various events since November 2020, |
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including several ribbon cuttings and ground breakings on the Big |
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Spring Campus; in January 2021, the Big Spring Chamber of Commerce |
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hosted a grand opening for the school's newly renovated Cactus |
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Room, which now features state-of-the-art technology for lectures |
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and special events; and |
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WHEREAS, For three quarters of a century, Howard College has |
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provided students with important opportunities in higher |
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education, and in so doing, it has enriched the lives of countless |
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Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commemorate the 75th |
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anniversary of Howard College and extend to all those affiliated |
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with the institution sincere best wishes for continued success; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the college as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |