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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Four students, Matthew Carrizal, Miguel Gonzalez, |
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Courtney Osborn, and Lexi Villarreal, are graduating with |
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certificates in interdisciplinary studies from Texas A&M |
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University on May 11, 2023, as members of the inaugural class of the |
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Aggie ACHIEVE program; and |
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WHEREAS, Aggie ACHIEVE, which stands for Academic Courses in |
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Higher Inclusive Education and Vocational Experiences, is a |
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comprehensive transition program for young adults with |
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intellectual and developmental disabilities who have exited high |
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school; the program provides participants with an inclusive and |
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immersive college education with the goal of successfully preparing |
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them for employment in the community; and |
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WHEREAS, With the program's launch in the fall of 2019, Texas |
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A&M became the first university in the state to introduce a |
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certificate-based higher education initiative of this kind for |
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young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; |
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Aggie ACHIEVE is designed to enroll students for up to four years, |
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and each student is matched with coursework, internship |
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opportunities, and extracurricular activities that align with |
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their academic interests and employment goals; students in the |
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program take classes, live independently, complete internships on |
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campus, and work part-time jobs both on campus and in the College |
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Station community, in addition to participating in social, |
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athletic, and recreational activities alongside their fellow |
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Aggies; and |
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WHEREAS, Created by Dr. Carly Gilson at the TAMU School of |
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Education and Human Development, the Aggie ACHIEVE program was |
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established based on research showing that students with |
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intellectual and developmental disabilities who attend |
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postsecondary inclusive programs have a higher rate of employment |
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and earn higher wages than those who do not have such opportunities; |
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the students enrolled in Aggie ACHIEVE also benefit from the |
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support and mentorship of their peers in ACHIEVEMates, an |
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organization formed by Texas A&M undergraduate students to help |
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ACHIEVE participants reach their goals; and |
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WHEREAS, The four members of the inaugural cohort of Aggie |
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ACHIEVE have demonstrated hard work, dedication, and perseverance |
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on their way to completing the program, and they are indeed |
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deserving of special recognition for this accomplishment as they |
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embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the inaugural graduating class of the |
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Aggie ACHIEVE program and extend to each student sincere best |
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wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for the students as an expression of high regard by the Texas House |
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of Representatives. |