By West                                                H.R. No. 753

         75R12752 JTR-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The 1996-1997 school year marks the 50th anniversary

 1-2     of the founding of Odessa College, and this auspicious event is

 1-3     truly worthy of special praise and recognition at this time; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, Established in 1946 by the Ector County Independent

 1-5     School District Board of Trustees, Odessa College's first classes

 1-6     were held in Odessa High School classrooms, taught and administered

 1-7     by a staff of nine people; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, Since that time, this outstanding institution has

 1-9     grown and flourished, and now boasts an enrollment of almost 5,000

1-10     credit students per semester, in addition to the more than 8,500

1-11     continuing education students who attend the school during the

1-12     course of the year; and

1-13           WHEREAS, By now a familiar fixture in West Texas, Odessa

1-14     College serves an area of 30,000 square miles, the largest of any

1-15     community college in the state; mindful of their responsibility to

1-16     the area's residents, the school's faculty and staff strive to

1-17     ensure the relevance and timeliness of the school's programs, and

1-18     their occupational and technical courses have created new

1-19     opportunities in life for countless students; and

1-20           WHEREAS, Odessa College administrators and educators are also

1-21     committed to extending the benefits of education to as many people

1-22     as possible, and to this end the school annually awards $3.5

1-23     million in financial aid, including more than $150,000 in academic

1-24     scholarships; and

 2-1           WHEREAS, In addition to its scholastic offerings, Odessa

 2-2     College is widely known for the excellence of its athletic programs

 2-3     and holds 43 national titles, a junior college record; more than

 2-4     500 National Junior College All-Americans have distinguished

 2-5     themselves on the school's teams, which include women's basketball,

 2-6     cross country, track, and rodeo, and men's baseball, basketball,

 2-7     golf, and rodeo; and

 2-8           WHEREAS, Staff, students, faculty, and friends of Odessa

 2-9     College will mark the school's golden anniversary with a gala

2-10     commemoration that will include an arts festival, sports center

2-11     open house, barbecue, and dance, and even as the celebration's

2-12     participants take pride and satisfaction in the school's remarkable

2-13     record of success, they can look forward to the challenges and

2-14     opportunities of the years to come; now, therefore, be it

2-15           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-16     Legislature hereby congratulate all those associated with Odessa

2-17     College on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and extend to them

2-18     sincere best wishes for continued success in the future; and, be it

2-19     further

2-20           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-21     prepared for display at Odessa College as an expression of high

2-22     regard by the Texas House of Representatives.