By Farrar H.R. No. 1000 75R15266 JHS-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The University of Houston's Urban Experience Program 1-2 (UEP) is committed to providing assistance to underrepresented 1-3 college students as they prepare to move into an ever-changing 1-4 workforce; and 1-5 WHEREAS, This unique and progressive program works to expand 1-6 the opportunities for students seeking higher education by 1-7 providing a base of support networks that will allow them to grow 1-8 both emotionally and intellectually; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Among the many forms of assistance provided by UEP 1-10 are mentoring, mandatory tutorials, and life skills workshops, and 1-11 these programs provide students with the tools to maintain good 1-12 work as well as study habits; and 1-13 WHEREAS, During its three years of existence, UEP has 1-14 experienced great success, boasting an 86 percent retention rate 1-15 that far exceeds the national average of 34 percent; students 1-16 participating in this program also have posted consistently higher 1-17 grade point averages than those of their academic counterparts; and 1-18 WHEREAS, In addition, many of these students have earned 1-19 prestigious internships to nationally recognized companies and 1-20 organizations, and the program itself has established important 1-21 partnerships and alliances with a number of noteworthy corporations 1-22 and nonprofit groups; now, therefore, be it 1-23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 1-24 Legislature hereby recognize the University of Houston's Urban 2-1 Experience Program and its efforts to promote diversity in 2-2 college-level education and to encourage the success of 2-3 underrepresented students.