1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 482 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pleasure 1-4 in recognizing the winners of the Circle Awards at the Circle 1-5 Awards Scholarship Fashion Show and Recognition Luncheon honoring 1-6 Female Ministers and Ministers' Wives given by the members of 1-7 Omicron Gamma Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, 1-8 of Clear Lake, Texas; and 1-9 WHEREAS, On Sunday, April 18, 1999, the Scholarship Fashion 1-10 Show will be held at the Houston Marriott Hotel-West Loop at 1-11 3:00 p.m.; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, was 1-13 established at Howard University in 1920; the sorority held 1-14 its first convention, called a Boule, in December, 1920, in 1-15 Washington, D.C.; and 1-16 WHEREAS, The concept of the founders was that the sorority 1-17 would reach college women who were interested in belonging to a 1-18 sorority, and who wanted to observe the ideals of scholarship, 1-19 finer womanhood, service, and sisterly love; and 1-20 WHEREAS, The sorority includes women with baccalaureate, 1-21 master's, and doctoral degrees, both earned and honorary; the 1-22 membership includes women from all professions and fields of study, 1-23 including engineering, law, medicine, music, and psychology; and 1-24 WHEREAS, There are more than 500 chapters divided into nine 2-1 regions in the United States and Africa; in 1948, a graduate 2-2 and an undergraduate chapter were started in Liberia, and the 2-3 sorority now has chapters in Nassau, Anchorage, Germany, 2-4 Saint Croix, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria; the sorority supports 2-5 itself through annual dues; and 2-6 WHEREAS, In 1990, nine sorors met to establish the Omicron 2-7 Gamma Zeta Chapter, and on December 31, 1990, the chapter was 2-8 accepted with nine charter members; in 1994, the young chapter 2-9 co-hosted the Southern Regional Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, 2-10 Incorporated, 65th Anniversary Regional Board Meeting and Youth 2-11 Retreat; and 2-12 WHEREAS, The Omicron Gamma Zeta Chapter aims to enhance the 2-13 quality of life within the community and is a source of strength 2-14 and information to its many members, helping individuals to meet 2-15 the educational and economic challenges of today's world; and 2-16 WHEREAS, Reverend Doctor Janice Gilbert, Sister Alice Moten, 2-17 Doctor Emma Joahanne Thomas-Smith, Reverend Mary Jane Van Dussen, 2-18 Reverend Gwenn Pierre, Reverend Audrey L. Mitchell, and 2-19 Mary Griffin Jones are the Circle Award honorees; and 2-20 WHEREAS, The winners of these awards are each outstanding 2-21 citizens in their communities, and their ministrations have 2-22 earned them the respect and admiration of their colleagues; now, 2-23 therefore, be it 2-24 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-25 76th Legislature, hereby congratulate the winners of the 2-26 Circle Awards at the luncheon honoring them; and, be it further 3-1 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the 3-2 winners as an expression of the highest regard of the Texas Senate. 3-3 Whitmire 3-4 ______________________________________ 3-5 President of the Senate 3-6 I hereby certify that the above 3-7 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-8 on March 25, 1999. 3-9 ______________________________________ 3-10 Secretary of the Senate 3-11 ______________________________________ 3-12 Member, Texas Senate