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