R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, South Texas Community College (STCC) has named its 1-2 new Nursing and Allied Health Center after Dr. Ramiro R. Casso, a 1-3 leader in Valley health care for more than 40 years and the 1-4 school's vice president for institutional advancement; and 1-5 WHEREAS, Dr. Casso has been described as a South Texas icon 1-6 because of his unceasing efforts to improve health care for Valley 1-7 residents, especially for indigent and low-income patients; a 1-8 McAllen physician for 37 years before joining STCC, he has long 1-9 worked at the local, state, and national levels to address the need 1-10 for adequate health care; and 1-11 WHEREAS, In 1995, shortly after retiring from his medical 1-12 practice, Dr. Casso agreed to aid STCC in its search for a director 1-13 of the allied health division; he subsequently consented to become 1-14 the interim division director, pending the arrival of the 1-15 successful candidate; after a semester with the school, Dr. Casso 1-16 was promoted to executive director of allied health development; 1-17 and 1-18 WHEREAS, Since his arrival at STCC, the number of students 1-19 enrolled in the allied health division has risen from 100 to more 1-20 than 1,800; many of these students have been aided by another of 1-21 Dr. Casso's projects, the Valley Scholars program, which provides 1-22 scholarships to the top five percent of graduating high school 1-23 seniors; and 1-24 WHEREAS, After nearly four decades of striving to improve 2-1 health care in the Valley, Dr. Casso now helps guide a rapidly 2-2 expanding enterprise to train health care workers for this region; 2-3 in addition to its growth in enrollment, the division offers an 2-4 ever-increasing number of health-related programs, including three 2-5 new ones that will be offered in the fall of 2001; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Dr. Casso's work has also involved securing 2-7 donations, grants, and other resources to support the college's 2-8 mission; he raised more than half of the $6.5 million required to 2-9 build the new four-story allied health center, and he has recently 2-10 obtained contributions from local hospitals that will help increase 2-11 the annual number of students graduating with an associate degree 2-12 in nursing from 45 to 120; and 2-13 WHEREAS, A physician, health care activist, community 2-14 stalwart, and now a passionately committed leader in health care 2-15 education, Dr. Casso has contributed immeasurably to the welfare of 2-16 Valley residents, and it is indeed a privilege and a great pleasure 2-17 to recognize him at this time; now, therefore, be it 2-18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-19 Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Ramiro R. Casso on the naming 2-20 of the STCC Nursing and Allied Health Center in his honor and 2-21 extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his 2-22 worthy endeavors; and, be it further 2-23 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-24 prepared for Dr. Casso as an expression of high regard by the Texas 2-25 House of Representatives. Flores _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 657 was adopted by the House on April 24, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House