80R20763 JGH-D

By: McClendon H.R. No. 2473

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Five outstanding students from The University of Texas at San Antonio make up the second class of the McClendon Legislative Service Scholars Program, and as the 80th Legislative Session draws to a close, it is indeed appropriate to recognize these dedicated interns; and

WHEREAS, Created by Representative Ruth Jones McClendon in August 2004, the McClendon Legislative Service Scholars Program is a collaborative initiative with the UTSA Institute of Law and Public Affairs; coordinated by the institute's director and UTSA political science professor Richard Gambitta, the program gives undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to serve as interns in the Texas House of Representatives during regular legislative sessions; selected by a UTSA scholarship committee based on academic credentials as well as such criteria as good judgment, independent thinking, and professionalism, the interns are assigned to work in the offices of members of the house throughout the session; and

WHEREAS, An intern in the office of Representative Jim Pitts and a biology major, Patric Hernandez is a member of the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society and attended the Maximum Impact Leadership Conference of 2006; a recipient of the UTSA International Education Fund Scholarship and the UTSA Honors College Presidential Scholarship, he has studied in New Zealand and served as an intern in U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's office, and he looks forward to a career in the field of science and public policy; and

WHEREAS, Crystal Longoria has earned a Certificate in Legal Reasoning from the UTSA Institute for Law and Public Affairs as well as a USAA Criminal Justice Scholarship and a Bill Archer Fellowship; majoring in both criminal justice and political science, she has served as an intern in the office of Representative Jim McReynolds; a former intern with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C., she has volunteered with the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and has worked as a tutor with the Tomas Rivera Center; Ms. Longoria plans to work to improve the funding of public education; and

WHEREAS, A graduate student in political science, Margaret Richardson has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in political science; she is a voting member of the UTSA Tuition and Fees Committee and a founding member of the Initium journal, and she has worked as a volunteer in the special bond election for Alamo Community College; an intern in the office of Representative Jose Menendez, she hopes to use her internship as a foundation for becoming an advocate for her community; and

WHEREAS, Also a political science graduate student, Melissa Rosser earned her bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in sociology; a former summer intern with the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington, D.C., she has served as a teaching assistant for the UTSA political science department and a research assistant for the UTSA Media and Elections Studio; she has been an officer of the Sam Houston Democrats and a volunteer for various campaigns with the Walker County Democratic Party; this session, she has served as an intern in the office of Representative Dawnna Dukes; and

WHEREAS, Joel Tabar, a criminal justice major and the holder of a Certificate in Legal Reasoning, has held office as president of the Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society, vice president of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, and Sergeant-at-Arms of the Omega Nu Epsilon Criminal Justice Fraternity; he has served his country in the Air Force ROTC and works as a supplemental instructor in criminal justice at UTSA; an intern for Representative McClendon, he has worked with the UTSA Voter Registration Drive and Habitat for Humanity and looks forward to a future in public policy; and

WHEREAS, These dedicated students have provided vital support services to the legislature throughout the session while gaining important firsthand experience in government, and it is a pleasure to recognize the contributions of these accomplished young people as well as the role of this exceptional program in preparing our future generation of leaders; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby commend the McClendon Legislative Service Scholars Program on its successful second year and extend to Patric Hernandez, Crystal Longoria, Margaret Richardson, Melissa Rosser, and Joel Tabar sincere best wishes for success in all their endeavors; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the interns as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.