H.R. No. 1013

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Dr. Louis J. Agnese, Jr., is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his inauguration as president of the University of the Incarnate Word on March 25, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Now the longest-serving president of a comprehensive, four-year university in Texas, Dr. Agnese was 34 years old when he assumed the helm of UIW in 1985; under his guidance, the university has been transformed into a dynamic, innovative institution that is preparing its students for success in an increasingly interconnected global environment; and

WHEREAS, The impact that Dr. Agnese has had on UIW cannot be overstated; since his arrival, enrollment has surged from about 1,300 to more than 7,700, making the school the fourth-largest private university in Texas; at the same time, annual student aid has risen from $500,000 to more than $100 million, the endowment has increased from $3 million to over $80 million, and the operating budget has grown from $7 million to more than $160 million; and

WHEREAS, Similar expansion is evident in the school's academic programs; Dr. Agnese has overseen an increase in the number of majors offered, from 56 to nearly 80, along with the opening of the Feik School of Pharmacy and the Rosenberg School of Optometry; in addition, UIW now awards a Ph.D. in education, and it has won approval to begin conferring doctoral degrees in nursing practice and physical therapy; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Agnese has also promoted initiatives to make a UIW education more widely accessible; the school has launched a virtual university, which offers a number of degrees through online instruction, as well as a program that enables working adults in the San Antonio and Corpus Christi areas to complete a degree through accelerated study; moreover, UIW has opened academic sites in Mexico City and Guangzhou, China, where students can earn undergraduate degrees without leaving their country; and

WHEREAS, In keeping with the original focus of the university's founders on serving the people of South Texas, Dr. Agnese has promoted outreach efforts that have led to the school's demographic profile more closely mirroring that of the surrounding region; with Hispanic students now composing about half of its student body, UIW today enrolls the most Latinos of any private school in Texas, and it has been ranked as one of the top 100 universities serving Hispanics in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The great diversity of the student body is additionally reflected in the students' economic and religious backgrounds and in the fact that approximately 13 percent of the students come from foreign countries; so serious is Dr. Agnese about the importance of the international dimension that the university offers more than 70 study abroad programs and presents information on its website in Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean; and

WHEREAS, While greatly expanding the educational reach of UIW, Dr. Agnese has sought equally to honor the school's mission as a values-based, Catholic institution of higher learning; whatever students' religious affiliation might be, he believes it is vital that they grow in their faith through their academic experience; and

WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan currently serves on the boards of Adelante!--U.S. Education Leadership Fund and an online think tank, MATT.org--Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, as well as on the executive committee of the World Affairs Council of San Antonio; he is the recipient of numerous professional and civic honors, including most recently a Best and Brightest award from the University Roundtable of San Antonio and designation as an Outstanding Leader in Catholic Education by the Archdiocese of San Antonio; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Agnese holds a bachelor's degree from St. Mary of the Plains College, a master's degree and education specialist degree from Gannon University, and a doctorate in counselor education from the University of Pittsburgh; and

WHEREAS, The skillful, visionary leadership, deep experience, and tireless commitment that Dr. Louis Agnese has brought to his office as president of UIW have contributed immeasurably to the university's growing stature and to the transformative experience it provides to thousands of future leaders of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby honor Dr. Louis J. Agnese, Jr., on the 25th anniversary of his inauguration as president of the University of the Incarnate Word and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in all his endeavors; and, be it further

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

Lozano Branch Hunter McClendon

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 1013 was adopted by the House on March 24, 2011, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House