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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A distinguished group from St. Mary's University is |
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gathering at the State Capitol on February 19, 2013, and their visit |
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offers a welcome opportunity to honor this respected Catholic |
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liberal arts institution; and |
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WHEREAS, The oldest university in San Antonio and the oldest |
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Catholic university in Texas, St. Mary's was established by |
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Marianist brothers and priests in 1852; its 135-acre campus |
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northwest of downtown is home to a diverse student body with a |
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current enrollment of approximately 4,000, and a 13 to 1 |
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student-to-faculty ratio fosters a close-knit and supportive |
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academic community; and |
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WHEREAS, St. Mary's has built a national reputation for the |
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quality of its programs and for fostering a spirit of civic |
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engagement; it is the alma mater of more than 300 elected officials, |
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who have served both our state and our nation with distinction; and |
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WHEREAS, More than 70 percent of the school's students |
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participate in community service activities, and the institution |
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has earned a number of honors for this notable achievement; the |
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Carnegie Foundation granted St. Mary's University its prestigious |
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Community Engagement Classification in recognition of the school's |
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mission-driven focus on academic rigor, community service, and |
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civic participation; in addition, the university was named to |
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President Obama's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll |
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with Distinction, while Washington Monthly magazine rated St. |
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Mary's first in the nation for promoting an ethic of service to |
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country, fostering scientific and humanistic research, and |
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performing as an engine of social mobility; moreover, the John |
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Templeton Foundation lists it as a College that Builds Character, |
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and the Princeton Review and Campus Compact named it one of the |
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nation's top Colleges with a Conscience; and |
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WHEREAS, St. Mary's has also been recognized by The Education |
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Trust as one of the nation's best universities for graduating |
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Hispanic students at the same rate as other students; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to its outstanding academic programs, |
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the school takes pride in its athletic record; it has won six |
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national titles in basketball, baseball, softball, and golf and is |
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home to 167 All-American Scholar athletes; and |
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WHEREAS, With Thomas M. Mengler, J.D., as its newly |
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inaugurated president, St. Mary's University continues to build on |
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its rich tradition of academic excellence while encouraging |
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leadership and service to the greater community; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby welcome the visiting members of the St. Mary's |
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University community to the State Capitol and honor the school for |
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its exceptional contributions to higher education. |