| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Ismael Sosa, Jr., is retiring as president of |
|
|
Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde on July 31, 2013, after |
|
|
leading the institution for nearly a decade and a half and serving |
|
|
as a faculty member and administrator at the school throughout his |
|
|
impressive 45-year career; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A native of Cotulla, Ismael Sosa attended Sul Ross |
|
|
State University in Alpine, where he earned a bachelor's degree in |
|
|
1967 and a master's degree the following year; he started his |
|
|
notable tenure at SWTJC in 1968 as an English and Spanish |
|
|
instructor, and over the years, he assumed greater responsibilities |
|
|
as he was promoted to director of community services, assistant |
|
|
dean of students, dean of student services, and then dean of |
|
|
admissions and student services; he was named president of the |
|
|
college in 1999; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Sosa has overseen a number of achievements for |
|
|
Southwest Texas Junior College, including significant growth in |
|
|
enrollment and expanded facilities and course offerings in Uvalde, |
|
|
Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Crystal City, Pearsall, and Hondo; the college |
|
|
was also placed in the top 10 percent of community colleges in the |
|
|
nation by the Aspen Institute in 2011; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Sosa has served as chair of the Rural Community |
|
|
College Alliance, a national coalition of 160 schools; he is a |
|
|
member of the National Council on Student Development and the Texas |
|
|
Community College Teachers Association; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Active in the greater community, he served on the |
|
|
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Board for nine |
|
|
years, including four years as its president, and as vice president |
|
|
of the board of Education Service Center Region 20; he has been a |
|
|
member of the board of the United Way of Uvalde, the Community |
|
|
Council of Southwest Texas, the El Progreso Library, and the Dale |
|
|
Evans Sheltered Day Care Center; he was named Uvaldean of the Year |
|
|
by the Uvalde Chamber of Commerce in 2011; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Dr. Sosa draws inspiration |
|
|
and support from his wife, Eunice, whom he met while studying at Sul |
|
|
Ross; he is the proud father of three children, Dr. Virginia Sosa |
|
|
Cox, Dr. Ismael Sosa III, and Joshua Sosa, and he has four beloved |
|
|
grandchildren, Ryan Kenton Cox, Landon Cox, Jillian Alexis Sosa, |
|
|
and Sophia Elisa Sosa; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Southwest Texas Junior College has been greatly |
|
|
enriched by the dedication and vision that Dr. Ismael Sosa has |
|
|
brought to the institution, and his contributions to his community |
|
|
and the Lone Star State merit special recognition; now, therefore, |
|
|
be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby honor Dr. Ismael Sosa, Jr., on the occasion of |
|
|
his retirement as president of Southwest Texas Junior College and |
|
|
extend to him sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be |
|
|
it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Dr. Sosa as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
|
House of Representatives. |