SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 638

WHEREAS, Representatives from Texas State Technical College are visiting the State Capitol on April 17, 2013, and this occasion provides a fitting opportunity to honor this notable institution; and

WHEREAS, Texas State Technical College was established by the 59th Texas Legislature in April of 1965 as the James Connally Technical Institute; created in order to meet the state's evolving workforce needs, the institute was originally part of Texas A&M University and was located on the soon-to-be-closed James Connally Air Force Base in Waco; Governor John Connally predicted at the time that the institute would become the most sophisticated technical-vocational institute in the country; and

WHEREAS, Today, nearly 50 years later, the Texas State Technical College System includes TSTC Harlingen, TSTC Marshall, TSTC Waco, and TSTC West Texas, which has campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, and Sweetwater; the system is the only state-supported two-year technical college system in Texas, and its mission is to help the Lone Star State meet the high-tech challenges of the current global economy; and

WHEREAS, The colleges in the system partner with businesses, government agencies, school districts, communities, and other colleges to provide students with highly specialized technical-vocational courses and occupation-oriented training programs that meet the rising demands of Texas industry; such collaborations have resulted in additional key centers in Fort Bend, Hondo, the Hutto-Taylor area, Ingleside, Pearland, and Zapata; and

WHEREAS, With more than 150 associate of applied science degree and certificate options, Texas State Technical College serves 12,000 students in credit programs alone, and over its nearly 50-year history it has graduated more than 93,500 students from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds; its students come from 220 of the 254 counties in Texas, and many of them have lived in rural areas with limited access to other institutions of higher education or workforce training; in addition to offering high-quality instruction to these students, Texas State Technical College provides an affordable option for them as one of Texas' best higher education investments; and

WHEREAS, With 13 locations across the state and a decades-long history of preparing students for success in well-paid jobs that further the progress of Texas industry, Texas State Technical College has fulfilled Governor Connally's prediction and become the most sophisticated technical-vocational teaching institution in the country; and

WHEREAS, The Texas State Technical College System is committed to helping its students become skilled leaders in tomorrow's workforce, and its efforts are contributing greatly to the educational and economic development of our state; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd Legislature, hereby recognize April 17, 2013, as Texas State Technical College Day at the State Capitol and extend to all those associated with the system sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for Texas State Technical College as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.

Birdwell, Eltife, Lucio, Schwertner

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 17, 2013.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate