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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Southwestern University in Georgetown is |
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celebrating the 175th anniversary of its charter on February 5, |
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2015, and it is indeed fitting to recognize this significant |
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milestone in the history of the state's oldest chartered |
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institution of higher education; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1835, Colonel William B. Travis penned a letter |
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to the New York Christian Advocate calling for the establishment of |
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a Methodist presence in the new Republic of Texas, and five years |
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later, the first of Southwestern's four root colleges was |
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established through the visionary leadership of Methodist |
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missionary Martin Ruter; and |
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WHEREAS, The university built a reputation for scholarly |
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excellence, and as it earned wider recognition, its enrollment |
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grew, reaching 1,000 by 1978; eventually, the school eliminated |
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graduate programs in order to focus on undergraduates in the |
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liberal arts and sciences; in 1988, US News & World Report named |
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Southwestern the top regional liberal arts college in the nation, |
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and today, both that publication and USA Today College rank it among |
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the nation's top liberal arts colleges; and |
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WHEREAS, While maintaining a tradition of academic rigor, |
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with small classes and collaborative research opportunities, the |
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institution also fosters civic engagement and the exploration of |
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multiple perspectives to prepare graduates for the challenges of a |
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rapidly changing world; Southwestern students volunteer at twice |
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the national average rate, and half of all students study abroad; |
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most undergraduates also pursue leadership, service, and activism |
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roles in over 90 student organizations; demonstrating the |
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effectiveness of such a broad-based liberal arts education, more |
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than 90 percent of students find employment or gain acceptance into |
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graduate or professional programs within 10 months of graduation; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Southwestern University has a diverse |
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enrollment of over 1,500 students, and it remains true to its |
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mission, "fostering a liberal arts community whose values and |
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actions encourage contributions toward the well-being of |
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humanity"; over the course of 175 years, this noteworthy |
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institution has provided its students with an education that has |
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enriched them both academically and personally, and in so doing, it |
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has made important contributions to Texas and the world beyond; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 175th anniversary of the charter |
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of Southwestern University and extend to the institution's |
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administration, faculty, staff, and students sincere best wishes |
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for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the university as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |