H.R. No. 1683
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Amarillo College has been presented with the 2021
  Rising Star award from the Aspen Institute; and
         WHEREAS, The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program
  advances higher education practices and policies that
  significantly improve student learning, completion, and employment
  after college; the program biennially honors an institution with
  the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, and 2021 marks
  the first year that Amarillo College has been named a semifinalist
  for the prize; the school ultimately placed in the top five
  finalists and received the Rising Star award in recognition of its
  rapidly improving student outcomes; and
         WHEREAS, Serving some 13,000 students, Amarillo College has
  received praise for its robust social services division, which
  helps break down barriers to academic success by offering aid to
  individuals in need; upon enrollment at the college, students
  answer questions to assess various risk factors, and those that
  face the greatest challenges receive regular contact from social
  workers to ensure that they stay on track to graduate; this program
  was expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, with every staff member
  contributing to the outreach efforts; and
         WHEREAS, Among its many other initiatives, the social
  services division employs three full-time social workers, offers 10
  free sessions of mental health counseling, and provides emergency
  funds that can be accessed within 24 hours; in addition, the college
  established an affordable day care center; under the able
  leadership of AC president Russell Lowery-Hart, these efforts have
  produced outstanding results, and the college's graduation rate
  increased 18 percentage points over the course of five years; and
         WHEREAS, Amarillo College plays a vital role in providing
  students with the knowledge and skills necessary to build
  productive and fulfilling careers, and its well-deserved
  designation as one of the nation's premier community colleges is a
  testament to the dedication and perseverance of its administrators,
  faculty, and students; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
  Legislature hereby congratulate Amarillo College on its receipt of
  a Rising Star award from the Aspen Institute and extend to all those
  associated with the college sincere best wishes for continued
  success; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for the college as an expression of high regard by the
  Texas House of Representatives.
 
  Price
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 1683 was adopted by the House on May
  29, 2021, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House