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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, St. Edward's University in Austin has received the |
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national Seal of Excelencia in recognition of its success in |
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serving Latino students; and |
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WHEREAS, The Seal of Excelencia is presented by Excelencia in |
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Education, a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower |
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Latino students to succeed in higher education; as one of only 39 |
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institutions in the country to receive this honor, St. Edward's |
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University earned the further distinction of being the first |
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private university in Texas, the second private university in the |
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U.S., and the only Catholic university to be awarded the three-year |
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certification to date; and |
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WHEREAS, St. Edward's University, which has been a |
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Hispanic-Serving Institution for over three decades, has developed |
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an infrastructure and a range of programming aimed at supporting |
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Latino students through qualitative and quantitative data; the |
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university pairs students with mentors, success coaches, and tutors |
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to assist them on their path to graduation, and it further tracks |
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data on employment, earnings, and debt to help ensure that Latino |
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alumni continue to thrive after graduation; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition, St. Edward's has increased access to |
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scholarships, paid internships, and experiential learning |
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opportunities for Latino students; in the spring of 2023, the |
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university received a grant of more than $2.1 million from the |
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Hector and Gloria López Foundation that provides full tuition |
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assistance for first-generation Latino college students, and in |
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summer 2023, it was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Hispanic Bar |
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Association of Austin to go toward an endowment for prelaw Hispanic |
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students; and |
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WHEREAS, St. Edward's University's receipt of the national |
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Seal of Excelencia acknowledges the institution's sustained |
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commitment to eliminating educational disparities and helping |
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Latino students achieve their higher education goals, and all those |
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involved in securing this designation are to be commended for their |
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efforts; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby congratulate St. Edward's |
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University on being awarded the Seal of Excelencia by Excelencia in |
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Education and extend to its administrators, faculty, staff, and |
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students sincere best wishes 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. |