H.R. No. 1303
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Four students, Matthew Carrizal, Miguel Gonzalez,
  Courtney Osborn, and Lexi Villarreal, are graduating with
  certificates in interdisciplinary studies from Texas A&M
  University on May 11, 2023, as members of the inaugural class of the
  Aggie ACHIEVE program; and
         WHEREAS, Aggie ACHIEVE, which stands for Academic Courses in
  Higher Inclusive Education and Vocational Experiences, is a
  comprehensive transition program for young adults with
  intellectual and developmental disabilities who have exited high
  school; the program provides participants with an inclusive and
  immersive college education with the goal of successfully preparing
  them for employment in the community; and
         WHEREAS, With the program's launch in the fall of 2019, Texas
  A&M became the first university in the state to introduce a
  certificate-based higher education initiative of this kind for
  young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities;
  Aggie ACHIEVE is designed to enroll students for up to four years,
  and each student is matched with coursework, internship
  opportunities, and extracurricular activities that align with
  their academic interests and employment goals; students in the
  program take classes, live independently, complete internships on
  campus, and work part-time jobs both on campus and in the College
  Station community, in addition to participating in social,
  athletic, and recreational activities alongside their fellow
  Aggies; and
         WHEREAS, Created by Dr. Carly Gilson at the TAMU School of
  Education and Human Development, the Aggie ACHIEVE program was
  established based on research showing that students with
  intellectual and developmental disabilities who attend
  postsecondary inclusive programs have a higher rate of employment
  and earn higher wages than those who do not have such opportunities;
  the students enrolled in Aggie ACHIEVE also benefit from the
  support and mentorship of their peers in ACHIEVEMates, an
  organization formed by Texas A&M undergraduate students to help
  ACHIEVE participants reach their goals; and
         WHEREAS, The four members of the inaugural cohort of Aggie
  ACHIEVE have demonstrated hard work, dedication, and perseverance
  on their way to completing the program, and they are indeed
  deserving of special recognition for this accomplishment as they
  embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives; now, therefore,
  be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
  Legislature hereby honor the inaugural graduating class of the
  Aggie ACHIEVE program and extend to each student sincere best
  wishes for the future; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
  for the students as an expression of high regard by the Texas House
  of Representatives.
 
  Kacal
  Raney
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 1303 was adopted by the House on May
  6, 2023, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House