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            |  | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 515 | 
         
            |  | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to | 
         
            |  | recognize Blinn College on the occasion of its 140th | 
         
            |  | anniversary; and | 
         
            |  | WHEREAS, Blinn College opened its doors in 1883 as Mission | 
         
            |  | Institute; the institution originally served as a Methodist | 
         
            |  | ministry school for young men; over the next few years, secular | 
         
            |  | courses were added, and in 1888, the Institute was made | 
         
            |  | coeducational; the name was changed to Blinn College in 1934, and | 
         
            |  | in 1937, Blinn College became the first county-owned junior | 
         
            |  | college district in Texas; today, it serves as one of the state's | 
         
            |  | largest public community college districts and a premier | 
         
            |  | academic establishment for Texans; and | 
         
            |  | WHEREAS, With campuses in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, and | 
         
            |  | Sealy and with The Texas A&M University System RELLIS Campus, | 
         
            |  | Blinn College offers freshman- and sophomore-level courses, as | 
         
            |  | well as a variety of training programs; the college has received | 
         
            |  | national recognition for affordability, with tuition and fees | 
         
            |  | that are almost 40 percent less than those of the average state | 
         
            |  | university in Texas; and | 
         
            |  | WHEREAS, Blinn College started with three students in 1883 | 
         
            |  | and has grown to serve a diverse body of 17,000 students across | 
         
            |  | five campuses; the college offers high-quality education and | 
         
            |  | training in a broad range of disciplines for students in Central | 
         
            |  | Texas, and it has helped to provide opportunities for students to | 
         
            |  | shape their futures by learning the skills they need to discover | 
         
            |  | and succeed in their careers; and | 
         
            |  | WHEREAS, Blinn College has played an important role in | 
         
            |  | higher education in Texas for 140 years, and it is truly fitting | 
         
            |  | that this exemplary institution be celebrated for its many | 
         
            |  | contributions to our state; now, therefore, be it | 
         
            |  | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th | 
         
            |  | Legislature, hereby commend the administrators, faculty, and | 
         
            |  | staff of Blinn College on their outstanding commitment to | 
         
            |  | excellence in education and extend to all congratulations on the | 
         
            |  | school's 140th anniversary and best wishes for success in the | 
         
            |  | years ahead; and, be it further | 
         
            |  | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for | 
         
            |  | Blinn College as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. | 
         
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            |  | Kolkhorst | 
         
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                     | Bettencourt | Hinojosa | Parker |  | 
         
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                     | Campbell | Johnson | Schwertner |  | 
         
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                     | Eckhardt | LaMantia | Springer |  | 
         
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                     | Gutierrez | Middleton | Whitmire |  | 
         
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            |  | Patrick, President of the Senate | 
         
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            |  |  | ________________________________ | 
         
            |  |  | President of the Senate | 
         
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            |  |  | I hereby certify that the | 
         
            |  |  | above Resolution was adopted by | 
         
            |  |  | the Senate on May 4, 2023. | 
         
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            |  |  | ________________________________ | 
         
            |  |  | Secretary of the Senate | 
         
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            |  |  | ________________________________ | 
         
            |  |  | Member, Texas Senate |