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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, For nearly 150 years, Prairie View A&M University |
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has served as a beacon of opportunity for its diverse student body, |
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and its graduates have gone on to contribute to the social, |
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economic, and cultural fabric of society; and |
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WHEREAS, Prairie View A&M University is the second-oldest |
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public institution of higher education in Texas as well as its first |
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state-supported college for African Americans; the institution was |
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founded during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War, with |
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the 15th Texas Legislature establishing it as Alta Vista |
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Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth in |
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1876; and |
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WHEREAS, The university's first class of students, eight |
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young African American men, began their studies at the campus in |
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1878; it was originally designated as a normal school for the |
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training of teachers, but after it was approved as a branch campus |
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of the Agricultural Experiment Station and as a Land Grant College, |
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its curriculum expanded to include the arts and sciences, home |
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economics, agriculture, mechanical arts, and nursing; a four-year |
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senior college program was introduced in 1919, and a division of |
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graduate studies, which offered master's degrees in agricultural |
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economics, school administration, and other subjects, was added in |
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1937; by an act of the 63rd Texas Legislature, the institution |
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adopted its present-day name, Prairie View A&M University, in 1973; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Prairie View A&M has grown considerably over the |
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course of its long history, and during the fall 2024 semester, it |
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posted a record-breaking enrollment of nearly 9,900 students; the |
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university offers more than 70 degree programs through its eight |
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colleges and schools, including areas of study as varied as |
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engineering, natural sciences, business, and criminal justice; |
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situated on a picturesque campus in rural Prairie View, it welcomes |
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students from across the United States and from many foreign |
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countries, and it seeks to invest in programs and services that |
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address the challenges facing the state's diverse ethnic and |
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socioeconomic groups, as well as those facing society and the world |
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at large; and |
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WHEREAS, Since its founding, Prairie View A&M University has |
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equipped generations of students with the knowledge and skills |
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necessary to take their place as leaders in the global community, |
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and it is a privilege to recognize this venerable institution and |
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the contributions that its graduates have made to the Lone Star |
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State and beyond; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 19, 2025, as Prairie View A&M |
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University Day and extend to all those associated with the school |
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sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Prairie View A&M as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |