SLS 15RS-2790 ORIGINAL 2015 Regular Session SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 126 BY SENATOR GUILLORY COMMENDATIONS. Commends Leodrey Williams for his contributions and service to the state of Louisiana. 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2 To commend Dr. Leodrey Williams for his contributions to the field of agriculture and 3 decades of service to the state of Louisiana. 4 WHEREAS, Leodrey Williams earned a bachelor of science degree from Southern 5 University in Vocational Agricultural Education in 1961; and 6 WHEREAS, in 1965, after completing his military service, Dr. Williams began his 7 distinguished career with Louisiana State University Cooperative Extension Service as an 8 Associate County Agent for Richland Parish working in the areas of agricultural crop 9 production and community resource development; and 10 WHEREAS, in 1970, Dr. Williams earned his masters degree and began work as a 11 specialist in agricultural programs at the Southern University Cooperative Extension 12 Program in 1972; and 13 WHEREAS, Dr. Williams was employed with the Southern University Cooperative 14 Extension Program where he was instrumental in the development of the Cooperative 15 Extension department; and 16 WHEREAS, in 1975, Dr. Williams earned his Doctor of Education degree and began 17 working for Louisiana State University as director of Equal Employment Opportunity and 18 Civil Rights and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Extension and International Page 1 of 2 SCR NO. 126 SLS 15RS-2790 ORIGINAL 1 Education the following year; and 2 WHEREAS, in 1980, he returned to work at Southern University as the 3 Administrator of the Cooperative Extension Program; and 4 WHEREAS, Dr. Williams was appointed Special Assistant to the United States 5 Department of Agriculture Extension Administrator in 1993, and went on to become the 6 National Director of Extension a few months later; and 7 WHEREAS, after the creation of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and 8 Extension Service in 1994, Dr. Williams was appointed the Associate Administrator; and 9 WHEREAS, in July 1995, Dr. Williams returned to Southern University as the State 10 Extension Administrator; and 11 WHEREAS, Dr. Williams became the first chancellor for the newly developed 12 Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, the fifth campus of the 13 Southern University System, a position he has held for the last fourteen years; and 14 WHEREAS, Dr. Williams has been a mentor and advisor in various fields related to 15 agriculture to farmers, educators, and researchers in North America, South America, Africa, 16 and Asia; and 17 WHEREAS, Dr. Williams has a long history of service and continues to advocate for 18 the mission of the Historical Black Land Grant Universities. 19 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana commends Dr. 20 Leodrey Williams for more than fifty years of service, knowledge, skill, and enthusiasm to 21 the citizens of Louisiana, Louisiana State University, and the Southern University and A&M 22 College System. 23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Dr. 24 Leodrey Williams. The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Margaret M. Corley. DIGEST SCR 126 Original 2015 Regular Session Guillory Commends Dr. Leodrey Williams for decades of service and contributions in the field of agriculture. Page 2 of 2