SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 168
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
recognize Dr. Blandina C
rdenas, who is retiring from her
position as president of The University of Texas--Pan American on
January 30, 2009; and
WHEREAS, A well-known educator and civil rights advocate,
Dr. Blandina "Bambi" C
rdenas began her career as a teacher of
migrant preschool children in Del Rio in 1968; she later served
as director of Development of Innovative Programs at the Edgewood
Independent School District, where she designed an array of
programs that became national models and advanced the cause of
educational equity and excellence; and
WHEREAS, In 1977, she accepted a presidential appointment
as Commissioner of the Administration for Children, Youth and
Families in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare,
where she led a number of national programs, including the Head
Start Program, the Child Welfare Program, and the Child
Development Research Program; she served on the governing body of
the Inter-American Children's Institute of the Organization of
American States, and she has worked extensively with Mexican
universities and organizations, for which she earned induction
into the Orden del Aguila Azteca, the highest honor bestowed by
the government of Mexico on a noncitizen; and
WHEREAS, Dr. C
rdenas has an impressive history of
educational leadership and community service; she has served as
chairperson of the board of trustees of the Educational Testing
Service, as a founding member of the board of the Fundacion
Solidaridad Mexicana Americana, and as a member of the board of
the American Association of Higher Education; before her arrival
at The University of Texas--Pan American, she served as dean of
the College of Education and professor of educational leadership
at The University of Texas at San Antonio; and
WHEREAS, She was named president of The University of
Texas--Pan American in 2004 after a 10-month, nationwide search;
during her tenure, she has been responsible for a number of
initiatives that have distinguished the university and enhanced
student success, and she has guided the institution to a new era
in research in such fields as economics, border life, medicine,
and engineering; and
WHEREAS, For more than 30 years, Dr. C
rdenas has been a
strong, creative voice for expanded educational opportunity, and
she has earned numerous awards for her efforts to increase the
participation of underrepresented groups in higher education; in
2008, she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for her
distinguished work in higher education at the 12th Annual Ford
Salute to Education; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby commend Dr. Blandina C
rdenas on her
outstanding service to her state and nation in the field of
education and extend to her best wishes for the future; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
her as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
Hinojosa
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 10, 2009.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate