84R15355 BPG-D
By: Giddings H.R. No. 1221
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Academic Bridge Program at The University of
Texas at Dallas has benefited hundreds of students over the past 15
years; and
WHEREAS, A summer scholarship initiative, ABP was
established in 2000 by Dr. George Fair, dean of the School of
Interdisciplinary Studies, to attract, support, and retain
promising graduates of Dallas-area urban high schools who had not
completed the full university-track curriculum; the program
assists select incoming freshmen with the transition from high
school through advising, mentoring, and tutoring; it annually
enrolls about 160 young men and women, most of whom are
first-generation college students; and
WHEREAS, Participants in ABP also gain experience in the
social aspects of college life by engaging in cultural awareness
activities and community service projects; over the years, many of
the program's alumni have gone on to become campus leaders and have
volunteered at their old high schools to recruit prospective ABP
students; and
WHEREAS, The program has achieved impressive results;
approximately 90 percent of ABP students return to the university
as sophomores, and the 70 percent graduation rate of its
participants is significantly higher than state and national
averages; moreover, some 30 percent of ABP alumni are enrolled in
graduate school, and 20 percent have already completed advanced
degrees; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception, the Academic Bridge Program has
helped young Texans build a strong foundation for success in higher
education, and in so doing, it has played an important role in
preparing them for the many challenges and opportunities that lie
ahead; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby honor the Academic Bridge Program at The
University of Texas at Dallas for its contributions and extend to
all those associated with the program sincere best wishes for the
future.