H.R. No. 347
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Southwestern University in Georgetown is
celebrating the 175th anniversary of its charter on February 5,
2015, and it is indeed fitting to recognize this significant
milestone in the history of the state's oldest chartered
institution of higher education; and
WHEREAS, In 1835, Colonel William B. Travis penned a letter
to the New York Christian Advocate calling for the establishment of
a Methodist presence in the new Republic of Texas, and five years
later, the first of Southwestern's four root colleges was
established through the visionary leadership of Methodist
missionary Martin Ruter; and
WHEREAS, The university built a reputation for scholarly
excellence, and as it earned wider recognition, its enrollment
grew, reaching 1,000 by 1978; eventually, the school eliminated
graduate programs in order to focus on undergraduates in the
liberal arts and sciences; in 1988, US News & World Report named
Southwestern the top regional liberal arts college in the nation,
and today, both that publication and USA Today College rank it among
the nation's top liberal arts colleges; and
WHEREAS, While maintaining a tradition of academic rigor,
with small classes and collaborative research opportunities, the
institution also fosters civic engagement and the exploration of
multiple perspectives to prepare graduates for the challenges of a
rapidly changing world; Southwestern students volunteer at twice
the national average rate, and half of all students study abroad;
most undergraduates also pursue leadership, service, and activism
roles in over 90 student organizations; demonstrating the
effectiveness of such a broad-based liberal arts education, more
than 90 percent of students find employment or gain acceptance into
graduate or professional programs within 10 months of graduation;
and
WHEREAS, Today, Southwestern University has a diverse
enrollment of over 1,500 students, and it remains true to its
mission, "fostering a liberal arts community whose values and
actions encourage contributions toward the well-being of
humanity"; over the course of 175 years, this noteworthy
institution has provided its students with an education that has
enriched them both academically and personally, and in so doing, it
has made important contributions to Texas and the world beyond;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 175th anniversary of the charter
of Southwestern University and extend to the institution's
administration, faculty, staff, and students sincere best wishes
for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the university as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Farney
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 347 was adopted by the House on
February 19, 2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House