SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 55 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton in honor of the 175th anniversary of the university's founding, which was celebrated in 2020; and WHEREAS, The university traces its roots to February 1, 1845, when the Republic of Texas approved the charter for the first Baptist university west of the Mississippi; named Baylor University, it was established in Independence with coeducational classes and a collegiate preparatory department; separate men's and women's departments were created in 1851, and in 1886, the women's department relocated to Belton as Baylor Female College; that same year, the men's department consolidated with Waco University and retained the name Baylor University; and WHEREAS, The Belton campus was renamed Baylor College for Women in 1925, Mary Hardin-Baylor College in 1934, and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 1978; the university's many historical accomplishments include founding the first journalism school in a college for women in the United States and becoming the first Texas Baptist university to enjoy full membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and WHEREAS, Today, UMHB serves a diverse enrollment of more than 3,900 students from 31 countries and offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs that include business administration, education, fine arts, engineering, nursing, pre-veterinary medicine, physical therapy, and Christian studies; moreover, the university has invested over $135 million in new campus facilities in recent years; and WHEREAS, Students, faculty, and staff of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor may indeed take great pride in their institution's long history of educational excellence and its ongoing contributions to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th Legislature, hereby commend the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on its outstanding educational programs and extend sincere congratulations to all those associated with the school on its success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor of this exemplary institution. Buckingham ________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 9, 2021. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate