89R12995 BK-D
By: Reynolds H.R. No. 246
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, For nearly 150 years, Prairie View A&M University
has served as a beacon of opportunity for its diverse student body,
and its graduates have gone on to contribute to the social,
economic, and cultural fabric of society; and
WHEREAS, Prairie View A&M University is the second-oldest
public institution of higher education in Texas as well as its first
state-supported college for African Americans; the institution was
founded during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War, with
the 15th Texas Legislature establishing it as Alta Vista
Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth in
1876; and
WHEREAS, The university's first class of students, eight
young African American men, began their studies at the campus in
1878; it was originally designated as a normal school for the
training of teachers, but after it was approved as a branch campus
of the Agricultural Experiment Station and as a Land Grant College,
its curriculum expanded to include the arts and sciences, home
economics, agriculture, mechanical arts, and nursing; a four-year
senior college program was introduced in 1919, and a division of
graduate studies, which offered master's degrees in agricultural
economics, school administration, and other subjects, was added in
1937; by an act of the 63rd Texas Legislature, the institution
adopted its present-day name, Prairie View A&M University, in 1973;
and
WHEREAS, Prairie View A&M has grown considerably over the
course of its long history, and during the fall 2024 semester, it
posted a record-breaking enrollment of nearly 9,900 students; the
university offers more than 70 degree programs through its eight
colleges and schools, including areas of study as varied as
engineering, natural sciences, business, and criminal justice;
situated on a picturesque campus in rural Prairie View, it welcomes
students from across the United States and from many foreign
countries, and it seeks to invest in programs and services that
address the challenges facing the state's diverse ethnic and
socioeconomic groups, as well as those facing society and the world
at large; and
WHEREAS, Since its founding, Prairie View A&M University has
equipped generations of students with the knowledge and skills
necessary to take their place as leaders in the global community,
and it is a privilege to recognize this venerable institution and
the contributions that its graduates have made to the Lone Star
State and beyond; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize February 19, 2025, as Prairie View A&M
University Day and extend to all those associated with the school
sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Prairie View A&M as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.