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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Garza, president of Palo Alto College of |
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| 8 | 9 | | the Alamo Colleges District in San Antonio, has been named a 2025 |
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| 9 | 10 | | recipient of the Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership |
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| 10 | 11 | | Excellence in the Education Sector; and |
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| 11 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Appointed president by the Alamo Colleges District |
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| 12 | 13 | | Board of Trustees, Dr. Garza took office on September 10, 2018; he |
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| 13 | 14 | | went on to make a noteworthy impact in his first year at the helm, |
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| 14 | 15 | | spearheading a fundraising campaign that resulted in a record $1.3 |
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| 15 | 16 | | million commitment for scholarships for students and employees; |
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| 16 | 17 | | moreover, Palo Alto College's sterling reputation contributed to |
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| 17 | 18 | | all five Alamo Colleges being honored with a Malcolm Baldrige |
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| 18 | 19 | | National Quality Award, and the campus was named a Rising Star by |
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| 19 | 20 | | the prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence |
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| 20 | 21 | | program in 2019; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Garza has overseen an era of rapid progress for |
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| 22 | 23 | | the institution; a new multipurpose building, the Rio Grande, |
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| 23 | 24 | | opened in 2023, providing specialized spaces for programs in |
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| 24 | 25 | | advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, robotics, |
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| 25 | 26 | | cybersecurity, dental hygiene, and more; in addition, he has worked |
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| 26 | 27 | | to build engagement with south Bexar County residents through |
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| 27 | 28 | | existing programming as well as new community events and |
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| 28 | 29 | | initiatives, including Educate South, which focuses on public and |
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| 29 | 30 | | private partnerships that develop educational awareness at the |
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| 30 | 31 | | earliest levels of schooling; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, In recognition of his achievements, Dr. Garza |
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| 32 | 33 | | received the V. Ray Cardozier Alumni Excellence Award from The |
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| 33 | 34 | | University of Texas at Austin; a member of the board of the Alamo |
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| 34 | 35 | | Collegiate Network, he has also served the wider community on the |
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| 35 | 36 | | boards of Catch the Next, Inc., the Hot Wells Conservancy, the |
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| 36 | 37 | | Mexican American Civil Rights Institute, and Texas Vista Medical |
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| 37 | 38 | | Center; and |
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| 38 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Garza first joined the Alamo Colleges District |
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| 39 | 40 | | in 1999, and he previously excelled in such roles as vice president |
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| 40 | 41 | | of student success and dean of community development and |
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| 41 | 42 | | partnerships; he holds a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M |
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| 42 | 43 | | University, a master's degree in public administration from UT San |
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| 43 | 44 | | Antonio, and a doctorate in educational administration from UT |
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| 44 | 45 | | Austin; and |
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| 45 | 46 | | WHEREAS, Through his adept and forward-looking leadership, |
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| 46 | 47 | | Robert Garza has significantly advanced the important mission of |
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| 47 | 48 | | Palo Alto College, and he is richly deserving of this national |
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| 48 | 49 | | accolade; now, therefore, be it |
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| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 50 | 51 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Robert Garza on his receipt of |
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| 51 | 52 | | a 2025 Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence in the |
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| 52 | 53 | | Education Sector and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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| 53 | 54 | | continued success; and, be it further |
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| 54 | 55 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 55 | 56 | | prepared for Dr. Garza as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 56 | 57 | | House of Representatives. |
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