TITLE: Recognizing February 19, 2025, as Prairie View A&M University Day.

SUMMARY: Recognizing February 19, 2025, as Prairie View A&M University Day.

FULL TEXT:
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. Reynolds Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 246 was adopted by the House on March 13, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House