TITLE: Congratulating Margaret McDermott of Dallas on being named the 2015 Texas Medal of Arts honoree for Individual Arts Patron by the Texas Cultural Trust.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Margaret McDermott of Dallas on being named the 2015 Texas Medal of Arts honoree for Individual Arts Patron by the Texas Cultural Trust.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Margaret McDermott of Dallas has been named the 2015 Texas Medal of Arts honoree for Individual Arts Patron by the Texas Cultural Trust; and WHEREAS, The Texas Medal of Arts program pays tribute to residents of the Lone Star State who have significantly benefited a variety of artistic disciplines in the state, either through personal achievement or through benevolent support; and WHEREAS, Mrs. McDermott has been a philanthropist and a pillar of her community for more than six decades; she and her husband, Texas Instruments cofounder Eugene McDermott, established the Eugene McDermott Foundation in 1955, and through the years, the initiative has provided millions of dollars in behalf of worthwhile civic, cultural, and educational endeavors and has assisted such notable institutions as The University of Texas at Dallas, the UT Health Science Center, the University of Dallas, the Dallas Public Library System, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Dallas County Community College District; and WHEREAS, A champion of accessible, high-quality education, Mrs. McDermott has been an invaluable advocate of the DCCCD since its inception in 1965, serving the system as the inaugural vice chair of the board of trustees and playing an instrumental part in the planning of the district's seven colleges; moreover, she generously donated funds for the installation of the Founders' Foyer at the DCCCD headquarters and for the construction of William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital at the UT Southwestern Medical Center; and WHEREAS, Mrs. McDermott's tireless efforts have been recognized with a number of prestigious accolades, including the Carolyn Helman Lichtenberg Crest Award from the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women and the Santa Rita Award, the highest honor bestowed by the UT Board of Regents; in addition, she has been named an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects, and the City of Dallas honored her with the dedication of the Margaret McDermott Bridge, for which she retained world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava to design a beautiful addition to the city's landscape; and WHEREAS, Margaret McDermott has long played a pivotal role in the arts community and in arts education in Texas, and her immeasurable contributions and selfless dedication have increased opportunities for others and enriched countless lives; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Margaret McDermott on her selection as the 2015 Texas Medal of Arts honoree for Individual Arts Patron by the Texas Cultural Trust and extend to her sincere appreciation for her unwavering commitment to the arts; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mrs. McDermott as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Meyer Straus Guerra Otto Allen Guillen Paddie Alonzo Gutierrez Parker Alvarado Harless Paul Anchia Hernandez Pe a Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips Ashby Huberty Pickett Aycock Hughes Price Bell Hunter Raney Blanco Isaac Raymond Bohac Israel Reynolds Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr. Button King of Parker Rose Canales King of Taylor Sanford Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer Clardy Klick Schofield Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Dale Laubenberg Smith Darby Leach Smithee Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer Davis of Harris Lozano Springer Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson Dukes M rquez Stickland Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt Fallon Men ndez Turner of Collin Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles VanDeaver Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White of Bell Galindo Mu oz, Jr. White of Tyler Geren Murphy Workman Giddings Murr Wray Goldman Naishtat Wu Gonzales Nev rez Zedler Gonz lez Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 594 was adopted by the House on February 25, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House