TITLE: Congratulating St. Edward's University in Austin on receiving the Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education.

SUMMARY: Congratulating St. Edward's University in Austin on receiving the Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, St. Edward's University in Austin has received the national Seal of Excelencia in recognition of its success in serving Latino students; and WHEREAS, The Seal of Excelencia is presented by Excelencia in Education, a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower Latino students to succeed in higher education; as one of only 39 institutions in the country to receive this honor, St. Edward's University earned the further distinction of being the first private university in Texas, the second private university in the U.S., and the only Catholic university to be awarded the three-year certification to date; and WHEREAS, St. Edward's University, which has been a Hispanic-Serving Institution for over three decades, has developed an infrastructure and a range of programming aimed at supporting Latino students through qualitative and quantitative data; the university pairs students with mentors, success coaches, and tutors to assist them on their path to graduation, and it further tracks data on employment, earnings, and debt to help ensure that Latino alumni continue to thrive after graduation; and WHEREAS, In addition, St. Edward's has increased access to scholarships, paid internships, and experiential learning opportunities for Latino students; in the spring of 2023, the university received a grant of more than $2.1 million from the Hector and Gloria L pez Foundation that provides full tuition assistance for first-generation Latino college students, and in summer 2023, it was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin to go toward an endowment for prelaw Hispanic students; and WHEREAS, St. Edward's University's receipt of the national Seal of Excelencia acknowledges the institution's sustained commitment to eliminating educational disparities and helping Latino students achieve their higher education goals, and all those involved in securing this designation are to be commended for their efforts; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby congratulate St. Edward's University on being awarded the Seal of Excelencia by Excelencia in Education and extend to its administrators, faculty, staff, and students sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the university as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Flores Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 23 was adopted by the House on November 1, 2023, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House