TITLE: Honoring the inaugural graduating class of the Aggie ACHIEVE program.

SUMMARY: Honoring the inaugural graduating class of the Aggie ACHIEVE program.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Four students, Matthew Carrizal, Miguel Gonzalez, Courtney Osborn, and Lexi Villarreal, are graduating with certificates in interdisciplinary studies from Texas A&M University on May 11, 2023, as members of the inaugural class of the Aggie ACHIEVE program; and WHEREAS, Aggie ACHIEVE, which stands for Academic Courses in Higher Inclusive Education and Vocational Experiences, is a comprehensive transition program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have exited high school; the program provides participants with an inclusive and immersive college education with the goal of successfully preparing them for employment in the community; and WHEREAS, With the program's launch in the fall of 2019, Texas A&M became the first university in the state to introduce a certificate-based higher education initiative of this kind for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; Aggie ACHIEVE is designed to enroll students for up to four years, and each student is matched with coursework, internship opportunities, and extracurricular activities that align with their academic interests and employment goals; students in the program take classes, live independently, complete internships on campus, and work part-time jobs both on campus and in the College Station community, in addition to participating in social, athletic, and recreational activities alongside their fellow Aggies; and WHEREAS, Created by Dr. Carly Gilson at the TAMU School of Education and Human Development, the Aggie ACHIEVE program was established based on research showing that students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who attend postsecondary inclusive programs have a higher rate of employment and earn higher wages than those who do not have such opportunities; the students enrolled in Aggie ACHIEVE also benefit from the support and mentorship of their peers in ACHIEVEMates, an organization formed by Texas A&M undergraduate students to help ACHIEVE participants reach their goals; and WHEREAS, The four members of the inaugural cohort of Aggie ACHIEVE have demonstrated hard work, dedication, and perseverance on their way to completing the program, and they are indeed deserving of special recognition for this accomplishment as they embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature hereby honor the inaugural graduating class of the Aggie ACHIEVE program and extend to each student sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared for the students as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Kacal Raney Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1303 was adopted by the House on May 6, 2023, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House