CMAS 2023 Distinguished Lecturer: Julieta V. García - Persistence Counts

702 Planetarium Place,Arlington TX 76019

12 April, 2023

Description

About the Lecture: Drawing on her experiences as a public servant and community leader, Dr. García will discuss the significance of Hispanic/Latino representation in American society, politics, and higher education. About Julieta Villarreal García, Ph.D. Named the first Latina to serve as president of a college or university in the United States in 1986, Dr. García spearheaded the creation of The University of Texas at Brownsville and then served as its president for 22 years, graduating over 40,000 students and leading the design and establishment of the Brownsville campus. In 2011, she helped lead an effort to envision a new 21st Century University model that eventually consolidated two UT universities, established a medical school, and created The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Her life’s work has been focused on expanding higher education opportunities for the people of the Rio Grande Valley. In 2009, Time magazine named her one of the Top 10 College Presidents in the US and in 2014, she was recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. On July 7th of 2022, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe R. Biden for “transforming her hometown University of Texas Brownsville into a center of excellence for countless students who were inspired by her example. A trailblazer and mentor, Dr. García is considered one of the nation’s top university administrators who understands the power of education as the great equalizer in America.” Dr. García earned her Ph.D. in communication and linguistics from The University of Texas at Austin and her M.A. and B.A. in speech and English from the University of Houston. She is currently working with Texas 2036, a group of Texans studying how best to shape our future in Texas across seven core state policy areas. About the Distinguished Lecture: The CMAS Distinguished Lecture, a CMAS Signature Event, has highlighted the contributions of Mexican American, Latino/Hispanic, and Mexican scholars and public figures since 2006. The doors open at 5:45 pm. Reception before and after the lecture. Please reserve your seat. Avoid lines and having to sign in manually. Thank you for your cooperation.-CMAS