Commending Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, for 100 years of service to the State of Mississippi and the United States.

Commending Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, for 100 years of service to the State of Mississippi and the United States.

Whereas, on February 19, 1924, Mississippi State Senator W.B. Roberts and Mississippi State Senator Arthur L. Marshall introduced Mississippi Senate Bill 263, and on April 9, 1924, Mississippi Governor Henry L. Whitfield signed Mississippi Senate Bill 263 into law, creating Delta State Teachers College;

Whereas Delta State Teachers College opened its doors officially on September 15, 1925, to 97 students and 11 faculty;

Whereas the first graduation at Delta State was held in June 1928, with 13 students receiving Bachelor of Science degrees;

Whereas the Delta Council was organized at Delta State on March 5, 1935, and Delta State President William M. Kethley served as its first president;

Whereas the Marshall Plan was first announced at Delta State by Under Secretary of State Dean Acheson on May 8, 1947;

Whereas Delta State Teachers College officially became Delta State College on February 16, 1955;

Whereas, in the summer of 1965, Delta State added a graduate program, which was a great step forward in providing additional training for the excellent teachers it had been educating since its establishment;

Whereas, on March 15, 1974, Delta State College became Delta State University;

Whereas Delta State University worked to create the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area, which was officially designated by Congress in 2009 and is 1 of 55 National Heritage Areas in the United States designated by Congress to tell nationally important stories, celebrating the diverse heritage of the United States through community-based partnerships and local collaboration;

Whereas Delta State University partnered with the local community to attract to Cleveland, Mississippi, the Grammy Museum Mississippi, which opened on March 5, 2016, to honor Mississippi’s profound influence on music in the United States and inspire the next generation of creators;

Whereas the Delta State University Statesmen and Lady Statesmen are composed of the 15 intercollegiate varsity sports that represent Delta State University in the Gulf South Conference;

Whereas the Delta State University Statesmen and Lady Statesmen have a strong tradition of excellence in athletics, serving as charter members of the Gulf South Conference and boasting 14 national championships, including 6 in women’s basketball, 1 in baseball, 1 in football, and 6 in swimming and diving;

Whereas Delta State University is a 4-year public institution whose nearly 2,700 students come from most States of the United States and more than 35 countries;

Whereas, acknowledging its beginning as a teachers college, Delta State University sustains excellence in teacher education while continuing to expand offerings in traditional, as well as unique, fields of study;

Whereas programs such as those available through the Delta Music Institute, the Commercial Aviation Department, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Information highlight Delta State University’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the students it serves with world-leading, industry-acclaimed programs; and

Whereas, situated in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Delta State University offers top-notch academic programs in business, arts, sciences, nursing, education, and more: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) commends Delta State University for 100 years of service to the State of Mississippi and the United States;

(2) recognizes Delta State University for its academic, cultural, and athletic excellence; and

(3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to—

(A) the President of Delta State University, Dr. Daniel J. Ennis;

(B) the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Leslie Griffin; and

(C) the Director of Athletics, Mr. Mike Kinnison.