[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 20, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       COMMEMORATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE

                                 ______


                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 20, 1995
  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute Medgar Evers College as a 
beachhead of enlightenment in urban America which offers an 
institutional point-of-light as a model for all who care about 
education. Medgar Evers College is a liberal arts college, a community 
educational resource, and a pivotal cultural center for Central 
Brooklyn in New York.
  Twenty-five years ago, the college, named for the martyred civil 
rights leader, was established with a clear mandate--to provide access 
to higher education for the residents of Central Brooklyn.
  On September 28, the college will mark its 25th anniversary with a 
Founder's Day celebration that will include a commemorative ceremony in 
honor of the founders and a benefit dinner that will raise funds for 
student scholarships.
  In offering outstanding academic programs and a wide range of 
services designed to meet the needs of the community, Medgar Evers 
College, a unit of the City University of New York [CUNY], has amply 
demonstrated that it is fulfilling its noble mission.
  The college should be commended for the caliber of its innovative, 
career-oriented programs and the foresight it has demonstrated in 
providing needed services to area residents. Typical is the Small 
Business Development Center, which was created to deliver management 
assistance to small and minority-owned businesses in Central Brooklyn 
through courses, counseling, conferences, and seminars.
  With great personal pride, I have watched the birth, growth, and 
mature refinement of Medgar Evers College. As a commissioner of the 
Community Development Agency under Mayor John Lindsay, I assisted in 
the selection of the first Community Advisory Committee for the 
college. Several years later, as a member of the Higher Education 
Committee of the New York State Senate, I led the fight to retain the 
status of the youthful Medger Evers College as a senior college. This 
fight was successful; however, in later negotiations with the 
chancellor of CUNY, a compromise reduced the institution to a community 
college with a few senior college programs. Medgar Evers College must 
be congratulated for waging a long struggle which culminated in its 
1994 redesignation by the New York State Legislature as once more a 
full-fledged senior college.
  Special tribute must be paid to the leadership of this fine 
institution--its distinguished president, Dr. Edison O. Jackson; its 
capable and concerned administrative staff; and an experienced and 
dedicated faculty.
  At the benefit dinner, the college will present its first Uhuru 
Awards to Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams, chairperson of the board of the 
NAACP; Mrs. Coretta Scott King, chairperson of the board of the Center 
for Non-Violence in Atlanta; Dr. Betty Shabazz, the college's director 
of public affairs and cultural attache; Dr. Ramona Hoage Edelin, 
founder and CEO of the National Urban Coalition; and former 
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm.
  Dr. Jackson assumed the presidency of the college in 1989. These have 
been exciting years, as evidenced by the fact that during this time, 
enrollment nearly has tripled; bachelor's degree programs in 
environmental and computer science have been introduced, as well as an 
associate degree program in nursing; and a core curriculum has been 
created to strengthen liberal arts education.
  Just as significant is the ongoing effort by the college to 
internationalize its curriculum and thereby better prepare students to 
be a part of the global marketplace.
  In a recent report in which he articulated his vision for the future, 
President Jackson spoke of the need to chart the proper course, ``to 
ensure that Medgar Evers College achieves the greatness to which it is 
destined.'' He said further:

       [O]ur quest is to become one of the premiere institutions 
     in this city, state and nation . . . our intent is to create 
     an institution that will provide high quality academic 
     programs and student support services in response to the many 
     educational, social and economic contemporary challenges 
     facing the community they serve. This unique role which 
     Medgar Evers College is carving out for itself is adding to 
     the richness and diversity of the City University of New 
     York.

  Mr. Speaker, its achievements in its relatively brief but eventful 
history bodes well for a bright future for Medgar Evers College, and as 
it prepares for the 25th anniversary celebration, the college merits 
our congratulations and sincerest good wishes for continued success. 
This relatively new but vibrant institution is truly a Point-of-Light 
for urban communities throughout the Nation.


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