[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 137 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              GILBERT LEAL

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 5, 1998

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me today in 
recognizing Dr. J. Gilbert Leal, the president of Texas State Technical 
College (TSTC), where he has served for 20 years.
  Dr. Leal has proven his leadership in our community and in higher 
education. During his 20-year tenure, Dr. Leal has seen an enormous 
amount of growth on the physical campus itself, in the student 
population, and in the university budget. In 1969, when Dr. Leal joined 
the staff of TSTC, he began teaching in the educational and development 
programs under the Manpower Development Training Act.
  During his tenure as Migrant Counselor-Supervisor, his work with 
adult migrant education provided basic education to area migrant 
workers. It also shaped his thinking about the importance of adult 
education, particularly in the majority-Hispanic communities of South 
Texas.
  He was soon chosen to direct the Admissions and Records Department, a 
position he held for six years, until he was selected as campus 
president in 1978.
  Maintaining a positive working relationship with community business 
and industry is only one way Dr. Leal has followed the philosophy of 
TSTC to respond to the local unique educational and training needs. By 
capitalizing on education partnerships through a coordinated effort to 
utilize local, state, federal and private funds for continued growth at 
TSTC during the difficult years, Dr. Leal made it possible for the 
college to grow without creating an undue tax burden for area residents 
or students.
  In addition to his commitment to education and improving the 
standards by which we educate young people, he has shown his commitment 
to the community by chairing the Rural Health Scholarship Committee, 
serves on the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council Board of 
Directors and the Cameron County Workforce Council. He chaired the 
Valley Workforce Alliance, served on Task Force for Improving Quality 
Education in the Rio Grande Valley, as well as the Harlingen School 
Board of Trustees.
  I ask my colleagues today to join me in commending Dr. J. Gilbert 
Leal for the outstanding service he has given the South Texas 
community, educationally and otherwise. Also, I would like to thank 
Norma Leal, and their sons, Gilbert D. Michael, and Ricardo, for their 
generosity in sharing their husband and father with the community for 
so many years.

                          ____________________