[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E398-E399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       DR. VIDA DAVOUDI--CHANGING THE WORLD ONE STUDENT AT A TIME

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, today I have the privilege to recognize Dr. 
Vida Davoudi of Kingwood, TX. Her life as an Iranian immigrant turned 
proud American citizen is an inspirational tale of not only living the 
American Dream but of someone who diligently works daily to improve it 
for others.
  Her journey to success in America began early. With encouragement 
from her parents, they told her to dream big and that the key to great 
achievement was to obtain an education. While in high school, Davoudi 
became a foreign exchange student to the United States through the 
American Field Service Program as well as a sponsorship from a Rotary 
Club. For one year, she lived with an American family and fell in love 
with the democratic political system of the United States.
  After returning to Iran to graduate from high school, Dr. Davoudi 
participated in a competitive exam conducted by American International 
Development and was awarded a four-year, full scholarship to attend 
American University of Beirut. Continuing her journey of academic 
excellence, she returned to the United States to attend graduate school 
at Southern Illinois University.
  After Dr. Davoudi earned her masters and doctorate degrees in 
political science, she returned to her country and ran for a seat in 
the Iranian Parliament. Davoudi won and become the youngest member ever 
elected. She served for three years in the national assembly 
representing the city of Tehran and championed issues such as the 
abolition of polygamy and divorce law reform. She left Iran for the 
United States shortly before the Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1979.
  When Dr. Davoudi arrived in the United States, the only things she 
brought with her were a suitcase, her nine-year-old son and her 
education. Davoudi credits her education as the key ingredient to her 
success.
  ``Education was the only thing that enabled us to survive,'' she 
said. ``I have no doubt that education is the key to opening doors and 
improving lives financially and intellectually.''
  She was hired as a government professor at Kingwood College in 1989 
and has used the opportunity to impact the lives of numerous young 
people.
  For example, a recently divorced student approached Davoudi one day 
in tears. The young woman told her that she was having great difficulty 
coping with her divorce and wanted to drop her class. Davoudi told the 
woman that she would not let her withdraw, but instead would provide 
her with flexibility and whatever she needed in order to complete the 
course. The young lady successfully finished Davoudi's class and 
eventually became a practicing nurse. Years later, she was very 
thankful to Davoudi for not letting her quit during a difficult time in 
her life.
  Davoudi is also the faculty sponsor for the college's Student 
Government Association. She fosters leadership development in her 
students by actively encouraging them every year to seek state-level 
positions in the organization. Through her diligent efforts and advice,

[[Page E399]]

one of her former students was even elected to the highest level of 
State leadership as president of the Texas Junior College Student 
Government Association. She teaches her students not to simply attend 
college but to become leaders.
  In addition to pursuing state office positions within the 
organization, Davoudi has led the students of SGA at Kingwood College 
in multiple community service projects such as food, clothing and toy 
drives for non-profit organizations and local area shelters for abused 
women and children. In the words of one of her colleagues, Dr. Davoudi 
is ``changing the world one student at a time.''
  I salute Dr. Vida Davoudi for being a shining example of a 
distinguished scholar and advocate for lifelong learning. Her life and 
eternal gratitude for living in a country so richly blessed with 
opportunity and freedom is an inspiration to us all.

                          ____________________