[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 19 (Tuesday, February 8, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E168-E169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING DR. JANET L. HOLMGREN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 8, 2011

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary career of Dr. Janet L. Holmgren as she retires from over 
20 years of transformative leadership as the president of my alma 
mater, Mills College, in Oakland, California. I can say with gratitude 
and admiration that, during her tenure, President Holmgren has 
propelled Mills into one of the most respected and successful liberal 
arts colleges in the United States.
  In addition to increasing enrollment while simultaneously elevating 
the academic profile of the College, President Holmgren has created a 
national model for women's education and increased educational 
opportunities for a diverse pool of talented women and men. Known for 
her thoughtful, strategic, creative and collaborative leadership 
ability, President Holmgren has been a staunch advocate for expanding 
educational access and student diversity. As one of the leading women's 
colleges in the country with an impressive roster of innovative coed 
graduate programs, Mills is also considered one of the nation's most 
diverse selective liberal arts colleges.
  Reflecting the renowned multiculturalism of the surrounding Oakland 
area and the entire 9th Congressional District, the Mills College 
undergraduate student population comprises 39 percent students of 
color, and is instructed by a teaching community that is 25 percent 
faculty of color (A large jump compared to 21 percent students of color 
and 5 percent faculty of color in 1991). President Holmgren has also 
been a highly effective fundraiser, enabling Mills to grow its 
endowment to $175 million. The College's most recent capital campaign, 
ending in 2004, exceeded its $100 million goal by $32 million. And in 
the 2008-2009 fiscal year, Mills raised over $18 million in crucial 
funding.
  In the past decade alone, President Holmgren's funding initiatives 
have resulted in over $100 million of capital improvements, including 
facilities to house the School of Education (offering Mills' first 
doctoral degree) and

[[Page E169]]

two environmentally sustainable facilities--the Betty Irene Moore 
Natural Sciences Building and the Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of 
Business.
  Additionally, President Holmgren's comprehensive leadership and long-
term vision led her to be an early adopter of the American College and 
Universities' Climate Commitment. She continues to make sustainability 
and environmental responsibility key tenets of Mills' current strategic 
plan and campus values, and these efforts have earned Mills a rating as 
one of the greenest colleges in the nation by The Princeton Review.
  A consummate leader and a dear friend, President Holmgren has been a 
steadfast champion for women's education, student diversity, and 
improved access to higher learning. She has left an indelible mark on 
the higher education community in California and throughout the nation 
by way of her myriad accomplishments. Her many accolades and 
contributions include chairing numerous boards, being the 2006 
recipient of the Chief Executive Officer Leadership Award from the 
Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and being named 
one of the ``Bay Area's Most Influential Women in Business'' by the San 
Francisco Business Times in 2008 and 2009.
  As a proud Mills College alumna and former president of the Black 
Student Union during the early 1970s, I have been committed to bringing 
Mills College closer to the larger East Bay community. President 
Holmgren, in her many creative ways, has ensured that the outside world 
is well connected to the students and programs of this beautiful 
campus.
  On behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional 
District, Dr. Janet L. Holmgren, I salute you for three decades of 
outstanding leadership in higher education. I congratulate and thank 
you for your unparalleled service to our community. You have touched 
countless lives in profound ways throughout your career, and we wish 
you continued success and happiness as you transition to this exciting 
new chapter of life.

                          ____________________