[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 12, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING DR. JOSE SIMON VILLA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VICENTE GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 2019

  Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Jose 
Simon Villa, an educator, philanthropist, and leader.
  Dr. Villa is a proud native of San Juan, Texas. Jose became the first 
in his family to graduate from college when he earned his bachelors 
degree from the University of Oregon. Dr. Villa went on to complete his 
Ph.D. in educational administration at the Ohio State University. His 
dissertation research focused on the educational aspirations and 
opportunities of migrant youth and children. Dr. Villa served many 
years in higher education at Ohio State as the Assistant Vice Provost 
for the Office of Minority Affairs, Director of the College Assistant 
Migrant Program, and Program Coordinator for Hispanic Affairs. 
Additionally, he has served as Program Consultant for the U.S. 
Department of Education and as an Educational Consultant and State 
Director of Migrant Education for the Ohio Department of Education.
  Furthermore, Dr. Jose Simon Villa has served as the Chief Executive 
Officer of the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project (ECMHSP) for the 
past five years. The ECMHSP is the largest Migrant and Seasonal Head 
Start provider in the country with 38 centers across the area from Lake 
Okeechobee in Florida to Lake Erie in Pennsylvania. It is a non-profit 
organization that advocates for farm worker communities and provides 
quality Head Start services to young children. Under the leadership of 
Dr. Simon Villa, the ECMHSP has helped over 10,000 children and has 
expanded further into Florida to include Palmetto and Jennings.
  Madam Speaker, Dr. Jose Simon Villa has worked tirelessly to give 
migrant families and children the opportunities they need to succeed. 
He serves as both a light in our community and as a generous leader. It 
is an honor to represent a dedicated and selfless individual who has 
greatly impacted the educational journey of thousands of children 
across the United States. I wish Dr. Villa the best in his future 
endeavors.

                          ____________________