[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1648-H1649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING LIFE OF DR. DAVID L. RICE

  (Mr. BAIRD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BAIRD. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate and honor the 
life of Dr. David L. Rice.
  Dr. Rice was the founding and first president of the University of 
Southern Indiana, where he worked from 1967 until his retirement in 
1994.
  Before his time at the University of Southern Indiana, Dr. Rice 
earned a bachelor of science in agriculture and a master of science and 
a doctor of philosophy in education, all from Purdue University.
  While studying at Purdue, he met his wife, Betty J. Fordice, and the 
two were shortly wedded to one another. The following year of their 
marriage, Dr. Rice answered the called for his country and served in 
the United States Army infantry in Korea.
  After serving in the military, Dr. Rice returned to Indiana, where he 
taught public school while pursuing his advanced degrees at Purdue.
  In 1967, Dr. Rice was appointed to lead the Evansville campus of 
Indiana State University. By 1985, under his leadership, the campus 
became its own separate university, the University of Southern Indiana.
  During his tenure, the University of Southern Indiana grew in 
enrollment

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from 992 students to 7,443, expanded the curriculum from 2-year degree 
programs to a comprehensive range of baccalaureate and master's degree 
programs. He did such an exemplary job, they honored him by naming the 
library after him.
  Dr. Rice was also very dedicated to bettering his community. He was a 
member of countless groups and organizations, such as being on the 
board of the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science, and 
starting an organization called Leadership Everyone. The group looks to 
develop leaders in the community who are committed to utilizing 
inclusion and creativity in order to bring positive change.
  Dr. Rice's legacy of service and achieving excellence will live on 
through all the lives he impacted and through the David L. Rice and 
Betty Fordice Rice Presidential Scholarship.
  Most importantly, his memory will live on through his family. Dr. 
Rice is survived by his wife of 69 years, Betty ``Janey'' Fordice Rice, 
and their two children, along with six grandchildren.

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