[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 158 (Monday, September 14, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN RECOGNITION OF CHARLES AMBLER'S RETIREMENT

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                         HON. VERONICA ESCOBAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 14, 2020

  Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Charles 
Ambler on the occasion of his retirement from the University of Texas 
at El Paso (UTEP). UTEP bids goodbye to one of its most notable 
contributors to the institution's transformation from a regional 
university to a leader in U.S. higher education. Dr. Ambler joined the 
UTEP faculty in 1984. As a recent Ph.D. graduate of Yale, he devoted 
himself to supporting UTEP's mission of ensuring the success of its 
majority Hispanic and first-generation student body. Concurrently, Dr. 
Ambler established himself as an internationally recognized scholar of 
African History, publishing numerous articles and scholarly books 
focused on 19th and 20th century Africa.
  Dr. Ambler quickly rose through the faculty ranks earning the title 
of Professor and serving as Chair of UTEP's History Department. In 
1996, Dr. Ambler assumed leadership of UTEP's emerging graduate 
program, a role he played on and off as Dean and Assistant Vice 
President until 2019. In the mid-nineties, UTEP was limited to a small 
number of doctoral programs. He recognized the opportunity at hand, 
created by lawsuits challenging the lack of graduate programs along the 
United States-Mexico border region, to greatly expand program 
offerings. UTEP was able to establish itself as a national leader in 
graduate education and a major producer of Hispanic doctoral degree 
holders. Altogether, Dr. Ambler understood it was important for these 
degree programs to not only be of the highest quality, but to focus on 
the scholarly issues happening along the border region. UTEP's forward 
thinking led to the development of a doctoral degree program in U.S.-
Mexico border history. This innovation was accompanied by similar 
degrees with a border focus in areas like International Business, 
Engineering, and Health Science.
  While Dr. Ambler was an internationally recognized African History 
scholar, he was deeply committed to improving undergraduate education. 
He regularly taught large sections of undergraduate history and 
developed strategies to improve the success of UTEP's students. Dr. 
Ambler's strategies and teaching skills included technology-based 
learning and contacting students who stopped attending class to invite 
them back. As a result, completion rates in his section and average 
scores on standardized tests were higher than in other sections of the 
same class.
  Dr. Ambler's influence on education, grants, and studentship has gone 
far beyond UTEP. He has held several prestigious fellowships, served as 
President of the African Studies Association, and most recently served 
as Dean in Residence of the Council of Graduate schools.
  Dr. Ambler and his wife Gloria, who recently retired herself after 
many years of service as a teacher and counselor in the El Paso 
Independent School District, are vital members of the El Paso 
community.
  UTEP is a better place due in no small part to Dr. Ambler's 35 years 
of service.

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