[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 101 (Thursday, June 12, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E563]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRATULATING CHANCELLOR JOE GARCIA ON HIS RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JASON CROW

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 2025

  Mr. CROW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Joe Garcia, 
Chancellor of the Colorado Community College System, on his retirement 
after more than 35 years of public service. I know I speak for so many 
in our community when I thank him for the lasting impact he made on 
higher education in Colorado throughout his career.
  Chancellor Garcia oversees a higher education system encompassing 13 
colleges, over 35 campus locations, and more than 124,000 students. 
During his tenure, he launched Bridge to Bachelor's, a statewide 
transfer program guaranteeing a direct pathway for community college 
students to four-year universities. He also pioneered Colorado Online, 
an initiative that expanded online education access for students across 
Colorado.
  Appointed President of Pikes Peak State College in 2001 and later 
President of Colorado State University-Pueblo, Chancellor Garcia has 
long advocated for expanding higher education access and student-
centered programs. Through these roles, he also successfully grew 
enrollment and strengthened public-private partnerships.
  In addition to his dedication to improving higher education, he took 
on several leadership roles throughout his time in public service. 
Following an appointment by Governor Roy Romer as the Executive 
Director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, Chancellor Garcia 
was appointed by former President Bill Clinton as Regional Director for 
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He later served 
as Lieutenant Governor and the Executive Director of the Colorado 
Department of Higher Education. Prior to returning to the Colorado 
Community College System, he also served as President of the Western 
Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
  Throughout his career, he remained committed to advocating for 
education access, equity, and community development. In 2024, he 
received the Higher Education Equity Champion Legacy Award from the 
Colorado Department of Higher Education, recognizing his lifelong 
impact on equitable access to higher education.
  I congratulate Chancellor Joe Garcia on his well-deserved retirement 
and thank him for his service to the state of Colorado.

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