[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4353-4354]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING DOROTHY GONZALEZ

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the late 
Dorothy Gonzalez, of Rapid City, SD. On February 17, Oglala Lakota 
College's East Wakpamni District College Center in Batesland, SD, was 
renamed in Dorothy Gonzalez's honor. This is an honor she richly 
deserves.
  Dorothy had a distinguished 28 year career as an educator and 
administrator at Oglala Lakota College. In 1975, she became East 
Wakpamni District College Center's first director. She served as East 
Wakpamni District College's director until 1990, before becoming He 
Sapa College Center's director. She was named Center Director of the 
Year in 1985 and 1987.
  East Wakpamni District College Center being renamed in honor of 
Dorothy Gonzalez is wonderfully appropriate. Dorothy immensely enriched 
the life of countless young people in South Dakota. She was an 
extraordinary educator, mentor, and leader. It is an honor for me to 
share her accomplishments with my colleagues and to publicly commend 
the talent and commitment to education she always exhibited throughout 
her life. She was a woman of great scholarship and knowledge, and her 
positive influence will be felt for years to come.

[[Page 4354]]

  Dorothy's dedication to high quality Native American education serves 
as her greatest legacy. Her work continues to inspire all those who 
knew her. Our Nation and South Dakota are far better places because of 
Dorothy Gonzalez's life, and while we miss her very much, the best way 
to honor her is to emulate the love and support she shared with 
others.

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