[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 7542-7543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO DR. EARL S. RICHARDSON

 Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I am proud today to recognize one 
of Maryland's native sons, Dr. Earl S. Richardson, who will retire 
later this month after a quarter century at the helm of one of 
Maryland's finest institutions of higher education: Morgan State 
University.
  Situated in the northern part of Baltimore City, Morgan State 
University has been designated as Maryland's Urban Public University. 
It is also one of four exemplary public historically Black 
universities, HCBUs, in the State of Maryland, each of which has been 
offering students a chance and a choice when it comes to higher ed for 
more than 100 years.
  Institutions like these across the country have been accruing an 
incredible benefit to African Americans and the communities they serve. 
Historically Black colleges and universities produce nearly a quarter 
of our Nation's African-American public school teachers. They also 
produce almost 40 percent of African-American graduates in physics, 
math, biology, and environmental sciences.
  Morgan State has been no exception. During Dr. Richardson's tenure, 
the university has seen enrollment increase by 35 percent--margins that 
exceed any other public college or university in the State. But the 
quality of applicants has not suffered; Morgan State was able to swell 
its student ranks while attracting top-notch students. Morgan State now 
offers 14 doctoral programs and is known nationally and internationally 
for its doctoral programs in engineering and the sciences. Morgan 
consistently graduates a majority of all African Americans in Maryland 
with Ph.D.s in engineering. These graduates are among the most sought 
after by American industry. In addition, Morgan's patriotic tradition 
through its strong Army ROTC program is exemplified by the fact that it 
has produced more four-star African-American generals in the U.S. Army 
than any institution in the Nation except West Point.
  Over the last 10 years, Morgan State has graduated 10 percent of the 
Nation's African-American undergraduates pursuing a degree in physics. 
Also, under Dr. Richardson's leadership, Morgan State currently leads 
all other public institutions in the State in bachelor's degrees earned 
by African Americans. The university also leads the State in graduating 
math, science and engineering undergrads--a critical achievement given 
our country's need to cultivate graduates ready to enter a 21st century 
workforce, where mastery of math and science is the name of the game. 
Morgan is also one of the leading producers of Fulbright Scholars in 
the Mid-Atlantic region.
  Dr. Richardson's vision and leadership didn't end there. He also 
found time to sit on President Clinton's advisory board on HBCUs, 
serving as its chair in 1998; was chairman of the National Association 
for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, NAFEO; and participate as a 
member of the American Council on Education, ACE. I have no doubt that 
his contributions will benefit current and future students from across 
the Nation for years to come.
  But more than all of these accolades, Dr. Richardson's tenure as 
president of Morgan has been about fighting for opportunity for young 
people from often economically challenging backgrounds and 
neighborhoods, many the first in their family to attend college. His 
steadfast commitment to provide them with an urban university that 
provides them with the means to a better way of life and a career in 
the sciences or business or engineering, is a testament to his belief 
that a college degree is often the helping hand young people need to 
achieve success and realize their full potential.
  I have been a member of the Senate nearly as long as Dr. Richardson 
has been president at Morgan State, and over the past two decades I 
have had the pleasure of enjoying this great man's support and 
friendship.
  On behalf of myself, and speaking for the thousands of students who 
have matriculated at Morgan over the past 25 years, I would like to 
recognize and thank my friend, Dr. Earl Richardson, for a lifetime of 
extraordinarily distinguished service in the field of education. Well 
done!

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