[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 18144-18145]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                         TRIBUTE TO ANN MILLNER

 Mr. LEE. Mr. President, Nelson Mandela said, ``Education is 
the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.'' In 
Utah, Weber State University President Ann Millner has lead the charge 
to increase, improve and enhance higher education opportunities for 
anyone who has sought them. After 10 years of distinguished service she 
is stepping down from her post and I rise to honor her today.
  Before being selected president of the university, Ann served Weber 
in a variety of capacities including vice president for university 
relations, associate dean of continuing education, assistant vice 
president for community partnerships and director of outreach education 
in the school of allied health services. President Millner brought with 
her a well-rounded resume of leadership in education gained at several 
different universities. She served as education coordinator of the 
medical technology program at Vanderbilt University, instructional 
developer in medical technology at Thomas Jefferson University, a 
lecturer at the school of health professions, Southwest Texas State 
University, and associate director of continuing education at the 
Edmonda campus of Gwynedd-Mercy College. Ann has given her career to 
the pursuit of improving educational opportunities around the country 
and that motivation has been central to her administration at Weber.
  In 2002, Ann was selected as president of the university from a pool 
of 55 possible candidates. Regent George Mantes said, ``In selecting a 
president of Weber State University we looked for someone who could 
lead a university that serves over 17,000 students and who would also 
be seen as a community leader for Northern Utah. We had terrific people 
to choose from and feel confident that in selecting Dr. Millner we have 
found the right person to fill both of these important roles.'' Mr. 
Mantes and the selection committee's confidence in President Millner 
has paid off. Under her leadership Weber State University opened a new 
campus in Davis and enrollment increased from 17,000 to 25,000. The 
university has added a number of new programs, certificates, 
baccalaureate and graduate degrees including seven masters degree 
programs and countless online course work which all serve to both 
enhance and expand the educational opportunities offered to students. 
Weber has gained particular acclaim for its growing engineering 
Computer and Electronics Engineering Technology department, which 
focuses on training students in the innovations and technologies of the 
future. In 2010 President Millner announced the ``Dream Weber 
Program,'' one of the many scholarship and outreach programs her 
administration developed to make higher education a possibility for 
those who would otherwise not have the opportunity.

[[Page 18145]]

  The new and upgraded facilities on Weber's campus stand as a powerful 
symbol of the legacy President Millner leaves behind. In addition to an 
entire new campus in Weber, President Millner oversaw the construction 
of the Hurst Center for Lifelong Learning, a two-story facility 
dedicated to helping provide students with opportunities to continue 
education. She also oversaw the opening of Wildcat Village, a 
residential housing facility that serves over 500 students with a fun, 
low-cost housing experience. She also oversaw the construction and 
opening of Elizabeth Hall, a state-of-the-art classroom building which 
features multimedia capabilities, writing and tutoring centers and 
enough classroom space to offer more classes than any other building on 
campus. These three buildings exemplify some of President Millner's 
major accomplishments during her presidency: to increase focus on 
education as a lifelong pursuit, to increase educational opportunities 
and to enhance educational experiences with cutting-edge technologies 
and facilities.
  President Millner brought with her a vision of the collaborative 
relationship the university would have with the surrounding northern 
Utah community. In 2008, Weber State received the Carnegie Foundation's 
Classification for Community Engagement, an award recognizing the 
collaboration ``between educational institutions and local, state, 
regional, national and local communities for the mutually beneficial 
exchange of knowledge and resources.'' Under her leadership, Weber 
State University also has taken part in the Utah Science, Technology 
and Research (USTAR) Initiative, which brings local businesses and 
industries together with educational institutions to ``help 
commercialize high potential inventions, enhance the climate for 
innovation and entrepreneurism and stimulate the creation of local 
enterprises.'' The initiative provides students with the opportunity to 
gain first-hand business experience and has had a tremendous positive 
impact on the regional economy.
  In the statement announcing her resignation, Ann quoted William 
James: ``The best use of life is to invest it in something that will 
outlast it.'' She followed by saying ``the work you are doing at this 
university will long outlast our time here. Our students, their 
families, and generations to come--all will be changed by what you are 
doing and what the university will continue to do in the future!'' 
While Ann may have been addressing her remarks to the students, they 
are certainly just as applicable to her own efforts. Ann's tremendous 
vision and leadership has catapulted Weber State University to national 
recognition and a growing reputation for educational excellence. Sharon 
and I thank her for her service and for the charge she has led to 
increase the quality and reach of education within the great State of 
Utah.

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