Neeley, Williams To Speak For Commencement

Texas Commissioner of Education Shirley Neeley and Texas Sen. Tommy Williams will address the approximate 1,463 students expected to receive their degrees during Sam Houston State University’s spring commencement ceremonies May 12-13.

Neeley, a SHSU College of Education ‘Distinguished Educator’ for 2006, will serve as the College of Education speaker on Friday, at 6 p.m. in the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.

Williams will speak at both Saturday ceremonies, which will be held at 10 a.m. for the colleges of Business Administration and Criminal Justice and at 2 p.m. for the colleges of Arts and Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences. Both Saturday ceremonies will also be held in the Johnson Coliseum.

Shirley Neeley, Texas commissioner of education

Appointed the Texas commissioner of education on Jan. 12, 2004, by Gov. Rick Perry, Neeley serves as the head of the Texas Education Agency, which oversees 1,037 school districts and about 200 charter schools.

She is a former elementary school teacher, assistant principal and principal, as well as the former superintendent of Galena Park Independent School District, Texas’ largest exemplary district from 2002-2004.

Neeley received her Bachelor of Science degree and her doctorate from the University of Houston, in 1971 and 1990 respectively, and her master’s degree from Prairie View A&M University in 1975.

A former president of the Texas Association of Suburban and Mid-Urban Schools, she also served on the Board of the Harris County Youth Program and the Texas Academic Decathlon.

Neeley has also served as president of her local Rotary Club and is a life member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, serving as a committee member for 12 years.

She was appointed by Perry to the Southern Regional Education Board in the summer of 2003 and was named Texas Association of School Boards’ Superintendent of the Year in the fall of 2003.

Neeley spends her free time on her family cattle ranch in Buffalo, Texas, with her daughter Brandy, son-in-law Joey, and her three grandsons, Zachary, Conner and Cole.

State Sen. Tommy WIlliams

Williams, who represents The Woodlands area, was re-elected to the state Senate in November 2004.

He is a three-term member of the Texas House of Representatives, where he was known as an outspoken advocate for Texas taxpayers and a recognized leader in budgetary issues.

A life-long Texan, he was born in Marshall, Texas and graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting.

He began a career in industry and public accounting prior to entering the insurance and financial services field in 1983 and now serves as president of Woodforest Financial Services, an affiliate of Woodforest National Bank.

As a Texas senator, Williams serves on the Senate Finance Committee, Education Committee, Transportation and Homeland Security committees and is vice-chair of the Senate's State Affairs Committee.

By special appointment of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Williams also serves as a member of the Senate Select Committee on Education Reform and Public School Finance, and the Legislative Audit Committee.

Additionally, numerous state and community groups have recognized Williams' legislative and leadership accomplishments throughout his elected public service.

He and his wife, Marsha, have two sons and are active community leaders and members of The Woodlands United Methodist Church.

Preliminary figures from the graduation office show that approximately 1,199 are registered to receive their bachelor's degrees and approximately 264 are registered to receive their master's and doctoral degrees.

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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
May 2, 2006
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