State Representative To Speak At Commencement

State Rep. Glenda Dawson of Pearland, a Distinguished Alumna of Sam Houston State University, will be the university's featured speaker for commencement exercises on Aug. 5.

State Rep. Glenda Dawson

Approximately 800 students have applied for degrees to be awarded during two ceremonies in the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.   Students from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Criminal Justice, and Humanities and Social Sciences will receive degrees at 10 a.m., and those from the Colleges of Business Administration and Education will receive their degrees at 2 p.m.

Dawson represents the 29 th District in the Texas House of Representatives, which is comprised of Matagorda County and northern Brazoria County.

She is serving her second term in the Texas House after being elected in 2002.   For the 79 th Session, she was appointed to the Public Health, Higher Education and House Administration Committees.   In the interim, she served as a member of the House Subcommittee on Completion and Dropout---a subcommittee of the Joint Select Committee on Public School Finance.

After the 78 th Legislative Session, Dawson was honored by her peers with the Outstanding Freshman Education Legislator award and was recognized by the Texas Eagle Education Fund for her representation of traditional family values.

Her leadership and commitment to young people and education have earned her many honors over the years.   A public school teacher for 33 years, Dawson received the 1989 Pearland I.S.D. Teacher of the Year award.  

She has also been an adjunct professor and an instructional supervisor for secondary teachers at the University of Houston.

In 2000, Pearland I.S.D. created the "Glenda Dawson First Year Teacher Award" in recognition of her many years of devoted service to public education.   In 2005, Dawson was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award by Sam Houston State University.

As a motivational keynote speaker and facilitator, Dawson has spoken to many adults and young people across the country about developing positive and enthusiastic attitudes.  

She and her husband, the late Tommy Dawson, are the parents of one daughter, Dee Saenz, and the grandparents of two grandchildren.

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SHSU Media Contact: Julia May
July 21, 2006
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