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2020 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 187
Commending Kenneth Ross Garren and Sheila Johnston Garren.

 

Agreed to by the Senate, March 2, 2020
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 3, 2020

 

WHEREAS, Kenneth Ross Garren has served as the president of the University of Lynchburg for 19 years, with Sheila Johnston Garren, his wife, serving as the first lady of the institution; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Garren served in the Virginia Army National Guard starting at age 17 and retired from the United States Army Reserve with the rank of colonel after 33 years of service, receiving the Meritorious Service Medal; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Garren served as an aerospace engineer for five years with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at NASA Langley Research Center, working on both the Gemini and Apollo missions; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Garren has served in multiple local, state, and national positions in higher education, including as a member of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC), a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), chair of the Committee on Policy Analysis and Public Relations of NAICU, and chair of the Ethics Bowl Committee of the Virginia Foundation of Independent Colleges; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Garren has been the recipient of many distinguished accolades, including the Mayor of Lynchburg’s Award for Excellence, the Charles W. L. Freeman Award from the Council of Independent Colleges, the Silver Patrick Henry Medallion for Patriotic Achievement from the Military Order of World Wars, the George Taylor Stewart Award from the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the VCIC; and

WHEREAS, Sheila Garren was a charter employee of Salem City Schools and served as an elementary school teacher for 28 years; and

WHEREAS, Sheila Garren is a lifetime member of Chi Beta Phi, Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Gamma Mu, and Alpha Chi national honor societies and was listed in the first edition of Who’s Who Among American Teachers; and

WHEREAS, Sheila Garren has been an invited speaker and presenter at more than 30 state, national, and international professional conferences; and

WHEREAS, Sheila Garren has planned and hosted more than 400 dinners, receptions, parties, and meetings at her home for University of Lynchburg students, parents, alumni, faculty, advisors, trustees, and spouses as well as for Lynchburg community, church, nonprofit, and educational leaders; and

WHEREAS, Sheila Garren has served in leadership positions on multiple community organizations, including the League of Women Voters, the Adult Care Center of Lynchburg, Miriam’s House, Amazement Square, Elizabeth’s Early Learning Center, and Lynchburg Interfaith Outreach; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Kenneth Ross Garren and Sheila Johnston Garren for their service to the University of Lynchburg; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Kenneth Ross Garren and Sheila Johnston Garren as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for their achievements.