[00:00:18]
I, I, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ANDY EKIN, 'CAUSE ANDY HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.THANK YOU ANDY, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
LET ME THANK HIM, UH, FOR HIS WORK, HIS LEADERSHIP.
AND LOOK, I, I'M LADY TO BE JOINING YOU TODAY AS, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES.
I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK YOU, YOU AND THE LEGISLATURE.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE RELATED TO BE HERE JOINING TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE THE TSU FLIGHT ACADEMY THAT IS OFFICIALLY COMING TO ELTON FIELD SOON.
YOU KNOW, THEY SAY TIME FLIES WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN, BUT WE ARE HAVING A LOT OF FUN BEING HERE AT EL ELTON AIRPORT.
AND CONSIDERING THE WORK DONE OF THESE LIES EIGHT YEARS, I THINK IS FITTING TO SAY THAT TIME HAS SOARED AT ITS SUPERSONIC SPEED AS WE REVOLUTIONIZED HOUSTON INTO A GLOBAL CITY AND A HUB FOR AEROSPACE AND AVIATION.
THIS MORNING WE HAD THE ASTRONAUTS FOR MODERNISTS TWO AT CITY HALL.
I LEFT THEM, UH, TO COME HERE TODAY.
TODAY, WE ARE PREPARING FOR IMPRESSIVE TRANSFORMATIONS THAT WILL EXPAND BOTH BUSH AND HOBBY AIRPORT.
UH, TODAY, THREE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AEROSPACE COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE NOW HEARTED WORK AT THE HOUSTON, UH, HOUSTON SPACEPORT.
AND TODAY, PELICAN AIRPORT IS ONCE AGAIN READY TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF POLISH.
LET'S CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT THAT THE LAND THAT SURROUNDS US HERE FIRST SERVED AS THE TRAINING GROUND FOR SOME OF AMERICA'S FIRST POLISH DURING WORLD WAR I.
MORE THAN 100 YEARS LATER, A NEW FLIGHT ACADEMY WILL INSPIRE SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO HAVE COME TO HOUSTON FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AS THEY SEEK TO WRITE THEIR OWN STORIES UP IN THE CLOUDS.
HERE AT ELGIN AIRPORT, TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IS MAKING HISTORY TOO.
THE HBCU HAS THOUGHTFULLY GROWN ITS AVIATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM INTO A SIGNATURE INITIATIVE THAT HAS QUICKLY DEVELOPED A REPUTATION AS THE, AND I UNDERSCORE THE AVIATION PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THU ACHIEVED ONE OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF RECOGNITION IN THE INDUSTRY.
ITS AVIATION PROGRAM PROGRAM IS NOW PROFESSIONALLY ACCREDITED BY THE AVIATION ACCREDITATION BOARD, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT S AND DR.
FONTAIN, THE BOARD OF REGENTS.
THE SUCCESS OF TSU AVIATION PROGRAM IS A TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF YOUR STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF.
AND WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
GIVE IT UP TO TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON COULD NOT BE PROUD OF.
AS A FORMER ADJUNCT LAW PROFESSOR AND A LONGTIME ADVOCATE FOR TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, I AM PERSONALLY MOVED TO WATCH TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY GAIN MOMENTUM FOR AN AVIATION PROGRAM THAT NOT ONLY BENEFITS HOUSTON, BUT CREATES A PIPELINE OF TALENTED AND TRAIN PILOT FOR SOME OF THE BIGGEST AIRLINES IN THE INDUSTRY.
OUR NATION IS FACING APOL SHORTAGE, BUT HOUSTON IS ANSWERING THE CALL.
THIS FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT INTO A FLIGHT ACADEMY ALLOWS HOUSTON TO REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF AVIATION AS WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE AIR TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY.
AND LASTLY, TO THE US TSU AVIATION STUDENTS WHO JOIN US TODAY, PLEASE HEAR ME WHEN I SAY THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ROOTING FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU.
IT'S MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THIS FLIGHT ACADEMY SERVES AS A SYMBOL OF HOUSTON'S CONTINUED SUPPORT OF YOU AND YOUR FUTURE.
I KNOW I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE HERE WHEN I SAY WE VALUE THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT WE KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE ON THIS WORLD.
THIS IS A BIG DAY, A BIG DAY FOR TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, AND IT IS A BIG DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS GO, TSU, SO WE'LL GO H TOWN.
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ALL OF THAT, LET ME NOW BRING, UH, UH, THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AT TEXAS SOUTHERN.UM, MY TERM IS COMING TO AN END, BUT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, YOU HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE DIRECTOR, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THINGS HAVE WE HAVE, GIVE IT UP TO MARIO.
WHEN I CAME IN EIGHT YEARS AGO, ON JANUARY THE SECOND, UH, 2016, I MADE MENTION OF WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING HERE AT TON FIELD.
UH, IT WAS STILL IN ITS VERY EARLY STAGES.
EIGHT YEARS LATER, WE HAVE, UH, INTUITIVE MACHINE, COLLINS, AEROSPACE, AXIOM, ALL OF THOSE BUILDINGS, WHICH WERE NOT HERE 80 YEARS AGO.
BUT FOR ME, AS I EXIT, WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UH, IS VERY MEANINGFUL FOR YEARS TO COME BECAUSE ALL OF THESE FUTURE PILOTS AND THOSE WHO HAVE YET TO COME, WILL REALLY BUILD, UH, AS THEY FLY.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, MARIO DIAZ.
THIS TRULY IS AN INCREDIBLE DAY, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU TO, UM, HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THIS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FACILITY.
FONTAINE, UM, I WANNA SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR VISION, UM, FOR THE FUTURES OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE DIGNITARIES THAT ARE HERE.
BUT THE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS A REGENT OF TEXAS SUN UNIVERSITY, AND THAT IS REGENT BENNOM.
FONTAIN CAME TO ME AND THEY WOULD NOT LET ME GO
WE NEED YOUR HELP, WE NEED YOUR HELP.
AND I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN DO.
AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.
WE SAT DOWN, WE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES, AND WE CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
I THOUGHT WE COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN, THAT, THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO THE IDEA.
AND SO, AS A CONSEQUENCE, WE HAVE THIS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY TODAY, THE ASSEMBLY LINE CONCEPT TO EDUCATION.
WHEN I ARRIVED HERE IN HOUSTON, UM, ONE OF THE VERY FIRST SYMPOSIUMS THAT I ATTENDED WAS BACK IN 2012.
AND THIS WAS A SYMPOSIUM THAT WAS, UH, UM, A LOT OF THOUGHT LEADERS IN THE CITY FROM INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA, THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES.
AND THE THEME OF IT WAS HOW TO DEVELOP THE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL THAT THE CITY WOULD NEED IN ORDER TO, UH, ATTRACT INDUSTRY AND ATTRACT MORE COMPANIES TO USE THEM, BUT TO DO IT AT SCALE.
UM, THE THREAD THAT RAN THROUGH THESE THOUGHTS WAS THE IDEA THAT WE NEEDED TO BUILD OR PUT IN PLACE AN ASSEMBLY LINE TO EDUCATION.
NOW, THIS WAS NOT THE IDEA THAT IT WAS GONNA BECOME MECHANISTIC OR IT WAS GONNA BECOME ROTE, BUT IT WAS THE IDEA THAT WE REALLY HAD TO START PRODUCING THE FUTURE GENERATIONS THAT WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO DRIVE, UM, SUCCESS IN HOUSTON.
AND SO I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE AND THOUGHT, WELL, WHAT CONTRIBUTION CAN I OR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM TO MAKE? BUT BEFORE THAT, I SAID TO MYSELF, THINK ABOUT MY OWN EDUCATION.
WHERE CAN I START? I'M NOT GONNA START AT ELEMENTARY.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT MY OWN HIGH SCHOOL AS I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UM, I GOT THE ADVICE FROM MY FATHER WHO WAS GET A JOB, AS THEY SAY, IN THE BETTER PARTS OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND MY OLDER BROTHER, UH, WOULD ENCOURAGE ME TO TAKE UP ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.
BUT WHAT MY OLDER BROTHER WHO WAS IN THE AIR FORCE DID WAS HE SENT ME PHOTOS OF, AT THE TIME, WHAT WAS CALLED AN F 1 0 2 DELTA DAGGER, ALL-WEATHER INTERCEPTOR.
AND THAT PUT THE HOOK IN ME IN AVIATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM FOR THAT.
AND SO, AS I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW WE DO THIS, THE IDEA CAME TO ME THAT WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS CREATE AN AVIATION CLUB.
SO WHERE'S RHONDA? RHONDA ARNOLD.
RHONDA AND I, UH, WENT TO PAY A VISIT.
WE WENT TO PAY VISIT TO THE PRINCIPAL OF STERLING HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UH, THE, THE, THE PRINCIPAL IS NOT AVAILABLE TODAY, TANISHA GENTRY.
[00:10:01]
I UNDERSTAND ANGELA JOHNSON.ANGELA, WHERE ARE YOU? THERE SHE IS.
WENT TO THE PRINCIPAL AND WE SAID WE'D LIKE TO START AN AVIATION CLUB.
AND I SAID, LOOK, ALL I WANT IS I WANT ACCESS TO YOUR STUDENTS.
THEY START THE FIRST, UH, UH, UH, LUNCHES AT 12 O'CLOCK.
I SAID, WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW.
SO WE CAME BACK TOMORROW, RHONDA REMEMBERS WITH BIG SPEAKERS, A HUGE LED TV AND A CHIP THAT HAD WINGS OVER HOUSTON.
AND THE YEAR BEFORE, IT WAS THE THUNDERBIRDS, THE AIR FORCE THAT WERE FLYING.
AND AS WE SAW THE FIRST COUPLE OF STUDENTS COMING AROUND THE CORNER TO GET THEIR SANDWICH AND GET THEIR COKE AND POP, WE TURNED ON THE MUSIC.
YOU COULD NOT PASS BY THAT, UM, UH, ASSEMBLY THAT WE HAD.
WENT OUT TAKING NOTE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND MORE AND MORE STUDENTS CAME OVER AND THEY SAID, WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? WE'RE WE WANNA START AN AVIATION CLUB? ARE YOU INTERESTED? WE WANNA EXPOSE YOU.
WE WANNA SHOW YOU WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE FIELD OF AVIATION.
YOU GOTTA HAVE GOOD ATTENDANCE AND YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE GOOD GRADES.
WE GOT 65 STUDENTS THAT SIGNED UP THAT SAME DAY.
NOW, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, SOME OF THEM BASICALLY SAID THEY WERE A LITTLE BETTER THAN THEY WERE.
AND SO WE HAD TO SCALE 'EM BACK.
AND FOR THE LAST 12, 12 YEARS, WE HAVE BASICALLY BEEN RUNNING THAT AVIATION CLUB.
AND IT IS THE START OF THE ASSEMBLY LINE FOR OUR VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF EDUCATION HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN AVIATION AEROSPACE.
SO, UM, I AM, I AM SO HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THE TSU AVIATION PROGRAM AND THE HANGAR WE'RE ACTUALLY BUILDING TODAY.
AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS, THIS IS NOT A BUILDING WE'RE GONNA BUILD.
THIS IS A FACILITY THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN, THAT WE'RE PROVIDE THE HANDS, HANDS-ON AND REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME PILOTS WHO FLY IN AND OUT OF OUR AIRPORTS.
PILOTS WHO WILL HELP US CONNECT MORE OF THE WORLD TO HOUSTON.
NOW, THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, UM, AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT, HOUSTON SPACEPORT.
UM, THIS FACILITY WILL BE NUMBER TWO.
WE'VE HAD THE EDGE CENTER, THE SAN JACINTO, THAT'S MORE INVOLVED IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, UM, BOTH THE ACADEMIC AND THE, UM, LEARNING SIDE, CRAFT LEARNING SIDE.
AND NOW WE HAVE THE ACADEMIC AND THE LEARNING, THE TRAINING SIDE FOR AVIATION.
BUT LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THERE'S ANOTHER FACILITY OUT THERE THAT WILL START TRAINING ASTRONAUTS.
VERTICAL INTEGRATION FROM AVIATION TO ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND INTO SPACE.
AS THE MAYOR HAS SAID, THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE COME.
NOW, WE'VE HAD A LONG, LONG PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, GOING BACK TO 1988.
IN 2021, I SHOULD SAY, WE SIGNED A LETTER OF AGREEMENT, WHICH ESTABLISHED THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE EVERY YEAR, AT LEAST FOUR STUDENTS FROM TEXAS SOUTHERN COME INTO THE AVIATION, UH, WORLD THROUGH THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
THEY LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT, UM, UH, IDEAS, THE DIFFERENT, UH, CAREERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE AVIATION INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO GET TO APPLY THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
UM, THEY HAVE PICKED UP AS THEY'VE GOTTEN THEIR DEGREES OR ARE RECEIVING THEIR TRAINING, UM, AND APPLY IT ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
UM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, ABOUT A COUPLE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH US HERE TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IS RAY HARPER.
RAY, WHERE ARE YOU? RAY HARPER IS THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS HERE AT ELLINGTON AIRPORT.
FLETCHER FLETCHER IS THE DIRECTOR OF SECURITY FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
YOU'LL HEAR A FEW WORDS FROM FLETCHER IN A MOMENT.
IS SHE HERE? UM, WITH, UH, INTERCONTINENTAL OPERATIONS.
BEYOND BEYOND IS WITH WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO THANK YOU ALL, UM, YOU KNOW, QUALITY, JUST QUALITY, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
AND NOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, INTRODUCE YOU TO FLETCHER CLARK.
I'D LIKE TO BRING FLETCHER CLARK UP FOR A MINUTE TO SHOW YOU A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, WHEN WE COLLABORATE.
I WANNA INTRODUCE FLETCHER CLARK, AN ALUMNI OF TS U'S AVIATION PROGRAM, WHO HAS RISEN THROUGH THE RANKS OF HOUSTON
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AIRPORTS AND IS NOW THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SECURITY EXCELLING IN HIS DUTIES.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HELP ME WELCOMING, UH, CLARK TO THE PODIUM.
SO BEFORE I START, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WORKING UNDER DIRECTOR DIAZ LEADERSHIP FOR THE BETTER PART OF MY CAREER HAS BEEN AN HONOR.
SO THANK YOU, SIR, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS FLETCHER CLARK III.
I AM THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SECURITY FOR THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
AND AS MENTIONED, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT DAY FOR HAS AND TSU TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THIS UNBREAKABLE GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP.
NOT LONG AGO, 20 YEARS, NOT LONG AGO, I WAS A STUDENT AT TSU, WALKING DOWN THE TIGER WALK, STARTING AT THE CIRCLE, RUNNING TO THE H AND PE.
STRIVING TO GRADUATE AND ALONE CAME AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS A TSU PARTNERSHIP INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS ALLOWED ME TO GROW WITHIN THE RANKS OF HAS AND MAKE THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM MY FINAL DESTINATION.
AND FOR YOU STUDENTS OUT THERE, LIKE I MENTIONED 20 YEARS AGO, I WAS JUST LIKE YOU.
BUT THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS OPENED UP MUCH MORE THAN AN OCEAN HAS SOLD YOU LIKE THAT
SO TSU, I'M GRATEFUL YOU CONNECTED ME TO THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS NOW BECOME MY CAREER.
THEREFORE, I'M FOREVER IN DEBT, AND THEREFORE, I AM TSU AS MENTIONED.
THIS AS MENTIONED, THIS VERY SPECIAL OCCASION HAS ALLOWED HOUSTON, HAS AND TSU TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT THE WORLD TO HOUSTON.
ANY STUDENT OUT THERE WITH HARD WORK AND TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, YOU CAN BE ON STAGE SPEAKING TO PRESTIGIOUS CROWDS AS I AM TODAY.
STUDENTS TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WORK HARD, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, AND YOU TOO CAN ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS.
SO T-S-U-H-A-S, CITY OF HOUSTON, ALL THANK YOU, BUT AS WE LEARNED AT TSU, YOU CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THE, THE PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL IN THE SIMILAR PATHWAYS SUCH AS YOURSELF.
YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE IF THEY NEED HELP ALONG THE WAY, YOU GOTTA BE THERE TO HELP 'EM.
THE NEXT YOUNG LADY COMING TO THE STAGE, SHE WILL NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.
SHE HAS UNCANNY DETERMINATION.
SHE WORKS HARD, AND SHE'S BEGINNING TO MAKE A NAME FOR HERSELF.
SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, KRIA JOHNSON.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TOWARDS MY MENTORS AND ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY.
I OWE MY SUCCESS TO ALL OF YOU ALL, AND I AM TRULY APPRECIATIVE OF THE ASSISTANCE YOU HAVE PROVIDED ME.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, WHICH HAS PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN SHAPING MY CAREER.
I AM GRATEFUL TO MY PROFESSORS, TAJA HALL, VERNON BAKER, AND EDWARD BOOKER III, WHO MOTIVATED ME DURING MY ACADEMIC JOURNEY AND ALLOWED ME TO CONNECT WITH EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUALS DURING MY INTERNSHIP, INCLUDING TRACY ROTOWSKI, FLETCHER CLARK, SARAH FREDDY, AND MANY OTHERS.
THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.
THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO MY AVIATION CAREER WITH HAS.
IT HAS PREPARED ME FOR VARIOUS ROLES WITHIN THE SYSTEM, AND I HAVE EXCELLED WITHIN THREE YEARS TO MY CURRENT POSITION AS A AIRPORT OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR FOR MAINTENANCE.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE, WHICH HAS ENABLED ME TO ACHIEVE MY DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS.
IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE A PART OF THIS MEMORABLE EVENT.
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. SWIN THOMAS, THE CURRENT INTERN AT AV, THE AVIATION RISK AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT.
[00:20:11]
THANK YOU KENITRA.EVER SINCE I STARTED AS AN AVIATION STUDENT AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, I'VE HEARD DR.
TERRAN FONTAINE, WHO IS THE LEADER OF THE DEPARTMENT, TALK ABOUT A DREAM, A DREAM OF HAVING TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AS THE PREMIER AVIATION PROGRAM IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT'S A DREAM SHARED BY EVERY AVIATION STUDENT AT TEXAS SOUTHERN WHO WANTS TO GRADUATE AND PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT TSU STUDENTS TRULY ARE THE BEST.
TODAY, WITH THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THE NEW TSU FLIGHT SCHOOL, WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO REALIZING THAT DREAM.
IT'S A DREAM THAT'S ALSO BEING MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH AMAZING PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH I AM GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF.
THIS PROGRAM HAS GIVEN US AN INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN EVERY FACET OF AIRPORT OPERATIONS.
CURRENT AND PAST INTERNS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AND LEARN IN INFRASTRUCTURE, TERMINAL MANAGEMENT, GUEST EXPERIENCE, AIRPORT OPERATIONS, AVIATION RISK AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COMMUNICATIONS, AND MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF DIRECTOR DIAZ, ALL OF THE SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS, AND OF COURSE, MS. SARAH FREDDY, WE HAVE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT IS TRULY UNMATCHED, A LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP US TREMENDOUSLY AS WE START OUR CAREERS IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY.
SO ON BEHALF OF MY FELLOW INTERNS AND ALL THE AVIATION STUDENTS AT TEXAS SOUTHERN, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE, MAYOR TURNER, DIRECTOR DIAZ, DR.
FONTAINE, INTERIM PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT MARY EVAN CAZ.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TURN OUR DREAMS INTO REALITIES.
NOW I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A PERSONAL THANK YOU AND INTRODUCE INTERIM PRESIDENT MARY EVANCIA.
HER DEDICATION AND SUPPORT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PRIORITIZING THIS PREMIER PROGRAM.
PRESIDENT SAEZ, PLEASE JOIN US AND SHARE A FEW WORDS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S RARE THAT AS PRESIDENT, I OFTEN COME IN THE MIDDLE OR TOWARD THE END OF THE SPEAKING, ALMOST EVERY MAJOR THING HAS BEEN SAID, MAYOR AND MARIO, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO RIGHT NOW IS TO SAY, I WANT YOU ALL TO SEE EXAMPLES, OTHER EXAMPLES OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
LET ME ASK OUR STUDENT AVIATION PEOPLE TO STAND UP WHO ARE HERE.
STAND UP IF YOU WANT A GOOD REASON FOR INVESTING IN THIS PROGRAM.
YOU SEE THEM LOOK AT THE DIVERSE FACES THAT YOU SEE.
THEY REPRESENT THE FACE OF HOUSTON.
THEY REPRESENT THE FUTURE FACE OF A PH.
WE ARE EXTRAORDINARILY PROUD OF DR.
FONTAINE AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO'S, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DREAM.
IF YOU CAN DREAM, WHY NOT DO IT? AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR VOTING.
I'M NOT SURE HOW IN FIVE DAYS OR LESS WE GOT OUT HERE, BUT WE HAVE
THAT'S WHAT A GREAT LEADER DOES.
I WANNA THANK THE REGENTS, PARTICULARLY REGION, BEN BENIN, MARIO, AND ANDY, IF YOU SURVIVED BEING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH DR.
FONTAIN AND REGENT BENHAM PULLING AT YOU FROM ALL SIDES, YOU CAN SURVIVE ANYTHING, ANYTHING.
BUT WHY I AM SAYING THAT IS I'M PROUD OF YOU, REGENT BENHAM FOR BEING SO PERSISTENT.
AND I'M PROUD OF THE OTHER REGENTS, OUR CHAIRMAN, REGENT SIMMONS, REGENT STEPHANIE NES, PAGE, REGENTS JOHNSON.
WE HAVE REGENT HURLEY AND SOME OTHERS WHO ARE NOT HERE, BUT EVERYBODY WANTED THIS PROGRAM TO SUCCEED, AND IT'S DONE.
SO IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I CAME FROM JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.
IT'S, HAVE I MISSED SOMEONE? NO.
I GREW UP IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, IN THE AIRPORT IN JACKSON.
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A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD? BUT ON SUNDAYS, NOW, JUST IMAGINE I'M 73 YEARS OLD.SO THIS MEANS IN THE 1950S AND SIXTIES, WHAT WE DID FOR ENTERTAINMENT ON THE WEEKEND WAS GO TO THE AIRPORT AND LOOK AT THE PLANES TAKE OFF.
I USED TO WONDER WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO SIT IN THAT COCKPIT, WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO FLY.
I DIDN'T GET TO LEARN WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO FLY UNTIL I WAS IN COLLEGE.
I, BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TODAY IS A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS, THOUGH A LOT YOUNGER, THOUGHT THE SAME THING.
WHAT WOULD IT FEEL LIKE? THEY NOW KNOW, WE NOW KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE AND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE IS WONDERFUL WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER AND A PARTNERSHIP REALLY WORKS.
I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I WOULD BE WALKING AROUND HERE FOREVER.
BUT I WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR BELIEVING IN US.
THANKS FOR SEEING WHAT NOT EVERYONE HAS SEEN.
THIS IS A GREAT DAY AND IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT FEW YEARS.
I WANTED LESS THAN SIX MONTHS START.
I TOLD YOU I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING OUR HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY IN FOUR YEARS.
AND I WANT IT A WHILE BEFORE THEN.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR DARING TO DREAM, FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO ACHIEVE AND FOR KNOWING.
THIS IS A DAY WHERE WE ARE TRULY TS YOU PROUD.
NOW WITH A, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D BRING TO YOU THE HONORABLE SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
I FLY MY, WELL, THIS IS A MOMENT JUST OF GREAT APPRECIATION AND THANK YOU, UH, AND IT IS TO REALLY TURN BACK MY WORDS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UH, THE WORDS OF GREAT GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR THE HIGHLIGHTING OF WHAT I ALREADY KNEW WAS AN EXCELLENT COMMUNITY, UH, OF VISIONARIES AND DREAMERS IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
THANK YOU TO OUR MAYOR FOR CONTINUING TO BE A MAN OF VISION AND NEVER ALLOWING ANY DISTRACTION TO STOP US FROM OUR DREAMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR TURNER.
WE CAN THANK YOU, BUT NOT ENOUGH.
I, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, UH, IN A STORY ABOUT YOURSELF, UH, AND, UH, HOW YOU WERE INSPIRED, UH, AND NOW YOUR DREAMS, UH, HAVE COME TO FRUITION IN THE CHOSEN PROFESSION THAT YOU HAVE.
I'M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE WITH REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES, OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THE REGENTS, UH, AND TO OUR PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, UH, FOR US.
UH, JUST TAKING OFF, UH, DUCK, IF IT COMES YOUR WAY, I JUST WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH WHAT I SEE, UH, DR.
FONTAINE IN YOUR DREAM, UH, RHONDA ARNOLD, IN YOUR DREAM TO THE STUDENTS IN YOUR DREAM, THIS REALLY WAS, I BELIEVE, INTENDED TO BE, UH, AN AVIATION CITY, AN AERONAUTIC CITY, A SPACE CITY, EVEN BEFORE LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON GOT THE IDEA THAT IF I'M GOING TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND NASA IS GOING TO BE IN OUR EYESIGHT, I BETTER GRAB ONE OF THESE CENTERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX FOR HOUSTON.
AND THAT IS THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER.
AND THAT IS WHEN WE WERE GOING TO THE NEXT HORIZON OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
BUT I THINK WE FELT IT IN OUR BONES, IF YOU WILL, THAT THIS IS AN AVIATION SPACE CITY.
AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW WITH A BUILDING OF THE CLUB OF 12 YEARS OPENING THIS TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP WITH ELLINGTON HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM WITH NASA IS OPENING THE EYES,
[00:30:01]
NOT ONLY OF THE NATION OF THE WORLD.AND WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IN WASHINGTON IS TO FIND EXCITING PROJECTS OF WHICH WE CAN GIVE FURTHER WINGS, GIVE FURTHER ELEVATION, GIVE FELLOW HEIGHT.
AND AS I SEE THIS PROJECT NOW, THIS MULTI-LEVEL PROJECT OF TEACHING EXPLORATION, ARTEMIS TWO, ARTEMIS THREE, FURTHER EXPLORATION INTO BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAMS AND IMAGINATION, TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PILOTS.
I CAN SEE THIS AS THE DARLING OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
THIS WILL BE A CENTER POINT OF LEARNING AND TEACHING.
AND YES, MASSIVE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
I CAN SEE THIS BEING THE CENTER POINT.
I WON'T HAVE TO GO AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO.
I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO GO AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU ARE DOING, DR.
FONTAINE, SHOW THEM THE PILOTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH, SHOW THEM THE NEW TECHNOLOGY, SHOW THEM WHAT YOU MADE OF THE LEMONADE OR THE LEMONS THAT YOU HAD, AND YOU MADE IT INTO LEMONADE.
SO MY AFFIRMATION HERE TODAY IS TO BE ABLE TO SAY YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY.
YOU'RE BUILDING ON THE AVIATION OF THE 1920S AND THE 20TH CENTURY.
YOU'RE MOVING, UH, TO THE EXPLORATION OF OUR GREAT LEADERS OF THAT TIME.
AND NOW YOU COME TO A PLACE, YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE OF EXCELLENCE, YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE OF LEADERSHIP.
AND ALL I NEED TO SAY AS I RETURN, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LOOKING FOR A CENTER POINT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF AVIATION AND TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, MATCH WITH NASA.
AS WE EXPLORE THE HORIZONS, COME RIGHT HERE TO TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THE GREAT GENIUS THAT IS IN THIS PLACE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
HOW MANY MORE GRADUATES HAVE WE GOT OUT THERE? I'M READY TO GET RIGHT IN THE POLICY.
I'M GONNA HAVE AN ABBREVIATED CLASS.
GIMME A SIX WEEK CLASS, AND I'M GONNA BE WRITING IN THAT POLICY AND TAKE OFF.
I'VE ALREADY GOT MY WINGS, SO ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS GIVE ME THAT CAPTAIN'S CAP AND I'LL BE TAKEN OFF.
GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
UM, AND, UH, WE WILL BE WAITING FOR THE MONEY COMING THIS WAY, RIGHT,
WELL, UH, THIS IS, UH, THE END OF THE, UH, REMARKS THAT WE HAD FOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, LISTENING PATIENTLY.
NOW WE GONNA, UH, COME OVER HERE TO TAKE SOME PICTURES, UH, TO DO THE CEREMONIAL, UH, GROUNDBREAKING.