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Senator/Doctor Judith Zaffirini. Her’s is the story of the hometown girl who made good. After growing up in Laredo, Judy came to the University where she earned two degrees from the College of Communication. She later taught at the university level before starting her own business. The consulting firm she runs today involves broad-based consultation on communication issues and one-on-one executive coaching in speaking and writing.
When Judy ran for the Texas Senate in 1986, her campaign materials described her as “articulate, organized and hard working,” not surprising for a speech communication major with an almost perfect GPA.
Upon returning to Austin as the first Hispanic woman elected to the Texas senate, Senator Zaffirini became a champion for higher education issues, having now served ten terms on the Senate Committee on Education, where she has been instrumental in creating financial aid legislation for students. She is also a proponent of college work-study programs, having overseen a series of important increases in funding for this program.
The Senator’s work ethic is legendary. She arrives at the Capitol by 4 a.m. each day during the session. And if you’ve never heard Judith Zaffirini give a public speech, well, you’ve missed something breath-taking. She is fond of closing her speeches with the phrase, “May God bless you and inspire you to agree with my perspective.” Judy Zaffirini is a blizzard next to a hurricane inside a tornado.
Judy was unable to be with us tonight due to a prior commitment, and so her colleague, Warren von Eschenbach, will accept the award in her behalf. Please join me in applauding Senator Zaffirini for putting her degrees from our college to full use and for having had such a powerful impact on higher education in the State of Texas.