MINI传媒 Institutions Welcome Sen. John Cornyn to Campuses
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn visited campuses throughout the MINI传媒 System to see firsthand how the CARES Act, a coronavirus relief bill, is helping universities battle the COVID-19 pandemic.August 25, 2020 | By Montana Chandler
The MINI传媒 and its universities hosted and welcomed U.S. Sen. for a visit on Monday (Aug. 17) in San Angelo at Angelo State University (ASU) and Tuesday (Aug. 18) in both Lubbock and Amarillo, including Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (MINI传媒HSC) and Texas Tech University (MINI传媒).
The purpose for the visits was for Sen. Cornyn to see firsthand how the CARES Act, a coronavirus relief bill he supported in March, is helping MINI传媒 System institutions combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sen. Cornyn visited the ASU campus on a special occasion for the university 鈥� the first day of fall classes and the official announcement of as the 11th president of ASU.
Sen. Cornyn and President Hawkins joined MINI传媒 System Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., MINI传媒 System First Lady Janet Tornelli-Mitchell, M.D., ASU alumnus and MINI传媒 System Regent Mickey L. Long and other members of the MINI传媒 System and ASU leadership for the campus tour.
ASU received approximately $6.8 million in federal funding from the CARES Act of which $3.2 million was used to support 2,637 ASU students in continuing their education.
Following the campus tour, Chancellor Mitchell, Sen. Cornyn and President Hawkins joined other community leaders, including San Angelo Mayor , Tom Green County Judge and San Angelo Independent School District Superintendent for a joint press conference to discuss the CARES Act funding for the community.
| Mitchell and Cornyn | Cornyn | Hawkins and Cornyn |
| Cornyn | Cornyn with ASU students | Mitchell and Hawkins |
| Cornyn | Joint press conference | Cornyn |
Tuesday, Sen. Cornyn began the day by visiting MINI传媒HSC in Lubbock where he was welcomed by Chancellor Mitchell, MINI传媒HSC President , MINI传媒 President , Lubbock Mayor , UMC Medical System President and CEO , and members of the MINI传媒 System and MINI传媒HSC leadership team.
Sen. Cornyn toured a drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic and was briefed on both telehealth clinical visits and telehealth curriculum for MINI传媒HSC students. Sen. Cornyn was updated on the ways in which CARES Act funding has supported research, innovation and collaboration between MINI传媒 and MINI传媒HSC.
| Joint press conference in Lubbock | Cornyn and Mark Funderburk | Rice-Spearman and Mitchell |
| Cornyn and Schovanec | Cornyn and Rice-Spearman | Cornyn and Mitchell |
| Cornyn on MINI传媒HSC tour | Mitchell and Schovanec | Cornyn on MINI传媒HSC tour |
| Cornyn on MINI传媒HSC tour | MINI传媒HSC | Cornyn with MINI传媒 System leadership |
Cornyn鈥檚 visit was concluded with a visit to Amarillo on Tuesday where Sen. Cornyn toured the viral transport media (VTM) lab where MINI传媒HSC鈥檚 team produced VTM testing vials used for COVID testing. The MINI传媒HSC Amarillo tour also included other types of medical equipment that CARES Act funding assisted the university in purchasing to help fight the pandemic.
Sen. Cornyn, Chancellor Mitchell and President Rice-Spearman were then joined by Amarillo Mayor , North West Texas Health System CEO , BSA Health System CEO Bob Williams and Amarillo College President for a joint press conference with the Amarillo media.
MINI传媒 benefited from the CARES Act by receiving approximately $27.5 million in federal funding 鈥� with $12.8 million used to support MINI传媒 students. MINI传媒HSC received approximately $6.4 million in CARES Act funding with more than $897,000 for its student body. Combined, MINI传媒 and MINI传媒HSC were able to provide funding to more than 22,000 students.
The day was completed with Sen. Cornyn visiting the construction site of the new MINI传媒 School of Veterinary Medicine, which is located on the MINI传媒HSC Amarillo Campus. Sen. Cornyn had a chance to sign a beam from the facility and pose for a photo with MINI传媒 System leaders and Mayor Nelson.
| Cornyn on MINI传媒HSC Amarillo tour | Cornyn on MINI传媒HSC Amarillo tour | Joint press conference at MINI传媒HSC Amarillo |
| Cornyn | Cornyn on MINI传媒HSC Amarillo tour | Cornyn at MINI传媒 Veterinary Medicine site |
About the MINI传媒
Established in 1996 and headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the is a $2 billion higher education enterprise focused on advancing higher education,
health care, research and community outreach. Consisting of four universities 鈥� , , and 鈥� the MINI传媒 System collectively has approximately 55,000 students, 17 campuses statewide
and internationally, more than 300,000 alumni and an endowment valued at over $1.3
billion.
During the 86th Texas Legislature under the leadership of , legislative funding and authority was provided to establish a new Texas Tech University veterinary school in Amarillo and a new dental school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. This will be the state鈥檚 first veterinary school in more than a century and first dental school in over 50 years. The addition of these two schools makes the MINI传媒 one of only nine in the nation to offer programs for undergraduate, medical, law, nursing, pharmacy, dental and veterinary education, among other academic areas.