SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24106362DSENATE IRESOLUTION SENAOfferedNO. February 7, 2024 N Celebrating the life of Rachel Gayle Davis Fowlkes.

––––––––––47 TE Patron––PillionCelebrating Rthe ––––––––––life Oof WHEREAS, Rachel Gayle Davis Fowlkes,Fowlkes. an accomplished educator, founding executive director of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, and active and beloved member of the Abingdon D comWHEREAS, a native of Meridian, Mississippi, Rachel Fowlkes graduated from Millsaps College and later earned a master's degree from Mississippi State University and a doctoral degree in education from the University of Virginia;

andN CAgreed WHEREAS,to inby the earlySenate, yearsFebruary of8, her2024 career,R RachelO Fowlkesthe servedSouthwest asVirginia anHigher elementaryEducation schoolCenter, teaEher,and specialactive education teacher, and supervisorbeloved formember specialof educationthe forAbingdon Washingtonof County,L workingcommunity, tirelesslydied toon fosterApril a1, learning2023; environment in which her students could grow and thrive;

and DL post-secondaryWHEREAS, education, taking a positionnative as director of theMeridian, UniversityMississippi, ofRachel Virginia'sFowlkes divisiongraduated offrom continuingMillsaps educationCollege in Southwest Virginia and later as the stateUniversity coordinator of theVirginia; university's education programs;

andandfrom WHEREAS,Mississippi recognizingState theUniversity needand fora greaterdoctoral higherdegree education resources in Southwesteducation VirginiafromE toWHEREAS, foster economic development, Rachel Fowlkes played an instrumental role in the creationearly years of theher Southwestcareer, VirginiaRachel HigherFowlkes Education Center and served as itsan executiveelementary directorschool fromteacher, itsD foundingspecial ineducation 199WHEREAS,teacher, Racheland Fowlkes'supervisor tenurefor asspecial executiveeducation directorfor ofWashington theCounty, Southwestworking Virginiatirelessly Higher R Education Center was characterized by her willingness to embracefoster technologya andlearning otherenvironment innovationsin andwhich her unwavering determination to understand the area's students andcould businessesgrow to improve the organization's programs and services;thrive;

and WHEREAS,post-secondary Racheleducation, Fowlkestaking gavea generouslyposition of her time and offered insightful leadership as adirector boardof member with various local and regional organizations supporting missions in the areasUniversity of education,Virginia's heaWHEREAS,division guidedof throughoutcontinuing hereducation lifein bySouthwest herVirginia faith, Rachel Fowlkes enjoyed worship and fellowshiplater withas herthe communitystate atcoordinator Sinkingof Spring Presbyterian Church in Abingdon and volunteered regularly with the organizationuniversity's Ecumenicaleducation Faithprograms; in Action;

and WHEREAS,foster economic development, Rachel Fowlkes willplayed bean lovinglyinstrumental rememberedrole andin dearlythe missedcreation byof hertheto children,R MerrillSouthwest andVirginia John,Higher Education Center and theirserved families;as its executive director from its founding in 7 until her retirement in 2015;

and R WHEREAS, Rachel Fowlkes' tenure as executive director of the Southwest Virginia Higher her unwavering determination to understand the area's students and businesses to improve thetions and organization's programs and services;

and WHEREAS, Rachel Fowlkes gave generously of her time and offered insightful leadership as a board health care, business development, heritage preservation, and more;

ands in the areas of education, WHEREAS, guided throughout her life by her faith, Rachel Fowlkes enjoyed worship and fellowship with her community at Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church in Abingdon and volunteered regularly with the organization Ecumenical Faith in Action;

and and John, and their families;

now, therefore, be it :RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Rachel Gayle Davis Fowlkes, a cherished member of the Abingdon community whose dedication and service made a proRESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Rachel Gayle Davis Fowlkes as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for her memory.

35 RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Rachel Gayle 37 profound and lasting impact on countless lives;

and, be ity whose dedication and service made a 38 RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for 39 presentation to the family of Rachel Gayle Davis Fowlkes as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for her memory.