Wilhelmina Delco, BAC Co-Chair

Wilhelmina Delco, BAC Co-Chair

Wilhelmina Ruth Fitzgerald Delco was a dedicated leader in the Texas House of Representatives since her election in November 1974, when she became the first African American official elected at large from Travis County, later District 50. She was sworn into office in January, 1975 to serve her first term in the 64th Legislative Session. With the beginning of the 74th session, in January 1995, Delco retired, concluding her tenth term and twentieth year in the Texas House of Representatives.

Wilhelmina Delco began her public service career as a member of the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees in 1968, and served as Secretary of the Board from 1972 to 1974. She was also on the founding Board of Trustees of Austin Community College and served as secretary of the Board from 1973 to 1974. Through the years, Delco has served in leadership positions with a variety of local, state and national organizations including: the American Association for Higher Education; Educational Testing Service; Education Commission of the States; Diocesan Pastoral Council; National Girl Scout Council; KLRU TV-18 Board of Directors; Huston-Tillotson College; the Carnegie Foundation Advisory Panel for the Advanced Leadership Program Services Advancement of Teaching Governance Board; and many others.

Representative Delco’s history of considerable influence in the area of higher education permeated her tenure in the Texas House of Representatives. In 1979, she was appointed Chair of the House Higher Education committee, and she served in that capacity until her appointment as Speaker Pro Tempore in 1991. As Speaker Pro Tempore, from 1991 to 1993, Delco became the first woman and second African-American to hold that second highest position in the Texas House. During her last term, she served as Chair of the General Investigating Committee and Vice Chair of the Corrections Committee, as a member of the Higher Education Committee.

The House Committees on which Representative Delco served included: Business and Commerce; Constitutional Amendments; Constitutional Revision; Health and Welfare; Chair, Health Facilities; Health Reorganization; Interim Committee to Study Alternatives for Public School Finance; Chair, Subcommittee on Curriculum reform, and many others.

Throughout her political career, Mrs. Delco received numerous awards and honors including honorary degrees from nine colleges and universities as well as a host of local, statewide, and national awards. In recognition of her commitment to higher education while in office, Delco was appointed Chairperson of two national education efforts. At the request of U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, she chaired the U.S. Department of Education’s National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. Delco also chaired the Compact for Faculty Diversity, a consortium of the New England Board of Education, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, and the Southern Regional Education Board.