TAMIU Fall 2019 Commencement Program

Her legendary work ethic is reflected in her 100 percent voting record, having cast more than 64,000 consecutive votes, and her perfect attendance in the Texas Senate since 1987, except for breaking quorum deliberately to prevent an untimely re-redistricting that the U.S. Supreme Court (2006) ruled violated the Voting Rights Act. She has sponsored and passed 1,160 bills and 36 substantive resolutions. Attesting to her bipartisan effectiveness, in the 2019 Republican-dominated Texas Legislature she passed 127 bills, breaking her record of 108 and passing more bills than any other legislator for the third consecutive legislative session. She has passed more bills than any other legislator in the history of the State of Texas. Senator Zaffirini has received over 1,000 awards and honors for her legislative, public service, and professional work, including 340+ in communication. Perhaps the most treasured awards are those provided by her son, Carlos Jr., who has honored her as the namesake of endowed scholarships at The University of Texas at Austin, Baylor College of Medicine, and TAMIU. He also created a grant program to help teacher reduce their college student loan debts, and a UT Dell Seton Medical Center patient suite. He also established the Carlos Sr. and Senator Judith Zaffirini Access to Justice Initiative, which pays for bar review courses and exam fees for low-income UT Law School graduates who, in turn, will represent low-income clients. The Beaumont Foundation also endowed a scholarship honoring Senator Zaffirini and her husband at TAMIU, and the annual Senator Judith Zaffirini Medal is presented to TAMIU faculty and students excelling in scholarship and leadership. Through her business, Zaffirini Communications, she provides professional communication services, including consulting, workshops and seminars, keynote addresses, and writing. She is also president of the Mr. South Texas Foundation and the D&J Alexander Foundation and its subsidiaries: D&J Alexander Investments and D&J Alexander Development. Senator Zaffirini is a distinguished communicator, educator, businessperson and leader, and holds B.S., M.A., and PhD degrees from UT-Austin, each with a 3.9 grade-point average. She and Carlos Zaffirini have been married for 54 years. Their son, Carlos Jr., an attorney and businessman, and wife Audrey welcomed their first son, Asher Maxwell, in 2017 and their second, George William, in July.