Sylvia Garcia (BA '72)

Growing up in a South Texas farming community with nine brothers and sisters was a struggle for Sylvia Garcia’s family, and that taught her about hard work and perseverance.

Being active in student government while attending Texas Woman’s University ignited a passion in her for public service, and that taught her about leadership.

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that after four decades of public service Garcia is one of two women who are the first Latinas in Texas elected to Congress on Nov. 6. You could say she was perfectly suited for the position, most recently having served as a state senator representing an area of Houston with a significant number of disadvantaged people. Already, she’s spent most of her lifetime committed to helping others and leading her community.

Garcia continued her public service by serving five terms as a presiding municipal court judge in Houston, two terms as a city controller, and then as a Harris County commissioner. She became a state senator in 2013 after being elected to serve out the term of the late Mario Gallegos.