WHEREAS, Paull Shin has completed a long and honored term of service in the Senate; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Shin's story is the story of the American dream come to life. He courageously conquered vast obstacles, which allowed his passion for service to spring from a vision to a reality; and
     WHEREAS, Paull Shin went from living on the streets of war-torn Korea as an orphan child, to having the opportunity to live an American life after he was adopted by an American GI; and
     WHEREAS, Though he had not been taught how to read and write as a child, Paull Shin made up for his lack of childhood schooling and swiftly educated himself in his teenage years, becoming literate in both English and Korean; and
     WHEREAS, Paull Shin earned a PhD and became a professor in Washington's higher education system, where he inspired generations of students through his teachings in East Asian Studies; and
     WHEREAS, Paull Shin was elected to the Senate in 1998 and nobly served the people of Washington and the 21st District for 15 years; and
     WHEREAS, While striving to be active in Washington's community, Senator Shin spent much of his time building relationships with his colleagues in the Senate and with his constituents; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Shin's life story informed his deep dedication to expanding educational opportunities, protecting and supporting our most vulnerable residents, and providing pathways for middle-class opportunities and prosperity; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Shin represented Washington ably on numerous trade missions abroad, building relationships with foreign leaders and promoting Washington products and companies; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Shin never forgot about the sacrifices our men and women of the armed forces have made and was the original prime sponsor of the policy contained in SB 5318 to expand access to higher education to nonresident service members; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Shin was a champion for Washington State's Asian-American community, passing legislation to erase derogatory and outdated language regarding Asian-Americans from state statutes, codes, regulations, and other official documents; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Shin recognized the relationship between business and education, passing legislation to develop customized workforce training, believing that the growth of new businesses was being limited by an unmet need for customized training; and
     WHEREAS, Senator Shin's dignity, service, and compassion provided admirable examples for others to emulate;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize and honor the life and work of Senator Paull Shin for his lifetime of contributions to the people and state of Washington.