Signing on the dotted line … nine individuals participate today during signing ceremony for DMC’s Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program
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May
2025
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21:54 PM
Europe/Amsterdam
Nearly 2,140 residents have applied and 1,145 currently accepted since program’s March announcement with application deadline still ahead (Aug. 1); new three-year contract commitment to expedite qualifying students’ associate degree completion
Article by Melinda Eddleman
DMC President and CEO Mark Escamilla and Valdar the Viking_Addressing Ceremony Participants_Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Signing Ceremony_052125
Del Mar College’s (DMC) new Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program is a “game changer” for in-district residents who qualify and are accepted to begin courses this fall. And much like athletes who sign contracts to play at the collegiate or professional level, applicants selected for the program don’t have to worry about paying for their courses, but they do have to “sign on the dotted line” and commit to completing their associate’s degrees within three years as full-time students.
Today, May 21, nine new Vikings participated during a “signing ceremony” symbolizing their new journey in higher education this fall semester and a path to completing their associate’s degrees over the next three years as part of the first cohort to participate in the college’s Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program.
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These students are pioneers. They saw the value of the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver and chose to take that first step toward their goals. It’s a great opportunity that will change their lives.
Dr. Mark Escamilla, Del Mar College President and Chief Executive Officer
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Valdar the Viking_Juliana Henson_DMC President and CEO Mark Escamilla_Freedom to Dream Tuition Wiaver Signing Ceremony_052125
Juliana Henson (center), a Del Mar College Dual Enrollment student attending the School of Science & technology, signs her three-year contract for the college’s Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver as mascot Valdar the Viking (left) and DMC President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mark Escamilla look on during a May 21 ceremony held on the Heritage Campus in the William F. White, Jr. Library. Henson was one of nine new Vikings who signed contracts during the ceremony. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
Valdar the Viking_Juliana Henson with Viking Pennant_DMC President and CEO Mark Escamilla_Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Contract Signing Ceremony_052125
After signing her three-year contract as part of Del Mar College’s Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program during a May 21 ceremony, Juliana Henson, a DMC Dual Enrollment student who attends the School of Science & Technology, poses with her DMC Vikings pennant with Valdar the Viking (left) and Dr. Mark Escamilla, DMC President and Chief Executive Officer. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
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When the Board of Regents approved the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver pilot program in March, our hope was that it would open doors for new populations of students. Our hope was well-placed because the response to the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver has been enormous.
Carol A. Scott, Del Mar College Board of Regents Chair
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Board of Regents Chair Carol Scott and Valdar the Viking_Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Signing Ceremony_052125
She added, “The program truly increases access to higher education for more Coastal Bend residents – like these students. By removing financial barriers, the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver creates a more level playing field for higher education.”
The Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program covers tuition and some fees using “first-in funding,” which comes from two sources: 1) DMC Foundation funds previously donated for the Viking Promise Program and approved for use to support the pilot program by its Board of Trustees and 2) the revenue generated from the state’s outcomes-based funding model for community colleges established by House Bill 8 in 2023.
The first-in funding model allows students to draw from their financial aid or scholarships as resources to pay for living expenses and other collegiate-related costs––such as books, gear or program-specific uniforms––so they can attend DMC full-time.
“The Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program is making my dreams possible now that I don’t have to worry about paying for classes,” says Marysabel Lopez, who will graduate from high school among West Oso ISD’s Class of 2025 on May 30. “Instead, I can perform my heart out as a Music Education major because my dream is to teach the experience of being a part of music to younger generations.”
Lopez signed her contract May 21, too.
Qualifications for the first cohort include:
All Qualifying Applicants:
• Live in the Del Mar College District (taxing district), which includes the Calallen, Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, Tuloso-Midway and West Oso Indepe3ndent School Districts.
• Enroll full-time (12 Semester Credit Hours or more).
• Maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA).
• Enroll in a for-credit program or certificate.
• Commit to a formal agreement or “contract” to complete their studies withing a three-year period.
High School Students:
• Graduating among the Class of 2025 or equivalent.
• Dual Credit students are eligible regardless of the number of Semester Credit Hours they have earned.
Adult Learner:
• First-time-in-college student with12 Semester Credit Hours or lLess.
Valdar the Viking_Joseph Collin_President and CEO Mark Escamilla_Freedom to Dream Contract Signing Ceremony_052125
As an adult learner, 39-year-old Joseph Collin, who previously completed his high school equivalency or General Educational Development (GED) certificate at Del Mar College and earned three Semester Credit Hours toward Liberal Arts studies, plans to earn an Associate in Applied Science in Surgical Technology degree.
Currently a reception group leader and phlebotomist at CSI Plasma, Collin says, “My dream is to become a Surgical First Assistant with specialties in Neurology, but more specifically, I want to focus on the brain and what causes Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.”
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I also want to show my son that it’s never too late to start over and become what you dream.
Joseph Collin, Freedom to Dream Participant and New DMC Viking
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Del Mar College’s Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program can propel Collin and others to do just that…“own their dreams.”
Valdar_Nine Freedom to Dream Ceremony Participants_Regents Chair Carol Scott_DMC President and CEO Mark Escamilla
After Del Mar College Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver contracts were signed by the nine May 21 ceremony participants, the honorees posed for a group picture to celebrate their new journey as DMC Vikings. Pictured from left are DMC mascot Valdar the Viking, Marysabel Lopez, Corazon Alvarez, Alexus Magallan, Sabrina Murillo, Juliana Henson, Vincent Treviño, Levi Garibay, Jonathan Anguiano, Joseph Collin, DMC Board of Regents Chair Carol A. Scott and Dr. Mark Escamilla, DMC President and Chief Executive Officer. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
About Del Mar College
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.
Latest DMC News
- DMC Veterans Services receives TVC “Gold” Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award, U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud’s office presents Congressional acknowledgement during Board of Regents regular October meetingArticle by Melinda Eddleman They served our country, and now Del Mar College (DMC) is honored to serve them. Acknowledgement of DMC and its Veterans Services staff’s commitment to veteran students and family members who attend the college came as a 2025 “Gold” Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award from the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) in early September and announced by Gov. Greg Abbott (online release). The college is one of 33 two- and four-year public higher education institutions to receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze award based on criteria set forth by the TVC and outlined in the Governor’s release. This year’s award is the second for DMC, receiving a Bronze Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award in 2022. During the DMC Board of Regents regular meeting held on Oct. 14, the college recognized Veterans Services staff and the award they earned. Additionally, District Director Scott Bauer and Field Representative Carrie Moore from U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud’s district office presented a Congressional Recognition acknowledging the dedication and assistance the college’s veteran students receive from Veterans Services. The Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award was established by the Texas Legislature and is given after thorough review of college and university applicants that demonstrate educational excellence and support services that “significantly contribute to the academic success of student veterans and military-connected students.” The deadline for nomination applications was April 1, 2025, and the TVC requested data from the 2023-2024 academic year for its 2025 award. For Del Mar College, a total of 683 veteran students were enrolled during the end of that academic year. Additionally, 381 received Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits while 302 received Hazelwood Act tuition exemptions. Financial support also comes from the American G.I. Forum of South Texas and the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation in the form of scholarships. Currently, 812 total veteran students and family members are enrolled in fall 2025 courses with 510 receiving Veterans Affairs benefits and 302 Hazelwood Act tuition exemptions. DMC Veterans Services offers assistance and resources, including offices and lounges (Veterans Resource Centers), on all three campuses––Heritage, Windward and Oso Creek––to exclusively serve veteran students and their families. Reserved for these students, the lounges offer places to use upgraded computers and printers, grab quick snacks or use kitchenette appliances, relax in a family room-type setting and collaborate academically or socially with other student veterans. Office staff include veterans and veteran dependents who maintain certification through the Veterans Administration Education Department to assist with navigating through the benefits due to anyone who has served as well as their beneficiaries. Veterans Services also employs veteran students through the Veterans Administration (VA) Work Study Program, and they assist staff in campus offices and Veterans Resource Centers. “Our VA Work Study students are our greatest asset because they vocalize across campuses and in classrooms the support offered to this segment of the college’s student population,” noted Dr. Armentrout, adding: “They not only help our staff but also assist other student veterans using our facilities, and they contribute during recruitment activities and special events calling for support and participation, including Paws and Relax during finals, the Toys for Tots toy drive during the holidays and the annual Fall Festival. Outside the college, Veterans Services staff interact with the Nueces and San Patricio Veterans Services Offices and other local veterans’ organizations, even holding memberships, along with attending the weekly Nueces County Veterans Roundtable, to promote higher education after separation from the military. Additionally, DMC Veterans Services partners with the region’s Military Entrance Processing Station in San Antonio for weekly administering of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a free test for military enlistment that assesses candidates’ strengths. Additionally, DMC Veterans Services offers to faculty and staff unaffiliated with military service orientations and workshops that familiarize them with the challenges and adjustment veteran students and dependents experience after re-entering the civilian world. Employees learn to identify characteristics among the veteran student population to best serve them in and outside the classroom when on campus. View the recognition presentation below. A PDF file of the Congressional Recognition is available in the upper righ- hand corner.
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- It’s that time, again! Del Mar College Dental Hygiene Program currently offering clinical services “at no cost”Article by Melinda Eddleman You’ve been putting off getting your teeth cleaned for quite some time … maybe because the cost of everything else is making it difficult to stretch your budget or maybe because you don’t like going to the dentist. Either way, Del Mar College’s (DMC) Dental Hygiene Program is currently offering some ways to help Coastal Bend residents smile a little brighter while keeping their wallets a little “greener” by providing clinic hours and services at no charge during the fall 2025 semester. The Dental Hygiene Clinic offers a variety of services including medical history reviews, blood pressure screenings, intra-oral examinations, dental preliminary assessments, periodontal assessments, dental hygiene education, oral cancer screenings, radiographs (x-rays), fluoride treatments (as needed), selective polishing, conservative periodontal therapy, dental hygiene therapy and dental sealants. Services are underway and run through early December, but now is the time to sign up due to an extended commitment from patients receiving student-provided services. The clinic gives Dental Hygiene students the hands-on experience and required hours needed to complete the program. Students performing procedures are under the supervision of program faculty, and patients’ care usually requires more than one visit. Patient selection is based on the educational and clinical requirements of Dental Hygiene students. DMC faculty will determine acceptance of patients after a “qualifying appointment.” For full details about patient selection, appointments and other pertinent information, visit the clinic web page at delmar.edu/offices/dental-clinic/index.html. The clinic is located in Room 125 of Health Sciences Building 1 on Del Mar College’s Windward Campus at 4101 Old Brownsville Road (78405). Access directions and the online campus map. Operational hours are Mondays and Tuesdays 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. as well as Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon with appointments required. To schedule a “qualifying appointment,” call 361-698-2854 or email dentalclinic@delmar.edu. Sepulveda noted, “For multiple decades, Del Mar College has prepared dental care professionals who now serve patients across the Coastal Bend. Chances are, when you visit a dental office in our community, you’re being treated by a DMC graduate.”
- DMC Cultural Programs Committee bringing two guests, artist and author, for campus and community presentations over next two weeksArticle by Melinda Eddleman Expanding perspectives is part of life-long learning, and the Del Mar College (DMC) Cultural Programs Committee (CPC) is dedicated to offering events featuring artists, authors, lecturers and musicians from other parts of the country to the campus and area communities as part of cultural learning experiences. Made up of faculty and other departmental representatives, the committee organizes several events during the year, including two over the next two weeks––a Fall Art Talk on Oct. 2 and a Literary Reading on Oct. 9. Cultural Programs Committee-sponsored events are free and open to the public. These offerings are scheduled in different facilities on the Heritage Campus located at 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404). Access online directions and the Heritage Campus campus map. Ceramic artist and educator William McKinney will present a Fall Art Talk in Richardson Performance Hall on Thursday, Oct. 2, beginning at 11 a.m. Presented by the CPC and the Art Program with the Art and Drama Department, the West Virginia Morgantown-born artist explores the intersection of industry, nature and environmental action. McKinney’s sculptural work reflects the environmental impact of coal and gas industries on Appalachia’s landscapes, serving as both a critique and a call to action. An Assistant Professor of Art and Ceramics and the Gallery Director at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., McKinney uses stoneware, colored porcelain slip and wood firing techniques to create forms that embody the tension between natural forces and human intervention, often incorporating multiple firings and Egyptian paste to enhance surface depth and complexity of his work. McKinney earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from West Virginia University in 2016 and completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at The University of Mississippi in 2019. He has served as a Resident Artist at the Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology Project in Lake County, Ca., and as an Adjunct Professor at Mendocino College. From 2022 to 2024, he was the John Hirschi Family Ceramic Resident Artist at Midwestern State University. He has exhibited both nationally and internationally at venues such as Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (Mesa, Ariz.), Dallas College (Irving, Tx.), Miaobei Art Center (Miaoli County, Taiwan), Taoxichuan Ceramic Art Avenue (Jingdezhen, China) and The Pottery Workshop (Jingdezhen, China). To learn more about McKinney and view his work, visit his website. Questions related to the Oct. 2 Fall Art Talk may be directed to the DMC Art Office at 361-698-1216 or art@delmsr.edu. Online seating registration is requested on the DMC web page for this event. On Thursday, Oct. 9, the committee and the Department of English and Philosophy will host memoirist and author Jody Keisner for a Literary Reading beginning at 11 a.m. in the Reading Lab (Room 119) in the Coles Building. One reviewer, author Sue William Silverman, describes Keisner’s book, Under My Bed and Other Essays (2022), as an exploration of “our aversion to scary things, as well as the emotional, physical, cultural and psychological allure of fear. Keisner examines everything from horror movies to giving birth—and does it fearlessly.” You can explore Keisner’s writing further during her reading on the Heritage Camus. Keisner––a writer, teacher, mother, first-generation college graduate and ex-waitress––has had essays appear in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Fourth Genre, Cimarron Review, Post Road, Brevity, VIDA Review, So to Speak, Brain, Child, Assay, Threepenny Review, Hunger Mountain, The Rumpus, The Normal School, Adroit Journal, Literary Mama, Hippocampus, Essay Daily, Women’s Studies, and many other literary journals and magazines. Her essay “Runaway Mother” is a notable Best American Essay 2022. Keisner serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Linden Review, a journal of creative nonfiction focused on health. The graduate of Wayne State University (Bachelor of Arts), University of Nebraska-Omaha (Master of Arts) and Western Michigan University (Master of Fine Arts) is a Professor at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where she teaches creative nonfiction. You can learn more about Keisner on her website at www.jodykeisner.com/. Questions about the Oct. 9 reading may be directed to Assistant Professor of English Sarah Lenz at 361-698-1453 or slenz2@delmar.edu. If you have some free time the next couple of Thursdays or maybe want to take an early lunch, mark your calendar for Oct. 2 and 9 to join DMC Cultural Programs Committee and departmental event organizers for two thought-provoking presentations that offer a different learning experience.
- DMC History Professor and Author Dr. Erinn McComb sharing insights covered in new book on space flight and gender culture during Sept. 24 talkArticle by Richard Guerrero, Jr. The American Space Program and how it relates to gender culture is the subject of a free public book talk at Del Mar College (DMC) by Dr. Erinn McComb, History Professor with the college’s Social Sciences Department, who will discuss her debut book, “Gender and the Race for Space: Masculinity and the American Astronaut” (1957-1983). The free lecture begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24, in Wolfe Recital Hall on Heritage Campus, 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404), online directions and campus map. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Paul Gottemoller, DMC Chair of the Social Sciences Department, at pgottemo@delmar.edu or at 361-698-1698. Released in June by Anthem Press, Dr. McComb’s book draws from years of research and rich archival interviews, especially those conducted by Dr. Jennifer Ross-Nazzal, formerly of the Johnson Space Center. Ross-Nazzal conducted dozens of interviews with former NASA employees, including the first six female astronauts. Dr. McComb’s book explores how masculinity shaped American spaceflight during the Cold War, particularly in NASA’s early astronaut selection process and public image. Her presentation will dive into how American gender culture influenced which individuals were deemed fit for space — and which were left grounded. Based on her doctoral dissertation, the book took nearly five years to complete and weaves together historical testimony, including the voices of early female astronauts — most notably, Dr. Sally K. Ride — and aerospace engineers navigating a male-dominated field. Dr. McComb also discusses competing narratives heading into the shuttle era––one that championed women’s capabilities, and another that diminished them by suggesting the shuttle was “so safe, even a woman could fly it.” In her book, Dr. McComb argues the American astronaut image was informed by early Cold War ideals of masculinity that helped mold a distinctly American (anti-communist) masculinity, which appeared — on the surface anyway — to resolve not only an American “crisis of masculinity” but helped win the Cold War on an ideological and popular level. At the heart of the talk scheduled Sept. 24 is a powerful message: “Gender culture has always shaped opportunities,” Dr. McComb notes. “Often, even if legal barriers weren’t in the way, people shied away from doing what they really wanted because of fears of social ridicule. The stories of the men and women in the book demonstrate that we as individuals should do it anyway. These individuals reached their potential and their individual fulfillment despite barriers, social ridicule or fear.” While books will not be available for purchase at the event, copies of ‘Gender and the Race for Space’ are available online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites and will be housed in the Del Mar College White Library on the Heritage Campus for public access.
- Del Mar College Volunteers Share Junior Achievement Principles at West Oso Elementary School as Part of “JA in a Day” on Sept. 12Article by: Richard Guerrero, Jr. It's never too early to start learning the core fundamentals of a working life. As we all know, preparing for a successful career requires financial literacy, an entrepreneurial spirit (side hustle, anyone?), and ensuring that you have the skills – including those essential soft skills that apply to nearly all work environments – to enjoy workplace longevity these days. To help young students at West Oso Elementary School in West Oso ISD become familiar with these concepts, a group of 90 volunteers – 41 Del Mar College (DMC) faculty and staff, 43 DMC students, and six students from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi –presented tailored curriculum as part of the Junior Achievement of the Coastal Bend’s “JA in a Day” initiative on Friday, Sept. 12. All Junior Achievement programs are developed by Junior Achievement, a nonprofit youth organization that was founded in 1919. JA’s programs align with State Standards and Common Core, and volunteers receive training and materials to cover curriculum tailored to their assigned grade levels. Lessons included the following: Second-grade students: JA Our Community immerses students in the daily life of their community the people who work there, the money decisions they make, the flow of the community's economy, and the importance of being involved and responsible community members. Third-grade students: JA Our City introduces students to financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and grade-level social studies learning objectives, including how people manage their money and the importance of economic exchange within a city. Fourth-grade students: JA Our Region helps students explore how regional differences shape job opportunities, resource use, trade, and consumer choices. It shows students how their choices can contribute to their local and regional economies. Fifth-grade students: JA Our Nation presents essential aspects of our nation’s economy, skill development, career exploration, and community involvement. Through hands-on games and activities, students discover how their skills and actions contribute to their own success and to the economy. Since Fall 2023, Del Mar College has partnered with Junior Achievement to sponsor a “JA in a Day” with West Oso ISD, according to Dr. Jennifer Sramek, DMC Dean of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Heath Sciences. In the fall, the DMC volunteer cohort focuses on West Oso Elementary School while in the spring the cohort focuses on JFK Elementary School. “On ‘JA in a Day,’ DMC faculty, staff, and students provide age-appropriate lessons on entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs designed to help young people understand the economics of life,” Sramek said. Marcy Davis, Principal of West Oso Elementary School, says Junior Achievement volunteers bring engaging hands-on lessons each year that help students make meaningful connections between academic content and everyday life. Teachers welcome these visits because the lessons directly align with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) they are already teaching in the classroom, she adds. “During JA in a Day, the energy is felt throughout the halls, and every class is filled with excitement and active learning. Now in its third year at our campus, this valuable community partnership continues to strengthen the connection between schools and the community, and we look forward to its ongoing impact for years to come,” Davis said. Since Fall 2023, Sramek says DMC has provided a total of 163 volunteers overall. This semester’s volunteer cohort is the largest one to date. “When Team DMC participates in JA in a Day, we are mentors, role models and community partners. For many of these students, JA in a Day might be their first glimpse into careers, entrepreneurship or financial literacy,” Sramek says, adding: “The enthusiasm and compassion that Team DMC brings shows these students that they are seen, valued and capable of achieving great things.”
