Del Mar College names retired Drama faculty member Michael “Kim” Frederick as newest Professor Emeritus
Article b: Richard Guerrero, Jr. He could have been a welder all his life, but the lure of the stage proved irresistible to retired Del Mar College (DMC) theatre educator Michael “Kim” Frederick. He chose to leave behind a lucrative career and start down the path toward teaching back in 1979. But it wasn’t just the performing bug that bit him. Frederick fell in love with teaching from the very first day and never looked back. Recently, college officials announced the conferral of the title Professor Emeritus of Drama to Frederick, recognizing his career defined by passion, service and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of the arts. He was awarded the distinction during the DMC Board of Regents regular monthly meeting on Dec. 9. “Emeritus” status is among the highest honors the college can bestow and is reserved for faculty whose careers reflect distinguished service, meritorious teaching and significant contributions to higher education. For more than 36 years, Frederick embodied those ideals on the stage, in the classroom and throughout the community. As a Professor of Drama, Frederick served as an exemplary educator and mentor, teaching a wide range of theater courses, developing new curricula, and directing more than 50 productions. His work supported the college’s earliest Dual Enrollment students and helped generations of learners discover confidence, discipline and voice through theater. His dedication to teaching excellence was recognized statewide when the Texas Association of Theatre Educators named him Community College Educator of the Year in 2017. Beyond the classroom, Frederick’s leadership shaped the growth and national standing of Del Mar College’s Drama Program. He served for more than two decades as Drama Program Coordinator and later as Chair of the Art and Drama Department. Through thoughtful assessment and continuous improvement, he was instrumental in achieving national accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Theatre—a milestone that elevated the Drama Program and its students. Frederick also championed the creation of new art and drama facilities, including the Sue Finley Theatre, which opened in 2012 and remains a cornerstone of campus cultural life. DMC Professor of Drama Carl Yowell was by Frederick’s side for nearly three decades as a colleague and reflected on the experience as he spoke in favor of the designation during the board’s meeting. “Kim inspired all of us, his colleagues, to put in the extra time beyond our teaching load and our typical production loads to come and do this in service to the college,” Yowell said. “He was the Pied Piper in our merry band.” Frederick’s influence extended well beyond Del Mar College. A lifelong advocate for the arts, he served on the City of Corpus Christi Arts and Cultural Commission and led a team of community leaders in crafting the presentation that earned Corpus Christi the prestigious “All-America City” designation in 2003. Known for his clarity, humor and unmistakable directorial presence, Frederick brought artists, educators, civic leaders and students together—always meeting people where they were and inviting them to rise higher. DMC President and CEO Dr. Mark Escamilla, noted that Frederick’s passion for the college was an inspiration to him as he was getting his bearings during the early days of his own tenure. “You've been a guide for so many, a mentor for so many. Your spirit and your love for theater and everything – all things arts, all things Del Mar – resonates all throughout the community. It still does. It always will,” Dr. Escamilla said. Even in retirement, Frederick’s commitment continues. Through the Kim Frederick Endowed Drama Scholarship Fund, which awarded its first scholarship in spring 2025, he is investing in the future of Del Mar College students and the art form he loves. By unanimously approving “emeritus” status, the Board of Regents acknowledged not only Frederick’s professional accomplishments but also the personal legacy he leaves behind: a mentor whose passion was unmistakable, a colleague whose leadership inspired extra effort and deep loyalty and an educator who chose purpose over comfort while never looking back. “This college has a great legacy of recognizing service. If you look at Heritage Campus, look at the names: Coles, Venters, Heldenfels, Anzaldua, Creighton, Garcia, St. Clair, Wolfe, Bartlett, Richardson, Finley and Cain,” Yowell said during the Board meeting. “These are not donors. These are people who gave the minutes, hours, days and years of their lives in service to this institution and its community. And Kim is among that number–the minutes and hours and days and years of his life [that he gave to us all].” Upon the Board’s conferral, Frederick said that his greatest relationship was with DMC and noted that even through many changes over the years, his passion for the college’s theater program only grew with time. He urged regents to champion the performing arts going forward. “I hope that we all see behind or ahead of the curve on what is a major of consequence or a major of value, and the majors that our students want to study is of consequence and of value,” he said of fine arts, adding of his new title: “I am so blessed. This a great honor.” Professor Emeritus… Frederick’s new title says it all…his life’s work that enriched students, strengthened programs and forever shaped artistic and educational legacies at Del Mar College.
