Kim Frederick, drama professor at Del Mar College, is wrapping up his final semester after 37 years of service. As the end of his career approaches, Frederick looks back on the changes and constants he’s witnessed in both the college and in his own life.

“Most students go to a university and realize they had it better at Del Mar,” Frederick said, noting the personalized attention students receive at the college. “The classes are more personal here.”

Frederick, with nearly four decades of teaching experience, sees the core challenges students face today as similar to those he encountered when he first started.

“The problems are still there, but they’ve evolved. Back then, students were picking up second jobs to make ends meet or dealing with housing issues, and today, the same concerns remain,” he explained. “It’s just different times.”

Reflecting on his early days at Del Mar, Frederick recalled the excitement of his first computer – a massive, blocky machine complete with a dot matrix printer.

“I remember running to the Dean’s office to request a bigger desk so I could fit my new computer,” he said, laughing. “They had extra funds, so they approved it.”

He humorously teases his students about the technological changes over the years.

“I love reminding them how much things have changed – and how much they stay the same.”

Throughout his time at Del Mar, Frederick said one lesson has remained clear: the importance of staying connected to students.

“A former chair once told me, ‘No matter how long we stay here, faculty will always remain the same,’” he continues, “We’re in the trenches with the students, while administration may change.”

Frederick also acknowledged the constant leadership change within the college, though he noted that Dr. Mark Escamilla, the college’s longest-serving president, has provided stability during his tenure.

While reflecting on his long career, Frederick also confronted his own health challenges. He had a heart attack in 2008 and another health scare in 2022 during heart surgery, “I’ve been doing this long enough to know I needed to slow down,” he said. “It started clicking that if I wanted to get out, I wanted to leave while I still had time to enjoy life.”

It was in 2022, after his surgery, that Frederick began seriously considering his retirement. “I started looking at the clock. I knew I needed to enjoy the time I had left,” he stated. After announcing his decision to retire last spring, he began preparing for his final semester this fall.

Frederick’s 37 years at Del Mar have been fulfilling, but he also has personal goals he wants to pursue.

“I’ve checked off a lot on my professional list,” he said, “But there’s another list, the one with things I want to do in my personal life, and I’ve barely made a dent in it.”

As his final semester draws to a close, Frederick is experiencing a mix of emotions.

“When I’m showing a film in class, I realize this is the last time I’m teaching this part of the curriculum,” he said, his voice catching. “Everything is hitting me all at once.”

The prospect of leaving Del Mar, a place he’s called home for so long, feels bittersweet.

““But like all the woman I’ve had in my life, Del Mar has treated me the best because she lets me go away on the weekends and welcomes me back on Monday,” Fredrick jokes.

Looking back on his tenure, Frederick is proud of the impact he’s had on his students.

“I want them to take away the importance of education,” he said. “It’s not just about getting a job; it’s about building a career.”

Though Frederick once considered leaving his teaching career to open a bookstore, he said he always felt needed at Del Mar.

“I’m proud of what I’ve done here,” he said.

In retirement, Frederick plans to travel to Italy, where he wants to visit museums, explore cities, and perhaps even buy a cottage on a hillside.

“I want to wake up with coffee in the morning, surrounded by the landscape of a beautiful hill,” he said, “I want to be somewhere else, enjoying life.”

Even in retirement, Frederick plans to continue his creative endeavors by writing plays.

As he closes this chapter, Frederick leaves behind a legacy of dedication, humor, and the belief that one should always “finish what you started.”