News

Article by: Melinda Eddleman Del Mar College and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi leadership anticipated about 40 students would participate with the Viking Islander Program, or VIP, when presidents and CEOs Mark Escamilla and Kelly Quintanilla signed the Memorandum of Agreement early last May. The VIP, a program designed to provide students with additional tools and support to succeed their first two semesters of college, has exceeded everyone’s expectations. Initial VIP participation reached 127 students last fall with 117 continuing with the program this spring. Today, Feb. 15, institutional leadership, VIP coordinators and students and other guests celebrated the collaborative co-enrollment program’s success. The event was held on the College’s East Campus. “Our priority is ensuring students succeed,” said Beth Lewis, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief academic officer at Del Mar College. “The Viking Islander Program provides participants with quality education and resources while they earn credits at both Del Mar and the university, making this collaboration a winning combination of access and support that impacts individuals seeking their degrees here in the Coastal Bend.” Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, Clarenda Phillips, Ph.D., added, “We are very excited about this partnership with Del Mar College. It creates opportunities for more students from our region to complete a college education, and it is a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together and focus on the needs of students.” Although VIP students take the majority of their classes at Del Mar for the first two semesters, A&M-Corpus Christi serves as the “parent institution” and provides financial aid based on the cost to attend both schools. For more information about the program, visit the university’s website at admissions.tamucc.edu/VIP. View highlights of remarks from both institutional presidents/CEOs Dr. Kelly Quintanilla and Dr. Mark Escamilla by clicking on the video clip below:

Article by: Melinda Eddleman It’s crawfish time, again! The Del Mar College (DMC) Foundation and Trustee Emeritus Bernie Paulson are “rounding ‘em up” for the 11th Annual “Bernie’s Famous Crawfish Boil” scheduled Thursday, March 28, to raise funds for DMC student scholarships. The Foundation’s signature fundraising event promises one boot scootin’ evening featuring a South Texas Country flair with local favorite John Eric and an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil that would make anyone east of the Texas-Louisiana border envious. The event runs from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Concrete Street Old Market Pavilion, 717 Power Street. Other activities include a silent auction, a stilt-walker, caricatures, face painting, a photo booth and more.   In 2018, the DMC Foundation awarded scholarships to 1,614 students. For participants planning to attend, the menu includes crawfish, shrimp and sausage, along with all the fixings (veggies), and tea, sodas and an open bar. Individuals are asked to purchase tickets or RSVP by Thursday, March 21. Individual tickets are $200 per person. Tables of eight and scholarship sponsorships are also available starting at $1,500. Proceeds from this event benefit the DMC Foundation General Scholarship Fund. For more information about the crawfish boil, ticket purchases or sponsorships, contact the DMC Foundation at 361-698-1317 or foundation@delmar.edu. Online information and access to ticket and sponsorship purchases are also available at delmar.edu/foundation. Currently, the DMC Foundation is accepting applications through April 30 for scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year. To learn more and to apply, visit delmar.edu/scholarships. View highlights from the 2018 Crawfish Boil below:  

Article by: Melinda Eddleman Safety is a priority. Grant funds that Del Mar College received from Texas Mutual Insurance Company over the past five years allowed Del Mar to initially establish its “Bus Safety First” program and then the Safety Institute to offer workplace safety courses for community employers, workers and the general public at no cost while addressing a variety of industries. Today, Feb. 6, Texas Mutual presented their sixth $100,000 grant in the form of an oversized check to College officials, making the total funds given to Del Mar $600,000 since 2014. “It’s been a pleasure to watch this program grow from where it began with our first grant in 2014 as the Bus Safety First program to where it is now,” remarked Texas Mutual’s Regional Safety Services Manager Stacy Rose during the presentation. “On behalf of Texas Mutual, I would personally like to thank all of you at Del Mar College for your continued dedication to workplace safety education through the Safety Institute. We recognize the work you are doing in Corpus Christi to help make your workforce safer.”   Dan Korus, Dean of the College’s Workforce Programs and Corporate Services Division, noted, “Del Mar is very grateful for the support from and our partnership with Texas Mutual Insurance Company. We continue to expand our safety programs and increase the number of graduates with the goal of improving safety awareness. Our long-term partnership with Texas Mutual allows us to offer a service that helps reduce safety mishaps and injuries in our region, and we’re very thankful to have the resources to provide free safety training in the Coastal Bend.” During 2018 DMC Corporate Services and the Continuing Education Division offered industrial and construction safety training to nearly 600 individuals. The two collaborative areas plan to add safety training in heavy equipment operation, including crane and forklift operations, using the College’s Vortex Heavy Equipment Training Simulator. The simulator was available for demonstrations and for participants to try their hand at operating heavy equipment after Texas Mutual’s grant presentation. Initially, the College began the “Bus Safety First” program with the first Texas Mutual grant but then expanded safety training to cover workplace safety with the Safety Institute, which serves as the umbrella for varied safety courses that meet employer and worker needs in the area. “Since establishing our partnership with Texas Mutual Insurance Company six years ago, DMC Transportation Training Services has had the opportunity to serve our local and regional employers with much needed driver safety training to enhance employees’ skills when driving commercial vehicles on public roadways,” noted John Rojas, Director of the program. “We look forward to several more years of partnering with Texas `Mutual to ensure commercial divers in the Coastal Bend have the best safety training possible as they take to our local, state and even national roadways.” Since 1999, Texas Mutual has awarded $7.6 million in safety education grants to educational partners across the state. “For 20 years we’ve partnered with Texas community colleges to ensure tens of thousands of workers get the education they need to work safely,” said Eric Bourquin, vice president of safety services at Texas Mutual. “We are happy to continue our support to these colleges, so safety programs can be available to their communities and available to employees across the state. These safety courses, along with many other company initiatives, demonstrate our commitment to creating a stronger, safer Texas.” For more information about Texas Mutual’s many safety initiatives, visit texasmutual.com. For more information about Del Mar College’s Safety Institute, visit www.delmar.edu/continuing-education/safety-institute.html.

Article by: Michael Bratten A video series inspired by a Del Mar College (DMC) professor’s passion for horns from around the world will air locally on KEDT-TV beginning Feb. 8. “The Story of the Horn,” hosted by Professor of Humanities Karl Kemm and produced by the College Relations Office at Del Mar, will be broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28. The nearly 30-minute program is a compilation of three episodes: “Seashells,” “Military Brass” and “Shofar, Didgeridoo, Alphorn.”   Coastal Bend locations feature prominently in the series, such as the Texas State Museum of Asian Cultures, Oso Bay, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. Besides Kemm, many local subject matter experts provided commentary for the series. DMC College Relations staff members Michael Bratten, Gerard Muñoz (now retired) and Robert Perez, Jr., collaborated with Kemm to produce the videos. “This was a fun project to work on,” said Muñoz, former media production manager and editor of the series. “People don’t always think about an instrument’s origin while listening to it. The historical facts make this a very engaging documentary.”

Article by: Rosa Linda Reynoso Attracting some of the most creative contemporary American artists from across the country, Del Mar College (DMC) first launched the annual National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show in 1966. On Friday, Feb. 15, the College’s Art and Drama Department will host an opening reception for their 53rd Annual National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show featuring two- and three-dimensional pieces. The free reception is from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery located in the Fine Arts Center on Del Mar’s East Campus on Ayers Street. The opening includes live music, hors d’ oeuvres and a cash bar. For more information about the reception or the national art show, call the DMC Art Office at 361-698-1216. This year’s juried exhibit attracted 193 entries. The task to narrow those entries down to the final exhibit was completed by juror Carlton Bradford, a studio artist and art professor from the University of Arizona. Bradford selected 39 drawings and 28 sculptures for the 2019 exhibit, which represents 62 artists, representing 26 states, whose works made the national show. During his 40-year career, Bradford has worked as an assistant to several professional sculptors in various media, including all aspects of foundry work, wood carving and fabricating as well as large-scale metal fabrication and installation. Bradford’s own artwork has been widely displayed in several group and one-person exhibitions across the country. While on campus earlier this month, Bradford selected purchase awards for the College, which exhibit coordinators will announce during the reception. Every year, Del Mar purchases a few pieces and adds them to its permanent collections, one of which is housed with the Art Program and displayed in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery from time to time and the other in the William F. White, Jr. Library in the fifth-floor gallery. Art collectors may also purchase many of the exhibition pieces. Take the opportunity to see some of the country’s best artists’ work. The show runs through May 3 with gallery hours scheduled 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. until noon on Fridays.  

Article by: Claudia Jackson During their February meeting, the Del Mar College Board of Regents selected three applicants to interview for the vacant at-large position on the board. These interviews will be conducted Monday, March 4, at 1 p.m. in the Isensee Board Room, Harvin Student Center, East Campus. Following these interviews, the individual selected will be sworn in at the March 5 board meeting and will serve through 2022. Libby Averyt Dr. Larry Lee Sandra Messbarger The DMC Board of Regents includes nine regents in a modified single-member district configuration. Five Regents represent specific geographic districts, and four serve at-large. The DMC District includes all the area in the Calallen, Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, Tuloso-Midway and West Oso independent school districts. To view the DMC District map, go to: www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/board-meeting.html The Board of Regents’ web pages are available at: www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/index.html

Article by: Michael Bratten A total of nine individuals submitted documents by the filing deadline of 5 p.m. today to be considered candidates to fill the at-large seat vacated by Trey McCampbell on the Del Mar College (DMC) Board of Regents. McCampbell resigned from the Board effective Dec. 31, 2018. Once applicants’ materials are reviewed, the Board will select those they wish to interview. Interview dates have yet to be determined. The individual selected for the at-large seat will likely be sworn in on March 5, 2019, and will fill the appointed seat for the remaining term through 2022. Applicants are: Libby Averyt Melody Cooper Margareta Fratila Larry Lee David Loeb Sandra Messbarger Raymond M. Rose Ray Madrigal De Pancho Villa Terrell Wyatt The DMC Board of Regents includes nine regents in a modified single-member district configuration. Five Regents represent specific geographic districts, and four serve at-large. The DMC District includes all the area in the Calallen, Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, Tuloso-Midway and West Oso independent school districts. To view the DMC District map, go to:http://www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/board-meeting.html. The Board of Regents’ web pages are available at:http://www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/index.html.

Article by: Rosa Linda Reynoso With the economic boom in the Coastal Bend, pipeline workers are in high demand. The Del Mar College Continuing Education 72-hour Pipeline Training Program is addressing that need. The program is designed as a three-course series and provides students the fundamentals of the pipeline and petrochemical industry to best prepare them for a viable career in the field. Louis Lopez, a veteran in the pipeline industry and retired senior engineering technician from ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, serves as instructor for the program. He adds that pipeline is an important part of the oil and gas industry and a staple in this region. The program is divided into three courses that are held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Titles and dates of the three courses are: • Introduction to Pipeline and Petrochemical Industry, Feb. 11-March 6 • Pipeline Construction and Operation, April 8-May 1 and • Corrosion Control and Regulatory Compliance, May 6 through June 3. Registration is held on a first come, first served basis and may be done in person at the DMC Center for Economic Development located at 3209 S. Staples, or by calling 361-698-1328. Students learn about pipeline industry history and development, oil fields, pump stations and oil movements. Through coursework and hands-on learning, students develop a foundation for a growing and sustainable career right here in the Coastal Bend. Students can also take more advanced-level courses upon completing this introductory program. The program will be offered again in the fall. Financial aid is available for eligible students. For more details, visit www.delmar.edu/continuing-education/index.html, email ce@delmar.edu or call 361-698-2122.  

Article by: Michael Bratten In its continuing effort to invest in the local workforce, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures, LLC (GCGV) has announced it is awarding $60,000 in scholarships to help Del Mar College (DMC) students earn associate’s degrees and gain marketable job skills.   To qualify for a scholarship, students must major in either Process Technology, Industrial Instrumentation, Industrial Machining, Occupational Safety and Health or Environmental/Petrochemical Lab Technology – all of which involve job skills that are highly sought after by local industries.   Of the $60,000, full scholarships of $2,000 may be awarded to DMC students taking nine or more credit hours, and partial scholarships to those taking three to eight hours, according to GCGV. Eligible students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Preference will be given to students from San Patricio County; specifically, those from Gregory, Portland, Ingleside and Taft. GCGV, a joint venture between ExxonMobil and SABIC, is building an ethylene production plant on a 1,300-acre site in San Patricio County. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2021, and it will generate 600 permanent operating jobs with an average salary of $90,000 per year. While scholarship recipients are not guaranteed employment with the project after they graduate, they will have a competitive advantage because of their scholarship award. “The program, faculty and facility at Del Mar College are impressive,” Guilfoyle said. “We look forward to continuing our partnership to align curriculum to ensure Del Mar students are prepared for the high-quality, good-paying careers we will have at our plant.” This is GCGV’s latest investment in DMC’s workforce training programs. Last August, it donated $100,000 to the San Patricio County Workforce Development Consortium to support DMC’s career and technical education programs in the county’s high schools. And in February 2018, it awarded $54,000 in scholarships to 17 DMC Process Technology majors. “The scholarship was a blessing because it enabled me to take the classes I needed and finish my degree,” said Kimberly Tagle, one of the 17 recipients who has since graduated with an associate’s degree in Process Technology. “Before, I wasn’t very confident about myself. But now, I think I have the skills to get hired.” Before she enters the workforce, Tagle decided to pursue a second associate’s degree in Environmental/Petrochemical Lab Technology to make herself even more marketable, she said. She plans to graduate next year. Last year’s scholarships from GCGV were also a blessing for Romeo Lascano, Jr. “I’m in my mid 40s, so juggling work, school and being a parent was a challenge,” said Lascano, a Process Technology graduate. “The scholarship was a big help. It validated all the hard work and late nights studying.” Lascano offered a bit of advice to students who will benefit from the latest round of GCGV scholarships. “Nothing is impossible if you’re committed to achieving it,” he said. “Don’t ever give up.”