Article by: Rosa Linda Reynoso If your musically-inclined teen needs something to do this summer while staying at home, Del Mar College has two unique opportunities during this most challenging time to keep them busy. This month, the College’s Music Department has scheduled their very first Virtual Viking Summer Music Camps for band and choir students in the area. Due to the nature of the music camps, organizers are offering a variety of activities that will benefit students of all levels of experience, including beginner, intermediate and advanced instrumental music instruction with some of the music professions’ finest educators and performers.   • July 13-16 (Monday through Thursday): Virtual Viking Summer Band Camp for 7th through 12th grade musicians interested in continuing their pursuits during the summer. Participants can have fun and meet new friends during this virtual experience. The Viking Band Camp is partnering with Musically Yours, a company that is designed for teaching music and leadership skills. The camp also features some amazing percussion clinics hosted by well-known percussionists Lalo Davila and Julie Davila with student experiences including classes ranging from percussion techniques to marching drum line. Additionally, students will have the opportunity of a lifetime to learn from world-renowned composer and conductor Justin Freer, who will offer insights about numerous topics regarding real-world career opportunities in the music industry. The four-day camp runs Monday through Thursday, July 13-16. The virtual conferencing platform used during camp will be Zoom. Online registration fee of $75 is due by July 11. To register online, visit www.delmar.edu/offices/music/band-camp.html. Inquiries can be directed to band camp director Dr. Abel Saldivar Ramirez at aramirez136@delmar.edu or 361-774-7210.   • July 20-30 (Monday through Thursday): Virtual All-State Choir Camp 2020 for students entering grades 9th through 12th grades. Participants will receive “virtual” instruction from outstanding experienced music educators. Using a virtual platform, students will prepare to perform Texas Music Educators Association audition music and can expect sectional and full choral rehearsals, beginning and advance sight-reading sessions and specific instruction on diction and vocal pedagogy techniques. Private voice lessons with DMC voice faculty are also available at an additional cost. Registration for Small and Large Schools is $15 for each student. Due to the virtual nature of this year’s camp, DMC cannot provide music packets. Everyone is encouraged to order their own music packets through an online Texas music retailer of their choice. The virtual conferencing platform used during camp will be Zoom. No final concert is scheduled this summer. To register online, visit www.delmar.edu/offices/music/choir-camp.html. Inquiries can be directed to camp director Dr. Greg Graf at ggraf2@delmar.edu or 698-1352 or 573-915-2109. For detailed information about the College’s world-class music camps, visit https://delmar.edu/continuing-education/youth-camps-and-academies/music-camps.html.  

Article by: Melinda Eddleman As local businesses focus on rebounding during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coastal Bend still faces uncertainties as the coronavirus takes greater hold in the area. The virus’ impact across the state has led the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to develop their Skills Development Fund (SDF) COVID-19 Special Initiative, a grant awards program developed specifically to assist businesses across Texas with training to “get back to work” as the state moves forward. The Del Mar College (DMC) Workforce Programs and Corporate Services Division received a $100,000 SDF COVID-19 grant from the TWC. Corporate Services is launching a “Re-Charge Coastal Bend” initiative featuring four online fast-track Ready for Work Academies to assist local businesses and job seekers with retooling training targeting business practices and skills development in response to closures, delayed openings or scale-backs caused by the pandemic.   The two-day Ready to Work Academies are provided online starting on Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. These training opportunities are at no cost to qualifying businesses or individuals and $199 per person for those who don’t meet grant funding qualifications. Grant applications are available online at https://delmar.edu/continuing-education/corporate-services/grant-procurement.html.  The four academies are scheduled as follows (click on titles for details on Corporate Services’ Facebook Events pages): July 14: Hospitality – Level-Up July 21: Management Accelerator July 28: Career Resilience Aug. 11: HR Toolkit Several of the College’s Continuing Education courses, along with Corporate Services’ customized training options, are also available under the Re-Charge Coastal Bend initiative. Businesses and individuals are encouraged to contact the Corporate Services team for a free training needs assessment. Korus added, “The need for skills training remains vital in several essential industries like healthcare, manufacturing and information technology, DMC Corporate Services can customize our training to meet the needs of small and large businesses no matter the industry. We encourage Coastal Bend businesses to reach out for either a little support or a lot as we re-charge our economy during this critical time. ”To see if you meet grant eligibility requirements or if you have questions about Re-Charge Coastal Bend training opportunities, contact the Corporate Services Team at corporate@delmar.edu or 361-883-9675 (option 1).  

Provided by DMC College Relations Office It’s critical in light of the positive COVID-19 cases in our community that everyone planning to come to Del Mar College campuses is familiar with our health and safety protocols. To stress the importance of the protocols, DMC President and CEO Dr. Mark Escamilla has recorded thie following short video:     Additional information about DMC health and safety protocols can be fournd at www.delmar.edu/offices/cro/cv/protocols.html The health and safety of our students and employees remain our top priority at Del Mar College. All College facilities remain closed to the public, and only restricted access for approved employees and designated students is allowed at this time.  The College is conducting mostly online classes for the first two weeks of Summer II, which begins Monday, July 6,. Employees are currently required to work from home to the greatest extent possible.  

Article by: Melinda Eddleman Del Mar College (DMC) has implemented a Return-to-Campus (RTC) Plan to safely phase-in the return of DMC employees and students to campuses as COVID-19 conditions allow. (A downloadable PDF file of the RTC Plan is available in the upper right corner of this page.) The RTC Plan includes phases for Summer II and Fall 2020 (Phase 2) as well as Spring 2021 (Phase 3) with a Transitional Phase included for fluctuating conditions. Next Monday, July 6, begins Phase 2. However, in light of the surge in local positive COVD-19 cases, the College is conducting mostly online classes for the first two weeks of Summer II, and employees are required to work from home to the greatest extent possible. The College closed its campuses and centers in mid-March after the COVID-19 virus took hold in the United States and local, state and national guidelines, protocols and orders were given. DMC transitioned Spring courses to online instruction that could be taught using that format. Only students who needed to complete the required hands-on training component of their Spring courses returned to campus in May. Summer I courses were provided online only. DMC established a RTC Committee as a subgroup of its Crisis Management Team in April to address health and safety protocols for designated employees and students returning to facilities in May. While on campus, those protocols included wearing required face coverings or masks; practicing social distancing; washing hands and using provided hand sanitizer in classrooms, labs and at entrances and exits; using disposable screen, keyboard and mouse covers and sanitizing facilities used each class period. Students and employees also were required to read and accept these protocols as well as complete an Assessment, Acknowledgement and Consent (AAC) Form provided to DMC Human Resources before returning to campus or a center. Under Phase 2, protocols remain in place, but students and employees will not be required to complete the AAC Form. However, a personal symptom self-assessment is required daily. View the College's new Health and Safety Protocols video below:   Additionally, restricted access continues with only designated employees and students allowed on campus and at centers.  The RTC Committee was also charged with developing a phased plan covering the second summer session and the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. The attached document is also available in a webpage format at www.delmar.edu/rtc/. The attached RTC document is organized by detailing information for each phase of return under specific topics, including: general overview, employee and student phased approach, personal protective equipment (PPE), employee/work area, student instruction and facilities. Development of the RTC Plan included review and feedback by a RTC Advisory Group made up of other administrators, faculty, staff and students. The RTC Plan has been shared with the DMC employee and student community. The College’s focus remains steadfast—ensuring the health and safety of all those who enter DMC facilities and visit its campuses. DMC officials expect to review, edit and update the RTC Plan on a frequent basis due to the ever-evolving conditions of the pandemic and local, state and national guidelines and orders related to health and safety protocols.   

Article by: Melinda Eddleman Some careers are defined by passion. Others are a calling for the greater good. And, some are a combination of both.   The veteran firefighter has been in the field for 35 years, including starting as a volunteer, and has taught in the DMC Public Safety Education Department’s Fire Science program since 2001. If you share Schmidt’s calling and have thought about becoming a firefighter, the College’s Fall 2020 Fire Academy is taking applications now through Aug. 3. The Fire Academy will begin Aug. 24. Applicants will need to complete the DMC admissions process, which includes taking the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) test and meeting the Fire Science program’s required levels in reading, writing and math, before applying for the Fire Academy. Visit www.delmar.edu and click on “New Student” to get started with the College’s admissions process. Questions? Or, are you ready to apply? Contact Administrative Aide Loree Lewis at llewis8@delmar.edu or the Public Safety Education Department at publicsafety@delmar.edu to get answers or request an application packet. You can also learn more about the DMC Fire Science program by visiting www.delmar.edu/degrees/fire-science/index.html. This fall, the Fire Science program is prepared to provide training that includes health and safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic and may include face-to-face or hybrid training as well as online instruction for portions of the academy. The program offers an Associate in Applied Science degree, which includes two semesters of firefighting training and a semester-long emergency medical technician (EMT) training class. The Fire Academy prepares cadets for careers with Coastal Bend and other Texas employers seeking firefighters, including the Alice, Annaville, Corpus Christi, Houston and San Antonio Fire Departments and the Corpus Christi International Airport. Employers currently considering recent graduates for hire include Naval Air Stations Corpus Christi and Kingsville, and fire departments from Kingsville, Plano and Portland have even come to campus to recruit cadets with several cadets now in the hiring process. “We have one of the highest first-time pass rates in the state when our cadets take the Texas Commission on Fire Protection’s Basic Structure for Fire Fighters Examination,” notes Schmidt of the Fire Academy’s success. Regarding being a firefighter, he adds, “You really never know just what to expect while you are on duty. You may have a structure fire, a major motor vehicle accident or a possible CPR-in-progress call. Every day is different from the last, and that is what makes firefighting the best job in the world.” Future firefighters don’t wait! Apply now!   View the following video of a past live burn exercise conducted by DMC Fire Academy cadets:  

Provided by DMC College Relations Office Del Mar College was notified today that a DMC student had close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19. The student, who reported to class yesterday and was unaware of the exposure at the time, was immediately instructed to self-isolate. As a result of the exposure, three DMC instructors and eight students have been asked to self-monitor for symptoms. While in class, all instructors and students followed the College’s internal health and safety protocols by wearing masks and practicing social distancing. The area on campus where the exposure occurred is closed today for disinfection. The health and safety of our students and employees remain our top priority at Del Mar College. All College facilities remained closed to the public. Only restricted access for approved employees and designated students is allowed at this time.  

Provided by DMC College Relations Office Del Mar College COIVD-19 Update (Sent out Tuesday, June 16, 2020) Del Mar College received information today that an employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee, who had previously reported to work at a DMC facility, was immediately instructed to self-isolate. As a result of the positive case, three additional DMC employees were asked to self-monitor for symptoms. Additionally, one DMC employee was notified this morning of a confirmed exposure to COVID-19 and is currently seeking testing. One additional DMC employee has been asked to self-monitor for symptoms in relation to the incident. No students were reported to have made contact with either of the employees. The College is following internal health and safety protocols and the areas on campus where the exposures occurred have been disinfected. The health and safety of our students and employees remain our top priority at Del Mar College. All College facilities remained closed to the public. Only restricted access for approved employees and designated students is allowed at this time.  

Provided by DMC College Relations Office Six DMC employees who were required to self-isolate last Tuesday, June 2 due to a potential exposure to COVID-19 are now cleared to return to campus. Test results related to the possible exposure returned negative for COVID-19.  The health and safety of our students and employees remain our top priority at Del Mar College. All College facilities remained closed to the public at this time. Only restricted access for approved employee and students is allowed at this time.    

Provided by DMC College Relations Office The Del Mar College (DMC) Board of Regents will hold their regular monthly meeting via video and/or telephone conference call beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, at the Isensee Board Room in the East Campus Harvin Student Center. Members of the public will not be able to attend the meeting in person, but they will be able to view the meeting online or access by telephone. Due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, this meeting will be conducted in accordance with guidance from the Offices of the Governor and Attorney General, and the provisions of Sections 551.122, 551.125 and 551.127 of the Texas Government Code and other open meeting requirements, that have not been suspended by order of the Governor. DMC Board members and administrators in attendance will also practice social distancing and wear face masks or coverings. Community members may access the meeting by going to the online video link at https://www.delmar.edu/webcast/ by 12:55 p.m. They may also call (toll-free) 1-866-899-4679 and enter Access Code 355-921-141 as early as 12:30 p.m. General and Agenda-related public comments may be provided by calling the same toll-free number and using the same Access Code used for listening to the meeting. Anyone wishing to make a public comment needs to dial-in between 12:30 and 12:45 p.m. They will register with a DMC staff member and provide their name and subject of their public comment, specifically if it is related to an Agenda item. The DMC staff member monitoring the toll-free line will mute all callers at 12:45 p.m. and then provide registered callers’ names and subject to the Board Chair by 1 p.m. When called upon during the Public Comments segment of the meeting, registered callers will be unmuted and will have three minutes to make their comments. A copy of the June 5 Agenda Notice and the Board meeting packet is available at https://www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/_resources/agendas/agenda-6-9-20.pdf. Meeting agendas and other resources are also available on the DMC Board of Regents web page at https://www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/index.html. The health and safety of Board members, DMC employees and the public remain a priority of the College. Additionally, DMC administrators are abiding by state, county and city orders and guidance addressing social gatherings and work practices for non-essential workers in the community.