“Freedom to Dream 2.0” application process for Del Mar College’s tuition waiver program now underway for fall 2026
02
March
2026
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18:03 PM
Europe/Amsterdam
Updates made to program, including college readiness requirement and implementation of Success Coaches to assist with participants’ journey from beginning to end
Article by Melinda Eddleman
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I couldn't work. However, our children are less dependent on me now, so I wanted to go back to college to provide a better life for my family. We couldn’t afford to pay for college full-time.
Pamela Mangum, Computer Programming Major and Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Program First Cohort Student
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Now she can reach her goal through DMC’s Freedom to Dream initiative, and so can a new cohort of in-district students for the 2026-2027 academic year with “Freedom to Dream 2.0.”
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Del Mar College believes tuition shouldn’t be a barrier for in-district residents accessing higher education, and Freedom to Dream 2.0 continues our commitment to providing the pathway toward success for those who qualify and participate with this initiative. However, to ensure that success, the college is implementing some upgrades that address students’ needs we discovered with the first cohort.
Dr. Patricia Benavides-Dominguez, Vice President for Student Affairs
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This program doesn’t cover everything, but it makes it easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And since starting the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Program, my son has started asking me questions about college [even though] he’s still really young.
Pamela Mangum, Computer Programming Major and Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Program First Cohort Student
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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
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- DMC Board of Regents Holding Regular Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, March 3Article by DMC College Relations Tuesday, March 3, the Del Mar College (DMC) Board of Regents will hold their regular monthly meeting beginning at 1 p.m. in Room 106 of the college’s Center for Economic Development at 3209 S. Staples (78411). Get online directions and facility map. The regular meeting also will be livestreamed. Community members may access the meeting by going to the online video link at www.delmar.edu/webcast/ by 12:55 p.m. A copy of the Agenda Notice and Board Packet is available online as follows: www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/_resources/agendas/agenda-packet-3-3-26.pdf. Meeting agendas and other resources are also available on the DMC Board of Regents web page at www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/index.html. The health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors are a priority for Del Mar College. To view the College’s guidelines, visit www.delmar.edu/rtc/index.html.
- Apply now! Online scholarship application process underway through Del Mar College Foundation for DMC’s 2026-2027 academic yearArticle by Melinda Eddleman If you’ve thought about attending college this coming fall but believe the cost makes that dream impossible … think, again. It’s possible! Not only has Del Mar College launched the updated “Freedom to Dream 2.0” Tuition Waiver Program for in-district residents, the DMC Foundation is also currently accepting online scholarship applications from ALL students for the 2026-2027 academic year. Applicants are required to submit only one application; the Foundation’s scholarship portal will then automatically match them to every scholarship for which they qualify. For more information and to complete the quick 7- to 15-minute scholarship application, go to delmar.edu/scholarships. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the DMC Foundation awarded over $2.85 million in scholarships to more than 1,430 students. Students attending DMC with a minimum of six (6) credit hours per semester and with a minimum 2.0 grade point average or a GED equivalency are eligible to apply. Essays are not required. The DMC Foundation administers donor-funded scholarships, both direct and endowed. Funds help students pay for tuition, fees, technology, books or whatever is needed to start and successfully complete their education at Del Mar College. In-district students are also eligible to apply for the “Freedom to Dream 2.0” Tuition Waiver Program and DMC Foundation scholarships; and if accepted by both programs, they can use scholarship funds for everything beyond tuition costs. As a first-in funding program, the Freedom to Dream initiative has received $500,000 each year for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years from the DMC Foundation with the Board of Trustees’ approval to use these funds previously donated for the Viking Promise Program. “The DMC Foundation and its Board of Trustees proudly support the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver program and partner closely with the college to ensure students receive the maximum financial assistance possible, helping them graduate sooner,” notes Busby, adding: “Students are encouraged to apply for both the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver program and DMC Foundation scholarships for additional support throughout their academic journey.” The Foundation’s scholarship program offers awards to both part-time and full-time students. Eligible students may receive scholarships without regard to federal or state financial aid eligibility. Don’t wait to apply! The DMC Foundation scholarship application deadline is April 30! Questions? Contact the DMC Foundation at foundation@delmar.edu or 361-698-1317.
- Merit Badge College 2026 brings nearly 140Scouts to Windward Campus on Feb. 14Article by Richard Guerrero, Jr. Valentine’s Day is not just a day for romantic love. For area Scouts this year, it was a perfect day to showcase their love of the values and learning adventures, along with a deep esprit de corps, that’s gained as part of the Scouting life. On Feb. 14, Del Mar College once again hosted the annual Merit Badge College at the Windward Campus. Troops with the South Texas Council Scouting America (STCAS), formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, spent the day during this skills-building event completing classes taught by about 60 DMC faculty and staff to earn highly prized Merit Badges for their sashes. Nearly 140 Scouts from throughout the 17-county area of the South Texas Council, along with others from surrounding councils, attended morning and afternoon sessions. Merit Badge College Chair Mike Jones, DMC Professor of Speech and Scoutmaster, says that there are currently 141 Merit badges in the Scouts BSA catalogue. As of January 2026, over 80 merit badge requirements have been updated to reflect modern careers, outdoor ethics and safety. “A new program in Scouts BSA is the Merit Badge Test Lab where prospective badges are offered, and Scouts can help pilot new offerings,” he notes. “Scouts receive a certificate upon completing the test badge; and if the National Council decides to make the badge official, the Scouts receive the badge, too.” Current test badges are Auctioneering, Wildland Fire Management, Life Skills, Physics, Sewing & Needlework, Dance and Psychology. Scouts were also able to earn more than one badge in a single class, which includes Aviation, Communication, Public Speaking and Crime Prevention and Fingerprinting where they can earn two badges. Scouts pursuing the Welding badge spent the whole day receiving instruction at DMC’s Metals Technology Building. Additionally, Scouts also had the option to earn two new badges that were introduced during this year’s Merit Badge College––Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity–– with the badges focusing on responsible technology use and practical skills. The full list of 26 classes offered during Merit Badge College 2026 included: · Architecture · Artificial Intelligence (AI) · Automotive Maintenance · Aviation · Citizenship in Society · Communication · Crime Prevention · Cybersecurity · Digital Technology · Drafting · Electronics · Emergency Preparedness · Entrepreneurship · Farm Mechanics · Fingerprinting · First Aid · Health Care Professions · Moviemaking · Personal Fitness · Personal Management · Programming · Public Speaking · Salesmanship · Traffic Safety · Truck Transportation · Welding Jones says Merit Badge College is a great way to accomplish two goals. “The Merit Badge College is an amazing opportunity to serve area youth in Scouting while at the same time showcasing higher education,” he says. “These youth take classes with Del Mar College faculty who are specialists in their fields; and for many of them, this is their first visit to a college campus and their first interaction with faculty, inspiring many to inquire further about career opportunities.”
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- DMC Board of Regents Holding Regular Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3Article by DMC College Relations Office Tuesday, Feb. 3, the Del Mar College (DMC) Board of Regents will hold their regular monthly meeting beginning at 1 p.m. in Room 106 of the college’s Center for Economic Development at 3209 S. Staples (78411). Get online directions and facility map. The regular meeting also will be livestreamed. Community members may access the meeting by going to the online video link at www.delmar.edu/webcast/ by 12:55 p.m. A copy of the Agenda Notice and Board Packet is available online as follows: delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/_resources/regular-agenda-packet-2-3-2026.pdf Meeting agendas and other resources are also available on the DMC Board of Regents web page at www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/index.html. The health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors are a priority for Del Mar College. To view the College’s guidelines, visit www.delmar.edu/rtc/index.html.
