Swing away … DMC, Aransas County Reps and Other Dignitaries Kick-off Rockport Renovation for Del Mar College Workforce Development Center–Aransas County
05
February
2025
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17:46 PM
Europe/Amsterdam
North side of former primary school becoming center for job training and other educational opportunities focused on preparing Aransas County and surrounding community residents for identified unique workforce needs in region
Article by Melinda Eddleman
Addressing the Crowd_DMC Workforce Development Center-Aransas County Renovation Kick-off_013025
Del Mar College President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mark Escamilla addresses guests attending the renovation kick-off event held on Jan. 30, 2025, to signify a new beginning for the former Little Bay Primary School as the Del Mar College Workforce Development Center-Aransas County. Once completed, the center will offer workforce training and higher education opportunities to residents linving in Aransas County and surrounding communities. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
After a Few Good Swings_A Look From the Back
After Del Mar College (DMC), Aransas County and Texas Legislature representatives took a few good swings, a large hole sits in the middle of the backside of a pre-fabricated sheetrock wall located outside the Del Mar College Workforce Development Center-Aransas County. The former elementary school will house several workforce training and higher education offerings, ranging from dual enrollment and academic programs to Continuing Education and Corporate Services courses. DMC and Aransas County representatives held a renovation kick-off event on Jan. 30, 2025, at the center in Rockport, Tx., which will undergo interior modernization throughout the spring and summer before opening in fall 2025. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
Ready for Action_Gold-Painted Sledgehammers
Gold-painted sledgehammers rest on the tailgate of a pickup truck, ready for the big moment signifying the renovation of the former Little Bay Primary School into the Del Mar College Workforce Development Center-Aransas County in Rockport, Tx. College, Aransas County and Texas Legislative officials used the sledgehammers to knock holes in a pre-fabricated sheetrock wall as part of a renovation kick-off event on Jan. 30, 2025. Completed renovation of the facility is expected by fall 2025 with the center offering workforce training and higher education opportunities to residents of Aransas County and surrounding communities. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
After a Few Good Swings
A large hole sits in the middle of the pre-fabricated sheetrock wall located outside the Del Mar College Workforce Development Center-Aransas County, a former elementary school that will house several workforce training and higher education offerings, ranging from dual enrollment and academic programs to Continuing Education and Corporate Services courses. Del Mar College and Aransas County representatives held a renovation kick-off event on Jan. 30, 2025, at the center in Rockport, Tx., which will undergo interior modernization throughout the spring and summer before opening in fall 2025. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
The event also recognized local donor support from both individuals and businesses who raised through the Del Mar College Foundation over $400,000 toward the project.
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This facility and its renovation are the result of strong partnerships that go back several years, from the local to the federal level, along with the support of many generous donors. The new Del Mar College Workforce Development Center–Aransas County will be a game-changer for area residents. And, in the near future, this building will be a hub of activity that will make a difference in the lives of anyone seeking meaningful, marketable workforce training in Aransas County and beyond.
Dr. Mark Escamilla, Del Mar College President and Chief Executive Officer
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Del Mar College Workforce Development Center-Aransas County_Exterior View
Shown is the exterior of the Del Mar College Workforce Development Center-Aransas County, located in Rockport, Tx., and formerly known as the Little Bay Primary School. The college has partnered with Aransas County representatives to bring workforce training and higher education opportunities to county residents and surrounding communities through more dual enrollment, academic programs, Continuing Education and Corporate Services offerings. Renovation was kicked-off on Jan. 30, 2025, with an anticipated opening in fall 2025. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
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Our common goal here is to offer skills training and education that’s unique to the region, in demand by employers and focused on today’s economy. Opportunities provided through the Center will help to diversify the economy in the county, achieve higher wages and enhance employment opportunities for those who live here.
Lenora Keas, Del Mar College Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
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AEP Foundation Donation_DMC Workforce Development Center-Aransas County Renovation Kick-off_013025
The Del Mar College Foundation will offer scholarships once the center opens, and donations toward supporting scholarship funds and renovation work are currently being accepted. To inquire, contact the DMC Office of Development at 361-698-1317 or foundation@delmar.edu.
Ready to Take a Swing
Del Mar College (DMC) administrators, Aransas County representatives and a Texas Legislative dignitary pose with the gold-painted sledgehammers in preparation to “take a swing” at a fabricated sheetrock wall to signify the beginning of interior renovations of the former Little Bay Primary School now known as the De l Mar College Workforce Development Center – Aransas County. The renovation launch was held Jan. 30, 2025, with college officials anticipating the re-opening of the facility in fall 2025. Posing for the group photo are (from left) DMC Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lenora Keas; Dr. Mark Escamilla, DMC President and Chief Executive Officer; former Aransas County Judge Burt Mills; Representative Todd Hunter, Texas Legislature (District 32); Aransas County Judge Ray Garza; Nancy Bolting, Board of Directors Chair of the Aransas County Partnership Workforce Development Corporation ACPWDC); John Jackson, former ACPWDC Board Secretary and Past President; Dr. Lesley Austin, Rockport-Fulton Independent School District Superintendent; ACPWDC President Jeffrey Sjostrom; and Rockport Mayor Tim Jayroe. (Credit: DMC College Relations)
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
- Del Mar College Art Program Opening 59th Annual CAIN National Art Show Feb. 21 with Celebratory Reception with Public InvitedArticle by: Richard Guerrero, Jr. Nearly 70 carefully selected works in 2-D, 3-D and digital media from 21 states await gallery visitors as part of the 59th Annual CAIN National Art Show, which opens with a celebratory reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21. Formerly known as the Annual National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show, the newly renamed CAIN National Art Show is a long-running juried exhibition of contemporary artists from virtually every corner of the United States. “We are proud of what the CAIN National has done for Del Mar College and the Corpus Christi art community,” says Kirstin Dale, DMC Associate Professor of Art, who also serves as the Art Program Coordinator and Gallery Manager. “For six decades, we have built a permanent collection of incredible 2-D and 3-D art, all of which is available for the public to view.” The Friday evening opening reception and two-month art show are located in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery of the Fine Arts Center on the college’s Heritage Campus, 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404), get directions and campus map. The 59th Annual CAIN National Art Show runs through April 25 with gallery hours scheduled Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays by appointment. Both the reception and show are free and open to the public. The Feb. 21 reception features catering by Citrus Bistro and a cash bar. During the event, three prize-winning artworks will be announced, and these selections will be added to Del Mar College’s permanent art collection. The event is also part of the college’s 90th Anniversary observances scheduled through the fall 2025 semester. For more information about the 59th Annual CAIN National Art Show, visit the gallery’s website at delmar.edu/gallery or contact the Art Program at art@delmar.edu or 361-698-1216. The CAIN National Art Show features a wide array of works selected by 2025 juror Alejandro Macias, a distinguished painter and draftsman with a notable career in the arts. Macias, who has garnered recognition for his artistic achievements, including prestigious residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, The Studios at MASS MoCA and Uncool Artist in Brooklyn, New York, recently received the Lehmann Emerging Artist Award. His solo exhibitions have been held at Texas venues, such as the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts in Lubbock and Presa House Gallery in San Antonio as well as the Tucson Museum of Art in Arizona and Latch-Key Gallery in New York City. A Brownsville, Texas, native, Macias is an Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing at the University of Arizona School of Art in Tucson. Macias describes a two-pronged approach to curating DMC’s national exhibition, saying, “I am often seeking works that speak to me and help me remember what matters most in my life: family, place, identity, cultural empowerment and sociopolitical concerns affecting our country today. On the other hand, I also value works that are playful, mysterious and aesthetically and technically proficient.” Prior to the Friday opening reception, Macias will deliver a lecture where he will discuss his artwork, perspectives and insights. The lecture is scheduled in Richardson Performance Hall on Heritage Campus on Thursday, Feb. 20, starting at 11 a.m. This year’s CAIN National Art Show attracted record-breaking number of submissions to date – 1,020. A total of 64 artists who submitted 67 works (a little less than 7 percent) were selected. Artists from 21 states spanning from California to Maine are represented, including 34 Texas-based artists with five from Corpus Christi. Additionally, three of the selected artists are alumni of Del Mar College’s Art Program. The exhibition will showcase: · 17 paintings · 11 drawings · 17 sculptures · 2 photographs · 9 ceramic works · 2 prints · 2 digital media works · 6 alternative media pieces Macias hopes the exhibition leaves a lasting impact on gallery visitors. “My hope is that any viewer that gets to see this work together leaves the exhibition inspired and altered. I truly believe that art can heal, transcend and disseminate across time, culture, race and religion,” he said.
- DMC launches 90th Anniversary observances, holds grand opening for renovated Memorial Classroom Building and unveiling of Texas Historical Commission markerArticle by Melinda Eddleman “The benefits of education are essential to the preservation of a free government.” Quote by Sam Houston inscribed on the facade of Memorial Classroom Building Thousands of students have walked the halls of Memorial Classroom Building on the Del Mar College (DMC) Heritage Campus since the facility’s doors opened in 1942. First known as the Administration Building through 1972, the facility was the first permanent footprint of what was known at the time as Corpus Christi Junior College––the first junior college in the Coastal Bend region after Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) leaders steered the initiative and city voters approved a proposition to establish the college on July 30, 1935. On Thursday, Feb. 6, DMC officials held an unveiling of the newly renovated building, along with a Texas Historical Commission marker recognizing Del Mar College as “a centerpiece of higher education in the Coastal Bend region.” About 125 campus and community participants attended the event, which served to launch the college's year-long observances of its 90th Anniversary. He added, “The structure has been a classic landmark at Ayers Street and Baldwin Boulevard ever since, and that legacy is something we’re extremely proud of at Del Mar College.” The nearly $17.8 million modernization of the building is part of the $157 million bond referendum passed by Del Mar College District voters in 2014 as part of Heritage and Windward Campus capital improvement projects. Noting the extensive renovation work completed, ranging from new walls, floors and ceilings to new plumbing, electrical wiring and elevator upgrades, Dr. Escamilla said, “After many decades of use, this old building needed some renovation and upgrades to be part of a 21st century campus. We think she’s ready for the next 90 years.” She added, “The Del Mar College some of you may remember in past years was perfect for the previous generations of students. But times change, and so do the needs and expectations of our students, so in the last decade, we’ve acted to meet those needs as Del Mar College has evolved to become the 21st century college our students deserve.” Scott reminded those attending the event that the Board of Regents never forgets who made the college’s growth and modernization possible: “You, the community,” she said, adding: “This renovation and many others started with the $157 million bond referendum, and as you will see, the bond funds have been put to good use, with an eye on good stewardship.” The Memorial Classroom Building now houses the college’s Executive Administrative Offices, Human Resources Office and the College Relations Office, among others. In addition to other celebratory activities during Thursday’s event, the college unveiled in front of Memorial Classroom Building a permanently installed Texas State Historical Marker provided by the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The historical designation and marker resulted from two former DMC students, Troy Nessner and Preston Martin, initiating the process as part of a project in History Professor Dr. Mark Robbins’ class back in 2017. Completion of that process took two years before the college received the marker, and now, the marker has a permanent home with the Memorial Classroom Building renovation completed. Both Nessner––who is a 2019 DMC Hall of Fame inductee, a member of the Nueces County Historical Commission and now a graduate student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi––and Dr. Robbins, who is with the college’s Social Sciences Department, spoke before the marker unveiling. The marker also acknowledges Del Mar College’s role with initiating the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra and Texas Jazz Festival, leading integration of minority students before required by law, serving veterans and the Naval Air Station community after passage of the G.I. Bill and offering championship athletic programming during a specific era through the 1960s when sports became focused on intramural options at the college. Today denoted the beginning of a new era for the Memorial Classroom Building, and the institution as the historical marker notes, “Del Mar College remains a significant contributor to the quality of life in Corpus Christi and South Texas.” View below portions of remarks made during the grand re-opening of Memorial Classroom Building and the unveiling of the Texas Historical Commissions marker on Del Mar College's Heritage Campus. Factsheets about the Memorial Classroom Building and the Texas Historical Marker are located in the upper right-hand corner of this page as downloadable PDF files. Click on the photos to enlarge, read cutlines and download.
- DMC Board of Regents holding regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 4Article by DMC College Relations Office On Tuesday, Feb. 4, 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 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 at www.delmar.edu/regents-and-community/board-of-regents/_resources/agendas/regular-board-meeting-packet_2-4-25.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 COVID-19 guidelines, visit www.delmar.edu/rtc/index.html.
- It’s Income Tax Time, Again! Free VITA Program services start at DMC Jan. 28, and run through April 15 in Viking Hall on Heritage CampusArticle by Melinda Eddleman It’s time to file income taxes, again! And, while the main deadline may be less than three months away, many individuals are ready to take care of business now. For many Coastal Bend filers, trying to make sense of the different forms or changes can be a struggle. Furthermore, paying for an accountant to prepare returns may not be part of the budget. However, Del Mar College Accounting students trained in tax and accounting software hope to make the tax season a little less stressful for area filers as they provide FREE services through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, which starts Tuesday, Jan. 28. As a nationwide program established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the VITA Program involves volunteers who prepare tax returns free for individuals who make $67,000 per year or less. The free income tax preparation with the college’s IRS-trained tax volunteers is available every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 6 p.m. starting tomorrow, Jan. 28, in Room 142 of Viking Hall on the DMC Heritage Campus, 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404), get online directions and campus map. Appointments are not necessary, so walk-ins are welcome. Volunteers will answer questions when participants come in. The free VITA Program services run through Tuesday, April 15, but they will not be available during DMC’s Spring Break, which is March 10-15. Filers need to bring tax information, including their W-2 form, other documentation of earned income, Social Security cards for everyone being claimed on the return and a form of identification, such as a Drivers License or other photo I.D. Services are provided as part of the Coastal Bend VITA Coalition, a collaborative partnership headed by the United Way of the Coastal Bend. For more details, visit www.uwcb.org/vita. Del Mar College has been one of several local organizations involved with the VITA Program to provide tax return preparation services to lower income households for nearly 25 years. At the end of the tax season, the IRS recognizes volunteers––including Del Mar College students–– with a certificate for their involvement and hard work. Download the PDF file of a printable flyer with more information:
- UPDATE (1/21/25): Del Mar College to Remain Closed Tomorrow, Jan. 22, Due to Winter StormArticle by DMC College Relations Office UPDATED MESSAGE AS OF 1:30 P.M. TUESDAY, JAN. 21 Out of an abundance of caution and for the safety our students, employees and guests, Del Mar College will remain closed tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 22, due to the winter freeze. College officials anticipate reopening at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, byt will continue to assess weather developments and change plans if needed. The health and safety of our students, employees and guests are Del Mar College’s foremost concern. Individuals are asked to continue to monitoring the DMC website (www.delmar.edu), email, social media channels and news media outlets for weather-related updates. College officials advise everyone to exercise caution during all inclement weather events. Please avoid icy roads and hazardous conditions. MESSAGE POSTED ON JAN. 20, 2025 Del Mar College will remain closed tomorrow, Jan. 21, due to the winter storm and impending outdoor hazardous conditions. The college is closed today in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. DMC will reopen for normal operations at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22. However, college officials will continue to assess weather developments and change plans if needed. The health and safety of students, employees and guests are Del Mar College’s foremost concern. College officials ask that they continue to monitor the DMC website (www.delmar.edu), email, social media channels and local news media for weather-related updates. The college advises everyone to exercise caution during all inclement weather events. Please avoid icy roads and hazardous conditions.
- FOGHORN NEWS STAFFERS SHINE BRIGHTLY AT NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AWARDS CEREMONIES, BRING HOME NUMEROUS HONORSArticle by: Richard Guerrero, Jr. Del Mar College Foghorn News student journalists continue to build on the history of award-winning journalism that the program is known for by adding new accolades to the list. For the 2023-2024 academic year, Vikings earned more than 30 awards in individual categories and six organizational categories in nationwide contests. In addition, the Foghorn News earned six awards in the Associated Collegiate Press’ Spring 2024 Clips & Clicks contest, which announced winners in August. ACP is a national association composed of collegiate journalists and collegiate journalism advisers with 570 members. The Spring 2024 Clips & Clicks contest received 412 submissions from 50 ACP-member student media outlets. Foghorn News staff also brought home 23 awards at the statewide Texas Community College Journalism Association (TCCJA) 2024 Awards held Oct. 3-5 at Tarleton Community College in Stephenville. Most recently, Foghorn News staff won more than 30 awards at the College Media Association (CMA)’s Individual Pinnacle Awards during the Associated Collegiate Press/CMA Fall National College Media Convention in New Orleans, which was held Oct. 31-Nov. 3. The CMA has more than 600 members and provides student media professionals, staff and programs with education, research and resources. The Foghorn News is a forum for student news, events and opinions produced by DMC students for DMC students. Robert Muilenburg serves as Adviser and Allison Ehrlich serves as Lab Adviser. The individual list of awards is as follows: TCCJA 2024 Awards First place 1. News Photo: Lola Ponce 2. Feature Photo: Lola Ponce 3. In-Depth/Investigative Reporting: Lola Ponce, Aubree Curran, Irene Flores 4. Multimedia Package: Aubree Curran 5. Sports Action Photo: Lola Ponce 6. Picture Page Panel/Slideshow: Aubree Curran 7. Open Video Production: Foghorn News Staff 8. Open Audio Production: Daniela Benitez Beltran 9. Overall Excellence-Newspaper: Foghorn News Staff Second place 1. News Photo: Lola Ponce 2. Video News: Kirsten Soliz 3. Feature Writing: Lola Ponce 4. Multimedia Package: Aubree Curran, Lola Ponce 5. Sports Action Photo: Haylie Godoy 6. Open Video Production: Foghorn News Staff Third place 1. Feature Photo: Lola Ponce 2. Video News: Kat Van Nice 3. Feature Writing: Aubree Curran 4. Video Sports: Cidnee Casarez 5. Newspaper Page Design: Aubree Curran 6. Critical Review: Paul Farias 7. Sports Photo: Aubree Curran Honorable mention Picture Page Panel/Slideshow: Lola Ponce ACP Spring 2024 Clips & Clicks awards Third place 1. Best Broadcast News Story: Kat Van Nice 2. Best Newspaper Page Spread: Aubree Curran 3. Editorial Writing: Aubree Curran Fourth place News Photography: Lola Ponce Fifth place Feature Photography: Lola Ponce Honorable mention News Writing: Aubree Curran CMA 2024 Pinnacle Awards First place 1. Video Newscast: Foghorn News 2. Multimedia News Story: Aubree Curran 3. Sports Feature Photo: Aubree Curran 4. Breaking News Photo: Lola Ponce 5. Multimedia Feature Story: Aubree Curran 6. Editorial Cartoon: Elliot Hoppis 7. Newspaper News Spread: Irene Flores, Aubree Curran, Lola Ponce Second place 1. Sports Feature: Aubree Curran 2. Video Promo/PSA: David Davila 3. Editorial Illustration: Elliot Hoppis 4. Newspaper Opinion Spread: Aubree Curran Third place 1. Short Video News: Kat Van Nice 2. Newspaper Photo Spread: Lola Ponce 3. Multimedia Sports Story: Aubree Curran 4. Organizational Diversity Initiative: Foghorn News 5. Radio Station of the Year: Foghorn News Honorable mention 1. Reporter of the Year (two-year school): Aubree Curran 2. Design of the Year Newspaper Page Spread: Foghorn News staff 3. Broadcast Story of the Year Commentary: Kirsten Soliz 4. Newspaper Feature Spread: Aubree Curran 5. Feature Photo: Lola Ponce 6. Podcast: Daniela Benitez Beltran 7. Video Entertainment Program: Foghorn staff 8. Infographic: Irene Flores 9. Sports News Photo: Lola Ponce 10. Editorial: Foghorn staff 11. Periodic Newspaper: Foghorn News 12. TV Station of the Year: Foghorn News 13. Broadcast Station Website of the Year: Foghorn News 14. Newspaper Website of the Year: Foghorn News 15. College Media Group of the Year: Foghorn News ACP Pacemaker and 2024 Best in Show First place Best Reporting: Bill Eaves Second place Best Website: Foghornnews.com Third place Best Broadcast Feature Story: Nygel Hudson Fifth place Best Advertisement: Brandon Oliva and Saray Ruiz Sixth place Best Broadcast News Program: Foghorn News Honorable mention Best Newspaper (two-year campus): Foghorn News
