CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If you could go back in time to tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Maybe it’s a way to save money and time. Del Mar College is now ready to help more students than ever before do just that through their dual enrollment program.
Del Mar College set a goal recently. That goal is to get 10,000 students to take advantage of their program and start earning college credit. About 50 schools across the Coastal Bend are partnered with Del Mar College.
However, some schools have more students taking advantage of the opportunity compared to other, smaller districts. In order to change those numbers and raise them for everyone, despite size or socioeconomic status, Del Mar hired Mr. Conrado Garcia, West Oso’s previous Superintendent.
Garcia is a well-known name in public education.
“This has been one of the greatest opportunities in my career. It was a natural fit for me to transition from the public schools to Del Mar and continue to grow,” he said.
Garcia said he wants superintendents and school districts to feel supported as they work together to attain more students than ever to take classes for free. And not just that. They are open to welcome any student who chooses to continue on with Del Mar after graduation.
“Everything’s stackable, kind of like an elevator. And so they lose no progress. They earn what they can in high school, they graduate high school and continue that journey without losing a beat,” Associate Vice President at Del Mar College Leonard Rivera said.
But first in outreach efforts, Garcia and Del Mar plan to host annual superintendent symposiums as well as put college advisors in more high schools to speak to not just students, but their families one on one.
“Your top ten top twenty percent of students participate in dual enrollment. We’re saying well why not the other students, top 30, 40, 50. So we want to go and offer these to other students that are below those thresholds,” Rivera said.
Rivera said Garcia is the right fit for the job. After speaking with Garcia, he said he can relate to the average Del Mar student because he knows firsthand the circumstances many students face.
“I grew up poor. I grew up in a very poor side of town and when you’re in a single-parent home you have to help your family by working. So everything becomes part-time. Del Mar fills that void,” Garcia said.
Del Mar plans to reach their goal of 10,000 students by next academic year. Right now they are more than halfway to making that possible.
“The more educated we are able to get our students the more success they are able to realize in their lives. And really there’s no reason not to. Today is the day to start your future towards tomorrow. We want to be able to go through that journey with them,” Rivera said.
