Del Mar College Board of Regents approves Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program, College launching new pilot program in fall 2025
New three-year contract commitment initiative to expedite qualifying students’ associate degree completion; first-in funding covering waiver to allow students’ use of financial aid and scholarships to cover living costs and more focus on studies
Article by Melinda Eddleman
During their workshop today, March 4, the Del Mar College (DMC) Board of Regents unanimously approved a new initiative designed to assist qualifying students with completing their associate degrees during a shorter timeframe while increasing successful student outcomes. The Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver, a contract commitment between participants and the College requiring full-time attendance, will launch as a pilot program in fall 2025.
Interested individuals can find out more about the pilot program at www.delmar.edu/freedom.
The pilot program will cover tuition and fees for up to three years and use “first-in funding” from the College for those expenses before students draw from their financial aid or scholarships. The funding model will allow those in the first cohort to use those resources for living expenses and other collegiate-related costs––such as books, gear or program-specific uniforms––so they can attend DMC full-time.
While other community colleges, such as Austin Community College, have similar programs, Del Mar College's Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver sets us apart. We’re using revenue generated from the state’s new funding model to cover these expenses first. As a vast majority of our students stay in the Coastal Bend, Del Mar College is investing in our region’s future, enhancing accessibility to workforce training and higher education as students pursue career paths that strengthen the Coastal Bend's vitality.
First-in funding comes from two sources, including 1) DMC Foundation funds previously donated for the Viking Promise program and approved for use to support the pilot program by its Board of Trustees and 2) the revenue generated from the state’s outcomes-based funding model for community colleges established by House Bill 8 in 2023.
Matthew Busby, Vice President of Development and Donor Advising, said, “The Del Mar College Foundation is committed to helping students earn their education via the generous support o of people and companies in our community. Our efforts provide students the means to attain their goals, and in turn, improve their quality of life and that of their families.”
“And, for those students who do not meet the pilot program’s qualifications, the Foundation is currently taking online scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 academic year through April 30,” he added. To apply, go to www.delmar.edu/scholarships.
The DMC Foundation’s support for the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver Pilot Program includes $500,000 each year for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years.
Qualifications for the first cohort include:
All Qualifying Applicants:
• Live in the Del Mar College District (taxing district), which includes the Calallen, Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, Tuloso-Midway and West Oso Independent School Districts.
• Enroll full-time (12 Semester Credit Hours or more).
• Maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA).
• Enroll in a for-credit program or certificate.
• Commit to a formal agreement or “contract” to complete their studies within a three-year period.
High School Students:
• Graduating among the Class of 2025 or equivalent.
• Dual Credit students are eligible regardless of the number of Semester Credit Hours they have earned.
Adult Learner:
• First-time-in-college student with12 Semester Credit Hours or Less.
The College has already developed advising and support services to assist students with keeping on track through DMC Student Retention Services’ enhanced advising, Viking Care Connect and degree planning, along with career development assistance, early alerts and intervention and analytic software to ensure students succeed. The student support plan also encompasses four academic divisions that offer eight program pathways among their combined 16 departments. Among them, approximately 280 full-time faculty provide student advising, along with 11 embedded advisors and five enrollment specialists.
Del Mar College is prepared to provide our first cohort with the support they need to stay on-track with the commitment they make to the College but most importantly to themselves. We know that with the right support and diligent follow-up with each student during their journey at Del Mar College, they remain persistent in completing their degrees, and our Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver pilot program will set a precedence across the state as we continue to focus on student success and increased outcomes with students leaving the College in a shorter amount of time with their credentials in-hand.
To inform students, their parents and adult learners, Del Mar College will hold three information events covering the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver pilot program, including:
• Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Main Building on the Oso Creek Campus, 7002 Yorktown Blvd. (78414),
• Wednesday, April 9, from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Harvin Student Center on the Heritage Campus, 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404), and
• Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Harvin Student Center on the Heritage Campus, 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404).
To learn more about applying for the Freedom to Dream Tuition Waiver, complete the Request for Information at www.delmar.edu/freedom. For directions and campus maps to the information events, visit our website at www.delmar.edu/becoming-a-viking/discover/tours/locations.html.
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.
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