DMC Signs MOU with Stark College & Seminary for Easier Transferability Process
Article by: Melinda Eddleman
Stark College & Seminary (SCS) has a history almost as long as that of Del Mar College (DMC). What started in 1947 on Ward Island by South Texas Baptist leaders as the University of Corpus Christi to train ministers and teachers evolved almost 45 years later, and a few changes of hands, into what is now mostly Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (see history: https://stark.edu/about/history). SCS remains on the island with a 10 acre campus that continues to train individuals who seek preparation and leadership in the ministry––including certificate, diploma, bachelor and master’s programs.
On Aug. 14, both Del Mar and Stark College leaders ––DMC President and CEO Mark Escamilla, Ph.D., and SCS President Tony Celelli, Ph.D., signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to make transferability of coursework and credits completed at the community college a seamless process for students pursuing SCS’s Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degree.
I’ve spoken with many of Del Mar College’s transfer students, and I know these types of agreements make their lives easier. Transferring coursework from one institution to another is not a one-size-fits-all situation; so with this MOU, we are committed to maximizing the transferability of coursework and credits from Del Mar to Stark and proactively working with students on degree plans that meet their specific needs.
Del Mar College also will provide its students with information about SCS programs of study as they pursue their coursework at DMC and then work with staff to transfer their credits to Stark College.
SCS and Del Mar share a common mission of making higher education accessible to those traditionally excluded. Therefore, SCS is proud to celebrate a new era of academic collaboration with Del Mar College for the sake of students who strive in their education and their careers simultaneously.
Previously offering programs through partnerships with Howard Payne University and then Hardin-Simmons University for their degrees, SCS attained national accreditation in February 2018, taking only five years to complete a process that usually takes 10.
SCS has another campus in McAllen and two other teaching sites, which expand the college’s ability to serve more educationally underserved areas in South Texas. In 2018, SCS also experienced its highest enrollment. The college serves about 200 students with 44% of those individuals having attended Del Mar for coursework.
To learn more about Stark College & Seminary, visit www.stark.edu.
Del Mar College also has MOUs with the two Texas A&M University System institutions as well as most recently with Western Governors University.
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.