22
February
2018
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07:00 AM
Europe/Amsterdam

Gulf Coast Growth Ventures Project Announces $54,000 Scholarship Award for 17 Process Technology Majors

Article by: Melinda Eddleman

Investing in training the Coastal Bend workforce will provide benefits for many years to come. A $54,000 scholarship award by Gulf Coast Growth Ventures (GCGV) shared among 17 selected Del Mar College (DMC) Process Technology majors is making these students’ pursuit to enter the field less of a financial challenge.

The GCGV Project is a partnership between ExxonMobil and SABIC that’s committed to workforce development and enhanced qualify of life in the Coastal Bend.

 

We are honored to be a part of this workforce development effort and to help 17 promising students with scholarships. Our two companies, ExxonMobil and SABIC, understand how critical education like this is to help ensure a competent, qualified workforce in the industrial sector, which is why we look to support top-notch programs and partnerships that help students prepare for vital careers.
John Mabry, Operations Manager for the Gulf Coast Growth Ventures Project

On Feb. 21, the College and GCGV Project representatives announced the $54,000 award in the DMC Control Room, a component of the Process Technology and Instrumentation Pilot Plant, that is used to provide hands-on training to students entering the process technology and other fields related to industry.

The GCGV selected the 17 scholarship recipients based on GPAs (grade point averages) of 3.0 or above, need for financial assistance and through interviews. Those Process Technology majors include seven students graduating this May who received $2,000 toward their education, and another 10 students who received $4,000 to complete their studies in December.

Students graduating in May include Ricky Castellanos, Ivan Castillo, Ricky Gutierrez, Roberto Mayorga, Cruz Robledo, Jeremy Spencer and Leo (Dylan) Wright. Those graduating in December include Chris Cortinas, Gilbert Cortinas, Alfonso Garcia, Joshua Garza, Justin Hinojosa, Sabrina Lamb, Romeo Loscano, Adrian Pena, Alexandria Skau and Kimberly Tagle.

 

Del Mar College, the Process Technology Program and the scholarship recipients thank Gulf Coast Growth Ventures for one of the best opportunities for these students to complete their studies and pursue careers without the financial worries many students have while attending college,” said , about the scholarship awards. “Through the GCGV initiative and the College’s mission, together we’re building a highly skilled workforce, changing lives and making the Coastal Bend a better place to live and work.”
Lenora Keas, DMC Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Sponsorship of the scholarship awards is split equally between ExxonMobil and SABIC as part of the Education and Workforce component of the GCGV Good Neighbor Program. And, while students are not guaranteed employment with the project or the companies after they graduate, they will have a competitive advantage because of their scholarship award.

 

The success of a project such as Gulf Coast Growth Ventures depends on having a highly-skilled workforce. We are pleased to join with ExxonMobil and Del Mar College to support these very deserving students in their education.
Mohammed Al-Wakeel, President and CEO of SABIC US Projects LLC

Last April, ExxonMobil and SABIC announced the selection of a site in San Patricio County to build a world-scale ethane steam cracker capable of producing 1.8 million tonnes of ethylene per year. That means jobs not only during facility construction but also 600-plus permanent jobs with a high skills requirement, including those in the Process Technology field.

Employment also comes with an average salary of $90,000 per year.

While she’s held many jobs and even attended Del Mar College’s Continuing Education Certified Nurse Assistant program, Sabrina Lamb, age 27 and mother of four, always dreamed of going to college for years and said that she finally had the courage to enroll after researching her options.

“I didn't know what I wanted to do––dental assistant, RN, physical therapy––so I began to research the job growth and pay rates in these fields, and it wasn't what I was looking for,” she said. “I came across the Process Technology Program and did some more research and realized that this is it. I'm doing it. I’m glad to have chosen this field, and I'm good at what I do and love it.”

Lamb noted that learning she was among those students selected for an interview by the GCGV for the scholarship motivated her a hundred times more and that her hard work was paying off. She will be one of the December 2018 graduates and received a $4,000 scholarship to finish her studies.

“I'm very thankful to have received the scholarship, and the award means a lot to me,” she said, adding: “I stay up late studying and running a household; so, for me, it’s hard. When I graduate, my new career will do lots for me and my kids not only financially but also in making me feel more at ease knowing that I will have a job for the next 20 to 30 years. My children will never have to worry about anything anymore. Times do get hard sometimes, but I know my efforts will all pay off in the end.”

 

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.