Quick Takes - May 2019

The Del Mar College Board of Regents recognized students, staff and faculty for individual, club or departmental accomplishments during the regular May meeting.

• As part of the 68th annual Recognition Ceremony, the College inducted its four newest Hall of Fame honorees, including: Pedro Armando Lopez, business administration major; Troy Nessner, five majors including history, liberal arts Mexican American Studies, political science and sociology; Natasha M. Perez, speech major; and Roslyn Camille Swonke, geology and liberal arts major. A time-honored tradition since 1949, Hall of Fame inductees are selected for their scholarship, leadership and participation in student organizations. Becoming a Hall of Fame inductee is the highest honor for students at Del Mar College with a diverse committee of faculty selecting individuals not only by their Grade Point Average but also by their service to Del Mar and the community. This year’s honorees join the ranks of nearly 410 Hall of Fame inductees who set the bar before them and whose images and listed accomplishments now reside on the first and second floors of the Harvin Student Center on the East Campus. To read a full release that includes each 2019 inductee’s accomplishments, go to https://bit.ly/2U7wdXW.

• During the 49th Texas Junior College Student Government Association’s (TJCSGA) 2019 conference, “A New Kind Of Texas,” DMC Student Government Association (SGA) representatives competed and brought home four awards as follows: first place for Chapter of the Year, Region VI; first place for Region of the Year; second place for Chapter of the Year, State; and third place for Video of the Year, which included poetry and song. TJCSGA includes 72 member colleges from six regions across the state with the DMC SGA a member of Region IV, which includes 13 community colleges. This year’s conference focused on leadership, networking and diversity with members also electing state representatives. During the 2019-2020 academic year, the Del Mar SGA will lead Region VI as well as host fall and spring conferences under the guidance of SGA Advisor Beverly A. Cage, Director of Student Leadership and Campus Life. SGA officers who attended the May Board meeting were Natasha Perez (President), Julia Cruz (Vice President). Roslyn Swonke (Secretary) and Sophia Jimenez (Treasurer). Other SGA officers who were not in attendance of the Board of Regents meeting include Ashley Bryant (Parliamentarian), Tae Evans (Communications Officer), Dylan Lyon (Historian) and Angel Pena (Magistrate).

• The National Community College Hispanic Council selected Dr. Kristina Wilson, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment, to participate in their prestigious Leadership Development Program as one of 24 Fellows chosen from across the United States. Hosted by the University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the program is designed to develop highly qualified individuals whose career interests focus on responsible leadership positions with the ultimate goal of becoming a community college president. Dr. Wilson joined the College’s administration in fall 2017 with 11 years of expertise in higher education assessment and leadership to her credit. Her vast experience plays a pivotal role in ongoing College initiatives regarding program review, assessment of student learning outcomes, pathways reform efforts and institutional effectiveness.

• PracticalNursing.org ranked the Department of Nurse Education’s Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) program at No. 11 out of the 77 college programs in Texas. PricticalNursing.org was created by nursing professionals and educators as a resource to assist individuals with finding the right program in their state to prepare for careers in the nursing field. The organization assesses programs across the country each year. Under the leadership of Nurse Education Department Chair Dr. Vangie DeLeon and Nursing Program Director Dr. Jennifer McWha, Del Mar College’s LVN program scored 97.88 out of 100 possible assessment points. The Nurse Education Department offers a Vocational Nurse Certificate. (Update: The Nurse Education Department’s Registered Nurse program was also ranked at No. 19 in Texas by RNCareers.org. Read a full release about both rankings at https://bit.ly/2Zt3b67)