Texas Veterans Commission grants Del Mar College its second Gold Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award
DMC is one of 13 Gold VEERA recipients this year; College earned first Gold-level award in 2025 and Bronze-level award in 2022 to total three VEERAs overall
Article by Richard Guerrero, Jr.
For the second year in a row, the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) has awarded Del Mar College (DMC) a Gold Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA). The TVC presents the 2026 VEERA to public colleges and universities in the state that provide exceptional support to veterans, active-duty members and their families.
Del Mar College is one of 13 Texas public higher education institutions that received the Gold VEERA for 2026.
The award is not the college’s first Gold VEERA. In 2025, the commission presented a Gold-level award after DMC received its very first VEERA – a Bronze award – in 2022.
The program was established by the Texas Legislature and a Gold, Silver or Bronze award is given after a thorough review of college and university applicants that demonstrate educational excellence and support services that “significantly contribute to the academic success of student veterans and military-connected students.”
Dr. Jennifer Armentrout, director of DMC Veterans Services, said her office works to empower veteran students, active-service members and their dependents with the resources necessary to be successful and complete their educational objectives.
Not only do we empower, we also advocate and help with academic counseling to ensure our students are successful and graduate.
To receive a VEERA, the TVC evaluates schools on multiple criteria, including:
- Dedicated staff contacts for veterans,
- Having a centralized veteran resource center on campus,
- Participating in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs programs, and
- Academic support, orientation and mental health services for military-connected students.
The College serves student veterans and other military-connected students at three locations, including the Harvin Student Center (Room 271) on the Heritage Campus, the Main Central Building (Room 225) on the Oso Creek Campus and the Coleman Center (Room 107) at the Windward Campus.
This fall, DMC Veterans Services has processed 792 veterans and veteran beneficiary students through the Hazlewood Act and the Veterans Benefits Administration for educational benefits. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the office processed 1,212 veteran and veteran beneficiary students.
The Gold Award for Distinguished Services is the Texas Veterans Commission’s highest distinction and recognizes institutions that demonstrate exceptional support for veteran students and their families. This honor reflects a comprehensive commitment from academic and career services to faculty and staff training, campus engagement and dedicated veteran support.
“Most importantly, it celebrates the faculty, staff and campus leaders who go above and beyond every day to serve our military-connected students and help them succeed,” she added.
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. The college offers quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordability to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and across the South Texas Coastal Bend region. Nationally recognized while locally focused, Del Mar College provides students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities in the area. 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.