For the second round, Del Mar is creating a dual enrollment pipeline with local high schools and including continuing education programs, further expanding access.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Del Mar College is moving forward with a second cohort of its Freedom to Dream tuition waiver program after the Board of Regents approved the next phase. The school’s Board of Regents met Tuesday to discuss and approve new adjustments designed to further remove financial barriers for qualifying students.

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Administrators said the first cohort of Freedom to Dream has been a success. For the second round, Del Mar is creating a dual enrollment pipeline with local high schools, expanding the program to include continuing education pathways and increasing support to ensure participants are “college ready” before classes begin.

For many high school students, enrolling in college after graduation is the ideal path. But for others, that goal can feel out of reach.

“There’s so many people who want to go back to school, and there’s just so many barriers and the financial burden is probably one of the biggest ones,” Gabriel Sanford said.

Sanford has worked as a hair stylist for 11 years.

“People want to come to our salons and leave with less burden and not just a good haircut,” he said.

His experience listening to clients ultimately shaped his decision to study social work at Del Mar.

“Seeing customers and everything like that’s always been it gives you like, I guess a different perspective, hearing everybody’s stories and then helping, wanting to help people,” Sanford said.

He said the Freedom to Dream program opened the door to make that possible.

“So many students were telling us I can’t come to school because I can’t afford it,” Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Patricia Benavides-Dominguez said.

Benavides-Dominguez presented the proposed enhancements to the Board of Regents as part of the plan to continue the tuition waiver program.

“Differences will be that students will be ready to come in to immediately get into their program of study and earn that credential, thrive. And go on and hopefully they get the that associate’s degree and hopefully they come back and get a we have a couple of bachelor’s programs,” she said.

In addition to bringing in more advisors and resources, Vice President for Dual Enrollment and Continuing Education Dr. Leonard Rivera said the college is expanding the program to include continuing education opportunities.

“They can initially start in the continued education realm and earn a certificate if you will within a few weeks and then they can then parlay that or add to that,” Rivera said.

He is also working with local high schools to create a stronger dual enrollment pipeline.

“Our dual enrollment population continues to grow. It’s, it’s at an all-time record right now. Our preliminary spring record shows us that almost 30% increase over last spring,” Rivera said.

That growing access, administrators say, allows more students like Sanford to pursue new goals.

“That I know that it’s gonna be done again, it made me really happy,” Sanford said.