For most people, summer means vacations, barbecues and outdoor fun. For 260 Del Mar College students, summer has meant hitting the books to finish one of their goals … walking the stage in Richardson Performance Hall to receive their certificate or associate’s degree.

On Friday, Aug. 17, those prospective graduates will participate during the College’s Summer 2012 Commencement ceremony, which begins at 7 p.m. in the College’s East Campus facility. Collectively, Del Mar will hand out 350 certificates and associate’s degrees. Marshals leading the faculty procession are Susan Harvey, a professor who heads Library Technical Services for the College, and Mary Ann Williams, who chairs the Department of Communications, Languages and Reading and a professor of reading.

This year’s Summer Commencement speaker is Ken A. Treviño, president and chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend. Serving a 12-county region through planning and service delivery, Workforce Solutions supports an employer-driven, integrated system that consolidates employment, job training and work-related services. The organization operates nine Career Centers focused on investing in regional economic success.

Last year, Del Mar College and Workforce Solutions teamed up to provide Career Ready Workforce Certification that can earn participants 2.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). The four-day workshop empowers participants with employable job skills that organizations find are an integral and necessary part of everyday business. Individuals’ ability to handle the “soft skills” side of business is recognized as key to making businesses more profitable and better places to work. To see what past participants had to say about this Career Ready Workforce Certification workshop, go to www.vimeo.com/26397441.

Under Treviño’s leadership in 2011, Workforce Solutions provided services to nearly 4,075 employers with over 8,090 hires through WorkingTexas.com while over 46,640 job seekers received assistance. The organization also assisted nearly 4,170 families with financial aid for childcare assistance with over 7,425 children attending a quality program. Youth also benefited from Workforce Solutions’ services with 331 undergoing job training and attending conferences. 

Treviño serves on numerous boards and committees. He is a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council, secretary of the Texas Association of Workforce Boards, secretary of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Corpus  Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Robstown Area Development Commission and a member of the Regional P-16 Council. 

He is a graduate of Leadership Corpus Christi Class XXVII and serves on the Leadership Corpus Christi Board of Governors. Treviño also is a past chair of the Leadership Corpus Christi Alumni Association. He was co-founder and vice chair of the Amistad Community Health Center. Additionally, Treviño is a founding member of the Leadership Council for the Mission of Mercy Mobile Healthcare Clinic and a former vice chair of the South Texas Chapter of the March of Dimes.