August 12, 2005
District Attorney Carlos Valdez Addressing Summer Graduates on Aug. 19
Commencement moved to TAMU-CC’s Performing Arts Center while Richardson
Auditorium undergoes renovations
It’s not often that a community college holds commencement on a university
campus. But, for Del Mar College’s prospective 2005 summer graduates, their
“special ceremony” will occur in Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s
new Performing Arts Center on Aug. 19 beginning at 7 p.m.
Currently, Richardson Auditorium, where the College usually holds commencement
ceremonies, has been dark since the commencement ceremony in May. The facility
will undergo over $4.6 million worth of renovations and expansion during the
next year. The Board of Regents approved contracting Fulton/Coastcon Construction
to handle construction during the Aug. 9 regular meeting. Administrators expect
project completion by fall 2006.
Because the Performing Arts Center is limited to 1,500 seats, the College has
provided graduates with a certain number of tickets to give to family or friends.
Additional seating is not available. Also, participants attending the ceremony
can take photos or video footage of graduates from their seats but will not
be allowed to approach the stage. For more information about the ceremony, call
the Office of Admissions and Registrar at 698-1248.
This summer’s keynote speaker is Carlos Valdez, Nueces County District
Attorney, who will give an “inspirational talk” during the ceremony.
The Summer Class of 2005 includes 338 prospective graduates.
An alumnus of Del Mar College, Valdez earned his associate in arts degree in
1976. He continued his studies at Texas A&I University in Corpus Christi,
where he completed his bachelor of arts degree in 1976, and then earned a Juris
Doctor from the University of Oklahoma in 1979.
After admittance to the Texas State Bar, Valdez began his legal career working
as an associate with the Law Offices of Eduardo E. DeAses. He became an assistant
county attorney in 1981. Voters elected Valdez to the office of County Attorney
in 1985.
Valdez has practiced law in Texas for over 25 years and has served Nueces County
as District Attorney since1993.
The DMC Former Students’ Association recognized Valdez’s accomplishments
and dedication to higher education by inducting him into the College’s
prestigious Wall of Honor in 1997. Additionally, he received an Outstanding
Alumni Award from Texas A&I University in Corpus Christi.
Valdez is highly committed to education as well as law enforcement and serves
as a faculty advisor for the National College of District Attorneys and the
National Advocacy Center. He is also an adjunct professor and lecturer at Texas
A&M University-Corpus Christi and a frequent lecturer for the Texas District
and County Attorneys Association and Del Mar College.
Among other education-based pursuits, Valdez has taught at the Nueces County
Sheriff’s Academy. Additionally, he is involved with the Nueces County
Task Force Against Family Violence, the Nueces County Gang Violence Task Force,
the Community Justice Council, and he sits on the Board of Directors for the
Texas District and County Attorneys Association.
Valdez’s activities as a dedicated community volunteer include serving
as a member of the Boy Scouts of America Committee and the United Way Task Force
as well as chairing the Greenwood Molina Nursery School Board of Directors.
Currently, he is a member of the Civitan Club and serves as an advisor for the
Remove Intoxicated Drivers (RID) Program, the Explorers Law Post No. 507. He
also serves on the Advisory Committee for the American Red Cross.
Among the accolades Valdez has received for his community involvement are a
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation, the Corpus Christi Police Officers
Award of Merit, the Boys and Girls Club Outstanding Role Model Award, the LULAC
Outstanding Community Leader Award and an Obscenity Enforcement Award that was
presented by the Knights of Columbus.
Valdez has authored numerous publications and papers, including “Courtoom
Conduct: Ten Rules to Try By,” which he presented during a meeting of the
Nueces County Young Lawyers Association. He also wrote “DWI Roadblocks
- Recent Developments,” which Coastal Bend Medicine published their December
1989 issue. In October of this year, Valdez’ long anticipated book, “Justice
for Selena,” will be published.
In the course of his duties, Valdez has served as lead counsel on several high-profile
or far-reaching cases, including Nueces County v. Texas Department of Corrections
(1987), which eventually led to a complete revamping of the state’s corrections
policies. He also served as lead counsel for prosecution in State v. Yolanda
Saldivar (1995). For that case, the defendant was convicted of the murder of
Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
Because of his position and involvement with these and other cases, Valdez received
notoriety himself and has been quoted in Newsweek, U.S. News and World
Report and among several other major newspapers. He also appeared on the
Today Show, 20/20 and E! Entertainment Network.
-DMC-mce