April 15, 2005
Del Mar College Announces 2004-2005 “Hall of Fame” Inductees
Students recognized during College’s 54th Annual Recognition Ceremony
Anticipation mounted as 14 finalists waited onstage for the final word. Which
seven students would Del Mar College induct into the prestigious Hall of Fame?
College officials announced the names of the 2004-2005 Hall of Fame inductees
during the College’s 54th Annual Recognition Ceremony on April 14.
The College also recognized 91 outstanding students in the institution’s
Honors Program and from its three instructional divisions, which include Arts
and Sciences, Business and Occupational Education and Technology. Del Mar also
presented 45 scholarships to recipients for the 2005-2006 academic year as well
as recognized 126 students named to the current list of Who’s Who Among Students
In American Junior Colleges.
Students inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame include: James Dobson, a
mechanical engineering major; Juan Garcia, a registered nurse education major;
Hillary Jongema, a registered nurse education major; Justin Nauer, a triple major
that includes network support specialist, network administration and information
technology security associate; Steven Ortiz, a drafting major; Kevin Saegert,
a physical therapist assistant major; and Edwin Vasquez, a journalism major. These
students join the ranks of nearly 350 other Hall of Fame inductees chosen for
the honor since 1949. The Hall of Fame is a distinguished group of students selected
for their scholarship, leadership and participation in student organizations.
Currently, James Dobson is president of the Science, Engineering, Math
Majors Organization (SEMMO) and has held membership with the student club since
2002. He is also a member of the international honor society, Phi Theta Kappa.
Among the many activities Dobson has assisted with on campus are those related
to several charitable activities for the Salvation Army; peer tutoring in math,
chemistry, computer science and engineering; and clerical help and registration
in the College’s Student Services Office, among others. He has received several
National Science Foundation scholarships and was listed on Dean’s List for
spring 2003 and in the Honors Program in fall 2003. Additionally, he was a member
of the winning team that built a prototype of a Mars Rover as part of a competition
during NASA’s Community College Aerospace Scholars Program in 2004. Among
his other achievements, Dobson is listed in Who’s Who Among Students In
American Junior Colleges in 2004.
As the president of the College’s Student Nurses’ Association (SNA),
Juan Garcia stays very active with on- and off-campus activities to educate
individuals about sexually-transmitted diseases, diabetes, skin cancer and wound
care. As an advocate of the association, the registered nurse education major
increased membership by 43 students in fall 2004 and by 35 this spring. Last fall,
he collected over 50 new and used blankets for the Salvation Army Blanket Drive
as well as assisted with community health screenings by taking individuals’
blood pressure. Garcia has received several scholarships, including the Carol
Sprott Scholarship, the STARS Scholarship and the Good Samaritan Scholarship.
He has also received recognition for his performance in his nursing courses, service
as president of SNA and for the community projects he has organized or served.
Garcia’s credits aside from Del Mar College include memberships in the National
Student Nurses’ Association, the Texas Nursing Student’s Association
and the Emergency Nurses’ Association.
Hillary Jongema keeps busy as a registered nurse education major and as
treasurer/secretary for the Student Nurses’ Association (SNA). Since spring
2002, she has also been a member of the international honor society, Phi Theta
Kappa, and served two semesters as the student club’s secretary. Jongema
participated in several activities on campus, including the Salvation Army Blanket
Drive, educational sessions covering sexually transmitted diseases and prevention,
the annual DMC fall carnival and a leadership workshop sponsored by the College’s
Student Activities Office. She has participated in the DMC Honors Program since
fall 2000, made the Dean’s List in fall 2001 and was listed in Who’s
Who Among Students In American Junior Colleges in 2001 and 2004.
Not only does Justin Nauer serve as president of the College’s chapter
of the international business honor society, Alpha Beta Gamma, he is also a member
of the international honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, the Marketing Club and the
Science, Engineering and Math Majors Organization. As if majoring in three areas–
network support specialist, network administration and information technology
security associate–didn’t keep him busy enough, this energetic student
holds three part-time jobs but continues to maintain his 3.5 grade point average
and also remains dedicated to his church and community as a ten-year alter server,
choir member and Eagle Scout. As a student leader, Nauer has inspired more students
to get involved with the Junior Achievement Program with nearly 350 students from
Del Mar College and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi giving four to five
hours to teach kindergartners to high school students. During a recent ABG international
conference, Nauer received the Professor Steve Graham Memorial Award, two certificates
for leadership, a Medallion for Excellence and a $200 stipend. He was also elected
president of the international society for 2005-2006. Among his honors and scholarships,
Nauer was listed on the 2003 DMC Dean’s List and the National Dean’s
List as well as received STARS and National Science Foundation Scholarships. He
is a member of the National Scholars Honors Society and was listed in Who’s
Who Among Students In American Junior Colleges in 2004.
Steven Ortiz serves as president of the international honor society,
Phi Theta Kappa. The drafting major has participated in a number of activities
at Del Mar College and has served as a representative on several campus committees
encompassing faculty, staff and students, including the Student Grievance Policy
Committee, Student Service Fee Committee and the Evaluations ADA (Americans
with Disabilities Act) Committee. Ortiz’s commitment to public service
on and off campus keeps this student involved in several areas. His volunteer
activities include the Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon, the
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Relay for Life, the Junior Achievement
Bowl-A-Thon, the DMC Foundation Inc.’s “Come Home to Del Mar College”
scholarship fundraiser, and the Coastal Bend Blood Drive, among others. Ortiz
has was listed in Who’s Who Among Students In American Junior Colleges
in spring and fall 2003 and fall 2004. He is also among students who earned
a place on the National Dean’s List for spring 2003 and fall 2004.
Having maintained a 4.0 grade point average, Kevin Saegert received the
Outstanding Student for the State of Texas Award from the Texas Physical Therapy
Association in October 2004. The physical therapist assistant major was chosen
out of 400 students from 18 colleges across the state. Among his campus activities,
Saegert has served as vice president of the College’s Physical Therapist
Assistant Program Club and has served on the program’s advisory committee
for the past three years. Saegert organized the club’s 2004 project of
the year for which he and other members made and hand delivered 200 Valentines
to the Retama Nursing Home. Additionally, Saegert has organized health fairs,
open houses for the physical therapist assistant program and club fundraisers
as well as participated in the College’s annual Career Fest to inform potential
students about career opportunities in physical therapy. As a member of the
international honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, Saegert was named to the 2003
and 2004 Dean’s List as well as the National Dean’s List for 2004
and 2005. He is listed in Who’s Who Among Students In American Junior
Colleges.
Journalism major Edwin Vasquez has served several roles with the College’s
student newspaper, The Foghorn, including chief investigative reporter, community
affairs reporter and Spanish page editor. This student journalist was one of
20 students from across the country selected to attend the National Association
of Hispanic Journalists’ national conference in San Diego, California.
Additionally, his writing skills have earned Vasquez several awards during the
Texas Intercollegiate Press Association’s competitions. Vasquez has kept
very active as a member of several student organizations while attending the
College, including the International Club, Spanish Club, Press Club, Ambassadors
Club and the Student Government Association. He also held a state membership
with the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education in 2003 and has volunteered
his services as a cultural presenter during the DMC chapter’s observance
of Hispanic Heritage Month for the past five years. Vasquez has even volunteered
with the Spanish Language Institute the past four years as a lab assistant and
presenter. He is the recipient of Pedro Chapa Memorial and Jack Walden Memorial
Scholarships and was selected for inclusion in the National Student Media Awards
Yearbook on Journalism in 2002.
-DMC-mce
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