Brenda Garcia, an employee at Del Mar College, recently received the Disability Service Provider Award by the American College Personnel Association.
When the American College Personnel Association meets for its annual conference in Columbus, Ohio, this March, it will be presenting Brenda Garcia of Del Mar College in Corpus Christi one of its top awards. A disability services specialist with DMC’s Transition Center Disability Services Office, Garcia is being recognized for her success in promoting access and inclusion for people with disabilities and ensuring them equal access to curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular programs, activities and services.
“We believe your work and advocacy for the disability community matches the values within the Disability Service Provider Award,” said a statement issued by the ACPA’s Coalition of (Dis)Ability. “Your work as a specialist at Del Mar College is truly admirable and deserving of reward!”
Since 1924, the ACPA has supported and fostered college student learning through the generation and dissemination of knowledge that directly affects student affairs professionals and the higher education community.
Garcia, who has worked in the disability services office at Del Mar for the past nine years, said her selection for the award is a great honor.
“I’m deeply humbled, grateful and ecstatic about ACPA and the coalition selecting me for this national award,” she said. “My passion is being able to serve Del Mar College’s students every day, and I come to work to help each student reach their educational goals by providing them with the best appropriate accommodations so they have an opportunity to succeed regardless of their disability.”
Dan Fischer, director of the Transition Center, noted Garcia’s efforts in her nomination document.
“During Academic Year 2016, unforeseen employee turnover thrust Brenda into the lead provider role at a primarily Hispanic-serving 12,000-student-strong community college,” he wrote. “As such, she served 56 percent (16 percent above her expected performance standard) of accommodation-seeking students enrolled in over 1,000 class sections while expertly managing a $200,000 sign language interpreter budget.
“Additionally, armed with nearly 10 years of experience and expertise, Brenda tackled new hire training for one full-time and one part-time disability specialist, ensuring uniformity in policy and procedures as well as continued high-quality customer service.
“For a third consecutive year, Brenda also orchestrated a Disability Advocate of the Year event, which, to date, has recognized 19 student-nominated faculty and staff for their significant service, advocacy, support and commitment to the advancement of students with varying disabilities.
“Further, she partnered with crosstown disability services colleagues from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to cost-share and co-host multiple professional development webinars to educate specialists from both campuses, thereby creating a foundation of collaboration, knowledge sharing and professional friendship.
“Finally, ever-present, Brenda led outreach efforts both on and off campus resulting in a 39 percent increase in student accommodation service-seekers during the Fall 2016 semester — the highest single-semester accommodation request tally in the college’s 81-year history!”
Fisher noted that the award is well-deserved.
“Clearly, Brenda’s efforts over the 16-month period exemplified the spirit of ACPA’s award,” Fisher said. “The college is truly proud of Brenda and her work that this award recognizes.”
