Fischer appointed to Coastal Bend College Board of Trustees
Former Beeville school board member Laura Dirks Fischer has been appointed to replace her father R.W. Dirks on the Coastal Bend College Board of Trustees.
By SCOTT REESE WILLEY
Bee-Picayune staff
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By SCOTT REESE WILLEY
Bee-Picayune staff
Former Beeville school board member Laura Dirks Fischer has been appointed to replace her father R.W. Dirks on the Coastal Bend College Board of Trustees.
“We wanted someone who was active in the community and who knew the issues affecting the community and the college district, and Laura is that person,” said board President Paul Jaure.
“There were a lot of good candidates nominated but the board recognized Laura’s long service to the people of Beeville and Bee County.”
Laura served as a trustee of the Beeville Independent School District Board of Trustees for 15 years and is president of the Bee Development Authority, whose mission it is to attract business and create jobs in Bee County.
Laura also serves on the Coastal Bend College Foundation, which is challenged with raising funding for the college.
Laura’s father, R.W., has served as a trustee of Coastal Bend College for 37 years.
He was elected to the board when the college was still called Bee County College.
His fellow trustees voted last year to rename a building on the campus after him for his commitment to the college.
R.W. will be honored for his service at a board meeting scheduled for August 21.
His wife, Sandy Dirks, also will be honored at that meeting. Trustees voted last week to name the board room at the college after Sandy Dirks, who purchased furniture for the administration offices at the college out of her own pocket and who has contributed time and money to other causes on behalf of the college.
Laura will assume her duties as trustee next week.
“We have a budget workshop scheduled for Aug. 7 and we want her to be a part of that budget process,” Jaure explained.
“We think it’s important for her to jump right in and have a say in the planning of the budget.”
Laura said she is honored to be selected to replace her father on the board.
“I am elated over the fact that six people feel I am worthy to fill the position on the board,” she said.
“I look forward to working with them and to working to help the students and college move to the next level.”
Laura said she will bring three passions to the board room: dual credit, work force training and fund raising.
She said she has always been a big supporter of the dual credit program, which allows students to take college-level courses at CBC free of charge while they are still in high school.
“I think it’s important that high school students in Bee County and the other counties served by the college take advantage of the dual credit program offered by Coastal Bend College,” she said.
“Dual credit is really a great opportunity for these students to save money on the cost of college and we need to communicate effectively so our potential students understand and respond to the educational opportunities at Coastal Bend College.”
Laura also is passionate about a well-trained work force.
As president of the Bee Development Authority, Laura knows first-hand how important it is to have training available for area workers when new businesses are looking at Bee County.
She said she wants to make sure that Coastal Bend College “is ahead of the game” when it comes to work force training.
“If we as a community are going to develop an aviation industry at Chase Field, and that’s what we’re looking at doing, then we need to be able and ready to provide the training our work force needs to take advantage of those aviation jobs,” she explained. “And Coastal Bend College should play a leading role in educating our work force and helping our people win those high-paying jobs.”
Laura also knows the value of fund raising.
She said the Coastal Bend College Foundation has struggled to raise funds and scholarships over the years.
She said she hopes to be rejuvenate the college’s fund raising efforts while she is on the board.
Laura will serve out her father’s unexpired term until May 2010 when she must seek election to another six-year term of office if she wishes to continue to serve.
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