CBC Appoints New Kingsville Campus Director

Felipe Leal just wrapped up his first semester as the new Coastal Bend College Kingsville Campus Director, and he looks forward to making the spring 2013 semester an ever better one. Leal’s experience, commitment and passion for higher education over the past 20 years benefit the CBC Kingsville campus as well as the entire community.

“I started at Texas A&M Kingsville as a work study student in the financial aid office. Most of my career in higher education was in an enrollment management environment where various departments work together to assure student success from the admissions process to applying for graduation,” Leal said and added, “In higher education, it is everybody’s responsibility within the institution to assure students achieve their academic goals. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help students succeed.”

Student success is at the forefront of everything Leal does when working with the CBC Kingsville staff, students, and community members. His most recent work experience as the Associate Director of Student Financial Services at South Texas College allowed him to see first-hand the financial and academic struggles many students are faced with today. From assisting families during and after the financial aid application process, to assisting faculty with achieving institutional goals involving student/academic success, Leal remains squarely focused on the student and their success.

Luckily, Leal has inherited a campus with high student success rates. The CBC Kingsville campus is home to academic and workforce programs that students can enroll in such as cosmetology, criminal justice, nursing, pharmacy technician, as well as a university transfer program. These CBC programs equip students with the tools they need to launch their careers or embark on their higher education quest.

Additionally, the Kingsville campus has an advisor/recruiter, financial aid advisor, and a science case manager available to assist students. A new addition to the Kingsville campus is the Student Success Center equipped with laptops, graphing calculators, and study aids provided by the Title V Celebrando Educacion grant. As the campus director, Leal looks forward to working with his talented staff to utilize the vast campus resources to help every student that walks through his campus’ doors.

“We are very fortunate that at the Kingsville campus we have state of the art technology and programs that make student learning and success easier and less stressful. Our faculty and staff are great, and they sincerely care about every single student’s success. It’s a joy to get up in the morning and come to work at CBC. I have a terrific team,” Leal said.

Former Kingsville Campus Director Ann Harrell, who is now the Dual Credit Program Director at CBC, knows first-hand the challenges and hard work involved in being the leader of an entire college campus.

“Felipe Leal brings a great deal of highly relevant experience to the CBC Kingsville campus as its director.  I feel comfortable, having been in that position for many years, that the campus will be well-represented by Felipe.  He returned to Kingsville, having lived here previously for many years, and is dedicated to the community as well as Coastal Bend College,” Harrell said.

Leal himself does say that being back in Kingsville is like being home again. He envisions a bright future for the Kingsville campus, and he hopes to help expand and improve the programs, services and amenities offered to the community. However, there is one thing you won’t hear Leal say about his job.

“I wouldn’t ever call this work.  It’s service. It’s a privilege. The most fulfilling part of my job is during the graduation ceremony. It’s amazing to see those same students I helped enroll or register walk across the stage and receive their degrees or certificates. The pride, you can see it in their eyes. That’s why I do what I do, every day.”

To contact Felipe Leal, you may call the CBC Kingsville campus at (361) 592-1615.

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