CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A day after Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi announced it will move its educational programming out of the Antonio E. Garcia Arts & Education Center and into area schools beginning in Jan. 2027, university leaders are providing more details about the transition and why they believe it will allow them to serve more students.
The move will end TAMU-CC's physical presence at the Garcia Center when its memorandum of understanding with the Art Museum of South Texas expires on Dec. 31, 2026. The agreement will not be renewed.
The Garcia Center building itself is not closing. The facility is owned by the City of Corpus Christi and leased by the Art Museum of South Texas. Discussions regarding the building's future use remain ongoing between the city and the Westside Business Association.
University says change will expand access
During interviews with KRIS 6 News and Telemundo Corpus Christi, Dr. Joshua Watson, dean of TAMU-CC's College of Education and Human Development, said the university's decision was driven by a desire to reach more students and eliminate barriers that limited participation at the Garcia Center.
According to Watson, the university's after-school programming at the Garcia Center currently serves about 20 to 40 students, with 26 students currently enrolled.
"We identified some barriers, namely transportation and students being able to get to the center after school," Watson said.
University leaders said the new school-based approach is rooted in the results of a Spring 2026 Islander Enrichment Academy pilot program at West Oso Middle School. The pilot served approximately 20 students through after-school sessions focused on financial literacy, literacy coaching and counseling services.
The university determined that bringing programming directly into schools removed transportation challenges and made participation easier for families.
"Rather than after-school programming being at a set entity, it would be at the schools so that students are already there," Watson said. "We are able to double, triple, with an idea of going even further in subsequent semesters, the number of kids that we could reach and interact with."
Three schools selected for initial rollout
Beginning in Jan. 2027, the new Islander Enrichment Academy will launch at:
- Zavala Elementary School
- Driscoll Middle School
- West Oso Junior High School
Watson said those campuses were selected because they are close to the communities currently served by the Garcia Center and because many of the center's participants already attend those schools.
Of the 26 students currently enrolled in Garcia Center programming, 12 attend schools that will host the Islander Enrichment Academy.
Six students are either home-schooled or attend charter or private schools, while the remaining eight attend six different campuses.
University officials said current participants who attend the selected schools will receive priority placement in the new program.
Families whose children attend other schools have been provided information about alternative community organizations and after-school opportunities.
What the new program will offer
University officials say the new school-based model will focus on educational enrichment and college and career readiness.
"Every school and every group of students is different, and our approach needs to reflect that," Watson said in the university's announcement.
The Islander Enrichment Academy will offer programming that may include:
- Reading and literacy activities
- Math and science enrichment
- STEAM education
- Arts programming
- Counseling and social-emotional learning
- College and career readiness initiatives
Watson said school administrators will help determine which offerings best fit the needs of their students.
The after-school sessions are expected to run about 90 minutes, with schedules varying by campus. The university anticipates many sites will initially operate about three days per week.
Families worry about losing a community hub
While TAMU-CC views the transition as an expansion of services, some families who rely on the Garcia Center say they are concerned about losing a place that has become a vital part of the community.
Mary Orta, a grandmother raising three grandchildren who have attended programs at the Garcia Center for seven years, said the center has become much more than a place for academic support.
"It's very heartbreaking," Orta told KRIS 6 News and Telemundo Corpus Christi.
Orta said her grandchildren have participated in tutoring, drama, arts activities and martial arts programs while also building friendships with children from different schools across the Westside.
"They love the tutors here. They love the programs," Orta said.
She worries that moving activities onto individual campuses could change the experience that has made the Garcia Center special for many families.
For parents and grandparents, she said, the center has evolved into a community gathering place where relationships have been built over the years.
What happens next?
The university says Fall 2026 efforts will focus on outreach and needs assessment with educational partners, including Corpus Christi ISD, ahead of the January rollout.
Watson emphasized that TAMU-CC does not view the move as stepping away from the Westside community.
"The Island University remains committed to serving all students and families, including those on the Westside," Watson said. "We view this shift as an expansion of that commitment. Bringing programming directly into schools removes barriers and broadens our reach across the region."
Summer camps expected to continue
Watson said the university plans to continue offering summer camps for elementary and middle school students in 2027.
However, the long-term location of summer camps, spring break programs and other seasonal activities remains under discussion.
Because the Garcia Center building will remain open, Watson said it is possible future programming could still take place there, depending on ongoing conversations about the facility's future.
Community partners respond
Sara Sells Morgan, director of the Art Museum of South Texas, said the museum plans to continue its arts education efforts throughout the Coastal Bend.
"It has been a privilege to work with, teach, learn from, and build relationships with the staff, visitors, supporters, students, and families who have made the Garcia Center such a special part of our community," Morgan said. "We will continue our commitment to arts education throughout the Coastal Bend."
The Westside Business Association also voiced support for the transition.
"The Westside Business Association supports this next chapter for the Garcia Center and looks forward to continuing our partnership with the university," the organization's board said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the City of Corpus Christi says no decisions have been made regarding the future use of the facility.
"The City of Corpus Christi recognizes Texas A&M University's interest in expanding its services within the community," the city said in a statement. "At this time, we have no updates regarding the Garcia Arts and Education Center. The matter remains under consideration."
For now, families and university leaders agree on one thing: the Garcia Center has played an important role in the Westside community. The debate centers on whether bringing those services directly into schools can preserve that impact while reaching even more students.
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