TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM ASSOCIATION

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1969 WITH THE DREAM OF WHAT CORPUS CHRISTI COULD BE. VISIONARY COMMUNITY LEADERS HAD A BOLD, YET SIMPLE PURPOSE WITH THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM - CREATE EDUCATIONALLY ENRICHING AND ENTERTAINING EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE, AND INSPIRE THEM TO CARE FOR, AND ULTIMATELY HELP CONSERVE, THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN SEA. TODAY, AFTER BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND HAVING EDUCATED AND ENTERTAINED MORE THAN 15 MILLION VISITORS, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM IS THE LEADING ATTRACTION IN SOUTH TEXAS, AN ECONOMIC DRIVER OF THE COASTAL BEND TOURISM ECONOMY, A WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER, AND AN AWARD-WINNING CENTER FOR WILDLIFE CARE AND REHABILITATION. THE AQUARIUM HAS ALWAYS AIMED TO EDUCATE GUESTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR HABITATS AND WILDLIFE - AND WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE. THE AQUARIUM HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ORGANIZE AND CARRY OUT BEACH CLEAN-UP EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE. IN ADDITION TO COORDINATING THESE EFFORTS, AQUARIUM STAFF CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE EFFECTS GARBAGE HAS ON REGIONAL WILDLIFE. AS A MEMBER OF THE AQUARIUM CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM PRIDES ITSELF ON ITS EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS FROM OUR OPERATIONS, INCLUDING OFFERING CANNED WATER, PAPER STRAWS, AND RECYCLED MATERIAL SERVING CONTAINERS TO OUR RESTAURANT PATRONS. OUR PEPSI SHORELINE GRILL WAS THE FIRST RESTAURANT IN TEXAS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION AS AN OCEAN FRIENDLY RESTAURANT. IT IS THROUGH THESE AND MANY MORE PROGRAMS THAT THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM HELPS PRESERVE OUR REGION'S RICH ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE AND EMPOWERS MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

AT THE HEART OF THE AQUARIUM'S MISSION IS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE AQUARIUM OVER THE YEARS THROUGH OUR OUTREACH AND DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS, CAMPS, AND ON-SITE PROGRAMS. IN 2023 ALONE, MORE THAN 25,000 GRADE LEVEL STUDENTS ENGAGED IN LEARNING INITIATIVES THROUGH THE IMMERSIVE AND ENGAGING PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY THE AQUARIUM. THESE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND EXPERIENCES AIM TO FOSTER THE NEXT GENERATION OF INSPIRED SCIENTISTS, OCEAN EXPLORERS, AND STEM PROFESSIONALS. IN 2023, THE AQUARIUM PARTNERED WITH TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY - CORPUS CHRISTI TO OFFER COLLEGIATE STUDENTS A DISTINCTIVE FIELD-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCE AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY'S SCIENTIFIC DIVE TRAINING COURSE. THE STUDENTS SCUBA-DIVED IN THE AQUARIUM'S LARGEST EXHIBIT TO HONE THEIR SKILLS IN VISUAL UNDERWATER FISH SURVEY TECHNIQUES. THE AQUARIUM ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY - KINGSVILLE TO OFFER A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT VETERINARY PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN HANDS-ON VETERINARY ACTIVITIES ALONGSIDE OUR VETERINARY STAFF. THESE AND OTHER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS PROVIDED REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING FOR STEM STUDENTS ACROSS THE COASTAL BEND.