Brio Repository honors Flickinger's environmental legacy
San Jacinto College hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Brio Repository at the Parker Williams Library on the South Campus in December. College officials and community members came together to celebrate this milestone.
The repository stands as an archive and tribute to late San Jac board member Marie Flickinger, who passed away in November 2024 shortly after her retirement. Flickinger left behind an extraordinary legacy of community service spanning nearly five decades.
Her reporting on toxic waste dumping at the Brio Superfund site near Beamer and Dixie Farm Road exposed one of Houston most significant environmental hazards. Her articles in the South Belt-Ellington Leader, which she co-founded in 1976, brought critical attention to the environmental crisis and played a crucial role in the site's eventual cleanup.
Marie's unwavering commitment to her community shaped not only the history of the South Belt–Ellington area, but also the wellbeing of so many families who call this area home. Her work on the Brio Superfund is a powerful example of what can happen when someone chooses to fight for what is right.
The repository houses documents, newspaper articles, and video and audio recordings detailing the Brio Superfund site investigation and remediation process. It serves as a historical archive and an educational resource for students, researchers, and community members interested in environmental justice and the power of investigative journalism.
"This space ensures that our students and our neighbors here in the South Belt-Ellington area can learn from the past and understand the impact of community engagement," said Dr. Aaron Knight, South Campus provost.
Flickinger's connection to San Jac made the Parker Williams Library a fitting location for this archive.
Flickinger served on the College's Board of Trustees for nearly 30 years, beginning in 1995 as the first woman elected to the position. She held the role of board chair from 2007 to 2013 and again from 2017 to 2024, demonstrating her commitment to education in the community she loved.
The Brio Repository stands as a testament to how one person's dedication to truth
and justice can create lasting change, ensuring that Flickinger's legacy of environmental
advocacy and community service will inspire future generations.
Visit the online Brio Repository archive
About San Jacinto College Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020 and 2026. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
