June 23, 2022 – Today, Collin College and the Collin College Foundation announced a $1 million gift from The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation (TAFF) for endowed scholarships and naming rights for a new welcome center at the college’s McKinney Campus.
At the Andrea-Mennen Welcome Center, students will be able to take advantage of a one-stop-shop that offers admissions, advising, financial aid, counseling, and more. The two-story, nearly 40,000-square-foot building is the newest state-of-the-art facility to open in the fast-growing McKinney Campus community.
“We are incredibly grateful to The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation for this generous gift, which is among the largest in our history,” said Dr. Neil Matkin, Collin College district president. “Their ongoing financial support to the college is changing lives for our students in a profoundly meaningful way and will continue to do so for many years to come.”
The family foundation has a long history of support for Collin College. TAFF previously established two scholarship endowments with the Collin College Foundation — one for health science students at the McKinney Campus and one for the automotive program at the Technical Campus in Allen.
“We see the welcome center as the gateway for a life-changing experience for all who enter. An education once achieved can never be taken away,” said TAFF President Rudy Andrea. “It provides individuals with the ability to be self-sufficient and to provide a better life for themselves and the people they care about. They become productive citizens who add value to the community they serve. We hope that this will create a domino effect where others will have the opportunity to give back and open the doors for students to get a good education.”
According to Christina Mennen Andrea, her grandfather and father set the tone.
“They helped to build facilities that propelled so many young adults to achieve their goals,” she said. “These institutions still stand today and are still making an impact. They were truly the inspiration for The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation, which creates a legacy so our children and grandchildren can follow in their footsteps. Unto whom much is given, much is expected.”
Collin College Foundation Chair David Downs said the naming rights program allows major gift donors to be featured on select college facilities with proceeds earmarked for endowed scholarships.
“Rudy, Christina, and their family members are planting a seed for the future,” Downs said. “Their support is a permanent lifeline for students who otherwise could not go to college. This was not their first gift, but this one raises the bar.”
The Andrea-Mennen Welcome Center will open later this summer to help students prepare for the fall semester.
Collin College serves more than 56,000 credit and continuing education students annually and offers more than 100 degrees and certificates, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), a Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity, and a new Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Construction Management to be offered beginning fall 2022. The only public college based in Collin County, Collin College is a partner to business, government, and industry, providing customized training and workforce development. For more information, visit www.collin.edu.