CanIGetADotCom.com Blog

One quarter of a century sounds like a long time, but Collin College has made fast strides beyond what could have been seen when it began 25 years ago.

To commemorate the colleges silver anniversary, a book celebrating the success of Collin College has been released. In the Words of Alumni is a 25th anniversary commemorative anthology that gives alumni an opportunity to share why they believe in Collin and how it has helped them succeed.

As the college celebrates its 25th anniversary, I want to thank the community members who voted to establish Collin College and those who have generously given their time and donations since then, said Cary Israel, president for Collin College. Twenty-five years ago, the founders had no way of knowing how quickly the college would change and grow. Today, Collin College has more than 49,000 students at seven locations offering 100-plus degrees and certificates as well as hundreds of continuing education courses to ensure a globally competitive workforce. However, a startling number of students need scholarships and financial aid to attend.

Israel said that the college is entering an age of fusion, which he describes as a time in which people need to come together to reinforce democratic ideals, harness their energy and create new jobs.

Many jobs available in the workplace 10 or 25 years from now do not currently exist, Israel said. Community colleges, like Collin College, are flexible and ready to serve as the permanent pipeline to supply the labor force with these newly evolving professions, just as they have in the past. I believe Americas success in the next 25 years depends in no small part on support of the community college system.

Israel explained that the variety of students who attend Collin College enroll for many reasons.

Some are searching for small teacher-to-student ratios, like a private university. Some are looking for nationally renowned, award-winning professors. Some want to bolster their resumes with undergraduate research experience. Some want to take advantage of the colleges partnerships with universities and transfer with ease. Some want to take classes to gain employment in the jobs of their dreams, Israel said. We look forward to the next 25 years of innovation and preeminent education and hope to add your name to the next edition of our alumni book.

The free electronic book is in flipbook format, which allows readers to electronically turn pages. Alumni featured are Dr. Guillermo Ameer, Northwestern University Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Surgery and founder and president of ProSorp BioTech Inc. and VesselTek BioMedical LLC.; Dr. Erin Schafer, University of North Texas assistant professor, Department of Speech and Hearing Science; Dennis Garcia, dental hygienist; Michael Urie, actor featured as Marc St. James on the hit ABC TV show Ugly Betty and Rudi Gernreich in the Off-Broadway play The Temperamentals; Dr. Vu Phung, geriatric fellow at the University of Cincinnati; Dawn Spradling, nurse; Aspen Bischoff, elementary school teacher; Roderick C. Hunter Jr., podiatry resident at Kingwood Medical Center; Dr. Tri Phung, anesthesiology resident at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Matthew Uppole, Coppell Fire Department battalion chief; Brian Allen, RadioVision director of internet marketing explained; Dr. Niclas C. Tan, Millennium Pharmaceuticals: the Takeda Oncology Company scientist; Marcela Guerrero Casas, policy and advocacy manager for Africa Fairtrade Network in Cape Town, South Africa; Brian J. Smith, actor featured as Lt. Matthew Scott in MGMs Stargate Universe and Hector MacQueen for ITV production of Agatha Christies Murder on the Orient Express for PBS Masterpiece Mystery; Geoff Bailey, regional leader of Pickens Plan; Nicholas Palmer, attorney; Dena Pritchett, Fulbright Scholar, United Arab Emirates; John Payton, Collin County Justice of the Peace; Seth Rutherford, pharmacist; Carlos Carrion, dental student at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Dental School; Adele DeVries, project manager at Barnard Howard LLC.; Dr. Arminda Callejas Weintz, OB GYN resident, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; Jon Dooley, attorney, closing manager, Invesco Real Estate; Brian Cook, physicians assistant; and Scott Michael Foster, actor featured as Cappie on the hit ABC Family show Greek.

With 25 alumni, the anthology is just a handful of people who represent the countless former students who have succeeded based on the strong foundation built at Collin. The colleges continued innovation and drive to improve and expand higher education in the county directly impacts and nurtures programs that span across varied genres and focuses.

One example of these programs is Destination College, an initiative that helps high school students and their parents to get ready for college, no matter which institution they choose.

Mika Lanier, director of marketing at The Princeton Review, believes that Collin Colleges mission includes being a community-centered institution.

We are an educational partner helping our parents and their students prepare for higher education either with us or our higher-education colleagues, Lanier said. Collin is a leading partner in higher education and as such, we appreciate the opportunity to provide services that strengthen our community academically.

The Princeton Review leads the popular “Getting In” seminar, among others.

We strive to offer timely sessions for our community members as well as some staples of the college application process, Lanier said. Several of our sessions provide information to families about the college preparation process. The Parent Workshop provides a broad overview, while the Financial Aid session goes in to more details of that process for those that want it. We have also developed a Parent Workbook that provides tons of great resources.

Fall 2010 and spring 2011 programs are listed below. While there is no fee to attend, seating is limited and registration is required for all workshops.

Princeton Review: Getting In   Registration is now closed for this session.

6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Sept. 21 The Princeton Reviews Getting In seminars reveal the secrets of getting accepted to Americas finest colleges.

Being a Cyber Smart Student – What You Do Now Can Affect You Later

6:30 – 8 p.m. Oct. 7 Technology is a way of life for todays teens; however, what was cute in high school can have serious and long-term consequences in college and the real world.

The Writes of Passage How to Write a Personal Statement, College or Scholarship Essay

6:30 – 8 p.m. Oct. 12 This workshop, led by Marilyn Kaufman, M.Ed., a top college consultant in the field of higher education, will cover helpful tips and strategies of writing an effective application or scholarship essay.

How To Not Be A Helicopter Parent Letting Your Teen Take Responsibility for the College Admissions Process

6:30 – 8 p.m. Nov. 4 Central Park Campus Conference Center in McKinney

Thinking about the college admissions process and not knowing where to start can be overwhelming, stressful and something that many high school students prolong. In this workshop, parents will learn tips and tricks on how to guide their child through the college selection and admission process.

Princeton Review: Testing Strategies

10 a.m. – noon Dec. 4 Find out all you need to know about the SAT and ACT in this informational session.

Destination College: The Parent Workshop

6 – 8:30 p.m. Feb. 3 Parents, this popular workshop will provide you with the essentials of planning and preparing for your students college experience.

How To Apply For Financial Aid

6:30 – 8 p.m. Feb. 24 Central Park Campus Conference Center in McKinney

This workshop will introduce you to financial aid concepts such as the different types of aid, eligibility, the application process and where to find scholarships.

Collin College Pre-Admission Partnerships: Transferring to Universities

6 – 8:30 p.m. March 1 Representatives from each of Collin Colleges pre-admission partner colleges or universities will provide information about their programs benefits, the application process, financial aid, scholarships and ways to prepare for college.

Getting Started at Collin College: For New Collin Students

6:30 – 8 p.m. March 24 For students who are planning on attending Collin College in the summer or fall 2011, this workshop will walk them through each step of the process to get them started.

Exploring Majors: How to Choose

6:30 – 8 p.m. April 7 This workshop will provide you with a plan on how to match majors with your interests and career plans and how to find the best colleges for those majors.

Never Too Late: College for Non-Traditional Students

6:30 – 8 p.m. April 21 at the Central Park Campus Conference Center in McKinney.

A college education truly is for everyone even for those who think higher education has passed them by.

For information about the alumni anthology, visit collin.edu/alumnibook/. For information about Destination College, visit collin.edu/destinationcollege.