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Paving the way, one name at a time
Submitted Photo - Paul Pogue and Ben Pogue of Pogue Construction in front of the conference room named for their financial contribution to Collin College. The conference room is at the Central Park Campus Library.
By Kim Williams, kwilliams@acnpapers.com
Collin College is ensuring the community has a way for its youth to continue needed education.
“In an effort to address the ever-increasing need of financial assistance for students at Collin College, President Cary Israel developed the concept of naming buildings and areas and classrooms within the buildings on the five campuses in Plano, McKinney and Frisco,” said Mary Frazier, executive director for the Collin College Foundation. “The Collin College Board of Trustees approved this campaign concept and in the fall of 2009, a silent effort was launched. Today, over half a million dollars has been raised with minimal requests. A public launch was announced in late April 2010.”
The college distributed $11.8 million in federal financial assistance and private scholarships six years ago, and this year the amount has soared to more than $42 million. As the only public higher education institution in Collin County, the college considers it a responsibility to residents and future students to provide a way for them to have access to the education they want.
David McCall, one of the founders of Collin County Community College District and campaign chair of the Naming Opportunities Campaign, is committed to developing a great educational resource for residents in the county. McCall is a partner with Gay, McCall, Isaacks, Gordon and Roberts law firm in Plano and believes this campaign is “preventative medicine.”
“Collin County is still an affluent county, but there are many students who still need assistance in some way to go to school,” McCall said. “There is no greater need in the state of Texas than education.”
McCall and Israel both believe this campaign is unique because the funds involve buildings, but not contributing to the construction of them.
“The funds are not to build buildings but to go to provide scholarships for the students attending Collin College or the colleges associated with the institution,” McCall said. “So this is helping students directly.”
There were more than 700 students who applied for financial aid this year, and less than half were provided assistance. The campaign is led by McCall and his team of area businessmen who all have the desire to improve opportunity in the county.
“It’s a group of 12 great guys who are really dedicated to make this work,” said McCall. “We’re calling on people who have previously shown an interest in the college.”
According to Frazier, anyone can be involved and contribute to this campaign. The amounts begin at $25,000 and go up to $3 million.
“It’s important that the community understand that the college has been a great economic benefactor to this county besides being an educational benefactor,” said McCall.
“The first scholarships to be awarded from this Naming Opportunities Campaign will be in the fall of 2011,” said Frazier. “The funds received will need to be invested for a minimum of 12 months before the earnings allow for funding awards.”
Pogue Construction of McKinney took the opportunity to contribute to the campaign.
“I graduated from McKinney High School but couldn’t get into the major college I wanted to go to, said Ben Pogue, president and CEO of Pogue Construction. “I went to Collin College, and they gave me the springboard I needed to get into a four-year university.”
He believes everyone should invest in education.
“The true real investment in your community is to invest in your community college because it’s staying around for the future and making the future in their students,” Pogue said. “You want the community to be educated, so they can contribute in the future. It is ongoing.”
He said that the community can invest in Collin College and put a lot of stock in it because they can be sure they will get a great return on their investment.
“The president is so visionary and wants to take the school to a whole new level. It is very exciting,” said Pogue. “Plus, this is a way for us to leave a legacy.”
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Collin College has the lowest tuition rates anywhere, and still many student struggle to afford college--books and cost of attendance (childcare, fewer hours at work to attend classes and study, etc.). This kind of scholarship campaign is much needed. But it's not enough. Most of the students at Collin want to continue their education. And they need financial help to move beyond the two-year school upon completion of the Associate's Degree. It's a guarantee that the four-year schools in the area are going to cost them even more than attending Collin did. "