Founding Collin College President Honored for Football, Lifetime Achievements

Founding Collin College President Dr. John Anthony was recently inducted into the Susquehanna University (SU) 2023 Football Ring of Honor class. Awardees are selected based on their accomplishments on and off the football field. Dr. Anthony was one of seven SU alumni to receive the honor this year.

“The greatest accomplishment is the founding of Collin College. This award recognizes me for that as much as any football prowess,” said Dr. Anthony, who served the college from 1985-1999 and said that he feels Collin College’s largest impact is the quality of education.

“I think Collin shows that you can have quality teaching – exceptional teaching – better than you’d find in many colleges and universities and reputable institutions. You can have quality teaching at Collin, as a two-year institution, because of the people you hire and the opportunities you give them to create,” said Dr. Anthony.

Collin College District President Dr. Neil Matkin said the college is indebted to Dr. Anthony who, under the direction of the founding Board of Trustees, opened campuses in McKinney, Plano, and Frisco.

“Dr. Anthony is a pioneer in the field of higher education in Collin County,” Dr. Matkin said. “One of the college’s first five employees in 1985, this founding president’s vision, ingenuity, and partnerships with area leaders created impactful educational opportunities for our communities. It is a privilege to continue his tradition of excellence in higher education.”

According to the SU website, the Ring of Honor annually recognizes and enshrines a group of former players, coaches, and staff members whose service, success, spirit, and advocacy on behalf of the SU football program and in the community are deemed worthy of recognition by their peers.

Known at the time as “Jack Anthony,” the Collin College president emeritus was a starter on both offense and defense during most of his four years at the university. He also played basketball for one year and represented the university in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament with his tennis doubles partner.

With more than 40 years of executive-level experience in higher education, Dr. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Education in Accounting from SU, a Master of Education in Psychology and a Doctor of Education in Business Education and Psychology from Temple University. Before coming to Collin College, he served as president of Portland Community College, Cayuga Community College, and Los Angeles City College.

After retiring, he served as executive adjunct professor at the University of North Texas where he taught graduate courses in community college leadership and higher education finance and administration. He also served as chair of the advisory board for the Bill J. Priest Center for Community College Education. In 2001 Dr. Anthony established Executive Resource Consulting Services, and his firm conducted more than 20 executive searches in Texas and California through 2017.

Among his many achievements, he served as president of Texas Association of Community Colleges and the Association of Texas Colleges and Universities and was the chair of the committee on criteria and reports for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Married to his wife, Carole, for more than 60 years, Dr. Anthony has three children and four grandchildren.

Collin College serves more than 58,000 credit and continuing education students annually and offers more than 200 degrees and certificates, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), a Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity, a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Construction Management, and a new Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Clinical Operations Management. 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.