A Message from the TCC Foundation
Daniel Villegas
TCC Foundation Board Chair
As the incoming Chair of the TCC Foundation Board, I want to congratulate our team and thank all of the donors and volunteers who have contributed their “time and treasure” to our mission to invest in the success of TCC students. I’d also like to thank my predecessor, Lydia Guajardo Rickard, for her many years of service on the TCC Foundation Board and for the past two years as Chair.
Tarrant County College Foundation affirms the power of education, partnership, and collective generosity. Our progress is possible because of the steadfast support of donors — individuals, foundations, and businesses, and organizations — whose generosity underpins TCC’s mission. Donor contributions provide critical funding for scholarships, programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and innovative educational initiatives that are otherwise beyond reach.
We ask for your continued support of the TCC Foundation. We welcome the opportunity to visit with you about expanded partnership opportunities to further TCC’s impact on Tarrant County.
Lydia Guajardo Rickard
TCC Foundation Past Board Chair
As we enter the next school year and kick off the 60th Anniversary, Tarrant County College has asserted itself to be the area’s leader in prepping and educating our county’s workforce. This year has been a year of accomplishments, from new and renewed endowments and scholarships focused on forward paths for our students to raising the visibility of the Foundation and Tarrant County College. Our student support continues to grow, as we focus on eliminating barriers for life-changing educational opportunities, thus removing the risk for some of our most vulnerable students. As a Foundation, our mission is to continue to find opportunities to support our staff in fundraising initiatives and to continue to provide educational pathways for those who want to access TCC to advance their future. We cannot thank our donors enough for their continued support over the past 60 years. We look forward to the next 60 and the opportunities that are still ahead of us.
Tarrant County College Foundation
Alumni Impact
Associate degree holders in Tarrant County made on average $46,700, nearly $10,000 more than graduates with high school degrees only. This higher earning equaled $1.8 billion in added county income.
Marie Claude-Mutomb
Dr. Larry Darlage Scholarship recipient
“I became a better version of myself!”
Marie knows firsthand the challenges international students face in pursuing their education. With only her older sister in the U.S. to support her, she was searching for a place where she belonged. After a semester at Collin College, she made the decision to transfer to TCC. “I saw everyone at TCC actually loves TCC and the students. I actually enjoyed coming on campus! I started making my first friends, started getting involved on campus and in Phi Theta Kappa (where I became Vice President of Membership). I’m still shy, but I just became a better version of myself!” Marie credits the Dr. Larry Darlage Scholarship for helping her feel at home. “Receiving the scholarship made me feel proud of myself and more confident. I was like, maybe I deserve the scholarship. Maybe I’m where I need to be. It just made me believe in myself and the things I can accomplish.” But Marie isn’t done yet! Transferring to Baylor this fall, she plans to pursue pre-med and eventually attend medical school. Thanks to donors like you, Marie was able to take bold steps toward a better future. “Receiving this scholarship reminded me of my purpose: why I was in college and what I was working toward. I’m deeply grateful for this donation.”
Patricia Mansilla
A. D. Marshall Memorial Scholarship recipient
“If I don't take the chance, I won’t make it”
Patricia first attended TCC in 2007 but never finished. In 2023, she took the bold step to return to TCC to create a better future for herself and her children. “I didn’t really think that higher education was for me, but after going out and working, I knew that I needed to come back and do something better for myself and my children.” Returning to college can be intimidating for non-traditional students, but Patricia pushed through and took every opportunity available to her. “When I saw the opportunity to do the scholarship essay, I thought to myself, I’m not going to win. This is like a lottery ticket. I can only try, and everyone at TCC was so motivating. They were like, ‘You can do it!’ So I went ahead and gave it a shot. Next thing you know, I was getting a call saying that I’d been awarded. It was so exciting!” With her scholarship acceptance, Patricia was able to return to school with the confidence of a valedictorian. “Having the scholarship has allowed me to just say, yeah, we can do this. We can thrive in my education.” Now that she has graduated, Patricia is pursuing a career as a probation officer — all because of the generosity of donors like you. “Thank you so much for the opportunity to help me realize my education. This scholarship made me more motivated to try, even though sometimes I’m afraid to take chances. If I don’t take the chance, I won’t make it.” Receiving the scholarship has not only changed Patricia’s future but also that of her sons. “My bold step was choosing TCC and showing my sons that they can achieve their goals, too.”
Cayman Grigg
Oak Crest Women’s Club Scholarship recipient
“TCC has always been in my family”
When Cayman was planning for college, he always knew TCC would be where he would go. “TCC has always been in my family. A lot of my family have gone to TCC, and it was the most accessible to me.” From a modest background, Cayman was searching for a career that would support him and knew he would have to focus on his studies to succeed. He wasn’t confident he would be eligible for a scholarship. “One of the advisors told me to apply and see what I could be eligible for. I was apprehensive but surprised to find that I was eligible for this scholarship. The Oak Crest Woman’s Club Scholarship literally saved me. It allowed me to continue growing as a nurse and develop my skills further.” Cayman has accepted a position with the Medical City network and plans to begin work immediately after graduation. His career is secure thanks to donations like yours. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is because of this scholarship I’m literally here today (at graduation) and I can be a nurse.”
Vanya Calderón
Mike Matthews Endowed Fine Arts Scholarship recipient
“You have shaped an entire future”
For Vanya, the world is her canvas. Receiving the Mike Matthews Endowed Fine Arts Scholarship has set her up with a future and community she could only dream of before! “I really found art as an escape because I always felt a little different. But coming here to TCC, I really got to understand what the meaning of community felt like.” Vanya knew TCC was home for her, having spent time on campus as early as 5 years old with her tía, who was working on her nursing degree, imagining her own future. What really made TCC home for Vanya was the personal attention her professors gave. Crediting Professor Dana Ferrara, Vanya says, “She really took a moment to understand her students.” The help Vanya received from her professors was only one reason she excelled at TCC. “The Mike Matthews Endowed Fine Arts Scholarship really did help me. I’m a very explorative person, so I got to try everything — ceramics, painting, life drawing. I even got to do choir. It was so much fun!” The scholarship didn’t just open up classroom opportunities for Vanya — it gave her the chance to establish real industry connections while still a student. “I landed an internship at Encantos, a children’s publishing company. And I’ve been doing a mentorship with Scholastic for the past five months, and it’s been a lot of fun.” Vanya’s future is just getting started. “After graduation, I’m actually moving to California on my own to attend the California College of the Arts on a full-ride scholarship. I’m really excited. San Francisco is bigger than Arlington, but that’s where I’m looking along the horizon to go.” Thanks to donors like you, Vanya is one step closer to achieving her ambitious dreams. To you, the donors, she says, “You may not have seen me, but thank you so much. Your efforts and everything you gave me have really helped me and shaped an entire future.”
Expanded Industry Partnerships
Updated October 15, 2025