COLLEGE OF THE MAINLAND TO DEDICATE STUDENT CENTER FOR TRUSTEE BENNIE MATTHEWS

Texas City)— The College of the Mainland Board of
Trustees plans to dedicate the first floor of the renovated
Student Center on campus after long-time
trustee Bennie Matthews.
Board Chairman Kyle Dickson made the announcement
during the monthly board meeting on
Monday. While not voting on the issue, Dickson said
the measure – which is expected to be unanimously
approved – would be on the Oct. 22 meeting agenda.
The first floor of the two-story building that overlooks
the lake on campus will be known as the Bennie
Matthews Commons.
Matthews, who has served on the COM Board of
Trustees since first elected in 1983, was surprised
by the announcement and was greeted by family and
friends. During her tenure on the COM board, she
has served as chairman, vice chairman, secretary
and currently heads up the human resources
committee.
A graduate of Samuel Huston College, now called
Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Matthews studied
science and mathematics. She became a member
of the local branch of the NAACP where she was
a charter member and first secretary of the Texas
Youth Division. She graduated with honors and began
a long and rewarding journey as an educator and
community worker.
As a National Science Foundation awardee and
Shell Merit Fellow, she studied at New Mexico Highlands
and Stanford university. She received a Master
of Science in chemistry, physics and mathematics.
She also took advanced math and science courses
at Lake Forest College, The
University of Texas and Northern Illinois University
as a National Science awardee.
Matthews taught school for 42 years in La Grange
and La Marque, Texas. Her assignments
in La Grange included teaching
algebra, geometry, physical science
and physics plus band, tennis, and
girls’
basketball.
In La Marque, Matthews taught
mathematics and computer science
at the former Lincoln High School and
then La Marque High School.
When Matthews first ran for the
COM board she stressed that she
wanted College of the Mainland to be
a leader in education.
“I think we all can agree that COM is
a leader in education and the college
owes much of that to Mrs. Matthews’
owe leadership,” Dickson said. “As
such, as chairman of this board, I recommend, and I
am sure my fellow board members will concur, that it
is appropriate to recognize Trustee Bennie Matthews
by naming the first floor of the newly renovated Student
Center as the “Bennie Matthews Commons.”
The student center currently is being renovated
and is expected to be completed by year’s end. The
dedication in honor of Matthews will take place in
early 2019.