Mepham High School alumnus finds his niche at U.T.

Setting aside his aspirations to join the New York Mets’ broadcast team, North Merrick native Kevin Collins has found his niche as Director of Development at the University of Texas.

Collins, a 2008 Mepham High School graduate, plays an integral role in raising approximately $40 million annually to provide scholarships, tutoring and travel expenses to student-athletes through the Longhorn Foundation.

“I’m part of a great staff of 20,” he said. “It’s rewarding to see men and women succeed on the field and in the classroom. Some of them wouldn’t be able to afford a full scholarship or attend the University of Texas in the first place if they didn’t have the support the foundation provides.”

A three-sport athlete at Mepham — competing in football, wrestling and lacrosse — Collins went on to the University of Delaware. As a freshman, he served as the play-by-play broadcaster for football and basketball at the student radio station. He graduated with a degree in sports management and then spent a year in Cleveland, Ohio at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics internship program. That path led to his job offer at U.T. in the summer of 2013.

“Austin is a great city with a lot of transplants,” Collins said. “I’ve learned a lot about southern hospitality and culture, I’ve embraced the state and, of course, the university.”

Collins said game days are the biggest showcases at the university. The pregame pageantry is special, he said, since he spends a portion of each of the six home games visiting suite holders and donors. Some former University of Texas star athletes he’s met include Roger Clemens, Huston Street, Drew Stubbs, Vince Young and Ricky Williams.

“Things will be different this season because we’re hosting games at only 25 percent capacity,” he said, “[but] we’ll do the best we can.”

Collins credits his parents, Pat, who spent a career working for Pan Am and American Airlines, and Karen, a sixth-grade teacher at Newbridge Elementary School for decades, for providing a memorable upbringing. “I was taught to greet everyone with a strong handshake and a smile,” he said.