The awards highlight colleges and universities that show strong performance in student and employer engagement, reporting and analytics.
Collin College’s Career Center has been named a winner of the 2025 Handshake Career Spark Awards, placing the institution among the top 2% of Handshake’s 1,500 higher education partners nationwide.
The annual awards highlight colleges and universities that show strong performance in three areas: student engagement, employer engagement, and reporting and analytics. Handshake, a digital career services platform used by three out of every four U.S. college students, evaluates how effectively institutions connect students with job and internship opportunities and how actively employers recruit on each campus.
Collin College began using Handshake in 2021. This year marks the second time the college has been recognized by the platform.
“We’re honored that our Career Center has been recognized by Handshake for its commitment to helping our students pursue their educational and career goals,” said Neil Matkin, Collin College district president. “This is our second time receiving the CSAs, and we’re delighted to see the impact it is making on Collin College students and the workforce.”
According to Handshake, 40 institutions nationwide received Career Spark Awards this year. Collin College’s selection reflects continued growth in student participation on the platform as well as increased activity from employers across North Texas—an area that has seen significant expansion in technology, healthcare, and business sectors.
The college’s Career Center offers services such as résumé assistance, mock interviews, job fairs, and employer-led workshops, in addition to its online tools. Officials say the combination of in-person and digital resources has helped expand access for students across the college’s multi-campus system.