Nancy D. Kirwen and Jane Karau

The Karen Karau-Collins Memorial Scholarship has been established at Monroe County Community College by her family and friends in recognition of her success in the computer science field.

“Karen truly enjoyed her educational experience at Monroe County Community College,” said Jane Karau, Karen’s mother. “Her love of education and the computer science field, coupled with her strong feelings toward Monroe and the Community College, made the establishment of this scholarship a logical way to remember her. I know she would be very pleased that this scholarship was established to help women pursue careers in her chosen field.”

Karau-Collins was a 1972 graduate of Monroe High School, earning her associate’s degree from Monroe County Community College (class of 1982) and her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University. She was employed for 12 years as a systems analyst at the Detroit Edison Company’s Fermi 2 Plant in Newport, Michigan. She was a board member for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Monroe and a member of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce and its leadership council. She also assisted the American Red Cross with blood drives at Fermi 2.