CHOOSING TEXAS: GINNE AND MATTHEW MENDEZ COMMIT $500,000 TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

Houston Couple's Multi-Year Pledge, Through the Longhorn Foundation, Supports Texas Student Athletes

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ginne and Matthew Mendez, lifelong Houston residents and longtime supporters of the University of Texas at Austin, have made a $500,000 commitment to the Longhorn Foundation, the official fundraising arm of Texas Athletics.

The multi-year commitment supports Texas student-athletes and the athletics program.

The Mendez couple's commitment predates the Longhorns' current run, but the announcement arrives at a high point for the program: Ginne and Matthew were in the stadium as Texas staged its dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against Ohio State on the way to the No. 1 national ranking.

The pledge is particularly meaningful to Matthew, a proud Longhorn who graduated from UT in 2008 with a degree in government.

“It’s especially rewarding for us because we both share a soft spot for academia and for the university’s athletic program,” Matthew said. “We have a great affection for UT. As I've grown and had new experiences in business, I've come to realize how important it is to give back. Supporting students in their academic and athletic pursuits felt like the natural way to do that."

Matthew’s relationship with UT extends well beyond his years on campus. He and Ginne spent considerable time in Austin while dating and during the early years of their marriage, and their affection for the city ultimately inspired the name of one of their two sons, Austin. Today, Longhorn athletics has become a family tradition.

“My husband and my brother both went to UT, and our family has great pride in the school,” said Ginne. “Longhorn athletics are important to us and have become something we enjoy together as a family, so it made sense to support the program in this way.”

The Mendez couple are new donors to the Longhorn Foundation and are being recognized through the United Texas Circle, its philanthropic giving society for supporters making significant multi-year commitments to Texas Athletics.

While new donors to the Longhorn Foundation, Ginne and Matthew have been active in Houston philanthropy for years. Matthew serves on the board of My Connect Community, a Houston nonprofit focused on strengthening communities and improving economic opportunity, and the couple also supports organizations spanning from Houston Children’s Charity to the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.

Matthew is the founding attorney of Houston-based Mendez Law Office, PLLC, a Houston immigration and federal litigation firm he founded in 2017. Ginne serves as operations director for the practice.

The Mendez couple also remain active within Houston’s UT alumni community, maintaining close ties to the university and its athletics program from their hometown.

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Nataly Torres
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