Clarkson University President Tony Collins to Deliver Hoosac School Keynote Address in Hoosick Falls, N.Y.

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Clarkson University President Tony Collins

POTSDAM, NY (05/30/2014)(readMedia)-- Clarkson University President Tony Collins will deliver the keynote address at the Hoosac School Prize Day and Commencement on Saturday, June 7, in Hoosick Falls, N.Y.

Hoosac School, founded in 1889, is a coeducational, college preparatory school enrolling boarders and day students in grades 8-12 and a postgraduate program.

All 47 men and women of Hoosac's senior class will be matriculating to colleges in the United States; senior Jasn W. Rodgers of Hoosick Falls plans to attend Clarkson.

"I greatly look forward to meeting the graduating class of Hoosac School," said Collins. "Of particular interest to me is the dedication to community service by Hoosac's student body. At Clarkson University, service is one of our core values, which have shaped the University since its founding. We believe that offering our time and skills for the good of our fellow citizens leads to the prosperity and environmental health of the community, and to the well-being and character development of the individual. I commend the students of Hoosac School for their commitment to this ideal."

Currently serving as Clarkson's 16th president, Collins is a regional and national advocate for higher education - industrial partnerships that couple research discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise for commercialization and economic development with a focus on advancing sustainable energy solutions and environmental technology innovation.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Collins in 2011 to serve as co-chair for the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. Collins also serves on the Moreland Commission, established by Cuomo in 2012 to investigate and study utility companies' storm preparation and management; and to recommend reforms to overhaul regulation of the entire system to better deal with emergencies.

Collins is the also the president of the Seaway Private Equity Corporation that invests in new technology companies based in St. Lawrence County, N.Y., and serves on the board for the Solar Energy Consortium, which mobilizes related resources in New York State; and is a member of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's Technology & Market Development Advisory Committee, which provides technical and policy guidance to NYSERDA on energy and environmental research and market development initiatives.

In service to the higher education sector, Collins is the immediate past chair of the National Association of Independent Technological Universities and a chair emeritus of New York's Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities. In addition, he serves on the boards of the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity and the Business Council of New York State.

Growing up outside Melbourne, Australia, Collins earned an undergraduate civil engineering degree from Monash University, and then master's and doctoral degrees from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He has received awards for outstanding teaching, research and advising, lectured globally and is the author of more than 90 professional publications.

Founded in 1889 by Edward D. Tibbits, this year marks the 125th Anniversary of Hoosac School. Two hundred alumni and guests plan to return for a celebratory reunion in June, expected to be largest in the school's history.

Dedicated to community service, 130 students from all over the world attend Hoosac, which uses a unique mastery approach to teaching and learning, nurturing the passions of the student, while developing a well-rounded person ready for the demands of college.

Dean Foster has been Hoosac School headmaster for three years, previously serving for 20 years as admission director and teacher.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.

[A photograph for media use is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/news/photos/tony-collins.jpg .]