Clarkson University 2021 President's Report

2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

A Disproportionate Impact on the World Golden Knights Rise

President Tony Collins and Karen Collins

Message from the President

GOLDEN KNIGHTS RISE:

A Disproportionate Impact on the World At Clarkson, we often address change — its inevitability and necessity as well as the challenges that we must overcome to find solutions and adapt successfully.

In my 40-year career at Clarkson, much has changed. However, it is also useful to reflect on the constants: the loyalty of our alumni, the quality and readiness of our graduates and the success they realize in their careers. In the pages that follow, you will see examples of this through the success and leadership of Ken ’71 and Grace Solinsky, Ken ’79 and Jeanne Lally, and many others. You will also see that, true to tradition, Clarkson continues to enroll many first-generation college students and impact the trajectory of their lives.

As our Golden Knights rise, so does Clarkson. For 125 years, Clarkson has built its reputation on educating global leaders and developing new technologies to improve human life. These leaders consistently and disproportionately impact the world as innovators in engineering, science, business, health care, education and communication. That good work will continue far into the future as the University elevates its strengths.

The achievements of our alumni and their ongoing support of the University will enable us to continue in the traditions of Clarkson for the next 125 years to reinforce the Clarkson values that are so important to our community.

My thanks to the Clarkson community for supporting Karen and me over the years as we have had the opportunity to lead Clarkson.

President Tony Collins

In This Issue

08 Ready to Launch: Aerospace Supersedes Aeronautical Engineering

Clarkson’s new aerospace accreditation will ensure our graduates are successful in the ever-changing aerospace job market.

10

COVER STORY

‘A Disproportionate Impact on the World’

President Tony Collins reflects on his 19-year tenure, leadership in higher ed and Clarkson’s evolution to excellence.

18

Ken ’71 & Grace Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge

A historic financial commitment to engineering challenges others to step forward.

22 Technology Serving Humanity

Clarkson faculty startups ignite solutions to global challenges.

26 Cheel 2.0

Alumni unite to revitalize Cheel Campus Center, enriching the experience for all.

30 From Kabul to Clarkson

Determination and passion drive Humaira Rezaie ’23 on her educational journey.

34 Connected by Chance, Clarkson by Choice

Sisters Joanina Gicobi ’15 and Juster Gichovi ’23 share their Clarkson experiences and how they aspire to create transformational change in their home country of Kenya.

37 125 for 125

A picture is worth a thousand words. Happy 125, Clarkson!

42 Behind the Stats Scene

Tim Danehy ’92 shares how two passions — engineering and hockey — earned him the title of a behind-the-scenes mastermind.

44 ‘Freak of Nature’ or Fierce Leader?

Victoria Ballestero ’14, MBA’18 knew from the age of 12 that she wanted to be a civil engineer.

ALSO INSIDE: Golden Knight Spotlight 02 / Class Notes 46 / Board of Trustees 55 / Financial Report 56 ON THE COVER:

Celebrating President Tony Collins and his wife, Karen, and the transformational impact they have made during his tenure at Clarkson.

Illustrated by Aleksandar Savić.

Visit Clarkson Online Go to clarkson.edu/magazine to view the digital version of this and previous issues of Clarkson magazine.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/1

Golden Knight Spotlight

Crimi ’95 Receives DoD Award for Groundwater Treatment Technology

LU

5

E

MS

RA

• UN

K LOCA OR

ONS TI

UA TE PRO G

P

2 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

95+

D

STUDENTS

G RA

4,600+

• ND

CLARKSON

RGRAD A DE

Plumes in Complex Geological Environments.”

Crimi has been working with the principal investigator and a team from Arcadis, a global engineering firm, to develop their patented horizontal wells. Packed with a solid form of treatment media, the wells provide an underground pathway through which contaminated water flows in and clean water flows out.

According to the DoD, this ESTCP-funded project validated the HRX Well®, an in situ remediation approach that demonstrated a per-well hydraulic treatment zone width of 50 feet and an average mass discharge reduction of about 1.8 grams per day of contaminants.

NEW Y

MICHELLE CRIMI ’95, dean of the Graduate School and professor of civil engineering, and her research team have received one of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) Projects of the Year awards, which recognize scientific advances and technological solutions to some of DoD’s most significant environmental and installation energy challenges.

Crimi’s research team received the award for their work titled: “Demonstration and Validation of the Horizontal Reactive Media Treatment Well (HRX Well®) for Managing Contaminant

Michelle Crimi ’95

S O N LI N

The HRX technology captures and passively treats large volumes of groundwater in situ using the “flowfocusing” behavior created by the strong well-to-aquifer permeability contrast. The HRX Well® significantly reduces life-cycle costs compared with current alternative technologies, as it requires little long-term maintenance while controlling contaminant migration and mass discharge.

Crimi has spent her professional career developing technologies for effectively treating chemical pollutants in groundwater.

Most of her research is funded by the DoD and other military and governmental agencies.

Clarkson Today Founded in 1896, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. We ignite personal connections across academic disciplines and industries to create the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. With our main campus located in Potsdam, New York, and additional graduate program and research facilities in Schenectady, Saranac Lake, Beacon and New York City, Clarkson educates 4,600+ students across more than 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions. Our alumni earn salaries that are among the top 2% in the nation and realize accelerated career growth. One in five already leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company. Globally, we connect with more than 50 international university exchange partners and have more than 46,000 alumni living in 87 countries.

Clarkson and AMA Partner to Provide Career Development Tools Clarkson has formed a unique partnership with American Management Association International (AMA) to bring our alumni network and local communities career advancement tools and opportunities.

AMA is an international, nonprofit educational organization with 95+ years of experience in training business professionals and organizations worldwide. Clarkson community members can register for a complimentary AMA Individual Membership. Members receive

access to hundreds of free career development tools and have access to discounted pricing on AMA courses, which offer continuing education units, key professional credentials and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

“We are excited to offer this opportunity to help new, mid-level and senior professionals build skills that will help them meet their career goals while also providing networking opportunities,” says Michael Walsh, executive director of Clarkson’s Beacon Institute, which has been instrumental to cultivating workforce

development in the lower Hudson Valley region. “This partnership with AMA is just one example of Clarkson’s growing workforce development and continuing education programs, which focus on academic and professional training to grow in-demand business and STEM job skills in the community.”

To learn more about the Clarkson/ AMA partnership and access your complimentary membership, visit amanet.org/clarkson.

Three Win Fulbright Awards MEGAN FLORY ’21, JACK GARRETT ’21

and graduate student RICHARD PLESH ’16, MS’18, MBA’18 were awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Study/Research Awards by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected based on academic and professional achievement, as well as their record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.

Flory, of Wareham, Massachusetts, earned a BS in Psychology and Political Science with a minor in environmental science and

environmental policy. They are using their Fulbright Formal Enrollment Award to conduct research on rural sustainability planning at the University of Guelph (U of G) in Canada. Flory is pursuing their MS in Rural Planning and Development at U of G, and their research will evaluate the face validity of the application of smart city systems in rural contexts.

Garrett, of Marblehead, Massachusetts, graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering and minors in sustainable energy systems engineering, mathematics and project management. He received the Fulbright-LUT University Graduate

From left: Megan Flory ’21, Jack Garrett ’21 and Richard Plesh ’16, MS’18, MBA’18

Award and will complete his graduate work at LUT University in Finland.

He is pursuing an MS in Technology in Electrical Engineering, specializing in controls and automation. This unparalleled two-year program in Lappeenranta, Finland, will enable Garrett to work to combat climate change on the global front lines of renewable energy engineering.

Plesh, of Buffalo, New York, is pursuing his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Clarkson. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering with a minor in mathematics, an MS in Data Analytics and an MBA from Clarkson. Plesh is conducting research at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, with Prof.

Vitomir Štruc in the Laboratory for Machine Intelligence. As an artificial intelligence researcher, Plesh wants to ensure the technologies we create push the field toward a positive global impact. He aims to close the gap between in-store and online returns using a novel virtual tryon technology during his proposed research period in Slovenia.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/3

Golden Knight Spotlight

Clarkson Welcomes New Honors Director Following a national search, KATE KRUEGER has been appointed director of the Clarkson Honors Program and professor of literature. Krueger was previously the director of honors for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Clarkson’s Honors Program is an intensive four-year curriculum for exceptionally talented students.

The University enrolls only 60 new students in the Honors Program each year.

“Krueger’s strong strategic leadership and her dedication and commitment to the honors educational experience make her a truly wonderful fit for our University and the Honors Program,” Provost Robyn Hannigan says.

Krueger received her PhD in English from the University of Iowa in 2009. After teaching for one year as a visiting assistant professor at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, Minnesota, she spent the next 10

years as an assistant and associate professor of English at Arkansas State University, where she also served for several years as the coordinator of Women and Gender Studies and as assistant chair of the Department of English, Philosophy and World Languages.

Krueger’s research focuses on gender, sexuality and the short story in British literature of the Victorian and Modernist period. She is the author of British Women Writers and the Short Story, 1850-1930: Reclaiming Social Space (2014) and has published articles with Victorian Periodicals Review, Women’s Writing, English Literature in Transition 18801920 and the Journal of the Short Story in English. She most recently contributed a chapter on “Decadence, Parody, and New Women’s Writing” in Decadence and Literature, published by Cambridge University Press in 2019.

She has earned numerous awards throughout her career, including the

Kate Krueger

Arkansas State University Faculty Achievement Award for Advising in 2018, Honors Professor of the Year from Arkansas State University in 2014, the Arkansas State University Office of Diversity Friend of Diversity Award in 2013 and the Arkansas State University Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching in 2011, among others.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Clarkson University, where I can put my passion for Honors, teaching and research to work, helping the amazing students at Clarkson reach their potential,” says Krueger. “I’m looking forward to partnering with the outstanding faculty and staff at Clarkson to contribute to Clarkson’s mission of innovation and real-world problem-solving.”

ChemE Students Awarded Research Internships in Germany

Tony Koppers ’22

Michael Sehn ’22 4 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Honors student TONY KOPPERS ’22 of Cazenovia, New York, and MICHAEL SEHN ’22 of Chenango Forks, New York, were awarded Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE) by the German Academic Exchange Service.

Koppers and Sehn have been working under Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science and Kodak CAMP Distinguished Professor Mario Wriedt.

“These are two very competitive fellowships to conduct research at top-tier universities,” says Wriedt. “Tony and Michael have conducted research in my lab for two years now. Both are high-shooting with lots on their plates, yet they still manage to be involved in cutting-edge research.”

At the University of Applied Sciences, Lübeck, Koppers utilized chemical vapor deposition techniques for the advancement of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials for energy applications.

At Kiel University, Sehn worked on the discovery of new MOF materials for energy applications using high-throughput synthesis tools.

Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, RISE Germany offers undergraduate students from North American, British and Irish universities the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions.

Habitat for Humanity: Students Put Clarkson Values Into Action Graduate students in Clarkson’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program are offering support to local Habitat for Humanity efforts.

Fourteen students completed service projects with the organization, helping to ready homes in the Schenectady, New York, area. NICKI FOLEY, director of clinical education and assistant professor, coordinated the site work.

Clarkson’s MAT program added a community service component in 2017, which aims to provide students with an opportunity to experience personal growth that will benefit them as teachers.

“Teaching is a job where you need to understand the community where you are serving in order to have empathy for and build relationships with students,” Foley says. “Because our Capital Region Campus is in Schenectady, we require that a portion of the requirement be completed with a Schenectady-based organization and alongside members of their cohort. As they work together with their classmates, a positive side effect is the team building they get to do, as well as bonding. They learn to collaborate and use each other’s strengths to complete a well-built product.”

According to students, the experience succeeded in its intent to Clarkson Values provide an opportunity for growth.

“The experience helped me to Together, these provide realize that there are often more a unique educational important things going on in a experience that is directed student’s life than the simple toward developing the question of whether or not they got whole person. their homework done the previous TEAMWORK night,” says DEARBHLA FAY MAT’22.

CARING “I think it really helped me to INTEGRITY comprehend just how important VISION it will be as a teacher to display DIVERSITY empathy with my students in order SERVICE to best help them succeed.”

GROWTH DILIGENCE

From left: Jonathan Baxter MAT’22, Matthew Miles MAT’22 and Tucker McKeown MAT’22

Olaoluwayimika Olugbenle ’25

Olugbenle ’25 Named an Inaugural Rise Global Winner OLAOLUWAYIMIKA OLUGBENLE ’25, an Honors student from Ogun State, Nigeria, who is studying computer engineering, has been selected for the first-ever cohort of 100 Rise Global Winners, an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust.

Rise finds brilliant people who need opportunity and supports them for life as they work to serve others, according to its website. The program starts for Global Winners at age 15-17 and offers a lifetime of benefits, including scholarships, mentorship, access to career development opportunities, funding and more as they work toward solving humanity’s most pressing problems.

Olugbenle will receive a full scholarship, as well as other benefits to help further his goals, such as access to personal business funding.

“Rise provides the next generation of leaders with the funding they need to solve hard problems in science and society. This is exactly what I aim to do,” says Olugbenle. “Soon, I aim to start a company that has the goal of improving the methods and standards of living of others across the world, with a focus on developing nations. This could range anywhere from innovating ways to implement the use of robotics in the most rural of communities to improving the efficiency of alreadymade designs in the developed world.”

Olugbenle recognizes the investment that is being made to support him and his goals. Now, he says, it is time to use this support to make the world a better place.

“A deeper feeling of responsibility comes with the award, and it also feels very humbling to know that the current generation of leaders are handing over the baton to the next generation of leaders to improve the way we live our lives,” he says. “Furthermore, it is also exciting to know that there are many other people who have the same vision for global development and are willing to work together to make it become a reality.”

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/5

Golden Knight Spotlight

More Accolades for Clarkson’s MBA Program Clarkson’s David D. Reh School of Business residential MBA program has been included in a first-ever ranking by Fortune. The magazine ranked the nation’s top full-time, traditional MBA programs according to career placement rate, starting salaries and high track record of placing alumni into the highest echelons of corporate America.

Fortune’s final rankings are taken from questionnaires of around 100 traditional full-time MBA programs and data collected from companies and executives. The final rankings are made up of three components: Outcomes Score, Fortune 1000 Score and Brand Score.

The full-time residential MBA program in the Reh School of

Business prepares leaders for a fast-paced professional setting.

The program boasts a oneyear accelerated format that includes the core curriculum of an MBA with opportunities for students to specialize in a field, complete an international experience and become equipped to add value to their employer immediately upon graduation.

“This program is distinct. Not only does it stand in reputation with our peers across the country, but it does so in an accelerated one-year format, preparing students to take on leadership roles in less time, with the same highly respected credential,” says JOSHUA LAFAVE, director of graduate business programs.

“Our MBA programs consistently perform, and the quality of all three have been recognized and represented well among the various rankings and media agencies,” says Diego Nocetti, interim dean of the Reh School of Business. “It is this validation that motivates us to work harder to provide the highest quality business education in the country.”

To learn more about the rankings, visit clarkson.edu/mba-fortune.

Wriedt to Develop Advanced Sunscreen for Estée Lauder Kodak CAMP Distinguished Professor of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science MARIO WRIEDT recently secured an industrial grant from Estée Lauder to develop advanced sunscreen materials.

The goal of Wriedt’s work is to develop a sunscreen that users need not reapply multiple times a day, but instead is effective all day long after a single application.

“You apply sunscreen in the morning, and then you reapply it at some point,” Wriedt says. “This is because the UV filters in the sunscreen photodegrade. While they do their job absorbing UV light, they are degrading. We found a way to inhibit this photodegradation.”

Wriedt specializes in the rational design and synthesis of molecular assemblies, including advanced crystalline porous materials that form multidimensional networks suitable for a wide variety of applications.

“Using our porous materials, we can trap and stabilize the UV filters so they do not degenerate over time,” Wriedt says.

Along with funding for the research, the grant from Estée Lauder is funding a post-doctoral research

Mario Wriedt 6 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

associate position, filled by Adarsh Narayanan, who recently joined the Wriedt Lab in September 2021.

With this advancement to a sunscreen product, Wriedt says, he is eager to introduce a new practical application from his research.

“We are excited to take our typically fundamental research to an applied level and do something good for people,” he says.

Wriedt acknowledges his doctoral student John Hadynski, who spearheaded an earlier crucial proof-of-concept study that laid the foundation for this project, in addition to the Center for Advanced Materials Processing at Clarkson, which played an important role in facilitating this industrial collaboration with Estée Lauder.

Çetinkaya Wins $50k in FuzeHub’s Commercialization Competition FuzeHub, a not-for-profit organization responsible for assisting small and mediumsized manufacturing companies in New York state, recently announced the seven winners of its 2021 Commercialization Competition during the New York State Innovation Summit, held in November at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York. The annual competition, now in its fifth year, is part of FuzeHub’s Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund.

Twelve entrepreneurs from across the state pitched their ideas to judges and a live audience. Their startups won $325,000 in prizes, and among the winners was ÇETIN ÇETINKAYA, professor of mechanical & aerospace engineering at Clarkson and the Michael ’78 and Janet Jesanis Endowed Chair. He directs the Photo-Acoustic Research Laboratory and co-directs the Center for Metamaterials at Clarkson.

Çetinkaya is a renowned expert in process monitoring with ultrasound for additive and pharmaceutical manufacturing. He started Pharmacoustics Technologies LLC, an ultrasonic characterization/ evaluation device startup that develops instruments and equipment for assuring and increasing quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The compressed tablet is the most popular pharmaceutical dosage form in use worldwide. Issues in its design and manufacturing have the potential to make significant medical and financial impacts, as failures in quality may result in harm to patients, product recalls and medicine shortages. Çetinkaya was awarded $50,000 to further develop his prototype as he continues to move from new product development and production methods to the marketplace.

“This is an excellent opportunity for Pharmacoustics to get one step

Çetin Çetinkaya presents at the New York State Innovation Summit.

closer to the commercialization of our prototypes for continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing,” Çetinkaya said.

The Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund, consisting of $1 million annually, supports a set of activities designed to spur technology development and commercialization across New York state. FuzeHub is administering this fund as part of its role as the Empire State Development-designated statewide Manufacturing Extension Partnership center.

Clarkson Receives $1.4 Million to Support Community Revitalization, Business Growth Clarkson has been awarded a total of $1.4 million from the Regional Economic Development Council’s Round XI funding initiative to stimulate New York’s postpandemic recovery.

The SHIPLEY CENTER FOR INNOVATION will receive $1.25 million to continue its operation of the North Country Innovation Hot Spot through 2026. Empire State Development provides the funding as part of the New York State Incubator and Innovation Hot Spot program.

The program funds one Hot Spot in each of the state’s 10 economic

development zones, as well as a total of 20 certified business incubators across the state.

Additionally, $150,000 will go toward the DENNING’S POINT CAMPUS build-out project at Clarkson’s BEACON INSTITUTE. When complete, the campus will bring community revitalization and job creation to Beacon, New York, and support science, technology, engineering and math programming for Clarkson students and the public, including P-12 students and adults seeking workforce development and research opportunities.

The Shipley Center for Innovation assists innovators and entrepreneurs from across the region and within the Clarkson community in connecting with investors and commercializing emerging-tech innovations that help solve problems worldwide.

See Technology Serving Humanity, p. 22-25, to learn more on how Clarkson faculty startups are igniting solutions to global challenges. For more information on the Shipley Center, visit clarkson.edu/shipley.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/7

Golden Knight Spotlight

Ready to Launch AEROSPACE SUPERSEDES AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING Throughout the University’s 125-year history, Clarkson has continuously defied convention in its mission to educate the next generation of world leaders. This year holds exciting changes, including an update to one of the University’s most popular undergraduate majors. As of January 1, Clarkson’s former aeronautical engineering program now leads to a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering.

“We have been putting curriculum into place and hiring faculty to support this transition for several years,” says KEN VISSER, associate professor of mechanical & aerospace engineering and Curriculum Committee chair. “Our recent accreditation review confirmed our progress and has awarded us a full six-year accreditation for aerospace engineering.”

8 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

AERONAUTICAL VS. AEROSPACE: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Aerospace engineering encompasses both aeronautical (aircraft-focused) and astronautical (spacecraftfocused) engineering concepts.

Aerospace engineers develop leading-edge technologies and integrate them into aerospace vehicle systems used for transportation, communications, exploration and defense applications such as aircraft, spacecraft, propulsion systems, satellites and other planetary vehicles that operate within and outside of Earth’s atmosphere.

“Many of the undergraduates enjoy the aeronautical curriculum but also want topics related to spacecraft,” says Honors student KEVIN ALVARADO ’22. The expanded curriculum and updated degree will do just that, making Clarkson grads even more versatile in industry.

Clarkson will retain its strengths in aeronautical engineering education while adding new classes in orbital mechanics, spacecraft design and space robotics. The shift ensures that Clarkson-trained engineers possess in-depth skills in aerodynamics, materials and structures, propulsion strategies, vehicle dynamics and control, and configurational requirements.

“Our decision to change the aeronautical engineering major to aerospace is part of a larger curriculum overhaul to offer more opportunities to our students,” says Visser. “The accelerated commercialization of space by companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, as well as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, puts the responsibility on us to provide students with the background and tools they need to be successful in the everchanging aerospace job market.”

From left: Bill Jemison, Brian Helenbrook and Ken Visser in the Wind Tunnel Lab housed in CAMP.

New faculty recruits with backgrounds in space-oriented research include MICHAEL BAZZOCCHI, who directs the Astronautics and Robotics Lab at Clarkson, and MOHAMMADREZA RADMANESH, whose specialty is in autonomous robotics for space missions.

The expanded curriculum and updated degree will make Clarkson aero grads even more versatile in industry.

“Clarkson’s undergraduate aerospace engineering program not only prepares students for a technical career in the aerospace industry but provides the social, ethical and environmental context of the global issues in the industry,” says BRIAN HELENBROOK, chair of the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department. “Our professors have

a tremendous breadth of experience that they bring to the classroom, and this, combined with their cuttingedge research, enables the integration of real-world problems across the curriculum in the classroom.”

“I am very excited for the transition to an aerospace engineering program for many reasons,” says BENJAMIN ELLIS ’24.

“In addition to being a more robust and diversified degree, aerospace has been a passion for me since I was very young, and I am excited to be finally officially studying it.”

“It is a fascinating time to witness the change and new courses offered,” adds Alvarado. “We’re taking advantage of being some of the first people to complete the new program.

The new courses bring better education to us all.”

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/9

Cover Story

President Tony Collins at Foster House, the President’s on-campus residence supported by lead donors Rett and Judy Foster

Evolution to Excellence: ••• Highlights and Milestones of President Collins’ Presidency

10 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

October 2003: Clarkson

October 2003: Anthony G.

March 2005: President Collins

celebrates the dedication of the Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering with “Technology Serving Humanity” as the guiding principle behind the school’s research and education.

Collins is inaugurated as Clarkson’s 16th president, focusing on “Evolution to Excellence.”

is elected to serve a term on the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities’ board of trustees, beginning a legacy of service to the profession.

clarkson.edu/collins-inauguration

••• A CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT TONY COLLINS •••

‘A Disproportionate Impact on the World’

By Suzanne F. Smith

President Tony Collins remains convinced that Clarkson’s mission — to develop multifaceted leaders and deliver the technology necessary to move humankind forward — is vital to address urgent global challenges successfully.

After 40 years at Clarkson and 19 years as President, he is stepping down from his position on June 30, 2022.

Anthony G. “Tony” Collins rose through the Clarkson ranks as professor, department chair, dean, vice president for academic affairs and provost. On July 1, 2003, he was named the University’s 16th President.

One year later, President Collins launched Evolution to Excellence (E2E), a dynamic vision of the University and its future that provided a blueprint for educating the next generation of global leaders while developing new technologies to improve human life. In 2011, in support of E2E, Clarkson launched a successful $225 million fundraising campaign — the University’s largest fundraising effort to date.

Today, through the combined efforts of Clarkson’s leadership, faculty, alumni and staff, that shared vision continues to guide the University.

Would you say Clarkson today is a different institution than it was when you began your presidency in 2003? If so, in what ways has it evolved?

I’d say that there are three ways it has evolved. One is geographically: There are now two additional campuses in Schenectady and Beacon [New York]. Another, which is tied to this expansion, is the movement from a predominantly undergraduate, tuition-driven

President Collins’ decision to close out his presidency follows a time when higher education has had to confront some of its greatest challenges, from the delivery of education during a pandemic to issues related to changing student demographics, affordability and access.

But for Collins, like the University he has served for 40 years, every challenge is an opportunity.

“That’s really what makes Clarkson such a unique entity in the higher education world,” he says. “Here, challenges are understood as opportunities for creative solution-making.

It’s a mindset that the world needs, particularly now, as we face enormous global challenges related to climate change, sustainability and, ultimately, our survivability.”

education model to one that also includes strong investment in graduate and professional programs. So that indicates growth from a primarily undergraduatefocused institution in one location to a more comprehensive university spread across three campuses. Thirdly, we have broadened our academic focus from engineering, science and business to include health sciences. Those are the things I think have changed fundamentally.

When Clarkson opened its doors in 1896, the founders aimed to create a “new kind of institution” that blended a technologyrich curriculum with a liberal education to meet the “real needs of the American people.”

In what ways has Clarkson continued that legacy?

There’s no question in my mind that we are closer today to the spirit of that founding ideal than we have been in the past.

If there is one thing we have CONTINUED >

April 2005: President Collins announces a bequest to Clarkson University of approximately $27 million from the estate of Helen Snell Cheel, the primary benefactor for the Cheel Campus Center & Arena and Bertrand H. Snell Hall.

2006: The Shipley Center for Leadership and Entrepreneurship becomes the Shipley Center for Innovation, a University-wide resource made possible through support from Charles R. H’84 and Lucia Shipley.

clarkson.edu/cheel-bequest

clarkson.edu/shipley

July 2008: The Clarkson

August 2010: The new Student

Alumni Association recognizes President Collins’ commitment to the University, naming him an honorary alumnus.

Center, a collaboration among President Collins and students, alumni, trustees, faculty, staff and friends, officially opens. The LEED Silver-certified building brings together academic and social life.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 11

••• A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON THE WORLD •••

In your inaugural address, you spoke of “the three fundamental building blocks” upon which Clarkson’s future would rest: academic excellence, the marshaling of financial resources and alumni engagement.

How have these priorities been addressed and strengthened?

June 1992

learned, it is that we are better off if we don’t try to emulate or measure ourselves against other institutions.

It used to drive me a bit crazy when people would ask, who are your peer institutions or who does Clarkson aspire to be? That’s false thinking; if we are truly going to be innovative and creative, we need to throw that kind of thinking out.

We are different, and because of that, we measure our success as a university differently than most other institutions. We have built our reputation on serving the student body that we attract and our alumni who have a disproportionate impact on the world.

It’s very clichéd to say, but you stand on the shoulders of the people who’ve gone before you, and, in our case, the single driver of our reputation is the performance of our alumni.

July 2011: President Collins is named co-chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council by the governor.

With the ongoing global financial challenges, there has been pressure on colleges and universities to reduce academic standards to maintain enrollments; we have never done that.

Instead, we have made a strategic effort to support academic excellence by investing in faculty, which is reflected, for example, in the increase in the number of endowed chairs and professorships. I think there were three or four when I started, and it’s up to 28 now. We have worked to attract and retain the best and brightest faculty-researchers, and that’s a combination of recognizing and rewarding their efforts and giving them the laboratories and physical facilities they need. The most recent example of this is the upcoming complete overhaul of the

“Here, challenges are understood as opportunities for creative solution-making.

It’s a mindset that the world needs, particularly now, as we face enormous global challenges related to climate change, sustainability and, ultimately, our survivability.”

October 2011: The Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries becomes part of Clarkson University.

clarkson.edu/beacon

Science Center, supported by lead donors Ken ’79 and Jeanne Lally.

We have developed more interdisciplinary centers for research and provided support for technology commercialization. We have also continued to support our traditional strengths in engineering, materials sciences and chemistry while investing in emerging fields of study.

Looking ahead, the University will be making an even larger investment in engineering through a historic gift from Ken ’71 and Grace Solinsky.

Today, we have more than 46,000 alumni who live and work all over the world, and we have developed new avenues for engaging with them where they are. One way is through an increase in regional chapters and activities. Another is through the new and creative ways we’ve developed to stay connected with them digitally during the pandemic. Our alumni are also more involved in campus leadership through advisory boards, strengthening their engagement with Clarkson and current students.

January 2012: Clarkson welcomes to campus the first students in its new Master of Physician Assistant Studies program.

Fall 2012: Clarkson launches the

15-credit Adirondack Semester.

12 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

March 2014: Clarkson Golden Knights defeat top-ranked Minnesota and become the 201314 NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey champions.

••• A CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT TONY COLLINS •••

In terms of marshaling financial resources, at the most basic level, there has been a growth in our endowment — from $84.4 million to $240.7 million — and a sizable increase in Clarkson Fund annual giving. Today we have $111 million in planned giving through the Annie Clarkson Society, compared to $10 million when I took over. We also have strong relationships with industry and government and nongovernment organizations that support our research and academic programs.

By growing graduate education and creating new campuses, we have expanded our revenue streams.

All of this positively impacts the finances of the institution.

How has Clarkson’s approach to educating students evolved over these past 19 years to develop graduates who can meet the unique challenges — and opportunities — of a changing global marketplace?

Historically, we have always attracted a certain kind of student.

Clarkson students want to collaborate and develop their hands-on aptitude

Supporting faculty and alumni presenters at the 2020 COGO TEDx ClarksonU event

and problem-solving skills. They are often independent-minded yet open to new ways of thinking, which I believe has something to do with our location. Recognizing that the development of these characteristics is a driver of our alumni’s success, we’ve dramatically increased the number of opportunities for this kind of independent hands-on activity through undergraduate research, small business creation, designand-build capstone projects and competitions, and so on.

This approach helps us to be ahead of the curve with industry’s evolving needs. Here, again, we see the importance of alumni engagement. Among all our advisory councils, there’s a healthy interchange of ideas about what skill sets the world needs, and we are responsive to that. Industry recognizes this, and that’s why more and more companies come to Clarkson and seek out our graduates.

President Collins is named an honorary senator of the University of Ljubljana, 2009.

A hallmark of your presidency has been the strategic development of a University-wide ecosystem of innovation. Why is it so important for Clarkson — and universities in general — to foster innovation and nurture creativity?

The only way to maintain the United States’ preeminence in the global marketplace is to maintain a competitive global workforce.

That means more and more people need to be creative and innovative.

It’s simply no longer good enough to produce technically competent people; they must be able to think creatively. It’s not about getting every student to have a startup company. It’s about getting them to develop the mindset to challenge the status quo and to realize there isn’t just one way but many possible alternatives to improve something — whether it is a design, a service or a product. Clarkson Ignite and the unique interdisciplinary learning opportunities within the Reh School of Business have been key to sparking innovative mindsets.

CONTINUED >

April 2014: President Collins

May 2014: President Barack

Summer 2014: The E2E Campaign stands at $248 million, $23 million

signs the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. Clarkson’s Race to Zero Climate Action Plan Strives for climate neutrality by 2025.

Obama nominates President Collins to serve on the Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

more than the initial goal of $225 million. To date, gifts to the campaign funded 160 scholarships; facilities including the Student Center, TAC, Neugold and Scott athletic fields, and the refurbishment of Old Main; new and enhanced academic and athletic programs; and 14 endowed chairs or professorships.

clarkson.edu/climate-commit

clarkson.edu/collins-slsdc

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 13

••• A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON THE WORLD •••

Higher education has experienced enormous challenges over the past two decades, increasingly around access, inclusion and affordability issues. How has the University responded to these challenges to ensure that students who seek a Clarkson education can make that a reality?

Lending a hand on 2021 Move-In Day

One way we get Clarkson students to think beyond the status quo is to provide opportunities and create competitions that recognize and reward innovation. There’s nothing that drives innovation and creativity better than healthy competition.

When students work together, they recognize that their innovation and creativity are enhanced by working with people who are different from them — whether that’s a diverse social or economic background, a different discipline, etc. It is at these encounters — these interfaces — where great ideas spark. Encouraging respect for diversity is not only the right thing to do, but in practice, it creates a more exciting and rewarding atmosphere across our campuses.

February 2016: Clarkson officially opens its new Capital Region Campus in Schenectady, New York. The campus is a hub for in-person, hybrid and online graduate and professional degree program admissions and classes.

clarkson.edu/graduate 14 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Clearly, we must make an even bigger push for financial resources that support incoming students.

Clarkson educates those who are qualified to attend academically but don’t necessarily have the financial resources to do that. In general, it is not an affluent student body.

One of the things we’ve done is that much of $111 million in planned giving is directed toward scholarship support. And because of who we are, we have developed creative ways to help students finance their Clarkson education, such as the Lewis Income Share Agreement Program. In addition to need-based scholarships, we offer merit-based scholarships, such as the Clarkson Ignite Presidential

Fellowship. Another priority has been creating scholarships to support underrepresented students, including Black and Indigenous students. In all these efforts, our alumni have played a leadership role. Once students are on campus, we want them to feel like they belong here.

We work continuously to create a campus climate that is welcoming and responsive to the needs of all students, including ethnically diverse and LGBTQ students. This is important to us, but it’s also a challenge because of the historical nature of the institution and our location. Student demographics are changing, and we see this as an opportunity to expand and enrich our campus community.

The Potsdam campus looks quite different today than it did at the start of your presidency. Can you talk about the consolidation of the Potsdam Hill Campus and the strategic investments made to support students and the campus experience?

Announcing the 2018-19 Presidential Challenge: Envision how the Internet of Things can make communities a better place

March 2017: The women’s hockey team wins the 2017 NCAA National Championship — their second national championship title.

March 2017: Clarkson celebrates the Damon Hall Advanced Manufacturing Incubator grand opening.

clarkson.edu/damon-hall

October 2017: Clarkson dedicates the David D. Reh School of Business with a magnanimous gift from David ’62, H’17 and Sue Reh. March 2018: The women’s hockey team takes the 2018 NCAA National Championship.

••• A CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT TONY COLLINS •••

“We have built our reputation on serving the student body that we attract and our alumni who have a disproportionate impact on the world.”

I think it’s fair to say that we’ve completed the transition of moving all undergraduate education to the Hill Campus. Other than Graham Hall residence halls, all the academic buildings, athletic facilities and residence halls have been renovated or expanded. These updates were necessary to address deferred maintenance issues and create the 21st-century facilities that are essential to attracting the best faculty, staff and students.

Most of the money was spent on sustainability measures — for example, redoing all the mechanical systems so that the buildings are much more energy-efficient, which also lowers costs. The only entirely new facility is the Student Center, which was designed and built with sustainable systems and LEED certification in mind. Of course, Foster House, which was supported by lead donors Rett and Judy Foster and many trustees, has been an added benefit for all. It has allowed me to stay as closely connected to campus as possible and also served as a place for groups from the Clarkson community — faculty, staff, students and alumni — to gather in a smaller, more engaging setting.

The challenge in all of this is that we were left with an unused campus in the village. Not only did we rebuild the Hill Campus, but we also had to renovate and repurpose the Downtown Campus.

Most of the buildings now house our Lewis School of Health Sciences and business incubators, while the original Snell Hall is being developed into residential apartments via a long-term lease agreement.

You’ve been visible through leadership roles in government initiatives, especially at the state level. What is the value of these partnerships for Clarkson?

One of the challenges of leading an institution like Clarkson is that you need to grow the name recognition and extend the school’s reputation.

Taking on leadership roles serves as an endorsement of Clarkson as an important entity in the state and increases our visibility. This kind of activity can also help garner resources for the institution. But I

Giving remarks at the 2017 Commencement

CONTINUED >

You mention sustainability, which was a priority during your presidency.

We have worked to build sustainability into all our campus operations and our academic programs. Initially, we were slow to sign on to the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2014. It was a serious commitment to set an aggressive target date to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions, and

January 2019: Clarkson opens its new Innovation Hub, a social and academic meeting space where brainstorming, prototyping, collaboration and general creativity can flourish. Spaces include: the Dorf Makerspace, the Digital Making Suite and the Cube.

clarkson.edu/clarkson-ignite-make

we needed to consider whether it was feasible for us. The Second Nature Climate Commitment superseded that program, and in 2017, we set a target date of 2025 as our goal for net zero.

Today, we are one of only 16 institutions in the country that is on track to meet the goal by 2025. I am very proud of that.

Let’s Go Tech!

March 2019: Clarkson, in

March 2019: The men’s hockey

partnership with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, launches New York State Center of Excellence in Healthy Water Solutions.

team wins the ECAC Hockey championship.

clarkson.edu/healthy-water-solutions

April 2019: President Collins is named to City & State New York’s Higher Education Power 50.

clarkson.edu/power-50 CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 15

••• A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON THE WORLD •••

think most fundamentally, if you look at many of these governmental activities — advisory panels and economic development councils — there are few technical voices, particularly engineering voices, being heard. In essence, it’s an altruistic endeavor to be involved and provide the technical input that seems to be sorely missing in many of our political and government activities these days.

The pandemic challenged higher education as in-person classroom instruction suddenly gave way to online learning. What do you think was learned by this experiment in education, and how will it affect future learning?

Of course, on-campus learning is supplemented by technologies that we’ve all learned to use during the pandemic and that will continue to enhance learning. For example, some fundamental courses could be delivered online, with the in-class experience focused more on practice and reinforcement. Cocurricular activities, I believe, will be emphasized a lot more in the future, and that goes back to developing the personal skill sets that are required for the workplace.

As I said, given our location, our students want to be involved in cocurricular activities and our off-campus club activities that allow them to take advantage of the external environment. That’s what they come for. During the 2020-21 academic year, which was impacted the most by COVID-19, 300 students chose to be remote in the fall semester, a surprisingly small Presidential Switch Day, 2015

Well, I think the resounding response was that the four-year undergraduate residential experience was much more valued than people had previously thought. Certainly, for nontraditional students, one can see the enormous value of online education, but the importance of the four-year traditional undergraduate experience seems to have been reinforced.

November 2019: Clarkson announces the Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health Sciences.

clarkson.edu/lewis-school

“I hope that Clarkson continues to evolve as a unique institution that creates a disproportionate number of leaders who help drive technical solutions to solve complex problems.”

You close out your tenure as Clarkson’s 16th President as the University celebrates its 125th anniversary. Has the role of a technological institution changed since 1896? What role, for example, does technology development play in solving global problems like epidemics, climate change and poverty?

If you look at the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering that National Academy of Engineers identified in 2014, there is a remarkable correlation.

It is clear that we can’t meet the sustainability imperatives except through technology, so engineering has a huge role to play now and in the future, just as it has in the past. But there is one difference. I would say that 100 years ago, engineering was seen primarily as a way to advance the standard of living. Into the future, engineering will sustain life.

February 2020: President

December 2020: The

Collins is elected a trustee of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York.

COVID-19 student emergency fund raises nearly $675,000, helping 380 students with food costs, housing and living essentials, emergency situations, scholarships and financial aid and technology.

May 2020: President Collins is

named to New York’s Reimagine Education Advisory Council.

16 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

number. However, we welcomed back half in the spring because our students wanted to be here despite the challenging campus environment.

February 2021: President Collins is named chair of the Association of Independent Technological Universities.

clarkson.edu/collins-aitu

Golden Knights make history as 2013-14 NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey champions.

You first came to Clarkson in 1982 as an assistant professor of civil engineering. What are some of your favorite memories over the past 40 years?

Simply put, adding value to our students’ lives and watching them succeed professionally and personally in the world, and in many cases, meeting their children who are now enrolled at Clarkson. That has been very rewarding.

Where do you see Clarkson 20 years from now?

I hope that Clarkson continues to evolve as a unique institution that creates a disproportionate number of leaders who help drive technical solutions to solve complex problems. There would be nothing better than for one or two of our alumni to become recognized global problem-solvers.

Karen Collins MS’95: ‘A Unique Clarkson Experience’ Karen Collins’ time at Clarkson has been nothing short of unique. From her introduction to the University as a faculty spouse in 1982, then as a graduate student and Clarkson parent, she’s had a range of experiences through multiple lenses. And when Tony became President in 2003, her journey became even more meaningful.

Tony and Karen have dedicated themselves to nurturing a supportive and engaging learning community, focusing on strong personal connections. They know students by name and support them at athletics events, SPEED and business competitions and everything in between.

“A highlight for me has been getting to know so many of our students,” says Karen. “After dining or talking with a group, I feel uplifted and encouraged that the world will be a better place when they enter the workforce.”

Karen’s personal connections reach beyond the immediate Clarkson community as well. “I have been touched by the humility

of Nobel laureates and the pride shown by parents of firstgeneration college graduates,” she shares. “It has been fulfilling to be around so many competent, successful and caring people.”

Among Karen’s favorite memories is the annual return of alumni for Reunion Weekend; she notes the special stories told, the bonds reignited and the general happiness experienced by all. “And, of course,” she says, “my fondest and most thrilling memories were watching our women’s team win three national hockey championships, exhibiting what hard work and motivation can achieve.” She also found joy in the beauty of Munter Trails, tending to the gardens at Foster House and watching the progress of Ginny’s Garden.

Karen has proudly championed Clarkson through the years and will continue to do so. “To me, Clarkson is not just a renowned academic institution, but it is an environment with a vibrant personality — one of caring, support, teamwork and spirit.”

April 2021: Clarkson gains momentum for $40 million in renovations

June 2021: President Collins

and the expansion of the Science Center, as well as entrepreneurial science programs, with a lead gift from Ken ’79 and Jeanne Lally.

announces that he will step down from his role in June 2022.

clarkson.edu/lally

November 2021: The Clarkson

community celebrates the University's quasquicentennial — 125 years of excellence.

December 2021: President

Collins announces the Ken ’71 & Grace Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge, the largest philanthropic commitment in Clarkson’s history.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 17

Ken ’71 and Grace Solinsky with their golden retriever, Kai

18 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

PHOTO: JOHN GAUVIN

Ken ’71 & Grace Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge Is the Largest Philanthropic Commitment in Clarkson University History: A Generous Financial Commitment to Engineering That Challenges Others to Step Forward Ken ’71 and Grace Solinsky have made the largest single targeted financial commitment in Clarkson University’s history through the Ken ’71 & Grace Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge, a landmark financial commitment to advance engineering education at Clarkson University.

The Solinskys’ generous financial commitment positions Clarkson to lead the nation in preparing engineering graduates for global challenges and elevating advanced manufacturing, which is central to the engineering profession and critical to the health and security of the American economy. Key components of the agreement are a set of mutually agreed goals. These include a systematic way of credentialing students in fundamental skills that cannot be taught within existing, constrained curricula; and a renewed emphasis on advanced manufacturing technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, product design and project management.

“We are immensely grateful to Ken and Grace for their extraordinary generosity and leadership over the years. Their Solinsky Leadership Challenge gift will usher in a new era of excellence in engineering

education that will enable us to grow our engineering enrollments to support the workforce development and innovation necessary for American industry to regain its manufacturing prominence,” says Clarkson University President Tony Collins.

“As part of their continuing engagement with the University, Ken and Grace are challenging us and asking other stakeholders to match their investment by supporting a portfolio of programs to advance the reputation of the institution, the technical and business acumen and entrepreneurial mindset of our students, and the expansion of our facilities to support state-of-the-art engineering education and advanced manufacturing solutions.”

A significant portion of their investment will also go toward the expansion and renovation of the CAMP CONTINUED >

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 19

Ken ’71 & Grace Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge building into a state-of-the-art facility that will support curricular, co-curricular and research activities, and will become the Solinsky Engineering Center.

Clarkson’s Board of Trustees received the celebratory news that the Solinsky Challenge was made official on November 30, the 125th anniversary of Clarkson’s Founders’ Day, which coincided this year with National Giving Day. Since Clarkson’s founding in 1896, engineering and technology have been at the core of Clarkson’s institutional identity and reputation. As compelled by the founders to always pursue the real needs of the American people, Clarkson and its graduates are highly sought after for their skills, knowledge, work ethic and hands-on experiences that underpin their remarkable impact on the world. The transformative gift from Ken ’71 and Grace Solinsky reinvigorates Clarkson’s commitment to meet industry demands in the way that Clarkson educates and prepares graduates for the workforce, and it further recognizes the national need to educate students to enhance U.S. capabilities in a highly competitive world.

Ken Solinsky graduated from Clarkson in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Grace Solinsky attended SUNY Potsdam from 1969-71 before transferring to East Texas State University, where she received her BS degree in elementary education. Ken began his career with the U.S. Army, where he progressed through a series of increasingly responsible engineering and management positions. In 1986, Ken left government service, and in 1997, he and Grace formed Insight Technology. Insight Technology grew from a startup to become the United States’ principal producer of Night Vision and Electro-Optical Systems, with over 1,300 employees. These systems are used by all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, federal law enforcement agencies and allied nations. In 2010, Ken and Grace sold Insight Technology to L3 Communications.

Ken then became President of L3 Warrior Systems, which encompassed Insight Technology as well as five other divisions with over 2,100 employees

producing image intensifier tubes, infrared focal plane arrays, advanced laser systems, police dash cameras and holographic sights.

Other companies that the Solinskys started and still own include Rochester Precision Optics (RPO), OnPoint Systems and Envision Technology. RPO was formed in 2005 with the acquisition of the precision optics capabilities of Eastman Kodak. RPO produces precision optics and optical assemblies for defense, medical and consumer applications. In 2015, Ken and Grace started OnPoint Systems. Its flagship product, SpotOn Virtual Smart Fence, a GPS-based dog collar, was named a CES 2020 Innovation Awards Honoree in the wearables category, named Product of the Year by the New Hampshire High Tech Alliance, named the Best Virtual Fence by WIRED magazine and given a People’s Choice Stevie Award for Favorite New Products at the 18th annual American Business Awards. In 2019, Ken founded Envision Technology. Envision develops advanced Night Vision and Electro-Optical Systems for the U.S. Military.

As the holders of 20 patents, recipients of numerous public sector and government awards, and owners of New York-based RPO, the Solinskys are not only established leaders in New York State industry but also are well known around the globe for their successes in manufacturing and engineering technology-driven business ventures.

Ken and Grace Solinsky have been married for 50 years and are proud parents and grandparents.

“I will be forever grateful to Clarkson for the role it played in lifting me from a New York City housing project to an environment in which I met Grace and was set on a course of meaningful work,” said Ken Solinsky. Grace Solinsky added, “Clarkson set us on a path that has led to success beyond our wildest dreams. We are both pleased to support Clarkson’s engineering programs as it prepares students to make meaningful contributions to the world around them.

We are particularly pleased to be in a position to do this when U.S. competitiveness in the world is of critical importance.”

“I will be forever grateful to Clarkson for the role it played in lifting me from a New York City housing project to an environment in which I met Grace and was set on a course of meaningful work.”

— KEN SOLINSKY ’71 —

20 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

ALL IN ON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE P

roducing highly successful engineers has been a hallmark of Clarkson University for 125 years.

Our students gain the fundamental knowledge and hands-on experience they need to start their careers and the work ethic, grit and drive that propels their success.

However, in today’s economy, companies must move faster than ever. In high demand are engineers who can conceive, design, manufacture and rapidly bring to market products that address today’s toughest challenges and most exciting business opportunities. They must be able to see the big picture and understand complex technical, manufacturing and business issues that extend beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries — and they must be able to hit the ground running from day one.

As successful business owners, Ken ’71 and Grace Solinsky know firsthand how engineering and advanced manufacturing impact U.S. economic competitiveness and national security. With this in mind, the Solinskys have challenged Clarkson to achieve even higher levels of excellence through the Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge.

The Solinsky Challenge is a generous commitment and a call to action. Clarkson will match the Solinskys’ investment through fundraising and invest

Bill Jemison, dean of the Coulter School of Engineering

additional monies from the University’s operating budget for an $80 million total investment in Clarkson’s engineering programs.

Over the next seven years, funds will be strategically invested in expanding and renovating engineering facilities and growing a portfolio of programs focused on advanced manufacturing.

Bill Jemison, dean of the Coulter School of Engineering and Tony Collins Professor of Innovative Engineering Culture, has been instrumental in developing the strategic vision that underpins the Solinsky Challenge, working shoulder to shoulder with the Solinskys on an intentional and meaningful plan.

Essential elements include hands-on enhancements to courses, labs, capstone projects and popular minors, including manufacturing, robotics and biomedical engineering.

A master’s degree in advanced manufacturing is also in the works.

Another critical program element is the integration of microcredentialing, or badging, into the student learning experience.

“Badging originated in industry as a way for employees to gain new knowledge and skills necessary to stay current in their fields,” shares Jemison. “Clarkson students will complement their studies with business, technology and leadership

knowledge, skills and experiences that are critical to success.

“Part of our job is to help our students find their passion within the profession,” he continues. “They will accelerate their success and differentiate themselves from graduates of other engineering programs. It’s a win-win for our students and the companies that hire them.”

Developing deeper relationships and joint projects with industry and new research thrusts are also a priority. Students will address existing and emerging trends in advanced manufacturing, including automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data.

“I am extremely grateful to Ken and Grace for their generous financial support of our mutual vision and for their insight and involvement in developing the plan,” says Jemison. “We have much work to do, but it’s exciting and rewarding. We will look back on the Solinsky Challenge as a major transformational event in Clarkson’s history.”

Support from alumni and industry partners is critical to moving the Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge forward. To learn more, contact Steven Smalling at steven.smalling@clarkson.edu.

“Ken and Grace have challenged us with an all-in approach designed to push Clarkson to the top as a national engineering institution. Our common vision, quite simply, is to deliver the highest-impact engineering education in the country.”

— BILL JEMISON —

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 21

Faculty Startups

Technology Serving Humanity:

Clarkson Faculty Startups Ignite Solutions to Global Challenges

By Ed Rider

I

n an era when most business startups revolve around consumer technology, Clarkson faculty — in true Clarkson form — are homing in on solutions for widespread, real-world problems.

From innovative technologies for clean water and air to sustainable and affordable wind energy, these researchers are working to propel their ideas into commercial enterprises that serve humanity — a 22 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

hallmark of the Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering. And they’re doing it through a strategic partnership with the Shipley Center for Innovation.

Clarkson opened the Shipley Center, a discovery-driven entrepreneurial support hub, in October of 2010. Since then, the Center has helped to launch more than 400 startups off the ground.

The Center supports an active pipeline of more than 100 projects at any given time. Clarkson faculty

startups, in particular, are thriving.

“These projects demonstrate the ability of Clarkson researchers to quickly respond to emerging global threats by designing robust and market-ready solutions,” says Jamey Hoose, director of the Shipley Center. “We’re fortunate to have faculty members capable of this high-impact work, and we’re proud to support them with the business expertise, funding and connections that will help ensure their commercial success.”

Thomas Holsen and Selma Mededovic Thagard

“First and foremost, we are in business to make our environment, particularly our waters, safer.”

THOMAS HOLSEN, DMAX PLASMA

Remediating Unintended Consequences More than 70 years ago, a group of chemicals known as PFASs (polyand perfluoroalkyl substances) emerged as a promising compound that resisted heat, grease, stains and water. This potential led PFASs to become a popular additive to coatings for outdoor gear, food packaging, paper plates, cookware, firefighting foams and more.

Scientists and consumers did not recognize at the time that these forever chemicals would not break down once released into the environment. Studies have shown links between PFASs and various health and developmental issues, including cancer, liver damage and thyroid disease.

In 2016, high levels of PFAS chemicals that exceeded federal safety standards were found in Washington Lake, the primary drinking water source for Newburgh, New York, area residents. PFASs have also seeped into the Great Lakes, adversely affecting wildlife and potentially harming residents’ food supply and livelihoods if they consume contaminated fish, including lake trout, walleye and smelt.

THOMAS HOLSEN, the Jean S. Newell Distinguished Professor of Engineering, and SELMA MEDEDOVIC THAGARD, the Richard J. ’50 and Helen March Endowed Professor, have developed cutting-edge electrical discharge plasma reactors to remove PFASs from water.

Their company, DMAX PLASMA, provides a proprietary plasma technology that destroys PFAS compounds in water. With initial funding, facilities and ancillary support from the Shipley Center, DMAX Plasma provides equipment, processes and services for the successful degradation and removal of PFASs to numerous stakeholders, such as landfill operators, commercial cleaning companies, municipalities and the U.S. Department of Defense.

“Our customers are increasingly recognizing the science that supports the toxic nature of PFASs and are actively taking steps to prevent spread and remediate prior contamination,” Holsen says.

DMAX Plasma technology helps customers comply with emerging federal, state, local and

global regulations for avoiding and counteracting contamination from PFASs. Holsen, a civil and environmental engineer, and Mededovic Thagard, a chemical and biomolecular engineer, created the enhanced contact DMAX Plasma reactor that degrades PFASs and other non-oxidizable compounds by producing electrons and ions that react with PFASs. The reaction breaks the carbon-fluorine bonds into smaller molecules that can be oxidized and further reduced to harmless compounds.

This innovative approach makes it possible to use the technology in the field for large-scale cleanup efforts. The plasma process requires no chemical additions, produces no residual waste and results in higher efficiency at lower costs than any other treatments currently available, including granular activated carbon.

“First and foremost, we are in business to make our environment, particularly our waters, safer,” says Holsen.

CONTINUED >

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 23

Faculty Startups

Suresh Dhaniyala

“[Our sensors] help to prevent the spread of pathogens, reduce illnesses and increase worker productivity in the office environment.” SURESH DHANIYALA, TELOSAIR

Making Breathing Easier We know that the quality of the air we breathe has a tremendous impact on the well-being of every human.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend 87% of their time indoors.

In 2016, SURESH DHANIYALA, the Bayard D. Clarkson Distinguished Professor in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, founded TELOSAIR (formerly Potsdam Sensors), a company that designs, develops and manufactures air quality sensors. TelosAir’s cuttingedge data visualization allows for tracking changes in air quality to assure that the air in a building is safe to breathe.

TelosAir targets large building automation companies and ventilation providers working to ensure superior quality indoor air while minimizing energy use.

24 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Customers include large hospitals working to address the problem of healthcare-acquired infections and commercial real estate companies seeking to ensure the safety of their indoor spaces.

“Our state-of-the-art sensors integrate with building management systems to allow users to control their air based on indoor air quality,” Dhaniyala says. “They help to prevent the spread of pathogens, reduce illnesses and increase worker productivity in the office environment.”

Dhaniyala has been instrumental in the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has conducted years of experiments tracking how aerosols move, including those in the size range that can carry viruses. He also has been interviewed for numerous

publications and authored multiple articles on the subject throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

TelosAir’s experts have profound experience in sensor development, air quality and aerosol science. The company is now developing nextgeneration sensors for widespread applications and locations — from nursing homes to the International Space Station.

“Clarkson has been very instrumental in our success,” Dhaniyala says. “The Shipley Center has provided incubator space, initial seed funding and access to highquality students who have served us well as interns and employees.

Clarkson has been an excellent research partner by helping us with our development and testing efforts and getting us connected to potential clients and investors.”

Blowing in the Wind DUCTED WIND TURBINES INC., cofounded by KEN VISSER, associate

professor of mechanical & aerospace engineering, has also teamed up with the Shipley Center to get the business off the ground and on the road to commercializing Visser’s ducted wind turbine technology.

The company aims to provide the lowest cost per kilowatt-hour in the small wind turbine market, intending to reduce the time for return on investment to half of what it takes for conventional open rotor wind turbines. Ducted Wind Turbine’s flagship unit, the 3-meter D3, currently produces more energy than an open rotor turbine of the same size.

“We have been researching small wind at Clarkson for over 20 years,” Visser says. “Partnering with the Shipley Center allows us to transition our work to the real world.

It’s not just an opportunity; it’s our responsibility to make affordable and renewable wind energy available to our world and those who need it.”

Small, distributed wind energy can make a huge difference in people’s lives. The turbines are ideal for disaster relief; education facilities; critical infrastructure situations;

developing countries where electricity is scarce, intermittent or non-existent; and remote locations where electric costs are very high.

“This is what drives us,” says Visser. “We want to help improve quality of life. It’s also why we try to make our system as simple as possible, so anyone can be trained to install and maintain them. And in the end, it’s to provide local jobs. Yes, we build wind turbines, but our real job is changing lives.”

To date, the company has installed six turbines, hired six employees and four summer interns from Clarkson, raised $750,000 in convertible debt and established a global headquarters in Potsdam. Ducted Wind Turbines is currently working with several clients for a combined potential of installing more than 300 turbines in North America and the Caribbean.

Visser shares that people often ask him whether they should go with a solar or wind energy solution.

“I tell them not to think of these as competing technologies but complementary. You need to look at your local resources, but often, it is a combination of technologies that will provide the best solution.”

“Yes, we build wind turbines, but our real job is changing lives.”

About the Shipley Center With assistance from the Shipley Center, innovators and entrepreneurs can capitalize on emerging-tech innovations to create groundbreaking ventures.

Using a collaborative, hands-on process, the Shipley Center brings academic and social experience together under one roof, providing inventors and entrepreneurs with the ability to fully commercialize their products, connect with potential investors and utilize Clarkson faculty and student resources.

The Cube

The Shipley Center also supports budding innovators and entrepreneurs through its student accelerator known as the Cube. Launched in 2018, the Cube helps accelerate the ideas of students who are truly dedicated to their business ideas.

Students in this program gain access to exclusive resources, including:

• Supervised discretionary funds.

• Eligibility to apply for a full Ignition grant.

• A dedicated project team.

• Access to the Shipley Center’s full-time staff and subject matter experts.

• Sponsorship for external business plan competitions.

For more information on the Shipley Center for Innovation, visit clarkson.edu/shipley.

Ken Visser

KEN VISSER, DUCTED WIND TURBINES INC.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 25

Cheel 2.0

Alumni Unite to Revitalize Campus Center, Enrich Experience for All

By Jake Newman

26 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The new Munter Climbing Wall, sponsored

by John ’59 and Rosemary Munter, is an extension activity of the Munter Trails.

A North Country landmark and beacon of college hockey, Cheel Campus Center & Arena stands as a manifestation of Clarkson’s pride and spirit. Now, thanks to a massive renovation fueled by passionate alumni, Cheel is a hub of student activity.

CONTINUED >

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 27

T

he expansive $27 million renovation to Clarkson’s most iconic building — initially constructed thanks to a generous gift from honorary alumna Helen Cheel in 1991 — features state-of-the-art updates to hockey facilities, brand-new fitness resources for the campus community, a climbing wall and student meeting spaces. Carried to fruition by more than 350 Golden Knight donors, the updated spaces in Cheel have become a campus highlight for all, says Athletics Director Scott Smalling.

“The changes are transformational in terms of what campus athletics and recreation look like for Clarkson students and athletes,” says Smalling.

Facilities Fit for a Knight “Look first and foremost at the fitness center,” continues Smalling. “It’s 8,500 square feet filled with modern equipment — and it’s phenomenal.”

28 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The Yianoukos Fitness Center — named for former Athletics Director Steve Yianoukos ’72 by Hal Rosser ’71, who, with his wife, Rita, donated funds for the facility — acts as the face of Cheel Campus Center.

The new fitness space, which expands resources for Division III athletes and the entire Clarkson community, is just one of many projects tackled by alumni donors.

The climbing wall, another accessible and prominent addition, was funded by a major gift from John Munter ’62.

Aside from financial contributions, alumni donated their expertise in helping ensure the proper construction of the facilities. The leveling of floors, upgraded HVAC equipment and a new cooling system that will save the University $1 million annually in energy costs were all aspects of the project to which alumni were privy.

“They wanted the Cheel updates to be impressive, to show our history,” says Matt Draper ’02, MBA’03, vice president

for development & alumni relations.

“But like all Clarkson alumni, they also wanted them to be highly functional.”

Other features, seldom seen by the public, were all funded through major alumni gifts, significantly increasing the resources available to Golden Knight athletes.

The depths of Cheel now offer the Division I hockey teams a range of new amenities. Funding supported reimagining the space, which now includes hot tubs, cold tubs, equipment and video rooms, lounge and kitchen areas and a puck shooting room fit for the pros, all of which bolster the University’s hockey programs and recruitment.

“It has revolutionized what we can do,” Smalling says. “It puts us on par with any institution in the country. We can compete with professional sports in terms of facilities.”

Bigger, Bolder, Better Thanks to the generosity of Clarkson alumni, Cheel Campus Center & Arena has been transformed into a state-of-the-art, multipurpose facility where all students can train, practice and study.

New amenities include:

• Steven J. Yianoukos ’72 Fitness and Recreation Facility.

• Munter Climbing Wall.

• John Buyers ’66 Sports Medicine Suite.

• David Glenn ’82 Hydrotherapy Room.

A New Era of Clarkson Pride Robust participation from alumni created an opportunity for powerful collaboration. Financial investments, engineering expertise and the constant flow of ideas represent alumni’s strong affinity for Clarkson and Cheel, says Draper, who helped guide the process.

“It was always very collaborative in terms of what the expectations were.

Our alumni were all slightly varied in what they wanted to do and why they wanted to do it — and the impact they were hoping to achieve,” Draper says.

“The collaboration on this project was paramount to its success.”

For Smalling, the outpouring of support indicates that alumni grasp how these facilities can enrich Clarkson’s campus experience.

“Everybody likes to be tagged to success,” he says. “It just shows that the alumni understand a connection between athletics and a good overall experience

for students and how important athletics and recreation are as a whole.”

Frank Rotunno ’56, H’98, an emeritus trustee and past Alumni Association president for whom the hockey teams’ kitchen facilities are named, is a lifelong advocate for Clarkson and was heavily involved with the evolution of Cheel.

While he is eager to visit in person for the first time since the renovations, he is already enamored with what he has seen and heard about the facilities since the project’s completion.

“I am extremely happy with the way it has turned out,” says Rotunno, whose experience has left him full of joy and excitement for the future of his beloved alma mater. “It has evolved into a center for students … my dream came true.

“Clarkson has enriched my life in so many ways,” adds Rotunno.

“I have kept my friendships. I have gotten so much more than I have given with my involvement with Clarkson.

I love the place.”

• Hockey rapid shot room.

Renovated spaces include:

• Philip J. “Pinky” Ryan ’35 Strength and Conditioning Area.

• Locker rooms.

• Video and meeting rooms.

• Lounge and study spaces.

This modernized facility delivers the ideal experience to attract student-athletes and wow spectators. Let’s Go Tech!

Get Your Insider Look!

Visit clarkson.edu/cheel-2.0 or scan the QR code with your smartphone’s camera app.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 29

“

As a girl in a war-zone country like Afghanistan, I faced many challenges to get an education … challenges that were going to get worse for girls and women with the Taliban returning. Many people there still do not fully accept that girls have a right to study. I am glad that all of those challenges pushed me to where I am now.

30 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

FROM KABUL TO CLARKSON: DETERMINATION AND PASSION DRIVE AFGHAN STUDENT’S JOURNEY

By Ed Rider

HUMAIRA REZAIE ’23 was just 2 years old when American-led military forces overthrew the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, better known as the Taliban. Born in Ghazni before moving with her family to Kabul as a child, Rezaie is part of the first generation of women in Afghanistan to have access to education.

And despite a public education system that she calls “not good” and unorthodox teaching methods in the public school system — she was once hit in the face with a ruler by a teacher for misspelling a word — she developed a passion for learning. Her desire for knowledge eventually led her on a 6,500mile journey from Kabul, Afghanistan, to the North Country and Clarkson University, just in time for the start of the fall semester.

Although she never experienced the limitations placed on or the atrocities committed against women during the Taliban’s rule between 1996 and 2001, Rezaie had heard stories about how the Taliban’s strict interpretation and enforcement of Sharia law included the brutal treatment of women. While in control of more than 75% of the country, the Taliban prevented girls and young women from attending school, banned them from working jobs outside of healthcare and required that women wear a burqa and be accompanied by a male relative at all times when in public. If women broke certain rules, they were publicly whipped or even executed.

With the imminent return of the Taliban upon the exodus of U.S. military personnel in late August 2021, Rezaie and allies from the North Country moved with great urgency to get her out of Afghanistan. Despite the obstacles, she was determined to continue her education.

“As a girl in a war-zone country like Afghanistan, I faced many challenges to get an education … challenges that were going to get worse for girls and women with the Taliban returning,” Rezaie says.

“Many people there still do not fully accept that girls have a right to study. I am glad that all of those challenges pushed me to where I am now. What I have today is what I always wanted — to be able to achieve my goals.”

SEEKING BETTER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Rezaie’s interest in eventually studying in the U.S. began in the ninth grade when she participated in a project with the School of Leadership Afghanistan (SOLA), a boarding school predominately for girls and supported by the U.S. Embassy. Late that year, she applied and was accepted as a student at SOLA. Rezaie credits SOLA with expanding her experiences by exposing her to people of different ethnicities and helping her improve her proficiency in English.

Through Rezaie’s involvement at SOLA, she met online tutor and Potsdam resident Sandy Maine, CEO of the Adirondack Fragrance and Flavor Farm and a former board member of Clarkson’s Reh Center for Entrepreneurship. When Rezaie expressed her interest in continuing her studies in the U.S., Maine introduced her to Steve Molnar, founder and director of the Little River Community School in nearby Canton. In 2016, Rezaie applied and was accepted to the school, but efforts to attain her visa were unsuccessful.

Undeterred, Rezaie pushed forward and graduated from high school in Kabul. Rather than attend a public university, she applied and accepted a full scholarship to the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) in 2018. Majoring in information technology and computer science, Rezaie says AUAF had higher standards than the country’s public university system and provided additional opportunities to improve her English.

“When I was denied a visa the first time, I gave up a for a while,” says Rezaie. “It was something CONTINUED >

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 31

I really wanted, and when it didn’t happen, I was feeling down. But I eventually learned to move on.”

New challenges arose with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like many schools at all levels in the U.S., AUAF transitioned to online classes. Online learning can be problematic in a country that lacks stable electricity and internet service.

Power outages are frequent and extended. During her second year at the school, one such outage lasted four days, causing Rezaie to miss a few assignment deadlines.

INTENSIFYING CONCERNS With uncertainty surrounding the future of AUAF and the looming departure of U.S. troops, Maine and Molnar in April 2021 helped develop a new plan for Rezaie’s educational pursuits, which included getting her out of Afghanistan.

“We became very concerned about Humaira and what might follow the U.S. withdrawal,” Molnar says.

“So, we embarked on an urgent campaign to bring Humaira to the North Country to complete her undergraduate studies.”

With the clock ticking and the Taliban already retaking large portions of the country, Maine and Molnar began securing financial pledges to cover Rezaie’s travel expenses, as well as living expenses

once she arrived in the North Country. They also helped her apply to schools that could meet her educational needs.

Through the generosity of individual gifts of as little as $10 and as large as $1,000, they were able to raise $15,000 in just a few months. Another $5,000 has been pledged toward expenses for next year. In addition, Clarkson not only accepted Rezaie into a program that will allow her to complete her degree in two years but also granted her a full scholarship — which includes tuition, health insurance, food, fees and a computer — valued at approximately $65,000 per year.

“Sandy and I estimated that we were going to need to raise between $30,000–$40,000 for two and a half years. So, we took a deep plunge and started putting the word out through some mailings. We immediately received many positive responses — a lot of people were supportive,” says Molnar. “The community has been super generous. We received offers of a place for her to live, and Clarkson gave her everything toward completing her education.”

However, all of that generosity would be for naught if Rezaie could not get out of Afghanistan and obtain a student visa to enter the U.S.

Humaira Rezaie attends Clarkson's 2021 Fall Fest with Tony and Karen Collins.

32 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

NEXT STOP: AMERICA Challenges, roadblocks and detours marked her path to the U.S., but Rezaie never wavered in her resolution to reach Potsdam. Clarkson had officially enrolled her by the end of June and provided the necessary forms to apply for her visa. Due to a massive outbreak of COVID-19, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul was closed.

Rezaie was advised to go to the embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan — a dangerous trip for a young woman traveling alone.

With things quickly deteriorating in her homeland, Rezaie flew on August 1 from Kabul to Islamabad to await an emergency interview at the embassy to request a visa in hopes of receiving it in time to get to Clarkson for the first day of classes. Her initial request for an interview was denied, but she was granted an emergency interview on August 10. Following a short interview, her visa application was rejected.

Rezaie quickly reapplied and was granted an interview on August 24.

Ahead of this interview, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s office sent urgent letters supporting Rezaie’s application to the embassy and the U.S. State Department. Her application was quickly approved following the interview. Within days Rezaie was on a flight bound for London before arriving in the U.S. She arrived late on August 29 and

“

I believe we can have the right kind of solutions if we have the right kind of education. And, I believe, Clarkson University is the place where I can get that kind of education.

”

began classes with the rest of the Clarkson students on August 31, the same day the U.S. officially exited Afghanistan.

“This has been an incredible effort by so many people to make this happen. Sandy and I can’t thank them enough for their support,” says Molnar. “All is well. Humaira is excited. She is amazing, and she is eager to get on with her studies.”

Donations covered the cost of visa applications, airfare, living expenses in Islamabad and Potsdam, clothing, personal items, food and supplies. A local couple is providing housing, while others have supplied Rezaie with a bicycle, cellphone, hat, mittens and scarf knitted especially for her, and of course, a winter jacket and snow boots.

“Sandy Maine and Steve Molnar are the two most amazing people.

I can’t thank them enough,” Rezaie says. “Sandy and Steve have been supporting my education since I first met them five years ago. If it weren’t for them, I couldn’t have made it this far.

“Special thanks to President Tony Collins and his team for providing me the opportunity to study at Clarkson, to my family for always supporting me and to all of the amazing people whom I’ve gotten to know and who have helped me in any way that they could. I am grateful to know all of you.”

FEARFUL FOR HER FAMILY Now that Rezaie was safely in New York, attention quickly turned to the safety of her family members still in Afghanistan. Her presence in the U.S. put them at significant risk, and any communication with someone in America would expose them to potential threats. So, for nearly two months, Rezaie had no contact with her family and few updates regarding their safety or journey out of the region.

Unbeknownst to her, shortly after her arrival in the U.S., Rezaie’s parents and four siblings had driven 265 miles to Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan in hopes of boarding a Canadian governmentsupported charter flight out of the country. When those planes were not allowed to leave, they returned to Kabul, picked up her grandparents and drove nearly 300 miles to the border, where the eight of them walked into Pakistan. Despite many roadblocks and frustrations along the way, Rezaie’s family touched down safely on Canadian soil in mid-October.

“My family getting out of Afghanistan was a miracle,” says Rezaie. “After everything they went through … when I heard they made it to Canada, it was such a relief. Since the moment I got to the U.S., there wasn’t a moment that I didn’t think of them. Sometimes I felt guilty for what I had, and my siblings didn’t.

I was worried for their safety. And now that they are OK, I can’t be any more grateful.”

Although she and her family were able to leave Afghanistan, Rezaie still has concern for those still living there. The situation makes her sad, she says, because she is unable to help them.

“The people of Afghanistan live in a terrible security situation. There is never a day that goes by without an explosion. When a family member leaves the house, the fear is they may never be seen again,” Rezaie says.

“Maybe one day I can bring changes to my society. The only way I can do that is through my education.

“I hope the world doesn’t forget Afghanistan and its people so we can all experience peace there one day,” says Rezaie.

“I feel lucky and privileged to be part of a small minority of women from Afghanistan who are educated.

We need creative solutions for the problems faced by the Afghan people.

I believe we can have the right kind of solutions if we have the right kind of education. And, I believe, Clarkson University is the place where I can get that kind of education.”

To learn more about Humaira Rezaie or make a gift toward her Clarkson education, please contact Matt Draper, vice president of Donor and Alumni Relations, at mdraper@ clarkson.edu or 315-268-7718.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 33

Connected by Chance, Clarkson by Choice FOSTERED BY THE GENEROSITY OF TWO LOYAL CLARKSON ALUMNI, SISTERS JOANINA GICOBI ’15 AND JUSTER GICHOVI ’23 ASPIRE TO CREATE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY OF KENYA.

By Jake Newman

If

JOANINA GICOBI ’15 were to describe her journey to Clarkson and beyond, one word comes to mind: “miraculous.”

Gicobi’s connection to Clarkson began purely by chance. It was 2008; Gicobi was in high school when she was introduced to BOB DONALDSON ’51 by a Peace Corps member working to help nurture education in Kenya.

Inspired by her potential, Donaldson began to sponsor Gicobi’s education, alleviating the associated fees for her and her family. Eventually, the two connected face to face.

“In 2009, Bob came to Kenya, and we met,” Gicobi says. “That’s when he suggested, ‘Maybe you would be interested in college in the U.S.’” Over the next few years, Donaldson worked closely with Gicobi on making the prospect a reality. With his guidance and

BUILDING BRIDGES Gicobi came to Clarkson in the fall of 2011, pursuing bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology, with a minor in chemistry, thanks in part to a University Presidential Scholarship.

“I think I realized the opportunities in front of me from the moment I got to Clarkson.” Joanina Gicobi “I think I realized the opportunities in front of me from the moment I got to Clarkson,” Gicobi says. A pivotal moment, she recalls, was when Craig Woodworth, biology professor emeritus, introduced her to the prospect of research as a career path.

“Back then, I don’t think it occurred to me that I could do research,” Gicobi says. “[Woodworth] realized the potential in me and pushed me to

“I think for Bob to come into my life and say, ‘Yes, this is a possibility’ — that was sort of a miracle.” Joanina Gicobi support, Gicobi felt the dream was attainable. She remembers preparing for the SATs and finally traveling to Nairobi to take the test as the moment it all started to feel real.

“I think for Bob to come into my life and say, ‘Yes, this is a possibility’ — that was sort of a miracle,” she shares.

34 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

letters for the family. I remember reading mine. She said, ‘We are proud of you. I know you can get good grades in high school and achieve anything you want in this world. I hope you can come to the U.S.’ I remember that very well.”

apply to the Honors Program, and I did, and I got in.”

As Gicobi rounded out her Clarkson journey, her sister, JUSTER GICHOVI ’23, too, was inspired to pursue a Clarkson education.

“I was in my first year in high school back in Kenya when Joanina graduated from Clarkson,” Gichovi recalls. “My mom went for her graduation, and when she came back to Kenya, Joanina had sent small

Gichovi powered through her high school education. She maintained exceptional grades and applied to several universities in Kenya.

However, her heart was set on Clarkson. And Gicobi was determined to help her sister gain access to the same kinds of opportunities she had experienced at the University.

Gichovi also recognizes that the relationships Gicobi had and maintained helped pave the way for her to follow in her sister’s Clarkson footsteps.

Gicobi had met DAVID WELLS ’72, MS’80, PHD’85 and his wife, Jane, in another chance connection while attending the Presbyterian church in Potsdam. After hearing Gicobi’s story and about the support she received from Donaldson, Wells felt inspired to facilitate similar opportunities for other bright minds.

“My wife and I were in awe of what Joanina was doing, and of Bob’s story and what they had accomplished,” Wells said. “We wanted to show the possibility that others could attend Clarkson. So,

From left: Joanina Gicobi '15 and Juster Gichovi '23. The sisters reunite with David Wells ’72, MS’80, PhD’85 and Bob Donaldson ’51 at Fall Fest 2021.

Clarkson has seen to that, and we have been just delighted.”

Thanks to the Bridges to Africa Scholarship, the initiative launched

by Wells, Gichovi began her Clarkson journey in the fall of 2019.

Gicobi and Gichovi say the kind of support and caring demonstrated by both Donaldson and Wells is just one example of the type of community they have discovered in their times at Clarkson — something for which both sisters are eternally grateful. In addition, they have found community within a Potsdam church and the North Country.

“I found myself in a community that was really caring for me,” Gicobi says. “You have your family, and they care, but to find a community that is so caring and supportive of you is special.”

Clarkson embraced the sisters as they navigated their education so far from family. Gicobi remembers President Tony Collins offering a taste of home by facilitating the preparation of meals reminiscent of her native Kenya. The faculty was also instrumental, providing comfort to Gicobi and now Gichovi, and opening their eyes to opportunities.

GIVING BACK TO HUMANITY Clarkson has impacted both sisters in myriad ways, and they are inspired to create transformational change aimed to improve the lives of others. “[Woodworth] opened up another career for me,” says Gicobi. “Now

I am about to finish my PhD in immunology, just because he came in and talked to me.”

Now in her fourth year at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, Gicobi hopes to someday return to Kenya to use her expertise to bolster healthcare in her home country.

“I want to lead a community that values science and appreciates research. Hopefully, I want to have my own lab or an institute where we can do research, whether it’s in cancers that are affecting Africa now or in infectious disease,” she says.

“It is a dream I have to spearhead

quality of life in Kenya — from a different angle.

“Cash crops have to be exported to other countries for them to be processed. After that, those same products get back to Kenya with high prices,” Gichovi says. “I was thinking of going back to Kenya to collaborate with other people who study chemical engineering or are getting industrial degrees. I think if we connect, we can come up with the industry. Maybe one of these days, Kenya can process its own cash crops without having to export them and then buy them back at high

“Maybe one of these days, Kenya can process its own cash crops without having to export them and then buy them back at high prices. This is what I want to do, and I think I can achieve that.” Juster Gichovi some research in Kenya and Africa in general. I believe the Mayo Clinic is preparing me to do exactly that.”

While Gichovi was more confident in her desired path in chemical engineering, her connection to the Clarkson network emboldened her in her pursuit.

“In talking to my professors and other friends who grew up here, I have more information now than I did before. Also, I have understood more, and I am seeking more help and more advice,” she says.

And while Gichovi is unsure of her next steps, her eventual plan is also to return home and improve the

prices. This is what I want to do, and I think I can achieve that.”

Regardless of where their ambitions lead, Gicobi and Gichovi’s connection to Donaldson, Wells and Clarkson are ingrained in that journey.

“The relationships you keep with the schools are so important. If Bob had not kept in touch with Clarkson, this would not have happened,” Gicobi said. “I believe in the school’s ability to shape the lives of their students in a positive way.”

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 35

Clarkson Innovation

Ichor and Clarkson Expand the Biotech Pharma Workforce

By Kristen A. Schmitt

KELSEY MOODY is tapping the Clarkson community’s entrepreneurial spirit through a recent partnership that brings biotech and pharma to the North Country Incubator.

As founder and CEO of ICHOR LIFE SCIENCES, headquartered in LaFayette, New York, Moody recently expanded the company to become the Incubator’s anchor tenant. Ichor develops and tests new drugs with specific expertise in oncology, metabolic disease, geriatrics, ophthalmology and musculoskeletal disease. His goal is to establish and grow a biotechnology cluster that benefits both Clarkson students and his company, which currently services between 30 and 50 biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Through this partnership, Ichor can provide opportunities in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry to the North Country workforce — options that would be difficult to find in the area otherwise. For Moody, unlocking these opportunities while harnessing this unique talent pool hits close to home.

“I think the North Country has an awful lot to offer, and it’s an untapped resource,” says Moody, a native of Beekmantown, New York, a rural community north of Plattsburgh. “This opportunity allows us to train Clarkson students from the ground up through the creation of a new curriculum and advanced training opportunities for both students and faculty.”

“When a company like Ichor Life Sciences comes to the North Country, it continues to validate that great things happen here,” says Ashley Sweeney, the Shipley Center’s associate director.

“Expansion of biotechnology in the Incubator, coupled with the growth of Clarkson’s Lewis School of Health Sciences, is a huge win for the University.”

Through a Lewis School collaboration, Ichor is expanding its protein science division and utilizing offices and wet laboratory space in Peyton Hall. The company also brought $2 million worth of state-ofthe-art equipment and eight fulltime staff to the space and has been operating there since July 2021.

Ichor will also use the space to train high school, undergraduate and graduate students and University faculty in advanced techniques in biophysics, structural biology, biochemistry and translational medicine. It’s a mutually beneficial partnership that allows Moody to train and recruit incredible talent from within the University who use their time at the Incubator as a

Kelsey Moody, founder and CEO of Ichor Life Sciences 36 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

stepping stone to more experienced positions at Ichor once they graduate.

“We’ve already hired two PhDs out of Clarkson as postdocs,” says Moody. “We’re also working with the provost and deans on a new curriculum of entrepreneurial sciences and advanced manufacturing.”

Moody credits President Tony Collins with establishing the sort of entrepreneurial scientific environment during his 19-year tenure that supports Ichor’s interest in building a long-term relationship with Clarkson — even as Collins steps down from his role in 2022.

And as the University’s new strategic plan rolls out in 2022, Clarkson’s research enterprise will become more visible and grow in value.

New programs will focus on intentionally pursuing the technology transfer of basic and applied research to increase the school’s research impact — a goal that aligns with Ichor’s vision for the partnership.

“As a company, our goal is to establish a biotech pharma ecosystem that will allow Clarkson’s faculty to commercialize tech,” says Moody. “It dovetails very nicely with Clarkson’s chemistry and engineering, as well as their initiative to bolster the health sciences.”

Because Ichor already has established relationships in place with investors and other startups that may be interested in launching similar partnerships with Clarkson, the Incubator is a positive step in the right direction for potential future endeavors.

“I think there are a lot of opportunities we can build on,” says Moody.

KLAW Combats Concrete’s Carbon Footprint

By Kristen A. Schmitt

Concrete is one of the most common building materials across the globe, with an estimated 26 billion tons produced annually worldwide, as reported by The Washington Post.

In fact, the production of cement, the binding element in concrete, accounted for 7% of total global carbon dioxide emissions in 2018.

Here’s the kicker: Even though traditional portland cement has one of the highest levels of embodied carbon of any building material, it’s also solid and durable — and production and use of the material aren’t likely to decrease any time soon. However, recent Clarkson graduates JACK LAMURAGLIA TCS’18, ’21 and TANNER WALLIS TCS’18, ’21 with Jacob Kumpon, a senior at Binghamton University, have developed a viable solution.

Founded by the three childhood friends in 2019, KLAW INDUSTRIES is the parent company behind Pantheon™ — an add-in product made from recycled glass that can replace 20%-50% of cement in concrete. Pantheon also makes that concrete 11% stronger.

The environmentally conscious innovators were inspired to create Pantheon after discovering that recycling hubs were not recycling many of the items they were supposed to. “We started touring facilities and found that the glass just isn’t recycled at all,” says Lamuraglia. “So, we started trying to figure out if there was a use for the glass and eventually landed on the concrete industry.”

“Most of the glass from recycling facilities ends up in a landfill due to external contamination,” adds Lamuraglia. “We take that glass from

the recycling facilities. We have a process that’s able to remove that contamination, treat it and then grind it down to a fine powder.”

The powder is a value-adding material that reduces the amount of cement in concrete manufacturers’ products, resulting in a “stronger, more chemically resistant concrete that also, most importantly, has a much lower carbon footprint,” says Lamuraglia.

By linking the concrete CO2 emission issue with the unrecycled glass problem, the trio developed solutions to two global environmental concerns. And their extraordinary innovation hasn’t gone unnoticed.

In April 2021, KLAW Industries won the grand prizes from two national competitions in one week: $40,000 and first place in Texas Christian University’s international Values and Ventures Competition and $10,000 and first place in the University of Georgia-Athens Next Top Entrepreneur Competition.

Lamuraglia credits Clarkson’s Shipley Center for helping them prepare for both. “They helped us learn how to pitch and make the presentation and supported us with countless coaching sessions.”

Using their competition prize money, KLAW recently bought a building and is in the process of setting up their equipment and prepping it for full-scale production of Pantheon. The company received its first load of glass from a local recycler in early October and is working with local cement manufacturers interested in Pantheon once the process is scaled up.

The team is also working with Clarkson on a pilot concrete project as part of a larger sustainability effort to improve bike infrastructure on campus, making Clarkson the first university to use Pantheon.

As for the future of KLAW Industries and Pantheon, Lamuraglia says the plan is to continue to grow.

“This company is most profitable and most impactful to the environment at a large scale,” says Lamuraglia.

“We aim to eventually take glass and recycle it to sell to concrete manufacturers across New York.”

“Pantheon will allow these manufacturers to have better concrete at a lower cost and allow recyclers to save money, and our environment will benefit,” adds Lamuraglia. “It’s a win for everyone, including the taxpayer who pays for recycling programs.”

From left: Jack Lamuraglia TCS'18 '21, Tanner Wallis TCS'18, '21 and Jacob Kumpon CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 41

BEHIND THE STATS SCENE Hockey Database Mastermind Sparked Idea at Clarkson

By Jake Newman

CLARKSON

42 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

VISITOR

LEAVE IT TO A GOLDEN KNIGHT TO STREAMLINE AN INEFFICIENT PROCESS AND CREATE AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION. NOW, AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS, TIM DANEHY ’92 IS STEPPING BACK FROM THE PROFESSIONAL ROLE THAT COMBINED TWO MARQUEE ASPECTS OF HIS ALMA MATER’S REPUTATION: ENGINEERING AND HOCKEY. Danehy, a computer engineer, revolutionized how the college hockey world accessed and consumed stats — ultimately creating a big name for himself in the hockey statistics community.

Danehy’s aptly named website, collegehockeystats.net, has long been considered the go-to digital destination for coaches, scouts, media and fans seeking any and all numbers related to the sport.

While simple in design, the site has historically offered the most accurate and updated information available for college hockey.

“I always wanted to make sure, not necessarily that I was out in front of everything, but just that we were doing things the most efficient way,” explains Danehy. “I always looked at it from the view of the sports information director.”

LEADING THE INDUSTRY The world of statistics has come a long way over the last three decades, and Danehy’s ability to adapt to the digital movement has kept him at the forefront of the sports information community. Before Danehy maintained statistics for NCAA hockey, the most pertinent information was distributed over the phone between radio stations.

Danehy’s first introduction was in the early days of internet-based stats.

“When I was at Clarkson, everyone followed hockey,” says Danehy. “There was an interest in it, and I started following it online, which at the time meant you signed up for an email list.”

Soon after graduation, the Canton, New York native remained local and soon found himself in contact with ECAC Tournament Director Joe Bertagna, who Danehy says was a de facto commissioner for the league. Danehy became the go-to guy for ECAC hockey statistics shortly thereafter.

“I would get a faxed copy of the handwritten box score after every game and manually enter the basics to be able to generate some stats reports and fax it back to them once a week,” Danehy says of the early days of his venture.

Soon, though, came the ability to use a much more efficient method.

“Around that time, in the mid90s, the internet existed, but the World Wide Web was just starting,” Danehy explains. “Once the web started rising, we figured out pretty quickly that we needed to build some kind of a rudimentary website for ECAC hockey. So I built that, and then part of that was making life easier for myself.”

Basic websites gave way to new platforms that made reporting scores more efficient. Nearly every organization involved in distributing statistics for collegiate hockey — from media outlets to college hockey conferences and the NCAA — began using Danehy’s website as their information source.

Once the websites became more user-friendly, the next step was to integrate live stats. Danehy’s website was soon relied upon to supply several other prominent hockey websites with their live statistics, including the NCAA itself.

“My philosophy was always to make sure we were doing what we needed to do to make their lives easier,” says Danehy. “Having that central repository of data made it a lot easier; having live scores available made it easier.”

RETIRING HIS NUMBERS Recently, after the longtime leveraging of collegehockeystats. net, the NCAA and others have opted to utilize other systems for their statistics — though it seems, so far, none have been as efficient as Danehy’s program.

For him, making the process efficient was always the goal. “We went from a radio station where people called to give scores, to having an email list where people could send out scores, to having websites where people get scores, then to live stats — and all of that was just us staying on the front of it,” Danehy says. “It evolved as the technology evolved.”

Now, as he retires collegehockeystats.net, Danehy plans to focus on other college hockey-related roles. He will consult with the NCAA on its tournament selection process and with various college hockey conferences across the country on scheduling, rankings and other behind-the-scenes logistics involved with the sport.

And while Danehy chalks it up as efficiency, his development of what was available to the college hockey community made an impact — and provided decades of important and easy-to-find data.

“WE WENT FROM A RADIO STATION WHERE PEOPLE CALLED TO GIVE SCORES, TO HAVING AN EMAIL LIST WHERE PEOPLE COULD SEND OUT SCORES, TO HAVING WEBSITES WHERE PEOPLE GET SCORES, THEN TO LIVE STATS — AND ALL OF THAT WAS JUST US STAYING ON THE FRONT OF IT. IT EVOLVED AS THE TECHNOLOGY EVOLVED.” — TIM DANEHY ’92 CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 43

Clarkson Confident

44 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

‘Freak of Nature’ or Fierce Leader?

By Ed Rider Few children really know what career path they want to pursue prior to entering high school. When asked, many will say they want to become a firefighter, doctor, nurse or professional athlete.

For two-time Clarkson University graduate VICTORIA BALLESTERO ’14, MBA’18, civil engineering was always part of her career plan.

“I tell people that I am a freak of nature because I knew from the time that I was 12 that I wanted to be a civil engineer,” Ballestero says.

A native of Ballston Spa, New York, Ballestero’s meteoric rise in the civil engineering and design industry was cemented when she was recognized as one of five recipients of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) national Young Professional of the Year Award. She was also recognized as the ACEC’s 2021 Metropolitan-Washington Young Professional of the Year.

Ballestero received earlier recognition as the Maryland Building Industry Association Rising Star Award in 2019 and was named the Outstanding Young Engineer of the Year in Maryland in 2018.

The national ACEC award recognizes professionals under the age of 35 who have contributed to the engineering industry and made an impact on society.

“I was a little emotional,” Ballestero admits of her response to getting the phone call informing her of the award. “It is truly such an honor to be recognized. The work that land development engineers do is really understated, so to receive acknowledgment on a national stage for my efforts is deeply rewarding.

“To be a young woman and getting this recognition is also very important.

Much of this industry doesn’t yet represent the diverse population right now, so that’s something that I have been cognizant of as I have been building my team. We have a diverse group, and I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Ballestero credits being around her family’s business, a site civil construction company in Saratoga Springs, New York, with being

I tell people that I am a freak of nature because I knew from the time that I was 12 that I wanted to be a civil engineer. influential in her early desire to become a civil engineer. She describes her father, Antonio Ballestero, as an industrious, entrepreneurial, selftaught, second-generation construction superintendent who would bring home site plans and mark them up with a red Sharpie. “He instilled in me the importance of constructability of design. That influenced my desire to design projects that are practical and make sense off paper.”

Upon earning her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from

Clarkson, Ballestero joined D.S. Thaler & Assoc. in Baltimore as a design engineer, where she learned the fundamentals of land development engineering, zoning, land use and entitlements. She later accepted a position as a project engineer at AECOM in 2016. Ballestero was hired

by ATCS, PLC in Largo, Maryland, in 2018 to launch the firm’s Prince George’s County, Maryland, office, where she leads a team of professional engineers, planners and land surveyors in delivering innovative solutions for the residential, commercial, mixed-use, institutional and industrial sectors. She is a mentor to junior staff across the organization and a corporate champion for continuing education, professional development, women in leadership, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Ballestero’s site civil engineering experience in the D.C. metropolitan area includes the pioneering of curbless street design in The Yards West, near Nationals Park; a host of residential subdivisions; a veterans’ housing project; and an array of mixeduse developments, among others.

“Clarkson prepared me exceptionally well for starting a career in civil engineering,” Ballestero says.

“But in this industry, there are some things that just cannot be learned in a classroom. You can’t fathom some of the challenges you will face until you’ve actually experienced them.

There is a lot of on-the-job training.”

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ballestero serves as president of the Maryland Society of Professional Engineers and vice president of associates on the CONTINUED ON PAGE 54 >

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 45

(ECE) appeared in the new documentary series Behind the Attraction, recently released

by Disney+. Bill was included in the first episode about the film Jungle Cruise, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1960s

ROBERT T. HARTUNIAN ’60 (ME): “I’m retired in the mountains of Southern California. At Big Bear Airport, I rent a large hangar and build experimental aircraft as a hobby. Then I fly them around the desert and cross-country for fun. It’s a never-ending job to maintain and ‘improve’ the designs. Much reward to fly something of your own creation.

Both have the same engine, yet the sleek Pulsar flies at 150 mph while the Zenith 701 manages just 70 mph. But the slow one lands and takes off in just a few hundred feet — a real bush plane.

If you want to exercise your engineering skills, build a plane.”

1970s

JAY A. HIGLE ’70 (SS): “Twenty five years ago, I felt Clarkson students and alums would behave better if they had a better image of themselves. I began doing my part with a memorial service for Thomas S. Clarkson at the Cathedral of All Saints in Albany in November 1996. Thomas and his parents were principle builders of the Cathedral. Remembering what Tony said on Sept. 17, as well as the Evensong on Sept. 26, I feel we’ve come a long way. I tried to present myself as a worker who needeth not to be ashamed.”

PETER J. FADDEN ’71, ’74 (CE; MS,CEE)

and wife, Irene (Elsenheimer), Potsdam Class of 1973, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on May 30, 2021.

JERRY E. ’71 (ChE) and Michele Quasny

are celebrating 50 years of marriage.

ROBERT P. WASHER ’72 (CE) says, “As president of the Optimist Club of Downtown Detroit, it is my pleasure to announce our 100th anniversary in 2022. We will kick off the celebration with a four-hour Detroit River dinner cruise. We are very proud of our club’s accomplishments, including annual oratorical and essay contests, events with the Special Olympics and Future Cities Competitions with the Engineering Society of Detroit.

Previous members include such notable names as Ford, Hudson and Cobo (past Detroit mayor).”

TERRY J. MCDOUGALL ’73 (MS,MS) scored a hole-in-one at the newly named River Course at Louisville Landing Recreation (formerly Massena Country Club), on hole 12 — 139 yards with a 9-iron: He followed up the next weekend by winning the first Super

ALEXANDER M. VANGELLOW ’70 (ME), with fellow

bandmates, celebrated the 50th anniversary of their rock’n’roll band, Double Axel.

46 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Senior Club Championship with a score of 74/75=149 and entering their Hall of Fame.

DANA M. BARRY ’74 (MS,Cm) and husband James F. Barry celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past August.

ELIZABETH A. FESSENDEN ’77, ’81, ’85, ’00 (ECE; MBA; MS,EE; H) has been

appointed to the board of directors at Meritor Inc. TIMOTHY J. LALONDE ’78 (Ac): “In 2021, I became the board president of the Thousand Islands Performing Arts Fund Inc., doing business as the Clayton Opera House. I am also a board member and the investment committee chair of the United Way of Central New York.”

ELLEN A. FRKETIC ’79

(CEE) has been promoted to deputy director of the Maryland Environmental Service.

KEVIN R. TUBBS ’79 (ChE) has been named one of Actual’s 2021 Purposeful 50, a list of influential individuals in environmental, social and corporate governance. Tubbs is the vice president and chief ethics, compliance and sustainability officer at Oshkosh Corporation.

PHOTO: THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

WILLIAM J. COTTER ’73

Class Notes

1980s

JOSEPH B. CHERA JR. ’80 (ID): “After earning my BSID degree from Clarkson (and an MBA from The George Washington University), I enjoyed a successful 40-year career as a sales/ marketing/general management executive with such stellar companies as General Electric, Philips, Siemens, Microsoft, BTG/Boston Scientific and Covidien/Medtronic. I retired in early 2020 and continue to consult under my own firm, CoHERA Advisors, providing coherent commercial advice to healthcare and life science companies.”

GREGORY P. EVANS ’81 (ChE), CEO of Indium Corporation, has been inducted into the Richard W. Couper “Living Legends” Class of 2021. The award is given by the Oneida County History Center.

CHRISTINE M. DORIA ’82 (ChE), retired

from her position as managing director at J.P. Morgan, has joined the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity Choptank in Trappe, Maryland.

ATUL K. GOEL ’82 (CEE) is a medical

director in the commercial division of eQHealth Solutions.

ADRIENNE ST. JOHN ’83 (CEE) retired in June after a 36-year career as an engineer for the Department of Public Works in Bedford, Massachusetts.

MAUREEN K. USIFER ’84 (MBA) has been appointed to the board of directors at PC Construction Company; she is the first woman in the company’s history to serve in such a position.

GEORGIA KERESTY ’83 (ChE) has been appointed to the board of directors of Intellia Therapeutics Inc., which focuses on creating curative therapeutics using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.

FRANCIS W. PEVERLY ’85 (ID) retired as vice president of operations at Orange & Rockland Utilities at the end of 2020 after more than 30 years with the utility. In February, Frank joined CHA Consulting in Albany as vice president, utility market segment leader. CHA is an engineering and design firm throughout the East Coast and Midwest engaged in infrastructure, building and power projects.

GREGORY J. STARHEIM ’84 (ME) has joined Delaware Electric Cooperative as president and chief executive officer.

JEFFREY L. CORLISS ’85 (ID),

managing director and partner at RDM Financial Group, has been named to Barron’s 2021 Top 100 Independent Advisors list. 2021 marks the first year Jeffrey has been featured. At RDM, Jeffrey specializes in creating highly personalized, comprehensive wealth plans for high- and ultra-highnet-worth individuals and families.

In 2021, he also ranked on the 2021 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors lists in Forbes and Barron’s.

DAVID S. WALL ’81 (CEE), after 38 years at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, retired in January 2020 as its performance improvement manager. At 61 years old, he launched his second career as the novelist D.S. Wall, publishing his first thriller, On American Soil: Jihad, in December 2020. The second book in his Preserve, Protect and Defend series was published in September 2021 and is called Anarchy. Book three, The Hunt, will be out in spring 2022.

EDWARD J. CUSHING III ’86 (ID),

global account manager at Amazon Web Services, has been appointed the inaugural member of a newly formed advisory board for Data Vault Holdings Inc. SCOTT A. KINGSLEY ’86

(Ac) has joined the executive management team at NBT Bancorp Inc. as executive vice president and chief financial officer. And additional congratulations to Scott, who completed the Boston Marathon and raised over $36,000 for Dana-Farber’s research programs!

MARY D. PETRYSZYN ’86

(ECE) is the corporate vice president and president of the defense systems business division at Northrop Grumman.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 47

Class Notes

on her family’s 19 years of experience and the support she has provided to others. It is available widely through all major online retailers, ebook platforms, bookstores and libraries.

KEITH A. HARGRAVE ’89, ’91 (ECE; MS,ECE) is the cofounder of Hargrave Collaborative, an architecture and engineering company in Lima, New York.

JONATHAN F. HAWAYEK ’88 (MBA), the state government affairs lead at Spark Therapeutics, has been appointed by Florida’s governor to the state’s Rare Disease Advisory Council.

1990s

BETH S. FIFIELD-HODGSON ’90 (Cm)

CHRISTIAN E. SANDER ’86 (ID), a

colonel in the New York Air National Guard, assumed command of the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base.

CARL M. CARLSON ’87 (Fn), chief

financial and strategy officer at Brookline Bancorp Inc., has been elected co-president of the company.

TERRENCE R. GUAY ’87 (ID) was

appointed director of the Center for Global Business Studies, Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University.

SUZAN L. JACKSON ’87 (ChE) has published her second book, Finding a New Normal: Living Your Best Life With Chronic Illness, which is based

has been appointed fellow of the National Society of Professional Engineers in recognition of her service to the society and engineering profession.

DANIEL G. STEC ’90 (ChE), a New York

state senator, has been recognized as a “Significant Sig” by the Sigma Chi Fraternity. The Significant Sig Award is the highest distinction awarded by the international fraternity and recognizes members who have achieved high levels of professional success.

TIMOTHY J. CLOUGHERTY ’91 (ID) is the deputy director of the public works department for the City of Manchester, New Hampshire, which is currently constructing the largest solar energy array in the state.

STEPHEN T. MAJORS ’89 (ID) has

published a family memoir, High Yella, that follows his life growing up as the youngest, white-passing son in an all-Black family, and later, marrying his husband and adopting their two Black daughters. He reckons with family secrets and his troubled childhood of poverty, abuse and generational trauma in order to find and understand himself. This memoir sheds light on the difficulties that multiracial people face in the U.S. — even within their own families. Written with clarity and grace, High Yella shares an extraordinary journey of Blackness, queerness and parenthood.

44 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

SCOTT M. RAJESKI ’91 (MBA) took Latham Group Inc. public on April 23, 2021. Latham designs, manufactures and markets in-ground residential swimming pools. The company builds fiberglass and vinyl liner swimming pools, as well as automatic safety covers. Latham Group (listed SWIM on Nasdaq) serves customers in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

ROBERT R. LABARGE ’91

(Mkt, MIS) has joined Community Bank NA as a commercial banking officer for all branches in St. Lawrence County.

KEVIN W. MCCULLEN ’91 (MS,ECE), an associate professor of computer science at SUNY Plattsburgh, has been awarded the 2021 Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence.

ADITYA P. MOHANTY ’91 (MS,ChE) has been appointed chief executive officer of Progenity Inc. and will serve on the company’s board of directors.

TIMOTHY J. DANEHY ’92 (CpE) is stepping down from his role maintaining the website collegehockeystats.net, which, for many years, was the primary source for statistical and live score data in the country.

PHILIP J. PARKER ’93, ’95, ’98 (CEE; MS,CEE; PhD,CEE), the acting dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, has been elected to the Wisconsin Internet of Things Council board of advisors.

PHOTO: GREG CASTER

JASON J. WALLACE ’92 (CEE) has been promoted to brigadier general in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he serves as the deputy commander of the 416th Theater Engineer Command.

NANCYANN SUCESE ’95

(TC) has joined Mengel Metzger Barr & Co. LLP as a senior tax accountant.

MARK S. JENKINS ’96 (MBA) is the executive vice president of Paulus Development in Syracuse, New York.

HONG JIA ’96 (MS,CE) is the

founder and CEO of the FPGA (fieldprogrammable gate array) chip supply company, Xi’an Intelligence Silicon Technology.

JAMES E. RICHERT ’96 (CE) has been

promoted by AXA XL’s North America Construction business to lead the subcontractor default insurance (SDI) business line, where he will head the SDI profit center.

OLUWOLE A. MCFOY ’98 (CE), a water

sector executive, has been appointed by the New York state governor to the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry board of trustees.

MATTHEW J. LIEPKE ’96 (IH, Cm),

colonel in the New York Army National Guard and partner in Port City Family Medicine in Oswego, New York, has assumed command of the New York Army National Guard’s Medical Command.

PAMELA A. KHRAIBUT ’99 (ChE), an engineer, has been inducted into the Peru Athletic Hall of Fame. During her time at Clarkson, she was a four-year starter in soccer and basketball and an All-American in soccer.

2000s

GLEN R. WHITEHOUSE ’97, ’00 (TCS; AE) has been selected to serve as co-CEO of Continuum Dynamics Inc. (CDI).

Glen joined CDI as an associate in 2003 after completing his PhD in rotorcraft aeromechanics and became a senior associate in 2000.

COREY D. WOODWARD ’00 (Mkt) has joined

the New York Apple Association as account manager.

AMY B. RUSIECKI ’01 (CE) is a trail/ ultra runner, as well as a guide for blind runners on trails throughout New England.

KEVIN T. SHANLEY ’01, ’09 (ME; PhD,ME), engineering professor and “founding father” of American blind hockey, spoke about his life and career on episode 37 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast.

JASMINE M. EL-GAMAL ’02 (Mkt) is a specialist on Middle East policy at the Atlantic Council, where she is a non-resident senior fellow. A former Pentagon official, she brings 15 years of national security and cross-cultural communication experience to the position.

THOMAS J. LAPAGE ’02 (Fn) has been promoted to vice president and market manager at Community Bank NA. HEATHER J. FELI ’03 (ChE) was recently promoted to product engineering leader for the electronics manufacturing team at Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense. In this new role, she oversees the product manufacturing/engineering for production and development programs; ensures that proper documentation and processes are in place for quality products to be built and delivered safely, within budget, and on time; and facilitates mentoring and training for her team. She celebrated her 10-year anniversary with EnsignBickford in September 2020.

LISA M. JEFFERS ’03, ’21 (By; MS,EM) has been elected the executive vice president of the Clarkson Alumni Association Leadership Board.

CONTINUED >

JOHN J. ANSON ’00

(Fn) is co-owner of Our Little Grewve Farms, a regenerative flower farm in Hermon, New York.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 49

Class Notes

MELISSA M. DILLON ’03 (Py) is the property manager at Unity Square, an affordable housing community for older people in Ashland, Kentucky.

She currently works for Emergent BioSolutions as a regulatory affairs manager, leading global regulatory activities for the ACAM2000 smallpox vaccine program. Lisa also volunteers her time as a service unit cookie manager for Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York. She married BILL JEFFERS ’01, ’05 (Hu; MBA) in 2005, and they are the proud parents of two girls.

NICHOLAS M. BORTON ’04 (CpE), a machine intelligence hardware architect at SRC Inc., is the vice chair of the SOSA (Sensor Open Systems Architecture) Steering Committee.

NICOLE M. PALAGONIA ’04 (MBA) was promoted to the senior manager level at Deloitte Services LP within the Talent Services Development Delivery team.

Also, she celebrated 16 years working at the firm!

MONICA ROE ’04, ’09 (MPT; DPT): “I have made my career primarily in off-road communities in northwestern Alaska, as well as in community-based inclusive development work in Belize.

I am currently in the MPH program at University of Alaska Anchorage. I am also an author for young people, focusing on the intersections of disability, rurality, geography and the social model of disability. In March, FSG/ Macmillan will publish AIR, a middlegrade novel that follows high-octane Emmie as she works toward her dreams of earning a new stunt wheelchair for WCMX. A lot of my disability focus is the direct result of my PT background, and the social model of disability was something I started learning about while a student at Clarkson — a fact for which I’m quite grateful.”

BRIAN T. BOHAN ’05 (AE) has received the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Dilip R. Ballal Early Career Award. Lt. Col. Bohan is an assistant professor of aeronautical engineering in the Graduate School of Engineering & Management at the Air Force Institute of Technology. His research focuses on compact gas-turbine combustion, gas-turbine engine controls, heat transfer, fluidic oscillating devices and alternate methods and materials for manufacturing turbomachinery. A new compact gas-turbine engine configuration he designed that is ideal for power generation is currently patent pending.

LINDSEY A. LATHROP ’07 (MBA), creator of Promote Yourself Professionally, is an International Coaching Federation-certified executive coach and gender-equity consultant in Durham, North Carolina.

EOWYN HEWEY ’91, ’06 (TCS; MS,EGOM)

has been promoted at Arconic from human resources manager to the plant manager of Massena Operations.

MATTHEW J. CURLEY ’07 (Hi) is the head coach of the United States Hockey League team the Des Moines Buccaneers.

TRISHA R. JESSET ’09 (CE) is the new director of planning for the Cortland County Planning Department in Cortland, New York.

LAURA J. OAKES ’03, ’05 (CE; MS,CE) and LAUREN M. LIVERMORE ’04 (CE) both started off their Water Environment Federation (WEF) careers in the Clarkson New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA) student chapter. They each served as the NYWEA student chapter president their senior years. Fast forward 18 years, and Laura and Lauren are serving on the executive board again, both now presidents of their respective WEF member associations, the Chesapeake Water Environment Association and NYWEA. The presidents recently reconnected at a conference, along with fellow Clarkson alum ELLEN A. FRKETIC ’79 (CEE).

50 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center, where she works to further the preservation of coastal birds and their habitats.

OLIVIA L. HOWE ’16 (IE) has been named the manager of sales and marketing for the Western Hockey League team Moose Jaw Warriors, where she is a coaching assistant.

AMANDA P. GEARY ’13 (PS), an attorney, recently opened her own law office in Ogdensburg, New York.

2010s

KATI A. JOCK UGC’10 (MBA) has joined the executive leadership team at Citizen Advocates, becoming the chief integration officer.

OLEKSANDR MAKEYEV ’10 (PhD,ES),

a professor at Diné College, has been issued a patent, “Concentric ring electrodes for improved accuracy of Laplacian estimation,” for a tool that can assist in diagnosing disorders by taking electrophysiological measurements from body parts.

CHRISTOPHER M. DENNEN ’11 (MBA) has joined Ariston as the director of marketing.

KARA E. TOMPKINS ’12 (SS) has been recognized as the 2021 Firefighter of the Year by the Redfield Volunteer Fire Company Inc. Kara works at Syracuse University as the director of direct marketing and participation. She is married to MATTHEW TOMPKINS ’12 (CE), who works for the New York State Department of Transportation.

VICTORIA M. BALLESTERO ’14, ’18

(CE; MBA) has been recognized by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) as a Young

Volker

Professional of the Year after receiving the local award presented by the ACEC Metropolitan Washington Chapter in June. She was selected for the national award for her leadership in land development engineering.

TYLER HITCHMAN ’15 (By) graduated

with his PhD from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s prestigious Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK).

GSK is an innovative doctoral program that prepares the next generation of basic laboratory scientists to work in research areas related to human disease with a focus on cancer. Tyler and six of his fellow GSK 2021 graduates were honored during a virtual commencement ceremony in May 2021.

SARAH E. LOERZEL ’15 (By) is the lead engineer for the Wide Area Surveillance Program’s Site Activation Team in the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base. She recently received an Emerging Leadership Award from AFCEA International.

SHELBY J. CASAS ’16 (By) is the coast program associate at the Long Island

Masi

ISABEL G. NEWSOME ’16 (Ph): “In

August 2021, I successfully completed my PhD in biomedical engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My doctoral research focused on ultrasound imaging, and I am now working as a scientific applications specialist for a leading preclinical ultrasound company, Fujifilm VisualSonics Inc.” JENNIFER A. YAGER ’17 (BIDA) started a new position at Upstate Cerebral Palsy as a business reports analyst.

DEVIN BROSSEAU ’19, ’21 (FIA; MBA) plays professional hockey in the Edmonton Oilers organization and is a forward on the Bakersfield Condors.

KEITH F. PANE ’16 (Ph) is an engineer at BAE Systems.

After climbing the high peaks together over a period of 24 year, he and his brothers recently summited their 46th, becoming 46ers.

NICHOLAS C. VOLKER ’14 (ME) successfully passed the PE: HVAC Exam and was promoted to lead engineer with IBC Engineering PC in Rochester, New York.

MADELINE MASI ’14, ’17 (TCS; Cm, Comm), currently a chemistry PhD candidate and teaching assistant at Clarkson, received the 2021 Outstanding Teaching Award for Graduate Students.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 51

Class Notes

JORDAN J. BOUCHER ’17 (FIA) has signed with the

Belfast Giants hockey team.

ROBERT A. NAIMARK ’19 (IE) joined the board of directors at Temple Beth El, a synagogue in Santa Maria, California, as comembership chairman in June 2021. His responsibilities include engaging current membership and welcoming new members to the congregation. In addition, Robert has served as the Jewish Community Center-Federation of San Luis Obispo manager since February 2020. Temple Beth El offers regular education programs and Saturday morning Torah studies. Learn more by visiting tbesantamaria.com.

MARRIAGES DARCY L. (WILSON) ’99 (Ac) and Robert

Burns, September 25, 2021.

MICHAEL J. ’08 (IE&M) and Michelle D’AMICO, September 6, 2020.

ELSBETH D. (ADAMS) ’11 (ME) and James Almanza, October 17, 2020.

COURTNEY L. (KISSAM) ’14 (MBA) and Victor A. Fabiyi, August 14, 2020.

ANNA M. (DEMASI) ’15 (Py) and ZACHARY R. GODIN ’16 (GSCM),

May 29, 2021.

ALEXANDRA M. (MAAS) ’16 (EM) and DANIEL M. DRAKE ’16 (EM), July 10, 2021.

FRANCESCA T. (BARTIMOLE) ’17 (EM) and LUCAS J. KNOWLES ’17 (EM), June 19, 2021.

MALLORY R. (FOLSOM) ’17 (CE) and Keegan Kwetcian, September 4, 2021.

LINDSEY M. WELDON ’17 (MS,PAS) and MICHAEL W. SELBY ’17 (MS,PAS), September 12, 2020.

ALI A. OTHMAN ’19 (PhD,Cm), a

MIRANDA R. COLLINS ’20 (By) spent much of the pandemic on the COVID-19 front lines, working as a laboratory technical associate at Saratoga Hospital, Saratoga Springs, New York.

research associate in Clarkson’s Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Science, has been awarded The Electrochemical Society Colin Garfield Fink Fellowship for 2021.

2020s

BENJAMIN H. BUCK ’20 (CE) has joined

Clarkson Athletics as the assistant coach for the cross-country and Nordic skiing teams.

FRANCIS MAROTTE ’20 (MBA) is an

ice hockey goalie with the Seattle Kraken ECHL affiliate team, the Allen Americans.

LAURA M. GOLDHAR ’21 (MSPAS) has

ELIZABETH GIGUERE ’21 (GSCM), the all-time leading scorer of the Golden Knights women’s hockey program, will play for the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs while she attends the Labovitz School of Business and Economics.

52 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

joined North Country Adult Medicine in Massena, New York, where she will provide primary care.

LAUREN B. LEFLER ’18 (ME) and GREGORY J. LEWIS ’16 (FIA),

September 19, 2020.

RENATA Y. (SPINOSA) ’18 (EnvE) and ZACHARY T. PORTER ’18 (CE), August 14, 2021.

IVY ANNA S. (KITCHEN) ’19 (GSCM) and KYLE D. SMITH ’14 (CE), September 5, 2021.

SARAH L. (LILHOLT) ’19 (ChE) and FLETCHER B. DIX ’19 (ChE), July 10, 2021.

AMANDA R. (GAEBEL) ’21 (CE) and Caleb Malmin, June 19, 2021.

How to Submit a Class Note To submit a class note for inclusion in the monthly electronic newsletter or next Clarkson magazine, please visit clarkson.edu/milestones.

Questions can be directed to alumni@clarkson.edu.

In Memoriam

1940s

Wallace J. Quick ’41 (ChE), 1998.

Robert J. Given ’48 (EE), 2020.

Wilson – Burns

Weldon – Selby

Demasi – Godin Spinosa – Porter

Maas – Drake Kitchen – Smith

Bartimole – Knowles

Lilholt – Dix

1950s

Harry J. Borchers Jr. ’50 (ME), 2021.

Morton Galanter ’50 (EE), 2021.

Frederick J. MacDonald ’50 (ME), 2021.

George Azrak ’51 (CE), 2021.

Francis X. Carney ’51 (ME), 2021.

Charles A. Cattaneo ’51 (EE), 2021.

Donald B. Hanson ’51 (BA), 2021.

Richard Scallion ’51 (EE), 2021.

Lewis P. Thomas ’51 (ME), 2021.

John Allgaier ’52 (CE), 2021.

Marvin Paull ’52 (EE), 2021.

Joseph T. Reilly ’52 (BA), 2021.

Barry A. Carson ’53 (BA), 2021.

James M. Coughlin ’53 (BA), 2021.

Leonard Johnston ’53 (CE), 2021.

Richard A. Kenyon ’54 (ME), 2021.

Frank Sestak Jr. ’54 (ME), 2021.

Donald K. Speed ’54 (ME), 2021.

Allen L. Burbank ’55 (CE), 2021.

Russel W. Kenyon ’55 (EE), 2021.

Norman E. Kicherer ’55 (BA), 2021.

Donald S. Weed ’55 (ME), 2021.

Gerry D. Brill ’57 (EE), 2021.

John M. Carter ’57 (BA), 2021.

Donald Seale ’57 (BA), 2021.

Arthur J. Battista ’58 (BA), 2021.

Bruce B. Black ’58 (ID), 2021.

Robert H. Cleveland ’58 (ChE), 2021.

Arthur H. Berg ’59 (ME), 2021.

John C. Davidson ’59 (ME), 2021.

Gerald A. Mayville ’59 (EE), 2021.

1960s

Folsom – Kwetcian

Gaebel – Malmin

BIRTHS JASON K. ’05, ’07 (Py; MPT) and Tia MAYERHOFER, a daughter, Aelia Hope,

CASSANDRA J. (LAU) ’12 (GSCM) and Roman Hradysky, a daughter, Savannah, May 25, 2021.

BETHANNY S. SMITH-PACKARD ’07

(Py) and Matt Christy, their first child, Eleanor, April 15, 2021.

MEGAN R. (MAHON) ’12 (By) and George Sobota, a son, August Nathaniel, December 2, 2020.

BRIDGET M. (MURRAY) ’10 (By) and ROBERT A. CULLY ’10, ’13 (EnvE;

ELIZABETH J. (DUBA) ’15 (GSCM) and NICHOLAS J. DIVINCENZO ’14

September 27, 2021.

MS,EvSE), a son, John Ryan, February 27, 2021.

(GSCM), a son, Luca Thomas, September 21, 2021.

Richard G. Boyd ’60 (ME), 2021.

Franklin Churchill ’60 (CE), 2012.

Peter M. Clinton ’60, ’63 (ChE; MS,ChE), 2021.

William G. Cockayne ’60 (ME), 2021.

David Kaplan ’60 (EE), 2015.

George L. Cohen ’61, ’63 (Cm; MS,Cm), 2021.

Samuel Gowan ’61 (ID), 2021.

Thomas D. Musselman ’61, ’63 (ChE; MS,ChE), 2012.

Thomas W. Parker ’61 (ME), 1997.

Donald M. Rupert Jr. ’61 (BA), 2021.

Vernon J. Lloyd ’62, ’65 (ChE; MS,ChE), 2021.

David F. Shaw ’62 (EE), 2021.

Leslie E. Silvern ’62 (EE), 2021.

James T. Cramer ’63 (ChE), 2021.

Bryan D. Eddy ’63 (ID), 2020.

David L. Ewing ’64 (Ac), 2021.

Edward E. Vallee ’64 (Ac), 2021.

Douglas Wallon ’64 (ChE), 2017.

CONTINUED > CLARKSON UNIVERSITY

/ 53

In Memoriam

William R. Brown ’65 (Ac), 2016.

Albert J. Grenier ’65 (ID), 2021.

Richard K. Hoesterey ’65 (Mgt), 2021.

David C. Tanner ’65 (ChE), 2021.

Joseph R. Allison ’66 (CE), 2021.

Clifford H. Beck ’66 (ChE), 2017.

Michael T. Halloran ’66 (ME), 2021.

Henry A. Jones ’66 (ME), 2021.

Thomas F. O’Donnell ’66 (SS), 2021.

Bucky V. Nickau ’67 (SS), 2021.

Vi D. Dang ’68, ’71 (MS,ChE; PhD,ChE), 2002.

Jeffrey T. Elmore ’68 (ME), 2021.

David J. Pileggi ’68, ’71 (EE; MS,EE), 2021.

Richard L. Hall ’69, ’72 (MS,Ph; PhD,Ph), 2021.

1970s

Charles P. Varga ’70 (CE), 2021.

Matthew R. Adamkoski ’71 (ME), 2021.

Dean L. Cornett ’71 (ME), 2021.

George L. Goth Jr. ’71 (EE), 2014.

Frank Hummel Jr. ’71 (Mgt), 2021.

Bradley Moynahan ’71 (PhD,Cm), 2018.

Richard D. Selip ’71 (ID), 2021.

George S. Burkett ’72 (SS), 2016.

David M. Versace ’72 (Ma), 2021.

Mary B. Allen ’74 (MS,BSci), 2021.

Edwin E. Caryl ’74, ’75 (Ac; MS,Ac), 2021.

James E. Arnold ’75 (Mkt), 2021.

Joseph A. Caruso ’75 (Mkt), 2021.

Kurt B. Hayes ’75 (SS), 2021.

Michael P. Mastin ’75 (Mkt), 2015.

Kevin B. Stukey ’75 (ME), 2021.

Shelly Mertens ’77 (CEE), 2021.

Kenneth L. Pierce ’77 (Ac), 2021.

Walter J. Amante ’78 (ECE), 2021.

Robert K. Goldman ’79 (CEE), 2021.

Kirk D. Junco ’79 (CEE), 2021.

1980s

Eugene C. Schiefer ’80 (ID), 2021.

Robert P. Mulligan ’81 (Py), 2021.

Dwayne T. Neal ’82 (ID), 2021.

James A. Simmons ’82 (ECE), 2021.

Victor D. Smith ’82 (ID), 2021.

Mark A. Koster ’83 (ME), 2021.

Donna M. Saucier ’84 (ECE), 2021.

Janet M. Handschuh Amyot ’85 (Mkt), 2021.

Mark A. Lane ’85 (CE), 2021.

Dana G. Todd ’85 (Ph), 2021.

Aaron J. Clark ’86 (ECE), 2021.

Elizabeth M. Demo ’87, ’92 (Ac; MBA), 2021.

James J. Del Negro ’89 (ME), 2021.

1990s

Daniel Huffaker ’90 (CEE), 2021.

Frederick S. Morrill ’91 (Ac), 2021.

Michael J. Burrage ’92 (ME), 2021.

Kevin J. Giambrone ’96 (CE), 2021.

Kathy J. DeForge ’97 (Ac), 2021.

2010s

Robert W. Hauf ’13, ’16 (ME; MS,EM), 2021.

Ryan W. Parece ’15 (SE), 2022.

2020s

Julius Michel ’25 (ME), 2021.

SPECIAL FRIEND OF CLARKSON

Robert K. Goldman ’79 A professional engineer for 37 years, Goldman held many successive management positions at Blasland, Bouck & Lee Inc. (BBL), including president, CEO and chairman. In 2005, when BBL was sold to ARCADIS, he was named global director-environmental and then executive vice president of U.S. Operations until he retired in 2015. Goldman was also cofounder of Blue Eagle Strategies LLC. He was a member of the United Way of Central New York Board of Directors from 2001-06; served on the Foundation Board of the Museum of Science and Technology and the New York State Board for Engineering, Land Surveying and Geology; and was a volunteer firefighter/first responder/ emergency medical technician for the Town of DeWitt Fire Department. Goldman served on Clarkson’s Engineering Advisory Committee and then the Board of Trustees from 2012-17. He received the Golden Knight Award in 2019.

Clarkson Confident > CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45

executive committee for the Maryland Building Industry Association. She is a board member for the Foundation for Applied Construction Technology for Students and a member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Council at Clarkson.

Passion is a word Ballestero uses frequently but does not take lightly.

She founded a scholarship at her high school alma mater for students who are

54 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

enthusiastic about volunteerism, something in which she has immersed herself throughout her life. “I’m a firm believer in making frequent deposits in the cosmic karma bank. It is important to give back without expectations of getting anything in return,” Ballestero says. Of her time volunteering with Clarkson, Ballestero said, “It is imperative for those who have been given opportunity to reach back with a helping hand to support the communities that empowered them to flourish.”

Outside of her professional commitments, Ballestero is married and has run nine marathons, including the Boston Marathon. She is a triathlete,

a rock and ice climber, a backpacker and an avid traveler.

With so many recognized accomplishments under her belt, Ballestero’s focus remains on site civil engineering projects that will impact the underserved. “Though ATCS is a multidisciplinary engineering consulting firm, my greatest interests are in solving complex land development problems to improve the community,” Ballestero says.

“Shaping the landscape of my community and mentoring the next generation of engineers is what gets me out of bed every morning.”

Clarkson University Trustees

OFFICERS

Thomas L. Kassouf ’74 Chair

Anthony G. Collins University President

Kenneth S. Lally ’79 Vice Chair

Bayard D. Clarkson Sr., MD, H’74 Distinguished Vice Chair

Lauretta M. Chrys UGC’98 Secretary

Kelly O. Chezum ’04 Assistant Secretary

Kenneth J. Kline Treasurer

TRUSTEES

Anthony B. Bouchard ’85 President & Chief Operating Officer CDM Smith Inc.

Kenneth V. Camarco ’85

President & Founder Boundless Breakthroughs LLC

Kathryn E. Campbell ’03 Vice President/Head of U.S. Product Strategy & Development Franklin Templeton Companies LLC

Robert A. Campbell ’61

CEO, Asia Pacific Region (Ret.) Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd.

Simoon L. Cannon ’97 Founder & President Melanina Organics LLC

Amy E. Castronova ’04 Vice President Orbis Technologies

Lauretta M. Chrys UGC’98

Anthony G. Collins President Clarkson University

Charles R. Craig

Chairman (Ret.) Albany International Corp.

Karel K. Czanderna ’77

Kenneth S. Lally ’79

Peter J. Devlin ’80

Earl R. Lewis ’66

Chairman of the Board (Ret.) Flir Systems Inc.

Executive Vice President & COO (Ret.) United Therapeutics

Robert A. DiFulgentiz ’76

G. Michael Maresca P’18

Dennis G. Weller ’71

President & CEO (Ret.) Flexsteel Industries Inc. President & CEO (Ret.) Fish & Richardson PC

Bayard D. Clarkson Jr., MD

Christina A. Dutch ’91

Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

David K. Heacock ’83

Member, Molecular Pharmacology/Chemistry Sloan-Kettering InstituteMSKCC

Senior Vice President & Manager (Ret.) Texas Instruments Silicon Valley Analog

Kathleen H. Cline ’85

Thomas L. Kassouf ’74

President KTC Construction

Frank R. Schmeler ’64, P’91, P’93

Sanjeev R. Kulkarni ’84

Executive Vice President & COO Citizens Bank

Bayard D. Clarkson Sr., MD, H’74

Global Head, Medical Sciences & Development Operations Takeda Pharmaceuticals R&D

Senior Vice President, Science & Technology, Administration & Operations Corning Incorporated

President & COO (Ret.) Koch Chemical Technology Group

Private Practitioner

Georgia Keresty ’83

President (Ret.) Snap-on Tools Group

Jean E. Spence ’79

Professor, Electrical Engineering Princeton University

Executive Vice President (Ret.) Mondelēz International Inc.

W. Ashley Twining ’82 President Viking-Cives Group

Founder SimuTech Group

Interventional & General Radiologist President St. Lawrence Radiology Associates PC

John S. Mengucci ’84 President & CEO CACI International Inc.

Rajan Raghavan ’82

Founder, President & CEO The Fabric Net

Cody A. Rosen ’13

David A. Walsh ’67

Chairman of the Board Structural Associates Inc.

James F. Wood ’64

Director, Energy Institute Director, U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, Advanced Coal Technology Consortium West Virginia University

Robert R. Ziek Jr. ’78 President ZSource Ltd.

Executive Vice President Kimco Steel

NEW TRUSTEES

Anthony B. Bouchard ’85 Bouchard is the president and chief operating officer of CDM Smith Inc., a global, privately owned engineering and construction firm. A founding member of the Coulter School of Engineering Dean’s Leadership Council, he will serve as a member of the Academic Mission Committee.

Amy E. Castronova ’04 Castronova is vice president of the consumer products, healthcare and medical, and financial and business service divisions at Orbis Technologies Inc., an industryleading content creation, management and publishing company. A former trustee from 2009 to 2019, she has been reelected to serve on the People Priorities Committee.

Karel K. Czanderna ’77 Czanderna was the CEO and a board member of Flexsteel Industries Inc. until her retirement in 2018. She is currently on the boards of BlueLinx Holdings and Balcan Innovations Inc. She served as a Clarkson trustee from 200212 and 2014-16, including for terms as vice-chair and interim board chair. She will serve on the Audit Committee.

Jean E. Spence ’79 Spence is the retired executive vice president of research development & quality for Mondelēz International Inc. She is currently president of JES Consulting LLC. She was a trustee from 2006 to 2019, serving as chair from 2015 to 2019. She will serve as a member of the Audit and Governance committees.

CLARKSON UNIVERSITY //55 51

Clarkson University Financial Report Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2021

2021

2020

$3,385,563 8,635,615 11,788,226 5,393,892 3,489,981 244,893,381 220,369,957

$1,218,026 8,304,534 11,115,196 6,295,960 3,169,103 200,502,202 220,023,616

$497,956,615

$450,628,637

Assets Cash and equivalents Accounts receivable, net Pledges receivable, net Notes receivable — students, net Other assets Investments Property, plant and equipment, net Total Assets

Liabilities and Net Assets LIABILITIES

Accounts payable/accrued expenses Other liabilities Outstanding debt Total Liabilities

$11,931,258 34,725,940 81,979,123

$17,849,057 43,872,564 73,022,039

$128,636,321

$134,743,660

NET ASSETS

Without donor restriction With donor restriction

$157,934,261 211,386,033

$142,396,745 173,488,232

Total Net Assets

$369,320,294

$315,884,977

$497,956,615

$450,628,637

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

clarkson.edu CLARKSON is published two times per year by Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699. Circulation: 45,000 Volume MMXXI / Number 2 / December 2021 Printed in USA Marketing & External Relations 315-268-4483 PUBLISHER AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Kelly O. Chezum MBA’04

EDITOR AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS

Kris Ross

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES & PROJECT MANAGEMENT

David Homsey

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Michael Griffin Melissa Lindell Jake Newman Ed Rider

Kris Ross Jennifer Sampson Kristen A. Schmitt Suzanne F. Smith

The President’s Report issue is sent annually to international colleagues in higher education, alumni and other friends of the institution.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Development Operations, Clarkson University, Box 5510, 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, NY 13699 email: developmentops@clarkson.edu EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY Clarkson University does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran or marital status in provision of educational opportunity or employment opportunities. This policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation does not apply to the University’s relationships with outside organizations, including the federal government, the military, ROTC and private employers. Clarkson University does not discriminate on the basis of sex or disability in its educational programs and activities, pursuant to the requirements of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the American Disabilities Act of 1990, respectively.

STAY CONNECTED TO CLARKSON

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS

Christine Collins Connor Frasier John Gauvin

56 / 2021 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Susan Kahn Jacob McNamara ’16

clarkson.edu/social

WE’RE ALL IN. ARE YOU?

Join the Ken ’71 and Grace Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge today and make a lasting impact on the future.

To learn more, contact Steven Smalling at steven.smalling@clarkson.edu.

DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS Box 5510, 8 Clarkson Avenue Potsdam NY 13699

D

uring its winter meeting, the Clarkson University Board of Trustees announced that the Potsdam Hill Campus will now be known as The Collins Hill Campus, in honor of Tony Collins’ 19 years as President of the University and in recognition of the contributions he and his wife, Karen Collins, have made to the greater Clarkson community.

“President Collins established the vision for the renovation and expansion of the Hill Campus, which has been realized over the last two decades through his

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID POTSDAM, NY PERMIT NO. 78

exceptional leadership and fundraising efforts,” said Board Chair Thomas K. Kassouf ’74. “Our resolution and decision to officially name the Hill Campus acknowledges the supportive and engaging student environment unceasingly nurtured by Tony Collins and Karen Collins.”

During President Collins’ tenure as a faculty member and the institution’s 16th leader, Clarkson has graduated one-third of its living alumni, of which one in five leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company.