Farewell President Collins Archives - Page 9 of 23

Gratitude and thanks

Michael and Amy Baringer ‘

During the pandemic, when our son Luke was searching for schools – you and your wife opened up your home to us along with the Munter family. Your hospitality that day, combined with the lure of Clarkson sealed our students choice. He spent the past year finding a new home and family at Clarkson. We are so grateful for your guidance and dedication to this institution. Congratulations on so much success. You will be greatly missed. Best wishes, The Baringer Family

Givers Never Lack

Agbor Esong Effiom ’22

I have read how your lives and service have blessed many within and probably without the Clarkson community. It is my prayer for you that Your Source will never run dry and Your living will continuously penetrate the hearts of men and pull them closer to the God in your hearts.

God bless you more

Best Wishes

Omkar Deo ’11

Dear Tony and Karen,

Wish you all the very best. Have a long and happy retired life! Take care and enjoy every day!

Omkar Deo

Best wishes

Janyce Brennan Fadden ’77

Dear Tony and Karen,

Thanks for your leadership, fellowship and friendship to our university and to the region. You made a lasting impact from which generations will prosper. Enjoy thoroughly this next chapter of your lives. Kind regards, Janyce Brennan Fadden ’77

Godspeed

Diane DiFrancesco ’77

Dear Tony and Karen,

Sending love and hugs from a favorite Chicago alum!! Best to you both.

What you’ve done for Clarkson is a fabulous legacy. I, for one, will be eternally grateful.

Let’s keep in touch. Love you guys,

CEO and Founder of DLD QUALITY ENGINEERING and DLD CAREER COACHING

Diane DiFrancesco, 9154 Kilpatrick Ave, Skokie IL USA 60076-1529 cell=773-485-7957,

Knowing you both

Phil Wesler ’48

The years have just flown by. I’ll be celebrating my 74th anniversary this summer, and over those years I have been acquainted with several presidents, of the university and the college before. It was a”little college in upstate New York that nobody had heard of” to a well-known university that it is today. Much of that renown is undoubtedly due to you (and Karen, too, of course). So Berta and I wish you both well in your future ventures. It has been a great pleasure to know you both.

Phil (1948) and Berta Wesler

Tony, you and Karen will be missed!

Tom Walker ’67

Hi Tony,

That time has come, eh? Well, I hope you and Karen will travel, travel, and travel some more. Provence would be my first trip.

I just would like you to know I really value our friendship … from when you agreed to serve the NYS Section AWWA as Student Activities Chair through the present. And thank you for taking the time from a busy day to advise my daughter, Kate, when we were on college visits, and for maintaining that professional relationship with Kate over the last several years.

Ironically, only about an hour ago I was shredding some 40 years worth of tax records prior to a move when I came across a 1991 letter from you acknowledging my donation of several years worth of Journal AWWA to Clarkson. And then opening my emails to find this message from Clarkson. What is that? A small world? Serendipity? Whatever it is I’m just glad to have the chance to tell you that you have been a special person in my life.

All the best to you, Karen and the rest of your family as you embark on this next phase of your adventure.

Tom Walker ’67 & ’69

How Tony Got Tenure

Joseph Visalli ‘

I was working at the NYS Energy R&D Authority as a Program Manager for Environmental Studies when we awarded a contract to Tony and another professor in the Environmental Engineering Department to study the effectiveness of anaerobic pretreatment of municipal wastewater on reducing the energy needed to treat municipal sewage. At the time, Tony did not have tenure, and I like to think that this contract helped him win tenure and then…………………. the rest is history as they say.

Slip n’ Slide Soap Raid

Patrick Keller ’07

Freshman year I was hanging out with a friend from home who was a sophomore and his friends. They had decided to get some plastic sheets from a local hardware store and make a slip n’ slide down the side of Woodstock hill. I’m not sure where the initial supply of soap and water came from, but when we ran out of soap it fell to me and Tom Reeves to go get more. We took a couple of buckets and entered the Science Center after hours. We were soaked and shirtless and covered in grass, mud, and soap as we ran from bathroom to bathroom opening up soap dispensers and emptying them into our buckets. As we topped the stairs to the third floor, we came face to face with President and Mrs. Collins! We were frozen and stuttering in surprise, thinking our college careers were over. President Collins asked us what we were up to, we fessed up, and they both chuckled… Mrs. Collins just said she was glad our mothers didn’t have to do our laundry afterward! They bid us have fun and good evening and we were back on the hunt! That solidified our respect and affection for our “Uncle Tony” that has stuck with me to this day nearly 20 years later!

Congratulations on a job well done.

John Lester ’52

Tony & Karen:

I wish you well in the next stage of your lives. You have left an incredible and indelible imprint on Clarkson University, and its many alumni during your many years of leadership. You have made me very proud of this fine university, and has solidified the decision that I made 74 years ago to attend Clarkson.

Sincerely, John Lester ’52