“Let the Party Begin”

“Let the Party Begin”

Garry and Chris Morrow ’63

Tony and
Karen,

Karen and Tony,

From the
day we first met you through numerous encounters – at the Hockey Game in Ottawa, at the
Saratoga Racetrack and sunset cruises in Southwest Florida = we have been
inspired by the way you have made yourself available to all the Clarkson
stakeholders and the Grace and thoughtfulness that have characterized your
interactions with us. Your energetic and enthusiastic leadership have propelled
Clarkson to heights never imagined prior to your arrival.  We wish you all
the best that life brings in the days to come.  You are truly “a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed.”

Garry
& Chris Morrow

• Farewell President Collins

Our Clarkson Legacy’s have crossed in many ways

Our Clarkson Legacy’s have crossed in many ways

Carol Dowd Greene ’78

Tony and Karen, 

On behalf of Mark Greene ’77, Bryan Greene ’04, Beth Greene Monaco ’07, Tim Monaco ’07 and myself, we have truly enjoyed and valued your impact on us personally and the entire Clarkson Community.  We have fond memories of the many times during your tenure where our Clarkson lives’ have crossed paths. From Tony’s inauguration in September 2003, when Bryan was President of CUSA and spoke at a very moving ceremony reflecting the pride the Clarkson Community had in making one of their own President; to Beth and you doing the groundbreaking of the Student Center in 2009 and you, Beth, Tim and Bryan participating in the opening celebration of the Student Center in 2011; to Mark and your relationship when he was President Elect of the Alumni Association in the Opening of Clarkson’s Capital Region Campus and as President of the Alumni Association; to Tim and your interaction for the First Annual OktoBAJAfest in October 2021. We appreciate your friendship and your interest in our growing family these past years. We will you all the very best as you move on the next adventure and have the opportunity to enjoy your family. Thank you for many wonderful memories!

Fondly, Cindy Dowd Greene ’78

• Farewell President Collins

Memories from previous college reunions and Brunches at Saratoga Race Track

Memories from previous college reunions and Brunches at Saratoga Race Track

David Stankavich ’72

Dear Tony & Karen:

It was a pleasure knowing you and meeting at previous college reunions and Saratoga Race Track brunches at the At the Rail pavilion.   My wife, Christine, and I want to wish you all the best in your future plans.  You both made us feel right at home.  We will miss you at my upcoming 50th reunion happening this summer in July 2022.

Regards and best wishes,

David & Christine Stankavich

• Farewell President Collins

I hope our paths continue to cross!

I hope our paths continue to cross!

Beth Reasoner ‘

Dear Karen and Tony,

Thank
you again for all you have done for me, for Clarkson, for the entire north country and
beyond. You have both made great sacrifices for the greater good and will be dearly missed.

I
wish you both many, many happy retirement years and like you said, I hope our
paths continue to cross!

Beth Reasoner

• Farewell President Collins

Thank You Tony and Karen Collins

Thank You Tony and Karen Collins

Thomas Murphy ’74

Your friendship and dedication over your time at Clarkson University has been a significant contribution to so many people. Your understanding of how connected we are to other colleges and universities, and careers that add to our early experiences at Clarkson. Thank You for meeting with me and Professor Theodore Hagelin at Syracuse University College of Law and seeing how that adds to the journey we take. Technology Commercialization is best accomplished through interdisciplinary teams, where Engineers (STEM), Management, and Law experts work together, and where the contribution of each discipline is respected. 

I would also like to say that everytime I visited Clarkson University your focus on each and every student and my introduction to them was amazing.

• Farewell President Collins

Thank You Tony and Karen!

Thank You Tony and Karen!

Amanda Titus ’18

Tony and Karen,

The impact you have had on the Clarkson community and the legacy you will leave behind is tremendous. Your dedication and commitment to each and every member of the Clarkson University family is unmatched, and that’s how you made us feel at Clarkson, like a family. 

I was a member of the women’s hockey team from 2014-2018 and my family and I will always remember how you knew every player and parents’ name (even as brand new freshmen!). After getting to know you both this isn’t surprising, it’s who you are. You are two caring people that are genuinely interested in the students and their families.

I have great memories of looking up in the stands at regular season games, conference championships and national championships and seeing you proudly cheering us on. We were extremely lucky and grateful to have had the support that you gave us.

President Collins and Karen, there aren’t enough words to describe the impact you’ve had on the lives of students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members. Thank you for everything, Clarkson will miss you.

• Farewell President Collins

Best Wishes Tony & Karen

Best Wishes Tony & Karen

Doug & Jane Collette ’71

We wish you both a happy and well-deserved retirement. Inspired by you both, we will continue to support CU and we hope to continue to grow our scholarship to help more students avoid the crushing debt that often accompanies a college education. The improvements, growth, and changes we have seen in the 51 years since we were college students in Potsdam still astonish us. Much of this would not have happened without your foresight, planning, and leadership abilities. Thank you for that!

You made it personal, even visiting our home for tea during a New England visit a few years ago. That meant a lot to us.

We hope that you have many special memories of your time at CU as you move on to this next phase of your lives. May God bless you both!

Sincerely,

Doug & Jane Collette

• Farewell President Collins

Thank you, from one Aussie to another :-)

Thank you, from one Aussie to another 🙂

Mark Collard ’87

Hey Tony & Karen, I am so thrilled to share this special message with you as you move on to the next chapter of your lives. You and your family were a BIG part of my year at Potsdam in 1986/87, and it’s hard to believe more than 35 years have passed since we shared cups of tea and dinner in your home. I hope you enjoy my video message…

• Farewell President Collins

Best Wishes Tony and Karen!

Best Wishes Tony and Karen!

Jennifer Coombs ’09

Dear Tony and Karen:

It is quite a challenging task to put into words exactly what your kindness, generosity, and support have meant to me during my time at Clarkson and beyond. I am so very grateful to have had the honor and privilege of knowing you both; Clarkson will definitely feel a little empty without your presence. 

I’m sure you won’t remember this, but WAY back in the spring of 2004, I was at an accepted students event and hadn’t fully committed to accepting my admission to Clarkson. In fact, you may have heard me say at one point, Clarkson was actually my LAST choice when it came to my accepted schools, and to make matters worse, the student I was paired with that weekend was an absolute nightmare. As chance would have it, I was the winner of a gift certificate to the university bookstore at the dinner for accepted students, and I very briefly conversed with you both. I don’t recall what was said between us, but all I remember is that the love and respect you showed to your students was so undeniably strong and present that it convinced me to stay at Clarkson. I rarely remember what people say, but I remember how they made me feel. And you both made me feel so welcome at Clarkson that I knew I found where I belonged. 

And as we say, the rest is history 🙂

From the groundbreaking, fundraising and celebration of the new student center, to all the alumni roundtable events, to your very thoughtful wedding gift, to ALL the invitations to the alumni receptions at the summer reunions (that I STILL have yet to attend!), to the hugs from you both on my graduation day — you are amazing people and I will never forget all that you’ve done for me and for Clarkson. It truly is a gift to be your friend. 

Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement – you will both surely be missed, but I hope you’ll remember to reach out and visit! 

All the best,

Jenny Coombs ’09 

• Farewell President Collins

You are appreciated!

You are appreciated!

Ashley Sweeney ’15

Tony and Karen,

I just wanted to send my sincerest gratitude to both of you for all of the support and kindness that you have given to me over the years. I have so many wonderful memories; the annual Reh Center dinners, the naming of the Reh School, the opportunity to work with the Reh’s and Lewis’, New York State Business Plan Competitions, Family Picnics, President’s Challenge, Board dinners, setting up Ichor in Peyton Hall, being part of the unveiling of the naming of the Collins Hill Campus, both of my graduations and so many more. Your ability to lead in good times and bad, your support for innovation and entrepreneurship and your willingness to help all of those around you grow to be their best selves is nothing short of commendable. Please know how appreciated you are and how deeply you will be missed. The legacy you leave will live on in the hearts of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni. 

Best wishes as you embark on your next chapter,

Ashley Sweeney

• Farewell President Collins