UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT DR. TONY COLLINS MADE A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT SATURDAY BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF VETERANS ON THE CAMPUS, AS CLARKSON HOSTED THE SECOND ANNUAL “VETERAN'S APPRECIATION DAY. THE DAY-LONG EVENT ALLOWS VETERANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET INFORMATION AND SIGN UP FOR PROGRAMS THEY HAVE EARNED BY THEIR SERVICE.

COLLINS ANNOUNCED TO THE GATHERING OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE AT THE STUDENT CENTER SATURDAY A NEW PROGRAM CALLED "HOMEWARD BOUND," CLARKSON HOPES TO LAUNCH LATER THIS YEAR IN SARANAC LAKE.  RETURNING SERVICEMEMBERS WILL BE INTRODUCED IN GROUPS TO COLLEGE-LEVEL STUDIES, AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATIONS AT CLARKSON OR ANOTHER UNIVERSITY.

THE UNIVERSITY HAS A DEEP COMMITMENT TO THE MILITARY; IT DOES A LARGE AMOUNT OF MILITARY RESEARCH, HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS PARTICIPATION RATES IN THE NATION, AND IS KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR ITS WORK IN DEVELOPING PROSTHETICS FOR SERVICEMEMBERS WHO HAVE LOST LIMBS. HE SAYS VETERANS ARE, LITERALLY “TESTED BY FIRE” AND THE WORLD NEEDS THEM NOW MORE THAN EVER.

THIS YEAR'S “VETERAN'S APPRECIATION DAY” AT CLARKSON SATURDAY WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY A SPECIAL SALUTE TO KOREAN WAR VETERANS; THERE WERE ABOUT 30 IN ATTENDANCE.

CLARKSON HAS A STRONG CONNECTION WITH KOREAN WAR VETERANS, PROMINENT ALUMNUS ELMER GATES--A LEADING EXECUTIVE WITH GENERAL ELECTRIC AND OTHER COMPANIES--CONNECTED CLARKSON WITH WALTER REED ARMY HOSPITAL TO SPARK ITS DEVELOPMENT OF PROSTHETICS RESEARCH PROGRAMS.