Hobart and William Smith Colleges

10 December 2008 Honoring A Notable Alumna

Vice Chair of the HWS Board of Trustees Maureen Collins Zupan 72, P09 receives Presidents Medal

Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Maureen Collins Zupan 72, P09 was recently presented with the Presidents Medal by Hobart and William Smith President Mark D. Gearan in recognition of her deep and multifaceted contributions to her alma mater.

It was a personal privilege to honor Maureen with the Presidents Medal, especially as we celebrated the Centennial of William Smith College, a place that means so much to her, says Gearan. I am grateful for her commitment and service to her alma mater. She has provided extraordinary leadership to HWS for more than30 years, 15 of those on the Board of Trustees, and in doing so has shaped the future of these Colleges.

To receive that kind of recognition from someone I respect so highly during a celebration of an institution I love so deeply was really a wonderful honor, says Zupan.

Currently a financial planner for Sagemark Consulting, Zupan graduated magna cum laude from William Smith with a B.A. in mathematics. Since then, she has remained a visible member of the William Smith alumnae community and her service to the Colleges has been wide-ranging.

Throughout the years, Maureen has provided consistency and strong leadership to the Board, says David Deming 75, Chair of the Board. She is a passionate advocate for these Colleges and her dedication to Hobart and William Smith is inspiring.

Since 1993, Zupan has been a member of the Board and has become a leader among leaders, serving as vice chair since 1997. In 1996, she was the national co-chair of the Special Gifts effort for the Colleges Campaign. Most recently, she provided guidance through her work on the Centennial Fund and Centennial Steering Committees.

She has been a significant member of the William Smith Alumnae Association, helping to coordinate seven class reunions and taking an active role in inspiring other William Smith alumnae to make the College a philanthropic priority through her contributions to the Annual Fund and William Smith-specific funds, including the Heron Society and the William Smith Centennial Fund.

In 1992, Zupan founded the Collins Family Scholarship with her father John F. Collins and her sisters Jean Collins Van Etten 74, Joan Collins Dosky 84 and Frances J. Collins Rogers 90. That scholarship has helped deserving students attain a Hobart and William Smith education.

In addition to working tirelessly to ensure that students have access to the same quality education she experienced, Zupan has hosted and spoken at numerous HWS events and has sponsored several student externships.

For Zupan, Hobart and William Smith has been and continues to be a family affair. In addition to three sisters who are William Smith alumnae, she has two brothers-in-law who are graduates John VanEtten 73 and John Rogers 92. Her niece Caroline Dosky is a first-year student at William Smith. Zupan is married to William Zupan 72 and their daughter, Cathleen Zupan 09, is currently completing her senior year at the Colleges.

My family has been so changed by Hobart and William Smith, I feel that I need to give as much of my time and talents as I am able, says Zupan.