Clarkson University Higher Education Opportunity Program Recognizes Tai-Symone Rackley of Albany, N.Y., with Award

2015 Jun 16

The Clarkson University New York State Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (AOE HEOP) celebrated the outstanding leadership and service of their students with new awards. Tai-Symone Rackley of Albany, N.Y., a biology and psychology major, received the Leadership Involvement Award . This award honors students who attended unique conferences, workshops and seminars, and students who should be appreciated for their leadership and commitment to campus for consistently representing a program, club or activity.

The program also commemorated the class of 2015 with a new tree on campus.

The HEOP students planted a maple tree on Holcroft Hill this spring to celebrate the graduating seniors. Erin Cook, assistant director of HEOP at Clarkson, said they plan to continue this tradition by planting a new tree on campus every year for each class.

"We feel that planting a tree will encourage our students to always remember their roots at Clarkson," she said. "This tree symbolizes our continuous effort and commitment to build and serve our community, promote a strong alumni connection and promote growth and prosperity for our incoming students."

"What we love the most about AOE HEOP is the fact that we can pick out students that might have been overlooked, give them a chance at Clarkson University, and then support them for their entire college experience," Cook said. "We took our whole purpose and goal into consideration when choosing our award recipients because we have such an amazing group to work with. Our students truly embody the values aligned with each award, and we are so proud of them."

The Clarkson University Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Program is funded jointly by the University and New York State Department of Education. AOE HEOP provides a broad range of services to students who, because of academic and economic circumstances, would otherwise be unable to attend a postsecondary educational institution. The program's initiative is all about providing opportunity for students.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and the health professions, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.