Flash

The Board of Trustees on this 7th day of May 2005 proudly presents the Bertrand H. Snell Award to the Hon. John M. McHugh, Congressman for the 23rd district of New York State in recognition of his levels of achievement, personal integrity, and community concern.
— Award Citation

President Tony Collins, Congressman John McHugh, Ann Petersen, and Trustee W. Hollis Petersen.
President Tony Collins, Congressman
John McHugh, Ann Petersen, and
Trustee W. Hollis Petersen. Mr.
Petersen is the grandson of Bertrand
H. Snell.

John M. McHugh, Republican Congressman from the 23rd District, received Clarkson's highest award for community service, the Bertrand H. Snell Award, at a special dinner held during Commencement Weekend.

Created in 1981, the award honors the memory of Bertrand H. Snell, a North Country businessman, Congressman and former chair of the Clarkson Board of Trustees. Selection is based on outstanding achievement in professional, business or educational endeavors, combined with an integrity and community concern to which others can aspire. McHugh is only the ninth individual in the last quarter century to receive the Snell Award.

Clarkson President Tony Collins told the group assembled, "Congressman McHugh could have chosen a career in business that would have undoubtedly landed him on Wall Street because the Congressman gets things done and succeeds, where others may falter. But to our great good fortune, John McHugh picked public service as his life's work."

The award was presented to McHugh by the current Chair of the Board of Trustees John S. Welch, Jr. '54. McHugh described his great pride and appreciation of Clarkson and the region. "My mother always told me that you are known by the company you keep. Receiving this award named after an icon, not just of Northern New York or New York state but of American politics, is incredible in and of itself. But being associated with people like Tony Collins, Rob Wood, Dr. Babu, Dr. Matijevic, and all the [Clarkson] folks that I have had the opportunity to work with all these years has allowed me to keep some awfully good company and I deeply appreciate it. The fact of the matter is that for the past 21 years I have already been blessed and honored because I have had the chance to represent a region that is special and unique not just here in New York but anywhere in America."

Bertrand H. Snell Award Recipients
1981 Leon Elliott Malone businessman
1982 Francis B. Trudeau Trudeau Institute
1984 Edward S. Litchfield Businessman
1987 H. Douglas Barclay NY State Senator
1990 Sister Kathryn Healy Hospice founder
1992 David O'Brien Martin US Congressman
1994 Ronald B. Stafford NY State Senator
2003 Geroge E. Pataki NY State Governor
2005 John M. McHugh US Congressman


Making the federal government less intrusive and cutting taxes have been hallmarks of McHugh's 30 years of public service. He represents 11 counties making up the 23rd District in the House of Representatives. McHugh is embraced by the dairy farming community because of his legislative efforts in achieving fairer and more stable prices for farmers' milk. Recently, Congressman McHugh secured $250,000 for agricultural renewable energy research at Clarkson. His role as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee also makes him vital to the future of Fort Drum, in nearby Watertown.

As a state senator, McHugh secured bipartisan support for the design and construction of the Center for Advanced Materials Processing. He has also encouraged Clarkson's participation in Department of Defense research programs, especially in advanced materials processing.

The man the award remembers, Bertrand Snell, was born in 1870, in Colton, New York. A successful entrepreneur, political leader, and philanthropist, Snell founded the Raquette River Paper Company in Potsdam and the Snell Power Company at Higley Falls. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1914 and served for 23 years. Snell served as a Clarkson trustee for 47 years, including 25 as chair of the board. He supported Clarkson generously throughout his life and his family has continued to support the University with their resources and energies.