Event honors president of Farmingdale State College
On Monday, July 23, the Special Olympics New York Long Island Region will host its annual Gold Coast Tour for Champions Golf Outing at Old Westbury Golf and Country Club in Old Westbury. The event attracts some of the most prominent members of the business community on Long Island and in New York City, while raising funds and awareness for the athletes of Special Olympics New York.
“The Special Olympics New York Long Island Region is truly honored to honor Farmingdale State College President, Dr. W. Hubert Keen, at this year’s Gold Coast Tour for Champions Golf Outing,” said Diane Colonna, Regional Director of Special Olympics New York Long Island. “His continued support to Special Olympics and our athletes has made a strong impact.”
Dr. Keen became president of Farmingdale State College-SUNY in January 2007, having served for two years as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Farmingdale.
He began his academic career in 1976 in biological science at SUNY Cortland, rising through the ranks to serve as dean of arts and sciences. His teaching and research areas are in ecology, environmental science, aquatic biology and biostatistics.
He served as special assistant to the System Provost in the State University of New York central offices where his work led to the development of the SUNY Urban Teacher Education Center in the city. He served as Interim President at SUNY College at Old Westbury, and as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at York College of the City University of New York.
He has been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship, a U.S. Public Health Service Fellowship, and a Fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service. He serves on the boards of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, Project Grad Long Island, and the LI Index Advisory Board, and currently chairs the LIRACHE Long Island Presidents-Superintendents Group.
He earned the BA in biology with a minor in German from Pikeville College, the MS in physiological ecology from Eastern Kentucky University and the PhD from Kent State University in ecology.
Dr. Keen has welcomed the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run to Farmingdale State College since becoming President. Both Nassau and Suffolk County law enforcement run the torch through their counties and conclude at Farmingdale State College alongside Special Olympics athletes. The honorary ceremony recognizes the Law Enforcement Torch Run as Special Olympics’ largest grassroots fundraising and public awareness vehicle for the movement across the globe. More than 85,000 runners from 35 countries carried the “Flame of Hope” across their communities and into their local games and competitions last year.
