Karen Kus Named Executive Director of Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley

The Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley has named Karen Kus of Hannawa Falls as the organization’s new executive director.

Prior to this appointment, Kus was the assistant director of the Lougheed Center for Applied Learning at SUNY Potsdam and also served as director of career services.

Previously, Kus was an adjunct instructor at St. Lawrence University in the Gender and Sexuality Studies department and taught classes at the University of Toronto. In addition, she was a career advisor in the Career Services department. Kus received a master’s degree in Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and is pursuing a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration at Stony Brook University.

“On behalf of the board of directors, I’m pleased to welcome Karen to the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley,” said SUNY Canton President and Associated Colleges Chair Zvi Szafran. “Her blend of experience in higher education and community involvement made her the ideal candidate to lead our organization in this new chapter.”

Kus has worked on a wide range of advocacy and education initiatives to foster civic growth. She currently sits on the board of directors for the North Country Women’s Leadership Initiative and has previously served on the boards of the SUNY Career Development Organization and the Central New York Career Development Association. In Canada, Kus was a board member of Wellfort Community Health Services in Brampton, Ontario.

“I am excited to enhance and build collaborative opportunities to bridge the four campuses together and take our North Country community to new heights,” said Kus. “My goal is to develop and grow innovative projects, bilateral partnerships and education initiatives to ultimately forge a robust community that can attract, retain and engage students and personnel. I am wholeheartedly dedicated to serving the missions of our member institutions and to foster civic growth for the St. Lawrence County community.”

Kus replaces Peter Anderson, who served as executive director since March 2021.

About the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley

The Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley was chartered by the New York State Board of Regents in 1970. Its four members are SUNY Canton, Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam and St. Lawrence University. The four presidents of the campuses serve as the organization’s governing board.

The consortium is a regional, multipurpose organization that fosters cooperative endeavors in a range of academic and administrative areas to expand the number and variety of educational opportunities for students, faculty and the community. The association also explores opportunities to share resources, avoid duplication and innovate through joint action.

Each member institution has a distinct character, history and curriculum, and together they bring a wealth of educational opportunities to northern New York. The collaborative work of the consortium is designed to enhance educational experiences while retaining the best of the members individual traditions and provides innovative methods of investing in new services while containing the cost of higher education.