Edward G. Coll, Jr.
The twelfth president of Alfred University, Edward Girard Coll, Jr., was born on August 9, 1934 in Pittsburgh. He was in the U.S. Army from 1953-56. He received his Bachelor's degree from Duquesne University in 1960 with a major in philosophy and a minor in journalism. Duquesne University later gave him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1983. Before coming to Alfred in March of 1982, President Coll spent his professional career at the University of Miami.
He first came to Miami in 1963 as the Assistant to the Vice-President for Developmental Affairs.
While there he served as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations (1966-67), Director of Development (1967-72), Secretary of the University Corporation (1972-73), and Vice
President for Development Affairs (1973-82). In 1985, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England. Among his many professional and community organization affilitations were memberships on the boards of the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect, the Steuben Trust Company, the NCAA Council, and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. He also served as Director of the Dade County (FL) Chapter of the American Red Cross as well as the treasurer of the Association of Caribbean Universities and Research Institutes Foundation. He is a member of Delta Mu Delta, Phi Kappa Phi, and Beta Gamma Sigma. President Coll served as president of Alfred University from 1982 to 2000. He was awarded an honorary degree from Alfred University during the May 2000 Commencement ceremony. President Coll and his wife, Carole Lee Hulse Coll, have five children: Thomas, Jean, Peter, Karen, and Kelly.
