Clarkson University President Tony Collins announced on February 26 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Cheel Campus Center that the women’s head hockey coaching position will be named after faithful donors John ’59 and Rosemary Munter.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held during Clarkson’s annual Cold Out Gold Out (COGO) event, a weekend-long winter festival for alumni and the greater Clarkson community.
John ’59 and Rosemary Munter Women’s Head Hockey Coach Matt Desrosiers offered his heartfelt thanks to the Munter family for their enduring support.
“This gift is a great way for the family to come together to honor John and Rosemary’s love of Clarkson,” Desrosiers said. “It certainly reflects the same family values that are so important to Clarkson athletics and the women’s hockey program. I am honored and proud to hold this position and work hard to ensure that our staff and players continue to make you proud.”
As steadfast supporters of Clarkson, John and his wife Rosemary are members of a prestigious group that holds “Legend” status in the Good Knights Guild. They are loyal donors to the Clarkson Fund and other Clarkson projects.
“John and Rosemary’s contributions to the Clarkson University campus and community will have a lasting impact on the student experience,” Pres. Collins said. “As great friends of Clarkson, John and Rosemary have been dedicated to helping this university grow, and we are proud to recognize their generosity in a way that will continue their legacy for generations to come.”
In 2012, Clarkson celebrated the dedication of the Munter Trails, which provide the campus and local community with spectacular views of Fall Island and convenient access to the Raquette River, while enhancing an overall sense of connection with the river. John played a critical role in this project, as he spent countless hours working on the trails with equipment loaned by Munter Enterprises. Their passion for the outdoors led to creating the Munter Trails and inspired them to fund a climbing wall in Cheel.
In the fall of 2021, the Munter Family Climbing Wall officially opened to the Clarkson community, and the excitement from the students was palpable. Student use of the climbing wall continues to be at capacity nearly every hour the facility is open.
John received a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Clarkson and went on to receive a Master of Science in Engineering Management from RPI in 1967. He began his career with General Electric in 1959. John was a test engineer for the rocket engine design testing program for Malta Test Division. He continued to work in various engineering and management positions at GE for the next 13 years. In 1972, he left GE to form Munter Enterprises, a general contracting construction operation that continues to be successful over four decades later.
