Sprinting Toward Success with Two Legendary Adelphi Olympians

Adelphi Athletics presents its 21st Annual Black History Month Program in conjunction with Great Minds, Great Conversations: Sprinting Toward Success with Two Legendary Adelphi Olympians.

Olympians June Griffith Collison ’81, MBA ’84, and Dennis Collison ’80 came from their native Guyana to attend Adelphi. Here, they became standout track student-athletes and went on to represent their homeland in international competitions. They then attained success in their respective careers: Griffith-Collison in healthcare administration and Collison in law enforcement. A true Adelphi Ever After story, they met as students, married and are the parents of professional basketball player Darren Collison. Now, June and Dennis Collison reunite with their former teammate and current Adelphi trustee, Curtis Minnis ’77, to discuss breaking records, overcoming barriers and finding success—and to reminisce about their time together at Adelphi.

This is a free event, but registration is required.

There will be a reception after the talk celebrating 75 years of the Men’s Track and Field Program at Adelphi. Separate registration is required and there is a cost associated with the reception.

About the Speakers

Dennis Collison ’80 and June Giffith Collison ’81, MBA ’84

Dennis Collison ’80 and June Griffith Collison ’81, MBA ’84, were standout track student-athletes at Adelphi University and the couple both represented their native Guyana in international competitions. Dennis was a 200-meter specialist and competed at the Pan-Am and Commonwealth Games. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration and is a retired probation investigator in LA County. June had a decorated track career in which she was once ranked 10th in the world in the 400 meters. She won a silver medal in the 400 meters at the 1979 Pan-Am Games and set a world indoor record in the 440 yards in 1979. She also won the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games in the 400 meters. She qualified for the 1980 Olympics and participated in the 1984 Olympics. June was inducted to the Adelphi Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. A seasoned senior healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience, she is currently the president of Dignity Health Community Hospital of San Bernardino.

Curtis Minnis ’77

Adelphi University Trustee Curtis Minnis graduated from Adelphi in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and was a member of the Panther cross country and track and field teams. Through the years, he has been an active and engaged alumnus, taking part in many networking and alumni events and giving his time to leadership roles at Adelphi. Curtis was a founding member of the Multicultural Alumni Chapter in 2003 and has served as a member of the Panther Club Executive Board since 2015, he served on the President’s Advisory Council from 2017-2020. In 2020 he joined the University’s Board of Trustees and currently chairs the Advancement Committee. He was presented with the Frank Cassell Memorial Award in 2007 for his ongoing support of Adelphi’s student-athlete community. Curtis retired in November 2020 as managing director of global sales for FedEx, a role he had held since 2005. He previously held positions with AT&T and MCI and earned a Certificate of Business Essentials from Strayer University in 2017. Curtis is actively engaged with the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, serving as vice president of the organization’s board of trustees since 2004.

For more information about this event, please contact:

Emily Germani
Assistant Director of Donor Relations
egermani@adelphi.edu