YP Monthly Luncheon

James (Jim) Collins obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance from Loras College in 1984 and a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education from the University of Iowa in 2004. After graduating from Loras, Mr. Collins returned to campus as an admissions representative and in his 33 years of service to the College has held positions as Director of Special Projects, Director of Alumni and College Relations, Interim Director of Development, Assistant to the President and Vice President for Institutional Advancement. In 1999, he was appointed the College’s Senior Vice President. Mr. Collins was then elected as the 26th President of Loras College in 2004. 

On the national level, President Collins just completed a 7 year term on the Board of Directors for the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). He was elected as Treasurer and Chair of the ACCU during that time. Collins recently finished his board term for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). While on the NAICU board, he was member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Tax Policy Committee. Collins was elected to and began service on the Seton Hall University Board of Regents in 2011. There he serves as a member of the Executive Committee and a member of its Board of Trustees. He was recently appointed to the initial Board of Governors of the Seton Hall-Hackensack School of Medicine in January 2016. In 2013, he was elected to serve on the NCAA III President’s Advisory Group. 

In the state of Iowa, President Collins recently completed service as Chair for the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (IAICU). He is a member of the Executive Committee for the Iowa College Foundation and a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Presidents’ Council. In May 2015, President Collins was elected to the Iowa Campus Compact Board of Directors. Early in his presidency, he was appointed by former Governor Vilsack as a member of the Institute for Tomorrow’s Workforce Board of Directors. 

An active member of the Dubuque community, Mr. Collins serves as Past-Chair for the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and is a former member of the Carnegie-Stout Public Library Foundation. He has served on the Board of Education for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, and on the boards of the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way and Junior Achievement. He has also been a member of the development councils for Mercy Hospital and Stone Hill Retirement Center. 

A Crystal Lake, IL native and the oldest of 6 children, Collins has been twice recognized as one America’s Top 100 Irish Educators. In 2007, he was also recognized by his high school, Marian Central Catholic High School, with the Alumni Excellence Award. 

President Collins and his wife, Lisa, reside in Dubuque with their 6 children: Jimmy (24), Shannon (23), Erin (21), Megan (19), Craig (17), and Riley (17).