Andreas H. Vassiliou is a '57 graduate of the UP Section of the Academy. During his tenure at the Academy he was registered as Hji-Vassiliou and was the recipient of the multi-year full-tuition scholarship known as the "500th". This Academy scholarship was created in order to bring up the school's 1949-50 enrollment of 499 students to an even 500. Elementary School graduates from all over Cyprus competed for the scholarship by sitting through a series of exams in math and writing. After graduation and through the kind assistance of Dr. W.W. Weir, the Academy's legendary director for several decades, Andreas obtained an affidavit of support and entered the United States in 1959 as a freshman at Columbia University in New York City.

After a freshman year of financial hardship, Andreas won a full-tuition academic scholarship from the University for the remaining undergraduate years (B.S. '63). With a graduate fellowship and several yearly appointments as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Andreas earned two graduate degrees at Columbia (M.A.'65; Ph.D.'69 in Mineralogy). He was appointed Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences at Rutgers University (Newark campus) in 1969 while continuing for several years as Research Associate at Columbia. He became a full Professor at Rutgers in 1981 and served as Chairman and Graduate Program Director of the Department of Geological Sciences for 18 years. He published several articles in professional journals and co-edited four professional volumes in mineral exploration and processing. He plans to retire in 2003. He has been married to Marika Hensel since 1965 and has two daughters (Alexia and Katia) and two grandchildren (Nicolas and Trianna).

Andreas became involved in the Greek and Cypriot American community in the early 1970's. He served on the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Children's Fund/Cyprus Relief Fund (created after the 1974 invasion) and as chairman of the Makarios Scholarship Fund for 9 years. He is one of the founders of the American Cyprus Congress (a cultural association of professional Cypriot Americans) and served as President of the Association for 15 years. The American Academy Alumni Association of New York provided all kinds of assistance and community and professional connections, especially during the early difficult years of stay in New York. Andreas attended all annual meetings of AAAA since 1960 and served the association during most of the same period as either President (14 years) or as member of the Board of Directors.