Peggy Epstein Tanner '79
Peggy Epstein Tanner '79 (right) was presented the 2006-07 Dartmouth Alumni Award 

Peggy, green blood has coursed through your body since birth, a genetic trait that you inherited from your father, Alan Epstein '47, share with your sister Liz Epstein Kadin '77, and now pass along to your son, Eric '11. Adamant about attending Dartmouth, at age ten you approached President John Sloan Dickey during your father's class reunion and asked him to make the college coeducational. Eight years later your dreams came true on December 7th when you received your early acceptance letter. As so many events come full circle in this Dartmouth family of ours, your son, Eric, also received his early acceptance to the Class of 2011 on December 7th (his 18th birthday).

You enjoyed every moment at Dartmouth and regret only that you could not pack more opportunities into your four years.  It would be difficult to imagine how this might be possible as you participated in JV Tennis, Women's Ice Hockey, JV Lacrosse, senior societies, the Green Key Society, DOC Winter Sports, and the Interdormitory Council. You also managed the field hockey team while juggling a wide variety of jobs on campus including work as an administrative intern for the Dean of the College, Ralph Manuel '58; co-head guide for summer tours of the Dartmouth campus; Hopkins Center usher and phone operator for the Campus Police.

However, it was the “sense of place” that you valued most. You have commented, “I cherished the whole community, from the physical presence to the people who were in it.” Excelling in the classroom, you had a modified history/education major, graduating with distinction in history. Favorite faculty members included Professors Dunne, Sleznick, and Wright. You have said that going to Professor Wright's class “was like listening to a great bedtime story. I will always think of him as my professor first and my president second.”

Following graduation it was off to New York City for a brief stint at Chemical Bank before joining Morgan Stanley & Company, where you rose from corporate finance analyst to vice president until your retirement to raise a family.

In your local community, you have served as co-chair of the Parent's annual fund at the Hackley School; Development Committee chair and board member of the Blythedale Children's Hospital; and board membership on the United Way of Harrison/Purchase, Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, and Food Patch. Most important to your son, you coached the Harrison Recreation boy's basketball team and the 6th Grade All-Star team. In 1985 you were a founding board member of The Summer Camp and currently serve as president. Each summer this program provides opportunities for 300 inner city and rural girls from economically disadvantaged families and foster homes throughout New England and New York with the opportunity to enjoy a residential camp experience.

You are quick to note that your parents have always stressed service and charity, with your father setting a strong example with his volunteerism for his alma mater.  How appropriate that this evening you and your father become the first father-daughter combination of Dartmouth Alumni Award recipients. Like your father, you have served Dartmouth College since you graduated in a wide variety of roles, including head agent, co-chair of your 25th reunion giving committee, Will to Excel executive committee co-chair of Special Gifts and membership on the Dartmouth College Fund committee. You enjoy motivating others to increase participation and that is where the great Class of 1979 has excelled. In addition to your fund-raising efforts, you have served on the Alumni Council, Tucker Foundation Board of Visitors, the Presidents Leadership Council, and you chaired the Alumni Council Nominating and Trustee Search Committee.Constantly breaking fund-raising records, you have been honored with many awards and, fittingly, were the first recipient of the Alumni Council's Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 1990. You will be one of a very small group of people with your name now listed on TWO walls in Alumni Hall.

It was a Dartmouth connection, Otho Kerr '79 (serving as Cupid), who introduced you to your husband, David Tanner. Although he has a Princeton background, he has been very tolerant of your “Green” bias. The two of you are so very proud of your three sons, Eric, Mark, and Robbie.

As you enjoy quoting President Eisenhower when he described Dartmouth as “what a College should look like,” we should note that you, Peggy, are what a Dartmouth alumna should BE LIKE. In appreciation of the immense contributions that you have made to your family, community and your alma mater, we honor you with the Dartmouth Alumni Award.

Martha Beattie '76
President
Dartmouth Alumni Council
May 15, 2007