IN PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
Dartmouth College
Recognizes with Deep Appreciation
the Extraordinary Achievements of the
CLASS OF 1961
2015 Class of the Year
26 Years Out and Older
The poet and Dartmouth friend Robert Frost famously said, "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."
The Class of '61--who have in many ways taken Frost, with his Dartmouth connections, as their mascot--does go on, and with vision, perseverance, strength, and camaraderie that makes them an obvious choice for Class of the Year honors.
President Denny Denniston leads an impressive team of officers, with regular meetings to plan class events. He is always looking ahead to develop the incremental and innovative steps needed to get the Class of '61 where it wants to be.
The class generously gave the Robert Frost sculpture to Dartmouth, and it has become the site for annual class gatherings. The class has championed the upkeep of this area and it will see renovations this year. In partnership with the Department of Studio Art, the class has launched a 2015-2016 competition challenging all undergraduate and graduate studentsto develop art works inspired by the sculpture and/or Robert Frost's works.
The class challenges itself, to great effect, in giving back to the College. The numbers are impressive--with 75 percent DCF participation generated by a SWAT team of callers, steadily increasing membership in the Bartlett Tower Society, and an impressive and generously funded array of class projects that touch faculty and students alike in the realms of athletics, academics, and the arts. The class is understandably proud of their endowment supporting the Hopkins Center for the Arts: The Class of 1961 Legacy: The American Tradition in Performance Fund. The entire Dartmouth community benefits from the amazing performers this effort funds.
Connections between 1961 classmates and widows are vibrant. Regular alumni magazine columns, an interesting and up-to-date website, frequent class emails, and six newsletters per year keep news of the class and of classmates flowing. The class is saluted for the HTML version of their class newsletter, which includes links to each classmate named and links to sections where specific topics are covered.
Going beyond the paper and online connections, '61s are good at gathering for minis! Whether in Hanover for Homecoming, in towns and cities for regular luncheons, or for a maxi/mini like this year's gathering in Williamsburg, classmates are enjoying each other.
It is no coincidence that behind every great class is a great class treasurer. Ivar Jozus has served for 25 years as the '61 treasurer. The class has responded to Ivar's work with 57% participation in the annual dues effort, which makes all of the great class programming possible and with funds for the future safely in the treasury.
Dartmouth Class of 1961, the Class Officers Executive Committee salutes and thanks you for your impressive work in staying connected to each other and to the College. Well done!