2015 Dartmouth Club President of the Year Award: Barbara Rollins '84
Enthusiastic, motivated, driven, and passionate are just a few of the words that spring to mind when describing Barbara Rollins '84. Dartmouth has always been a big part of Barbara's life, from her time as an early volunteer to her days as an active member of Alumni Council.
As President of the Dartmouth Club of Washington, D.C., Barbara has used her creativity to manage a large club with a variety of interests. Her vision of serving as a bridge to Dartmouth is exemplified in her collaborative efforts. Under Barbara's leadership, the club has continued to set the standard with its tireless board involvement and an extraordinary number of programs and events. The club has developed events that take advantage of the city's rich and unique environment, like a guided cherry blossom walking tour, while also maintaining significant ongoing programming, like the annual Daniel Webster dinner that honors a Dartmouth graduate who has a record of significant public service or public policy accomplishments. At 15 pages long, the club's Club and Group Activity Report is one of the most noteworthy.
Under Barbara's direction, the club expanded its efforts and developed multiple partnerships with other Ivies, as well as Dartmouth clubs and groups, to sponsor myriad events that appealed to a diverse range of alumni. A few examples include the Dartmouth Spangled Spectacular event held in Baltimore in partnership with the Dartmouth Club of Maryland, and a museum tour, organized in conjunction with the Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association.
Barbara's vison for the club, "to incorporate togetherness and enjoyment with a real commitment to the community," was achieved in 2015. The way in which Barbara led the club to develop community service projects was particularly noteworthy. These efforts included everything from an Earth Day cleanup to feeding the homeless and welcoming WWII veterans--all of which had significant impact on alumni volunteers and the local community.
In the words of the Chinese philosopher and poet Lao Tzu: "When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'" Barbara is one of those leaders, and the Dartmouth Club of Washington, D.C. has forged ahead under her guidance.