An Extraordinary Response
In early 2014, a small group of dedicated alumnae set an ambitious goal to recruit 100 Dartmouth women to make gifts of $100,000 or more to honor the 100th anniversary of the Dartmouth College Fund.
In April, 2024, Centennial Circle members presented a $12.5 million check to President Sian Leah Beilock. As with nearly all funds raised through the Centennial Circle, the anniversary gift will provide essential financial aid for undergraduates and graduate students through the Dartmouth College Fund and the annual funds of Dartmouth’s graduate and professional schools.
Our Mission
The Centennial Circle builds community, fosters dialogue, and contributes meaningfully to Dartmouth by expanding access and affordability.
Our History
Inspired by the Dartmouth College Fund’s 100-year history, alumnae created the Centennial Circle, setting the course for a new century of alumnae philanthropy.
Our Impact
The Centennial Circle has more than 350 members who together have given more than $100 million for financial aid, funding the equivalent of 1,768 full scholarships.
Breaking Glass Ceilings
Meet Martha Johnson Beattie, Carol Vaughan Bemis, Cathy Joyce Brennan, Ann Fritz Hackett, Sara Hoagland Hunter, and Nancy Kepes Jeton, all members of the historic Class of 1976 and the Centennial Circle.
The Class of ’76 was the first to matriculate as a four-year, coeducational class. The women who rose to the challenge were cut from the same cloth. They were resilient, strong, good-humored, and humble, all qualities which ensured their ability to survive and thrive in contentious times.
Meet Alumnae Hall
We are excited to announce a $27 million commitment from a group of alumnae leaders toward the construction of a residence hall—Alumnae Hall—on West Wheelock Street and the creation of a new Riverfront Park to serve as welcoming gateway to campus.
Building on the national leadership of Dartmouth supporters in pioneering new models of women’s philanthropy, 27 alumnae—all of whom are members of the Centennial Circle—have each committed $1 million to the residence hall and park.
Testimonials
I am proud to be among the passionate Dartmouth women who have joined together to change the landscape of women's philanthropy. Joining Dartmouth alumnae in the Circle is a meaningful way to honor the remarkable pioneering women of Dartmouth and inspire the next generation to keep pushing boundaries.
We have placed Dartmouth at the vanguard of women’s philanthropy. Who benefits from this? Every student who can now enjoy a Dartmouth education through expanded scholarship resources and the knowledge that you care enough to see them through.”
When Dartmouth gave me the gift of being a pioneer as a member of the first freshman class of women, there were thousands of courageous men who supported coeducation in the interest of making Dartmouth a better place for all. When the Centennial Circle was becoming a reality, there were a handful of courageous women who were pioneers in women’s philanthropy, inspiring many, and again committed to making Dartmouth a better place for all. It has been a privilege to be part of this extraordinary community from its founding days. Truly one of life’s full circles.
I have admired the Circle and our leaders since its inception, which was parallel with the founding of Women of Dartmouth. The kinship Dartmouth women share is truly vital, and the Circle takes that relationship to each other and the College—as a caring and giving community—to another level. The Centennial Circle is truly a community of fantastic women.
Dartmouth really changed my life in ways that I didn't know it would at the beginning. When you’re in a place where you're outside your comfort zone, those are the times you grow the most. So, to the extent that we can be a small part of having the Dartmouth experience be available to others, I'm all for that.
With their ideas, their service, and their generous gifts, Dartmouth women want students today and tomorrow to know that we are deeply invested in their success.”
Community is what Dartmouth's all about. It's what informed us and takes us forward. We're a community, but we're so different from each other. And we each took something unique away from the College and built upon that. And I want to give that opportunity to as many people as I can.
First-Gen Mentoring Program
Alumnae share perspectives and guidance with first-generation female students seeking advice to help them navigate the Dartmouth experience.
A lot of the difficulty is simply not knowing how it all works. You don’t need to have been a Dartmouth undergrad to be a mentor in this program. You just need to have navigated life.”
Dartmouth is a giant institution and there is so much for students to figure out in four years. I wanted to help students who might feel the same way I did.”
Join Us
The Centennial Circle invites you to make an impact on the life of every Dartmouth undergraduate—and inspire every generation of Dartmouth women—by joining the Centennial Circle. Become a member by making a gift of $100,000 to the Dartmouth College Fund or the annual fund of Dartmouth's professional schools to raise the power and visibility of alumnae philanthropy.
