The year 1972 was a pivotal time for Dartmouth. Doors of admission opened to women, the Native American Studies program was established, and the Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association (BADA) was founded.
Throughout 2022, the Alumni Relations Office is commemorating all three milestones with special events, on-campus and virtual programs, and a collection of remembrances and podcasts called the 50 for 50 Milestone Storytelling Project.
“With our multimedia storytelling project, we’ll look back at a half-century of accomplishments by groundbreakers who have shaped Dartmouth with new perspectives and long-lasting contributions,” says Cheryl Bascomb ’82, vice president for alumni relations. “Profiles and news accounts culled from a number of sources, including Dartmouth Alumni Magazine and Dartmouth News, as well as non-Dartmouth media, will be posted on the website created to showcase these talented and interesting alumni from all three anniversary communities. We’ll have vintage photos, an illustrated timeline, and a link to our brand new 50 for 50 podcast, in which alumni recall formative years on campus and tell us about the inspiring work they are doing today in a stunning variety of professions and humanitarian endeavors.”
-Cheryl Bascomb ’82, vice president for alumni relations
Listen to Episode 1 of the Podcast
The podcast is hosted by Jennifer Avellino ’89, former president of the Dartmouth Alumni Council and a former senior producer at CNN.
“As a producer, I brought to the airwaves newsmakers from all corners of the world. Our new ‘50 for 50’ series feels like a homecoming because I get to catch up with fellow alumni who have been doing amazing things since they graduated. They all tell fascinating stories about the paths that led to and from Dartmouth, which, for them, was a launchpad for discovery and action,” Avellino says.
Avellino got her start in journalism as news director for WDCR and WFRD, Dartmouth Broadcasting.
“In our podcast, we hear from alumni who remember the early decades of co-education, Native American studies, and BADA," says Avellino. "And we meet recent graduates who show us how the Dartmouth community has evolved and how far we have come. These are just a few stories from among thousands of remarkable alumni, but their experiences and their impact highlight the strengths of the global Dartmouth family.”
The podcast will be available on most platforms beginning May 5. The first episode features acclaimed Native American artist Mateo Romero ’89, commissioned in 2009 by the Hood Museum of Art to create a series of 10 portraits of participants in the annual Powwow.
New episodes premiering throughout the year will include conversations with other alumni who brought their distinctive experiences and perspectives to campus and have continued to blaze trails throughout the world.