Recipient of the 2019–20 Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award
As a high school student in Galesburg, Illinois, you heeded the advice of your Latin teacher and decided to consider colleges in the East. Knowing little about Dartmouth, you arrived on campus on a glorious summer day and were captivated. Accepted early decision, you were on your way.
Music was both your passion and your academic focus. With scores written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, you were exposed to a range of languages and cultures. An accomplished bassoonist, you also played a variety of instruments for the Dartmouth Wind Ensemble. You directed the Dartmouth Chamber Orchestra and helped establish the Dartmouth Youth Wind Ensemble. A term in London as part of Dartmouth’s music Foreign Study Program provided a wondrous first international experience. You studied bassoon at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, attended world-class opera performances, and explored Italy. Professor Steve Swayne ’57a shared his deep knowledge of opera with you. One of the highlights of your musical career at Dartmouth was commissioning fellow students to create pieces for community-based performances. President Emeritus James Wright ’64a and his wife Susan ’59a were devoted supporters of this effort.
Your first work-study job was with the Tucker Foundation, under the tutelage of Jan-Roberta Tarjan ’74. That notable experience convinced you to stay on and work as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, with a focus on local schools and COVER Home Repair.
After completing a graduate fellowship in Advanced Arts Leadership from the University of North Texas, you returned to Dartmouth to join the Alumni Relations team, where you planned and executed alumni and presidential events. A memorable moment was organizing an alumni talent show — you realized you weren’t the only music major to go through Dartmouth! Possessing a depth of experience from your music fundraising, you then headed to Rochester, New York, for roles at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester. Later you relocated to Stanford University, where you helped to open their version of The Hop with Stanford Live. At the University of Sydney, Australia, you oversaw fundraising for a new museum and managed the “Inspired” fundraising campaign. A stint with the Tuck School of Business as managing director of West Coast Development brought you back stateside, and currently you serve as deputy director of development for the San Francisco Opera.
Although you were not involved in class leadership as a student, your work in Alumni Relations after graduation demonstrated the impact of staying connected to Dartmouth. Your list of volunteer contributions is truly impressive: admissions ambassador and career network volunteer; secretary, young alumni chair, and president of the Dartmouth Club of Rochester, NY; board member of the Dartmouth Alumni Association of Silicon Valley; and class treasurer, alumni fund class agent, reunion co-chair, and treasurer for the Great Class of 2005. Your 5th reunion was highly attended and budget-minded; the surplus became the seed for a class endowment to support students involved with the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network. A Dartmouth/Tuck event in Australia reiterated for you that even halfway around the world the Big Green ties are powerful in keeping you connected personally and professionally.
But it is not just Dartmouth that benefits from your devotion to the arts and leadership development. You are a member of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Performing Arts Workshop, which is focused on in-school musical residencies. You also serve on the board of the Mawazo Institute, co-founded by a former intern at the Tucker Foundation, Rose Mutiso ’08, which supports the next generation of female scholars and thought leaders in East Africa.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of your fantastic partner Rob Snow. A West Coast native, visits to family in Vermont introduced him to the magic of the Hanover Plain. Kyle, we applaud your contributions to the arts and the connections you’ve created around the world for Dartmouth alumni. In recognition, we are delighted to present you with the Dartmouth Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award.