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The Nominations Committee of the Alumni Council invites recommendations for the 2008 Distinguished Service Award. Presented by the Council on behalf of the Alumni Association, the award recognizes an employee who has substantially contributed to Hamilton through distinguished job performance and through involvement in student, alumni, or other activities in the College community. At the time of selection, the recipient must be an active member of Hamilton's faculty, administration, staff, or maintenance and operations. 

Preston Hutchings ’78 and his Bermuda crew aboard the new NY42 Morgan’s Ghost finished first in the 30th anniversary Marion to Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race. Morgan’s Ghost is the first Bermuda boat to take line honors since Robert Mulderig’s Starr Trail did the trick in 2003.   

Unrestricted gifts to Hamilton College directly support students and move Hamilton forward while honoring its past. Our generosity repays gifts we received from those who came before us. Giving to Hamilton affirms a shared belief that education is key to securing a better future for our world and says to the vibrant and diverse student body that, "I give because I believe that one student, educated in the Hamilton tradition, can positively affect the lives of thousands." Please give to the Annual Fund. The means to do so follow.

Reunions 2007 are now fading into memory. They were the largest such gathering in the history of the College. Reunions are a time of reconnection and renewal for all who attend - and Reunions '07 were no exception. The 1617 who attended were reminded that is the good will and character of the people who make up the Hamilton and Kirkland family that defines our community of graduates. 

At the request of several alumni and parent volunteers, Hamilton Vice President for Communications and Development Dick Tantillo sent a letter clarifying the reasons for the decision not to move forward in establishing the Alexander Hamilton Center. Tantillo acknowledged “the distractions caused by the proposed Alexander Hamilton Center have taken away some of the focus on the exceptional year we are having on College Hill.” He concluded that “Hamilton has enormous momentum.”

The Hamilton College Alumni Association today announced the results of its Alumni Trustee election. Nancy Roob ’87, Torrence D. Moore ’92 and George D. Baker Jr. ’74 received the greatest number of votes, as certified by Elections USA, an independent firm contracted to manage the election, and will join the College's Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 2007. Each year three Alumni Trustees are elected to serve four-year terms on the Board. A total of 3,638 ballots (20% of alumni) were cast by the March 20, 2007 deadline.

Each fall the Nominations Committee of the Hamilton Alumni Association presents the Alumni Council with nominees to fill three positions on the Board of Trustees. After considering a lengthy list of potential nominees and assessing indicators of effective trusteeship including volunteer experience, professional expertise and representation of varied alumni demographic groups, George Baker ’74, Nancy Roob ’87 and Torrence Moore ’92 were nominated. Prior to the meeting Benjamin Wu ’73 and Peter Brown ’73 fulfilled the necessary petition threshold of 25 alumni signatures and became candidates as well necessitating an alumni-wide election. It is now time for alumni to exercise their franchise by voting.

In the recent discussions regarding the election of Alumni Trustees, there have been suggestions that there is an “elite” running the affairs of the Kirkland and Hamilton alumni organizations. This concept has given me pause as I have concluded that I am among the so-called elite, but I believe that my story is instructive to these conversations says Paddy McGuire ’81.  

Two groups of highly selective, small liberal arts colleges and universities have developed a series of measurements to gauge the effectiveness of their alumni relations efforts. The metrics examined a wide range of alumni engagement activities and include alumni council representation. Of the twenty-five schools who responded to the survey, Hamilton’s 246-member Alumni Council is, by a wide margin, the most inclusive.

  Each year, three candidates are nominated by the Alumni Council for four-year terms as Alumni Trustees. In addition, alumni may become petition candidates by obtaining signatures from approximately 0.1% or 25 of our more than 18,000 alumni. If no nominations by petition are received, a mail ballot election is not required. This year, there are five candidates for three Alumni Trustee terms beginning on July 1 – three candidates nominated by the Alumni Council and two candidates nominated by petition.   Nominated by the Alumni Council: George D. Baker, Jr. ‘74 Nancy Roob ‘87 Torrence D. Moore ‘92   Nominated by Petition: Peter D. Brown ‘73 Ben S. Wu ‘73   Ballots will be mailed in February to Kirkland alumnae and Hamilton alumni. The mailing will include biographical information and personal statements from each candidate. The three candidates with the highest number of votes will be elected to fill the three vacancies for Alumni Trustee.     Candidates may use the HOLAC message board to discuss their candidacies. Election procedures developed by the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council may be found at the link at the end of this article.   The Alumni Association sincerely thanks the three alumni trustees who will retire on June 30. They are Stuart J. Hamilton ’73, Mathew M. McKenna ’72, and Julie A. North ’84. Their four years of volunteer service will be recognized by the Association at the Annual Meeting held on Saturday, June 2 at Reunions ’07.   I urge you to participate in the election. Please cast your ballot when the time comes.   Sincerely, Jon Hysell ‘72 Secretary to the Alumni Association Director of Alumni Relations