Macbassador of the Month

December 2011: Neale Miller '72

For many years, Neale Miller '72 has gone out of his way to welcome groups of visiting Mac students, coordinate alumni events, and elevate Macalester's alumni presence in New Orleans. "My affiliation with the college is something of which I am very proud," he says. For these reasons, we are proud to name Neale as December's Macbassador of the Month.

Neale says he is motivated to volunteer for Mac to help today's students discover new paths through inspiring professors. "David Hopper, Jim Stewart, and David McCurdy all had a formative influence on my life," he says. "Each of these professors helped open a door for me that I did not previously know existed. I have no doubt that their legacy has been preserved and is being perpetuated by today's faculty."

Neale witnesses that legacy each January when he connects with Macalester's Bonner Scholars on their annual service project to Louisiana. "I see a strong social conscience in the students with whom I have interacted in New Orleans, a willingness to take seriously their roles as change agents," he says.

Neale says he strongly supports Macalester's "long-standing commitment to global outreach and cultural exchange." In addition to volunteering his time for his alma mater, he is also a Summit Society member and has given to Mac every year since he graduated.

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November 2011: Jeremy Hanson Willis '95

Jeremy Hanson Willis '95 answers the call to volunteer at Mac no matter who is asking, whether it's a professor looking for a speaker, a student needing a panelist, or the alumni office recruiting Alumni Board members. When he's not serving as chief of staff for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, there's a good possibility that Jeremy is volunteering in support of some member of the Macalester community. His selfless support of Macalester is one of many attributes contributing to Jeremy being selected as November's Macbassador of the Month.

"Macalester has been an important part of my life and career, and has given me so much, that I simply feel compelled to do what I can to give back," Jeremy says. "I've been helped a lot by Mac alumni and I want to help other alumni and students succeed." Jeremy's service to Macalester comes from a sense of pride in connecting with fellow alums and students. "So many Mac alumni and students are doing very meaningful work and by volunteering I get to learn about that, which is really cool."

In addition to sharing his time and talents to support Macalester students, Jeremy strengthens Mac with his dependable support of the Annual Fund as a Sustainer and Summit Society member. Join us in congratulating Jeremy for being Macbassador of the Month.

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October 2011: Beth Bergman '73

Beth Bergman '73 (left) hosting a first-year dinner this fall.

Beth Bergman '73, owner of the popular Grand Avenue art store Wet Paint, is October's Macbassador of the Month.

This fall, Beth welcomed Macalester students into her home as a host for the Alumni Board's first-year dinner program, providing the students with a fun and informal way to connect with the alumni community. "I have a daily relationship with Macalester," says Beth, whose business is a block from the college, "and I love to cook, so I feel like I'm hardly doing anything outside of ordinary when cooking dinner for the students." Beth has also served on several of her class's Reunion committees and helped stage alumni art exhibits on campus.

Beth was drawn to Macalester "for the opportunity to be part of life-changing volunteering experiences." Her first gift of $20 in 1973 and continued support of the Annual Fund as a Scots Society member has ensured that today's Macalester students have similar enriching experiences.

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September 2011: Beth Desnick '82

Because of her tireless efforts to encourage her Macalester classmates and Twin Cities alumni to get involved in their alma mater and her enthusiasm for Mac, Beth Desnick '82 is September’s Macbassador of the Month.

Since reconnecting with Macalester in 2004, Beth has served as a reunion committee member and as chairperson of the Twin Cities' Grand Society Committee, written email appeals to classmates, assisted with college publications, and hosted alumni events. She currently serves as Class of 1982 Class Agent and is a Summit Society member.

"An appeal letter I received from another alum in 2004 inspired me to make my first Grand Society gift to the Annual Fund," Beth says. When she was asked to also become a volunteer soon after, "It was an easy 'Yes.' I loved Macalester when I was there as a student," she says, "I'm so happy there's a way for me to still feel like I'm a part of the college."

Beth says she continues to meet many Macalester students, faculty, and staff, all of whom contribute to her belief that Macalester is fantastic and worthy of support. "It's easy to see how our support makes an impact on the quality of the school," she says, "and to see how communication between alums is one of the best ways to inspire that support."

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August 2011: Katherine Houghton Zatz '82

Many of her classmates will recognize a pair of shoes owned by our Macbassador of the Month for August. Katherine Houghton Zatz '82 used a photo of these unique "McAlister" tartan shoes as the Mac 1981, '82 & '83 Cluster Reunion Facebook group icon. Her willingness to wear tartan and engage with her classmates online are just a couple of ways Kate shows pride in her alma mater.

Kate's famous Tartan shoes.

Kate created the Facebook group while serving on the Classes of 1981, '82 & '83 Cluster Reunion Committee, and even though Reunion 2011 has come and gone, the Facebook group continues to be a dynamic and engaging space where alumni are sharing memories, news, and ideas.

Many alumni recall the early '80s as a challenging time for both Macalester and the United States. "During our time at Mac, the college’s endowment and the overall economy were in rough shape, so our experiences were highly variable," recalls Kate. "The last few years, my involvement with the college has been a deliberate attempt to reengage classmates, from providing a forum for them to connect to the truly rewarding moments of helping them reconcile with each other and the college."

Kate continues to strengthen the Macalester community by being a dependable member of the Annual Fund Summit Society, a Class Agent, and an alumni volunteer. She says, "At some point I had the epiphany that alums are stewards of the college. Our engagement, whether financially or by involvement, says a great deal about who we are and how we value our own Mac experience. I truly value mine."

Join us in congratulating Kate as our August Macbassador of the Month.

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July 2011: Adrian Moran '91

The Chicago alumni chapter and the LGBT alumni network Scots Pride have recently come alive with enthusiasm and energy due to the efforts of Adrian Moran '91. That's why we name him July's Macbassador of the Month.

After moving from the Twin Cities to Chicago, Adrian turned to technology to reconnect with his Macalester friends. "My involvement with Macalester has been an evolution over the past few years," Adrian said. "I started connecting with old friends through Facebook, and then started organizing events through the Chicago [alumni] chapter." After fellow Chicagoan and Alumni Board member Susan Perry '83 asked Adrian to serve as a chapter contact with her, the Alumni Board quickly capitalized on Adrian's successes as an energetic volunteer and elected him to the board.

Adrian said he's come to appreciate how thoughtful and engaging Macalester people are. "It's a group that's diverse in many ways, but there's a certain common open-mindedness and willingness to participate in real conversation." Adrian believes the use of social networking tools, particularly Facebook, will continue to play a vital role in fostering those conversations and connections between alumni and the Macalester community.

In addition to all of the many ways Adrian is connecting Macalester alumni, he also helps current students access Macalester's unique world-class education by giving to the Annual Fund. Please join us in congratulating Adrian for being Macbassador of the Month.

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June 2011: Curtis Gilbert '02

Photo by Allen Brisson-Smith

Curtis Gilbert '02 is June's Macbassador of the Month, in recognition of his loyal support and advocacy for the Macalester Annual Fund.

Curtis worked as a student caller for the Annual Fund and since then has been a loyal fundraising volunteer, serving as reliable Annual Fund Phonathon caller, letter writer, and Summit Society committee member. He also co-chaired his class's 5-Year Reunion Committee in 2007, helping his class achieve a record-breaking attendance. He currently serves as class agent, along with three of his classmates.

"I volunteer as a class agent because I think Macalester has an important mission, and as alumni, we need to support it," Curtis said. "We came to Macalester as curious, creative kids motivated to make a difference in the world. We left with the tools we needed to do it. I want to make sure Macalester can continue to provide a world-class education, and I want to make sure students of modest means have access to it. I volunteer because I want to set an example for other alumni. I hope my work inspires my classmates to become both volunteers and Annual Fund donors."

As a class agent, Curtis went above and beyond in rallying classmates to give before Macalester's fiscal year end. The day before May 31, he posted this video message on the Facebook profiles of classmates, encouraging them to show their pride in Macalester by making a gift to the Annual Fund.

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May 2011: George Bonniwell '61

May's Macbassador of the Month is George Bonniwell '61, a role model for all Macalester alumni volunteers, who found one of the few remaining copies of the Class of 1961 first-year class photo.

George signs up to help whenever he can and always comes through with quiet, effective leadership and good humor. George is a member of the Alumni Board and is an active member of the board's Nominations and Student Support committees. Throughout the years, he has participated in planning nearly all of his class's reunions, and is currently the co-chair of the Class of 1961 50-Year Reunion Program Committee. His enthusiasm for volunteering for Mac is contagious; he convinced his wife Charlotte Yost Bonniwell '62 to volunteer for her 50th as well.

George and Charlotte are Scot Society members, helping Macalester maintain its high-quality educational resources and provide financial aid to students. They have given to Macalester's Annual Fund nearly every year since 1972.

George is a familiar sight on campus because he rarely misses an opportunity to return for faculty lectures, Alumni Board programs for students, and the annual Alumni College Summer Session. Join us in congratulating George in being MacBassador of the Month.

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April 2011: Alison Morris '86

Alison Morris '86 and her son, Julian.

April's Macbassador of the Month is Alison Morris '86, in recognition of her leadership as a cochair of the Class of 1986 Reunion Committee and her loyal support of Macalester throughout the years.

Alison has brought an incredible amount of energy and fun into the task of encouraging her classmates to attend their 25-Year Reunion this June. From managing the class Facebook group to scouring old Mac Weeklies for interesting pieces of Mac history to authoring attention-getting emails and letters, Alison's efforts are helping the Class of '86 reconnect with Mac and each other.

Alison is also one of our most dependable donors. Her first gift to Mac was $10 toward the Class of 1986 Senior Gift. Since then, she has given to Macalester nearly every year. This may be why she is leading the Class of '86 Reunion Gift effort to reach a goal of 40 percent participation in raising $30,000, which will help maintain high-quality educational resources and opportunities for Macalester students.

Thank you Alison, for all of the work you do for dear old Macalester!

March 2011: Libby Snelson '78

Past Alumni Board president, first-year dinner host, Reunion committee member, Macalester College Pipe Band fan, and owner of the most extensive collection of tartan clothing this side of Edinburgh, Libby Snelson '78 is Macbassador of the month.

Libby finishes her second term on the Alumni Board this year. "I hear from alums of all generations, unprompted, 'Macalester changed my life,' and that applies to me too," Libby says. "Emily Rosenberg, Ellis Dye, and other Macalester professors opened up the world to me years ago, and the college needs all of our support to make that happen for students today and tomorrow."

In addition to her diligence in connecting the broader alumni community with the college, Libby has supported current students financially nearly every year since she graduated in 1978. Today, she and her husband Brett Gemlo '78 are members of the Grand Society.
Be a Macbassador

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February 2011: Aditi Naik '07 & Benjamin Kantor '05

When the admissions office needed more alumni volunteers to interview prospective students in NYC and Boston, Brooklyn residents Aditi Naik '07 and Benjamin Kantor '05 stepped up.

When admissions volunteer coordinator Jane Andrews asked Aditi if she could interview one prospective student, Aditi enthusiastically responded. When Jane asked if she could interview an additional prospective student, Aditi recruited Benjamin who was also eager to help. Today, these two volunteers have conducted several admissions interviews. Jane said, "They are very positive, happy to help, and enjoy representing Mac. I can't tell you how much that helps the college."

In addition to helping the Admissions Office recruit future students, Aditi and Benjamin support current students by giving to the Annual Fund. Because they each have given to the college every year since graduation, they are members of the Summit Society. Join us in congratulating Aditi and Benjamin for being Macbassadors of the Month.
Sign up to be a Macbassador

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January 2011: Alex James '09

Alex James '09 is January's Macbassador of the month. As a recent grad, he has generously shared his time and experience with current students through initiatives of the Career Development Center and Department of Multicultural Life.

“I feel indebted to Macalester for the opportunities the college has given me and the person Mac has helped me to become,” Alex said. “I wouldn't be the same person that I am today if I had gone to any other college, and for that I try to support Macalester as best I can.”

Because he has given to the Annual Fund consistently since he graduated, he is a member of the Summit Society. He also volunteers for Annual Fund Phonathons and serves as a class agent, a role in which he and two classmates encourage the Class of 2009 to support Macalester.

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December 2010: Janet Armajani '53

Janet Armajani '53

December's Macbassador of the Month is Janet Armajani '53, who is being honored for her steadfast support of her alma mater, her many hours volunteering for the college, and her enthusiasm in attending alumni and campus events.

Janet has served on each of her class's reunion committees, hosts the alumni reception at the annual Messiah Sing-a-long in Minnetonka, and volunteers for Annual Fund phonathons. She has attended all three Alumni College Summer Sessions, is a regular at the Alumni Film Series, and can be found in the audience of most all Macalester Choir concerts.

She also supports Macalester and its students, as a loyal donor. She made her first gift of $2.50 in 1964. Today, she is a member of the Annual Fund's Grand Society.

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November 2010: Marcia Peters '89

Marcia Peters '89

November's Macbassador of the Month is Marcia Peters '89 in recognition of her service to students and organizing the college's LGBT alumni network, Scots Pride.

For the last two career networking nights, she shared her valuable perspective (from the hiring side of job interviews) with Macalester students, covering topics including interviewing techniques, appropriate attire, behavior, and mannerisms. As Scots Pride organizer, she has served as the main contact for several events for LGBT alumni, their partners, and allies. She also spoke with students at the 'Out at Work' lunch last spring, providing advice to LGBT seniors about researching and identifying LGBT-friendly employers. "It is important to me to be present as an 'out' role model for the students," she said, "because there weren't any when I was at Mac."

In addition to her volunteer time, Marcia has given to the Annual Fund every year since 2004. Her loyal financial support of the college ensures the continued excellence of the Macalester experience.

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