The Alumni Awards
During recent months the Colleges high honor, the Alumni Award, hasbeen presented to four outstanding alumni, and, for the first time,the College has presented its Distingushed Young Alumni ServiceAward. The citations adapted below attest to the fact that theDartmouth family, and the wider world, are indeed enrichedby the many contributions of these five.
Thomas Jefferson Swartz Jr. '49 has dedicated himself to serving his class in a wide variety of roles: class secretary, Alumni Fund agent, reunion treasurer, reunion chairman (twice), member of the executive committee, and class president. This won him 1949's Gold Pick Axe Award in 1989. He has also served New Jersey's Essex and Morris County Dartmouth Club as secretary and president, and has worked long hours in enrollment and scholarship fund efforts. There were two terms as an Alumni Councillor and a leadership role in both the Campaign for Dartmouth and the Tuck Campaign Fund. Recently retired as president of his family's textile business, Tom is known in his community for service to the PTA and at the Rock Spring Club as both a drummer and a golfer. He is the father of three sons including Thomas III '76.
Stephen M. Mullins '54 has lived a lifetime of superlatives: an All American in long-distance swimming, real estate entrepreneurship, jug collecting, house restoration, community, family, and service to Dartmouth. Following the U.S. Army and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, Steve spent a decade in business and the next 20 years in real estate investment, remodeling apartment buildings in Chicago, a Victorian homestead in Evanston, and a 1792 farmhouse and barn in Norwich, Vt. Along with considerable community service—sports, church, the Evanston Planning Commission and many boards of directors, Steve continues to win medals in free-style swimming, up to two-mile distances and including international meets. He has served his College and 1954 as class president, head agent, reunion giving chairman, president of the Dartmouth College Club of Chicago, president of the Alumni Council, capital campaign area chairman, and more. And one of his three children is Stephanie '87.
Walter W. Vail '58, after Dartmouth years that included captaining the freshman crew and membership in the DOC, spent a long and fruitful career in business, banking, and investment. Originally he was with his family's business in Binghamton, N.Y., then for 14 years with bank or mortgage or investment companies in New City. A long list of Dartmouth assignments class agent, head agent, newsletter editor, reunion treasurer and chairman culminated in 1983 when during a three-day period Walt was honored for setting an all-time giving record for a 25th Reunion class, attended the graduation of daughter Laura '83, and was elected president of his class. Four years later he was named Class President of the Year. There have been other civic accomplishments school boards, PTA, zoning boards, local politics and there are two other daughters.
David N. Saunders '63, with a great- great-great grandfather in the class of 1817 andafather in the class of 1935, has brought his own distinction to the College and to its service. Undergraduate member of the DOC, Winter Sports, Ski Patrol, and WDCR, since graduation Dave has done enrollment work, been president of the Dartmouth Club of Central Virginia, and served on the Club Officers Association. His membership on the Alumni Council, following his father's, represented only the sixth father-son pair. With a master's and a Ph.D. in social work, he has been a professor of social reseach, community organizations, and welfare and health policy at Virginia Commonwealth University since 1972. As an academic he has developed many programs for young people on drugs and alcohol; as a volunteer he has served on many community and state committees and commissions on alcohol and drug abuse, including drunk driving and traffic safety. When they can find the time, he and his wife and children are ardent sailors and travelers.
Peggy Epstein Tanner '79, in 11 years as an alumna, has packed more service to Dartmouth than most alumni do in a lifetime: enrollment and high school liaison officer, class executive committee, head agent, Alumni Fund committee, leadership and participation chairman, winner of the Alumni Fund Award, member of the Alumni Council and chairman of its nominating committee. In the latter role, following a divisive Trustee election in 1986-87, Peggy broke new ground procedurally, creating systems that reached out to alumni and effected close liaison with the Board of Trustees. These systems are still in effect. Recently, after ten years as vice president of an investment firm, Peggy chose to be a full-time mother and to devote time to several civic organizations. On April 27, the College presented her with its first Distinguished young Alumni Service Award.
