2009 Presidents Award Citations
Presented at Alumni/ae Council Weekend 2009

Willard “Bill” Dalrymple ’39
Willard “Bill” Dalrymple ’39—Just over two years ago, and nearly 70 years after graduating from the Academy, you stepped forward to assume the role of class correspondent following the death of long-time correspondent Brad Haseltine. You have executed your duties with grace and style, keeping classmates informed of each others’ doings and keeping the conversation about Exeter alive and well among the members of the class of 1939. But that was not enough for you. In the fall of 2007 you broached the topic of planning a 70th reunion with the alumni/ae office. Soon, a date was set for May of 2009 and you began your work as the Class of 1939 70th Reunion Program Chair.

You and your team planned a reunion that would have tired out a much younger class and offered an insider’s view of the school that covered almost every aspect of Academy life. The program included joining a senior history class on law and American society the day after Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court; visiting the library, where Academy Librarian Jacquelyn Thomas displayed a recently donated and rare 1632 folio of Shakespeare’s plays; attending Thursday morning meditation; learning about community service, athletics and environmental initiatives on campus during sessions with their respective faculty leaders; touring the Lamont Gallery with director Karen Burgess Smith; breakfasting with deans; and lunching with Principal Ty Tingley. Thirteen classmates and eight guests traveled back to campus to take part in this very successful reunion.

Bill, Exeter is delighted with your visionary and energetic efforts on behalf of your class. It is with great pleasure that we present to you this 2009 President’s Award.

 

Dudley Rauch ’59
Your unwavering desire to strengthen the bonds among Exonians—and inspire their philanthropy to the Academy—has been at the core of your nearly two decades of service as a volunteer for the great class of 1959. Serving as 50th reunion gift chair for the last five years, you fulfilled your role in an exemplary manner, giving generously of your time, talent and financial support to make this milestone event a success on every front.

Never content to be a voice at the end of the phone line, you packed your bags and traveled the country to visit scores of classmates in their hometowns and rekindle their relationships with the Academy. You helped organize and attended every single regional gathering from Washington D.C. to San Francisco, recognizing that authentic connections bolster lasting bonds among Exonians. Not only did you unabashedly ask your classmates to support Exeter’s initiatives, you also encouraged them to return to campus and even established an assistance fund to underwrite the travel costs of those with limited resources. The fund also supported many of the regional gatherings and volunteer meetings held in advance of the reunion.

Your unyielding tenacity and deep conviction that Exeter deserves strong volunteer and philanthropic support resulted in stellar support of the Annual Giving Fund and two legacy class projects: The Class of 1959 Academy Building Fund and The Class of 1959 Scholarship Fund. With an eye on the future, you also inspired a fellow class leader to join you in making an innovative gift to a younger generation — providing seed money to fund the Class of 2009’s 25th reunion project in 2034.

Dudley, for your extraordinary devotion and service on behalf of the Academy and your class, we are proud to honor you today with this 2009 President’s Award.

 

John D. Bradbury ’59 and Richard E. Hanson, Jr. ’59
Out of the crucible of the class of 1959’s 45th reunion five years ago emerged a presidential partnership that is pure gold. Neither of you was a stranger to volunteering for Exeter, having served in various roles since the 1990s. But over the past five years, as co-presidents of your class, you quietly and steadily built enthusiasm and momentum for your 50th reunion, which attracted a record number of classmates in May 2009 and left the class stronger than it has ever been.

Your strategy for success was to focus first on building relationships within the class. You helped organize and attended gatherings in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Massachusetts and Maine. The two of you traveled to each one of these locations to meet and talk with classmates and their
spouses and to encourage attendance at the reunion. Many of these gatherings were especially poignant as classmates overcame long-held reticences to reconnect with Exeter, and spouses of deceased classmates found support and friendship among the Exonians of 1959. At the same time you convened a team of enthusiastic volunteers at planning meetings in New York and on campus and supported their manifold endeavors, from the creation of a password-protected website to the planning of meals and entertainment by and for classmates. In fact, the team you assembled worked together so well that most members intend to meet this year and continue to collaborate on planning the 55th reunion in 2014.

One telling detail about your leadership is the sensitive way in which you informed those who might need it of a classmate’s generous donation of a reuniontravel assistance fund. Among the 88 classmates who attended your reunion were several who took advantage of the fund because you had successfully communicated the value of their presence.

Dick and John, you are true models of leadership. For your nimble teamwork and tireless and very successful efforts to rally the class of 1959 around its 50th reunion, Exeter is pleased to present you with a 2009 President’s Award.

 

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