Nacho Gutierrez ’25 Named John Robert Lewis Scholar

Ignacio “Nacho” Gutierrez ’25, the first Class of 1985 Scholar, shared the exciting news that he has been named a John Robert Lewis Scholar by the Faith and Politics Institute for the 2023-2024 cohort. Read the College’s press release about this exciting honor!

(above, Valerie Hartman and Leslie Davis Dahl visit with Nacho in Hanover)

Ignacio Gutierrez ’25 and Jackelinne Claros Benitez ’24 have been named John Robert Lewis Scholars. (Photos by Katie Lenhart)

Throughout the year, he will work alongside inspiring advocates as part of the third cohort of the John Robert Lewis Scholars and Fellows Program, “founded to examine Lewis’s nonviolent philosophy from a historical perspective; define its principles and strategies; and identify their applicability to modern times and movements.” He’s looking forward to applying the program’s discussions in D.C. and Selma to improving his advocacy work with Hispanic communities throughout the United States and Mexico. 

Class Agents at the Mandel Society Awards

President Hanlon, Gail Gentes, and Joe Riley ’85

Several ’85 Class Agents and DCF volunteers met up at the recent gala for the Stephen F. Mandel ’52 Society awards. The Society recognizes alumni volunteers who provide visionary leadership in raising gifts to Dartmouth through the Dartmouth College Fund. This year’s honorees were Peter Pratt ’71 and Brett Perryman ’92. ’85s in attendance included Aaron Hill, Risë Norman, and Joe Riley.

Catching Up With the Class Scholar

Kate and Jon Grussing reconnected with our class scholarship recipient Nacho in Hanover this winter. The Grussing’s hosted Nacho and his club, Dartmouth’s Dog Day Players improvisational group, at an alumni event in London this past December.  Gail Gentes, Assistant Director, Dartmouth for Life, joined them and loved hearing about the London trip!

Class of 1985 Scholar

Beth Hobbs with 1985 Class Scholar Nacho Gutierrez

Thanks to the generosity of a classmate and so many of you stepping up and meeting our participation goal for the Dartmouth College Fund, we now have a permanent Class of 1985 scholarship to award to a deserving Dartmouth student. We’d like to introduce you to our first Class of 1985 Scholar, Ignacio (Nacho) Gutierrez, a first year student from Mexico! Here’s a little interview from Homecoming with class president Beth Hobbs. Click here to watch another chat with some ’85s getting known a little about Nacho and his favorite places to study. Nacho grew up learning about Orozco and the famous Mexican muralists, and actually being able to stand in front of Dartmouth’s famous mural was an amazing experience for him. Listen in, and we’ll be keeping tabs on Nacho and getting to know him better over the next four years!

’85s Step Up for DCF in 2020-21!

Thanks to everyone who supported the Dartmouth College Fund. Your gifts helped 1985 raise over $3.9 million—funds that will immediately help students needing financial aid. Special thanks to our DCF Head Agents Joe Niehaus, Joe McGee, and Andy Ford for successfully leading the DCF fundraising efforts in one of the most challenging years ever! The Great Class of 1985 continues to make huge philanthropic strides with annual gifts to the Dartmouth College Fund, Thayer, Tuck and Geisel Schools along with impactful gifts to other important initiatives in the Call to Lead Campaign.

Class of 1985 Philanthropy Fiscal Year 2020-2021

We set a goal of raising $3.5 million and 35% participation—and we exceeded it!

$3,912,935 Raised

38.2% Participation

— 1985 Beats Goals for dollars and participation!

View the FY’21 DCF Honor Roll

Better Together–Our Collective Impact

Each donation helped you meet a reunion challenge issued by a generous classmate—by attaining 38.2% participation—you now will have a 1985 Scholar each year in perpetuity!

  • 61 classmates joined the 1769 Society with a gift of $2,500 or more
  • 51 classmates continue as members of the Hal Ripley society giving a gift to the Fund every year since graduation
  • You were the Reunion Class with the greatest number of donors whose previous gift was 5+ years ago
  • Since 2014, 14 1985 alumnae joined the Centennial Circle with a gift of $100,000 or more funding two undergraduates for a year
  • Cumulative gifts from classmates to The Call to Lead Campaign is $23,626,102 (anonymous gifts not included)—60% of the Class have participated in the Campaign
  • Gifts/Bequests to the Call to Lead Campaign focused on Financial Aid: $5,829,984
  • 29 classmates are members of the Bartlett Tower Society

Your support makes a life-changing experience possible for Dartmouth Students now and in the future.

With appreciation,


Janet Kingsbury Warren ’87a
Managing Director, DCF

Shades of Green Spring 2021

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The spring edition of Shades of Green has sprung!

This edition is packed with news about our 35th Reunion, Class Projects, an exciting challenge to fund a Class Scholar, classmate stories and lots and lots of pictures. Click the thumbnail to open the PDF.

Stories about the life and the before-times from Linda Blockus, Jon Grussing, Frank Cerveny, Deborah Keyek-Franssen, Brad Kliber, Kathleen DeLello Milne, Keith Moon, David Vaules, Collen Keller Sterling, Katie Leede, and Margaret Marder.

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Looking for more? Follow the links for more on the stories features in the print newsletter.

Campus Clips . . .

Looking for some Dartmouth-related bits and pieces that have nothing to do with politics? Check out these bits from Dartmouth students and staff:

How are undergrads spicing things up on campus while spending more than enough time in their dorm rooms? This article in the D from Emma Ginsberg has a few suggestions: https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2020/09/ginsberg-spice-up-your-life-in-quarantine

The Dartmouth calendar mailing has long been a hallmark of the Dartmouth College Fund’s fall solicitation plan. This year, in response to the College’s careful management of expenses, all DCF donors in recent years were provided an opt-in opportunity to request a printed calendar for 2021. More than 8,000 alumni requested their copy and updated their contact information! If you’d like to grab a few images from the calendar, here you go: https://dartmouthcollegefund.org/calendar

Finally, as you know, every dollar given to the Dartmouth College Fund creates opportunities for talented students to attend Dartmouth, regardless of their ability to pay. Meet Reem ’23, a member of the Dartmouth College Fund’s student team, who wanted to express her appreciation to our alumni and for the opportunity to be back on campus for the fall term.

Stay healthy, stay happy, and keep thinking of Dartmouth!

A message from your Head Agents: Joe, Andy and Joe

Given the ever-fluid environment these days, we wanted to share some updated information regarding the Dartmouth College Fund landscape. As you know, we continue to be committed to help with Dartmouth’s highest and most urgent priority – ensuring that Dartmouth can attract the most talented students based on their abilities — not their ability to pay.

A recent Dartmouth survey of its Moosilauke Forum group indicated that 75% of alumni believe that financial aid is the area of the College they most want to support.

The Dartmouth College Fund is the College’s largest single source of student financial aid, and the best way that alumni can impact today’s Dartmouth students. Every dollar that is donated goes directly to assist students.

And, the need is growing. The number of the first-year students receiving scholarship support has grown by 2% over last year, while the average financial aid award for the Class of 2024 is up 7%, to more than $60,000, in a year-to-year comparison. Approximately 22% of the current first-year students come from families earning $100,000 or less a year, meaning they’re receiving full-tuition scholarships, up from 20% for the Class of 2023.

For our 30th Reunion, Head Agents Gaby Guise and Joe McGee coordinated our DCF fundraising efforts and together we raised more than we had ever raised before — over $4.7 million! For our 35th, we have set our second highest goal ever — $3.5 million with 35% of our ’85 classmates participating.Every donation is important. Together, we hope to raise enough to fully support 70 students. Your gift helps pay for a student’s direct and indirect expenses including tuition, fees, food, housing, books, travel and supplies.We have a great team of Agents and we are happy to provide any information that will help you make a Reunion giving decision.

Joe McGee  joseph.mcgee@roxburypartners.com Andy Ford  andyf@hanoverpartners.com Joe Niehaus  jniehaus@housatonicpartners.com   

220th Meeting of the Alumni Council

Little did I know when I become the class Alumni Council rep that my scheme to return to Dartmouth more often would be thwarted by a pandemic. Nevertheless, the first virtual meeting of the Dartmouth Alumni Council was a successful and informative affair. Click through to read the highlights from the meeting.

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Shades of Green – Spring 2019

Spring has sprung and another Shades of Green hits the presses! In this issue: part 2 of our visit with classmates in the Earth, Energy, and Environment fields and much, much more. Click through to our website to download or watch your mailbox!

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