Among the first institutions to ignite the philanthropic power of women, Dartmouth College remains a national pacesetter, as demonstrated recently by its 2019 Women’s Leadership Summit. Providing a forum for women to explore topics and engage in ideas that impact their lives, the summit successfully launched an inclusive mini-campaign that went on to raise $10M from more than 1,750 donors in a matter of months. The comprehensive event was led by Dartmouth alumnae volunteers whose vision and voices inspired a collaborative partnership between Development and Alumni Relations. On the cusp of the 50th anniversary of coeducation, and in the 250th year of the college, the event brought alumnae from "round the girdled earth" to focus on leadership. Replacing traditional topics like work-life balance and "breaking the glass ceiling" were conversations on the urgent environmental and societal challenges facing the world today, many of which have a disproportionate impact on women.
From the Judges
Dartmouth is clearly a leader when it comes to women’s leadership engagement and education. This event showed depth, with a content-rich agenda that went beyond the typical topics “for women,” and a campaign that illustrated the giving power of alumnae. We appreciated the focus on storytelling and inclusivity, and how this attention to detail extended to thoughtful touches like a Dartmouth-branded scarf to keep attendees warm but also make it easy to spot one another. The overall execution of the planning for this event was impressive, and required great collaboration and teamwork.
