The Presidents’ Club began in 1965 with 93 members and has grown during the past five decades to include more than 3,600 members of the Colgate community. As membership has grown, so has the impact on campus. In its first year, Presidents’ Club members raised $347,469 for Colgate, and last year members raised $36,755,795. In 50 years, Presidents’ Club members have contributed more than half a billion dollars to support the university.
Patty Caprio, senior advancement executive at Colgate, has been involved with the Presidents’ Club throughout the decades. “The Presidents’ Club has been the ship that has guided Colgate through the past five decades and garnered the talents and treasures of Colgate’s most influential and philanthropic donors,” she said. “It has been the bond for many alumni, parents, and friends.”
Dick Kessler ’52 was there from the beginning, serving as chair of the Presidents’ Club from 1983 through 1985. “The founding of the Presidents’ Club was a commitment on the university’s part to increase support to the school both in terms of dollars and participation,” Kessler said. “And it worked.”
During a particularly challenging time in the mid-’90s, Jim Elrod ’76, who most recently served as campaign director during Passion for the Climb, was asked to step into a leadership role with the Presidents’ Club to help increase leadership giving support. As chair, Elrod instituted special giving levels for Colgate’s most recent alumni and at the same time, increased the minimum level of leadership giving for the rest of the Colgate community. The strong positive response to both initiatives was encouraging to Elrod. “We all give for different reasons,” he said, “but the Presidents’ Club is an avenue where you get back more than you give.”
Terry Egler ’77, alumni council president and the first woman to chair the Presidents’ Club (2005–2008), agrees. “I was able to expand my own personal Colgate community through my involvement in the Presidents’ Club,” she said. These connections helped Egler to build both her personal and professional relationships. “Everyone should strive to become a member,” she says. “The Presidents’ Club makes a huge difference to Colgate, and members should take a lot of pride their role.”
Egler has always felt it important to pay it forward, as she received a significant amount of financial aid while a student at Colgate. “Colgate has given me and my family so much that it was both a responsibility and a privilege to give back. When Patty Caprio asked me to take on this leadership role, I couldn’t say no,” she said. The Egler lineage includes both Terry and husband, Alan ’79, as well as Alan Egler Sr. ’51 and both Egler children, Kelly ’07 and Catilin ’11. Both daughters are married to Colgate alumni.
Kevin Danehy ’83, current chair of the Presidents’ Club, also feels a sense of responsibility to pay it forward. “I give back to repay those who helped me and to inspire those who follow me,” he said. Over the years, Danehy has been proud to see the Presidents’ Club progress from simply a giving society that thanks its generous donors. “The Presidents’ Club is a community that emphasizes leadership by example and lifelong connectedness to the university through action, service, and financial support,” he said.
During his term as chair, Danehy has been most proud of the Presidents’ Club efforts to increase career development programming around Homecoming. “I am so pleased with the collaboration and partnership with Career Services in a unified mission to impact undergraduates,” Danehy said.
This summer, Amy Everett DiSibio ’86, P’18, will assume responsibility as chair of the Presidents’ Club. “The future of the Presidents’ Club is bright, thanks to the strong foundation built by generations of Colgate alumni, parents, and friends,” she said. DiSibio is encouraged by the significant increase in young alumni Presidents’ Club membership numbers in recent years.
“The next generation is stepping forward,” DiSibio said. “Over the next several years, I’m looking forward to working with our young alumni to develop exciting programming and provide even more opportunities to connect with this incredible leadership community.”