For generations, Colgate has fostered a sense of civic responsibility and leadership in the classroom and around the world. It’s even in Colgate’s mission statement: “Those who lead are obligated to help others in need.” In the spirit of this commitment, the Presidents’ Club, in partnership with the Common Good Professional Network and the Office of Alumni Relations, invites you to participate in the Colgate Day of Impact on Colgate Day, Friday, March 13.
Amy Everett DiSibio ’86, P’18, vice chair of the Presidents’ Club, feels it is important for the organization to help lead this effort. “Colgate alumni realize that EVERY community — whether it be a large city or a rural college campus — needs support in order to thrive. Time, talent, and money given by community members make the foundation of a strong and happy community.”
The Day of Impact provides alumni and students with the opportunity to recall how Colgate helped to set them on the path to service. While at Colgate, Amy was most influenced by classmate Tracy West Barlok ’86, who was active in many different organizations on campus. “Tracy was active not only to make a difference in the quantitative sense, but she volunteered because she liked it. Watching Tracy and the communities she has served since we were students has inspired me to do the same for all of these years. She unwittingly taught me that being involved benefits everyone — the community and its individuals alike.”
On (or around) Colgate Day, alumni, parents, students, and friends worldwide will perform acts of impact by attending special Day of Impact events in cities across the globe, conducting volunteer service, and performing their own solo acts of kindness. To participate, please visit colgate.edu/dayofimpact.
“Civic engagement and community responsibility are values that Colgate folks share,” said Bruce Selleck ’71, professor of geology, who is leading a group of students abroad this semester. “Whether we are in our hometowns, living abroad, or studying in Hamilton, the Colgate Day of Impact gives alumni and students a chance to reinforce those values. Here in Cardiff, students on the Wales Study Group are looking forward to March 13 and taking on a locally-relevant service activity.”
“The Colgate Day of Impact is an embodiment of the power of collective action,” says Krista Saleet, director of the Max Shacknai COVE. “Many of us do small and large acts of good quite regularly without much thought. Those acts are what keep our world moving forward and full of hope. The Day of Impact allows us to join together as a Colgate family to share those acts publicly and see the collective power of those individual commitments. We hope that what you see leaves you inspired by the work that you and others do and that it prompts you to make a lasting, personal commitment to continue the work you do on this day.”
As part of the Colgate Day of Impact, the Presidents’ Club and the Common Good Network will present the Colgate Day Impact Award, designed to recognize individuals who have shown leadership in working toward the common good. If you know a Colgate graduate, current student, or parent who has made a positive impact in the world, nominate them for the Colgate Day Impact Award before March 5.