The body of people who make up the Dickinson College Trustee board represent the college and take on both financial and policy responsibilities for the college.

According to the Dickinson College website, the board has “sole fiduciary responsibility for the college, oversees matters of basic policy, elects and reviews the performance of the president of the college, and is empowered to appoint board committees and to elect board officers.” With this in mind, this periodical segment aims to introduce the Dickinson community to members of the board who are involved in this process.

The board, which is at minimum comprised of 25 people and at maximum 50, includes the president of the college, the president of the Alumni Council and the immediate past president of the Alumni Council. In addition, each spring a member of the graduating class is elected to serve a two-year term as the Young Alumni Trustee.

Trustees are expected to provide eight years of active and engaged service, and each is reviewed on a four-year cycle. No member is eligible to serve after reaching age 75.

“Trustees who have demonstrated exceptional and distinguished service to the college,” states the website, “may be elected to emeritus status generally after the completion of at least two full terms on the board.”

One current trustee and the Alumni Council President for Dickinson College, Michael Donnelly ’02, has an important piece of advice for current Dickinsonians: “If you are interested in something give it a try and give it your all.” Dickinson is a “safe place to try new things,” says Donnelly, and students should “relish that experience.”

Having graduated from Dickinson with a major in Spanish, a minor in Political Science, a certificate in K-12 education and certificate in Latin American Studies, Donnelly has gone on to become the principal of Willow Dale Elementary School in Warminster, PA.

Donnelly was a Spanish teacher for eight years prior to becoming the principal of Willow Dale. Donnelly enjoys being a principal because it allows him to have a bigger impact on students’ lives. His favorite part of his job is being with his students and watching them learn and grow.

During his time at Dickinson, Donnelly was a Resident Advisor (RA), on the Spanish major committee, participated in the annual phone-a-thon and partook in Teaches for Tomorrow. Being an RA was a very impactful experience for him since it gave him the ability to work with other students in a new environment. Donnelly received the RA of the year award.

While it was hard for him to choose, Donnelly’s favorite thing about Dickinson is the people. When Donnelly comes back to Carlisle it feels like he is coming home, he says. Donnelly describes Dickinsonians as “genuine, thoughtful, personable and just good people.”

Donnelly was greatly influenced by his first year RA while at Dickinson. She was “instrumental in helping me transition [into college life],” he says. Donnelly also mentioned the influence of Vice President and Dean of Student Life Joyce Bylander, saying that she “represents that which we embody as Dickinsonians.”

Donnelly thinks it is important for current Dickinsonians to know that “we [the Trustees] want to see Dickinson as successful as it was when we were [here].” Donnelly also stated that “[The Trustees] are all Dickinsonians and [they] all want what’s best for Dickinson.”

Donnelly says the Trustees are “very approachable, friendly, and down to earth” and encourages students to “feel comfortable reaching out to Trustees because [they] are here to help you.”