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Lilian Armstrong ’54
Lilian Armstrong’s curriculum vita is a work of art; among its many pages lie her personal masterpieces. Three fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a residency at the American Academy in Rome, the honor of being named the first recipient of Wellesley College’s Marion Butler McLean Chair in the History of Ideas, are just some of the highlights. Harder to quantify, but surely magnificent, are the countless women she has taught, mentored, and inspired to pursue art history through her more than four decades of teaching at Wellesley. She specializes in Italian Renaissance Painting and Sculpture, Late Medieval and Renaissance manuscript illumination, illustration and decoration of early printed books, and the classical tradition in Renaissance art. Among her many publications are books on Northern Italian painting and book illumination, as well as contributions to countless articles and scholarly journals. Lilian Armstrong embodies Emma Willard’s mission through her enduring devotion to the cause of educating women.
Kirsten Rutnik Gillibrand ’84
Her EW college recommendation stated, “she has won the highest respect of her faculty and the highest affection of her peers,” foreshadowing the writing on the wall: Kirsten Rutnick had the qualities needed for a successful and admirable life in politics. When Kirsten set her sights on the U.S. House of Representatives, seeking to oust a long-term incumbent, endorsers and opponents alike doubted it could be done. Those who knew her, especially retired EW teacher Marcia Handelman, knew it would be done. She served New York’s 20th Congressional District with transparency, integrity, and a willingness to know her constituents. Governor David Paterson appointed her to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton in January 2009. Ever committed to making the political process worthy of the trust of ordinary citizens on both sides of the aisle, she is a role model for all of us, and she reminds us that, at its best, a life in politics is a worthy, noble, selfless endeavor.
Susan Moss Burch ’89
Today as a professor in the American and International Studies programs at Middlebury College, Susan Burch oversees the newly created Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity. What she has accomplished and the impact she has had on many lives in her first twenty years off Mount Ida are more than some will accomplish in a lifetime. For over ten years and while earning her Ph.D., she was among the few hearing professors at Gallaudet University, a university designed for deaf people. There her colleagues and students consistently rated her among the top teachers, and her unending passion for history and advocacy for the disabled blossomed. In addition to her achievement within the classroom, both at home and abroad, she has used her talents to research and curate the exhibit, Every Body: American Disability History. She is also the editor-in-chief of a three-volume encyclopedia on American disability history, ensuring this history is accurately portrayed and preserved.
Nandita Sugandhi ’94
Equipped with an MD and proficient in Swahili, French, Hindi, and Marathi, Nandita Sugandhi acts as the sole pediatrician at Mbeya Referral Hospital in Tanzania, serving a catchment area of over seven million people. There she strives to provide all aspects of pediatric HIV care and treatment while working to create a children’s rights curriculum for health care workers in that country. One classmate says of her, “She works around the clock because her patients really matter to her.” Her care for others is clear in all she does. In an autobiographical sketch she wrote at Emma Willard, she mused about a possible career in marine biology, but, she concluded, “I decided I wanted to be a doctor…I loved biology, but I also wanted a career where I could really work with people.” Her desire for a career in medicine has perfectly matched her talent in science and her care and compassion for others.
Deborah Dodds ’79
What distinguishes Deb Dodds most is the passion with which she carries out her volunteer responsibilities. No one makes the case for supporting Emma Willard more emphatically and with more conviction. Her enthusiasm is contagious! The numerous ways she has served Emma Willard bespeak her commitment: Alumnae Association Council vice president, national chair for record-breaking Annual Funds, co-chair of The 1814 Association, and Board of Trustees. Currently she serves on the Executive Committee for the Emma Willard Idea Campaign, and she chaired her 30th reunion. Deb’s underlying goals have been constant: engage and connect alumnae to the school, serve as an ambassador by spreading the word to others about the benefits of an Emma Willard education, and ensure that Emma always has the philanthropic support it needs to remain the gold standard in girls education.
Read the citations of the 2008 Distinguished Alumnae Award recipients.
Read the citations of the 2007 Distinguished Alumnae Award recipients.
Read the citations of the 2006 Distinguished Alumnae Award recipients.
Read the citations of the 2005 Distinguished Alumnae Award recipients.
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