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Your Alumni Connection

Four new members joined the Alumni Council this summer — Melissa Meigs Barbeau ’51, Nancy Flynn Bass ’92, Bruce A. Campbell ’76, and Jennifer E. Gibbons ’89 — each had a chance to answer a simple question: Why volunteer for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½?

• Enriching Students’ Lives: As one-half of a very active husband-and-wife ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ volunteer team, Melissa Meigs Barbeau ’51 volunteers because “my life has been enriched in many ways by the experiences of my years at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. By staying involved, I have been able to keep up with the College’s growth and participate as ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ enriches the lives of students into the next century.”With husband Wilfred Barbeau ’51 (a former Council member), Melissa Barbeau has served as a Rhode Island Club leader, a fund-raising and career services volunteer, and college inauguration representative for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. The Barbeaus, co-presidents of their class and 1991 recipients of the Alumni Distinguished Service Award, are retired from their own public relations firm.
• Expanding the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Experience: Nancy Flynn Bass ’92 initially volunteered for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ “to give back to the place that gave me so much: friends, a career, self-confidence — and a husband! [David ’91].” She added: “Since then, I’ve learned that ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ is more than just what you did prior to graduation. I get to work with fun people who have a common interest and similar experiences, which continually expands my definition of `the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ experience.'”Bass, a senior underwriter at UNUM in Portland, is lead class agent for the Annual Alumni Fund. She co-chaired her Reunion Gift Committe in 1996.
• Helping Meet New Needs: When discussing his volunteer involvement, Bruce Campbell ’76 reflects on his ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ years. “Some of my fondest memories and strongest friendships are rooted in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College,” he said. “The College’s learning environment helped shape my family, career, community involvement, and appreciation for life. I volunteer to help ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ meet the changing needs of students, so they can reap similar benefits.”Campbell, a Portland resident and holder of an M.B.A. from Thomas College, is vice president of payer relations and clinical business development at NHC Inc. in Lowell, Massachusetts.
• Belief in the Mission: “I volunteer for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ for the same re to attend ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½: I believe in the College’s mission, its goals, and its vision for the future,” said Jennifer Gibbons ’89 of New York City. “We can all help ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ continue to be one of the country’s finest learning communities. As ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ has given me much, College volunteer opportunities let me give back to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½.”Gibbons is a class agent and has been a leader in the New York City ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Club. A holder of master’s degrees in art and architectural history from Columbia University, she works at Gallery Systems, a designer of cataloguing software used by museums.

Your Alumni Council President: Nancy Higgins ’81Nancy Higgins ’81 has done it all as a ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ volunteer, and now she’ll use that experience as the new president of the Alumni Council, succeeding Geri FitzGerald ’75.

A member of the Council since 1993, Higgins is a past winner of the College’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award, joining three other current Council members who are past winners: Susan Peillet Yule ’78 (1990), Jennifer Gibbons ’89 (1995), and Nancy Flynn Bass ’92 (1996, co-winner with husband David ’91).

A former Annual Alumni Fund Committee member, Nancy has served as class agent and class president and as a member of her Reunion Gift Committee. As a club leader, she’s helped the Boston ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Club win club-of-the-year honors in 1988 and 1991. She’s also hosted several ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students through the Ladd Internship Program. A certified financial planner, Nancy is a sales associate in investment services group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in Boston. She lives in Charlestown.