College honors Dana Scholars

Author: AnnMarie Wesolowski

President Ronald D. Liebowitz's house was the setting for the Charles A. Dana Scholars' Dinner on April 25. Over 30 students and members of the staff and faculty gathered to recognize the Charles A. Dana Scholars of the Class of 2007 for their academic success and leadership qualities. The Charles A. Dana program works to "identify and encourage students of academic promise, good character and limited financial resources to obtain a college education." The program also emphasizes leadership potential.

The Dana Foundation currently works to support collegiate education in programs that distribute money in the form of scholarships, professorships and building projects. Middlebury College receives grants in all three forms and is therefore deemed a Dana College. The Sunderland Language Center and the Charles A. Dana Auditorium were built with the support of the foundation and over 16 Middlebury professors have been designated as Dana Professors since 1967.

Charles A. Dana himself was a successful industrialist. He founded the Dana Corporation and an automotive parts manufacturer. Upon retirement he created the Dana Foundation which worked during his lifetime to donate money to private colleges, hospitals and the Methodist Church. Dana started off as a lawyer before establishing himself as a businessman, working for over 20 companies before his death in 1975 at the age of 94.

Trang Nguyen '05 described the process through which students are selected. "Every year a group of students in the sophomore class is chosen for the award in recognition of their achievements in academics and leadership in their first year at the College," she said. "Once you are chosen, you are a Dana scholar for your whole college career. Academic departments and commons deans submit nominations each year." Dana scholars can continue as such in graduate programs if the particular institution is affiliated with the Dana Foundation.

On Monday, greetings were performed by Liebowitz and Charles A. Dana III, member of the Board of Directors of the Dana Foundation spoke. The evening concluded with the presentation of award certificates by Tim Spears, Dean of the College.

"I liked the dinner very much," Nguyen said. "I got to meet and talk to professors and administrators I have never talked to before, met some seniors I knew and hadn't seen in ages and got to know their plans for next year. I liked the speech by Charles Dana as it helped me put a face and character to a name... I knew nothing about before."

Salim Saglam '07 commented on what it meant to be a Dana Scholar for him. "Being an international [student] from a developing country, I really appreciated the financial support. Plus, it is really rewarding when your academic success and extracurricular activities are acknowledged," he said. "It is great that student success is appreciated, awarded and encouraged by such scholarships."