Amy Henry '97: Dartmouth Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award Recipient, 2011-12
Amy Henry '97 (right) and Alumni Council President
Danielle Dyer '81, '89Tu.
When it came to finding a college that offered plenty of opportunities for involvement and a welcoming community, Dartmouth was the ideal fit. However, we are here tonight because it is you, Amy, who have been so ideal for Dartmouth.
As an undergraduate, you brought your energy and enthusiasm to many corners of the community. From the soccer team to writer and ad manager for Sports Weekly; from a Book Buddy for four years to a Tucker Fellowship for a term in San Francisco; from a member of Kappa Delta Epsilon and Griffin Senior Society to chair of Winter Carnival -- you embodied what it meant to be a well-rounded student. You also appreciated Dartmouth's interdisciplinary approach to academics. Majoring in English with an interest in education, you were a teaching assistant for Professor Garrod's "ED 20" class, which spurred your passion for adolescence and moral development and eventually, your career path. Of course, it was the strong friendships you created, which remain just as strong today, that rounded out your Dartmouth experience.
From the Hanover plain you moved to Chicago, where you worked for advertising agency Leo Burnett (with no shortage of fellow alumni). From there, you continued a successful career in applied research and youth studies, helping businesses to develop products and brands that meet the needs of youth and their families. Along the way, you obtained a Master's in Education in human development and psychology from Harvard's Graduate School of Education. Currently back in your home state of New Jersey, you are vice president at C&R Research, and your pursuit of education continues as you work toward a doctorate in childhood studies at Rutgers University.
We are grateful that amidst your busy life, you find it difficult to say "no" to your alma mater. You are an active alumni interviewer; served as vice president and young alumni chair for the Dartmouth Club of Chicago; and served your class as a member of the Executive Committee, mini-reunion chair, leadership agent, 10-year reunion giving committee co-chair and Alumni Council representative, including as chair of the Young Alumni Committee.
Undeniably, none of this would be possible without the constant support from your husband, Jeff -- and your lives certainly would not be half as exciting if it weren't for your sons, 4-year-old Owen and 10-month-old Eliot.
You seem to personify Albert Einstein's quote: "Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." For all that you have done to keep Dartmouth with you along the way, it is our great honor to present you with the Dartmouth Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award.