Meet 1794 Society Membership Committee Chairs Rich Bonomo '85 and Claire Newton '02

As cochairs of this volunteer committee, Claire Newton ’02 and Rich Bonomo ’85 strive to embody the Offer of the College in the quest “To make hosts of friends... Who are leaders in all walks of life.” Support at the 1794 Society level is vital to Bowdoin, as it provides flexibility to respond to the College’s most pressing needs each year.

Why is it important to you to support Bowdoin the way you do; what inspires you?

CN: I’m inspired by Bowdoin students and their commitment to the common good and being changemakers in today’s world. I’m also encouraged by the College’s willingness to evolve and expand on its thinking to address today’s social justice issues.

RB: Attending Bowdoin College was a significant event in my development as an adult. I entered the College as an extremely naive seventeen-year-old kid from New Jersey and left as a reasonably polished young adult with many of the skills needed to tackle a career and a productive, meaningful adult life. I will be forever grateful for these gifts and feel a responsibility to support the College so that others may enjoy the same benefits.

Tell us about some of your meaningful experiences at Bowdoin.

RB: My closest friends are all classmates from Bowdoin. Eight of us, all DKEs, lived in Harpswell our senior year, and our friendships became very close and lasting. These are some of the most important people in my life and a constant reminder of all that Bowdoin has done for me. Academically, I remember one particular moment that changed how I look at life. As a sophomore, I took Economic Stats with Jon Goldstein. The first statistic Jon shared with the class was that he graded on a strict curve, which meant, by definition, twenty percent of the class would fail. While that may have been a tactic to get us all to focus, I took something else away. There are no free rides or guarantees in the real world. If you want to excel, you need to be more dedicated and hardworking than the people around you.

How would you encourage others to give back to Bowdoin?

CN: Giving to any organization is a deeply personal decision, so I encourage my friends to consider the ways the College made them into who they are today.

RB: In any way they can. Obviously, I’d love it if everyone could give back financially at the 1794 Society level. Realistically, not everyone can or will. I think that being accessible to and supportive of the College and students is the most significant way to give back. Supporting the institution and its students is the most important thing, whether that support be monetary or otherwise.

How do you hope to impact Bowdoin through your leadership?

CN: My hope is that I can help make Bowdoin a more equitable and accessible place for students from all backgrounds. I want any student who has the opportunity to attend Bowdoin to have the ability to fully participate in all facets of Bowdoin life without financial constraints.

RB: My hope is that my involvement spurs others to get involved. I’m happy to say that, in my journey with the 1794 Society, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and speak with lots of alumni. My hope is to inspire those I meet to be more involved both financially and with their time.

Your feedback is important; Claire Newton, Rich Bonomo, and the 1794 Society Membership Committee want to hear from you. Please provide feedback on your experience as a leadership donor so that programs and communications can be enhanced in a way that is meaningful to you.

Linked form includes the following questions:

• What do you expect to receive from membership in the 1794 Society?
• What is your feedback on the way the College is stewarding your gift? What are your preferences?
• What type of programming should we consider, beyond what is currently being offered, to offer 1794 members specifically?
  
  

1794 Society Membership Committee:

Richard A. Bonomo '85	Jacqueline Deysher Marchand '09	Maximilian C. Staiger '13
Jean A. Brountas '83	Claire E. Newton '02	Michael T. Sullivan '94
Corey E. Gildart '05	Karen L. Northup '86	Brian S. Sung '95
Westerly Gorayeb '16	Lonnie D. Nunley IV '12	Peter B. Webster '62, P'91, P'94
Catalina T. Guillermety '95	Ben W. Painter '19	Ruilin Yang '20
Gillian C. Hannon '13	George D. Schultz ’05	Run Ye '03
Daniel R. Hart '95	Staci Williams Seeley '90, P'26
Timothy M. Laurion '81	Christopher A. Seeley '94, P'26