Alumni Council Honors: Eight Alumni Celebrated for Outstanding Service to the College

Polar Bear Award
Established in 1999, this award recognizes significant personal contributions and outstanding dedication to Bowdoin, honoring a record of service rather than a single act or achievement. 

• Caroline Curtis ’72
  A member of one of the first graduating classes at Bowdoin to include women, Curtis was a cochair of the host committee for Leaders in All Walks of Life: Celebrating Fifty Years of Women at Bowdoin. During her service on the Alumni Council, she was a steadfast supporter of the Maurice B. Littlefield Alumni Council Internship Fund. She also volunteered for her Class Reunion Committees and served as alumni marshal at her fiftieth reunion in 2022.
  
  
• Sara Edel ’02
  A dedicated alumni volunteer for more than two decades, Edel was a founding member of RepresentAsian, Bowdoin’s Asian alumni association. Her leadership, previously as secretary to the vice president and more recently as chair of the communications committee, has been instrumental in the group's evolution. Edel’s candid advice, patience, empathy, and wit have been credited with contributing to RepresentAsian's success, as have the events she has hosted in her home state of Hawaii. She has also led multiple events as part of the Bowdoin Club of San Francisco and supported the admissions and the development and alumni relations offices and CXD through a variety of volunteer roles.
  
  
• David Treadwell Jr. ’64, P’90 
  Through his long involvement with Bowdoin’s host parent program, Treadwell has provided warmth, guidance, and a sense of belonging to students from all walks of life. He is an advocate for young people, consistently offering mentorship, encouragement, and a welcoming presence both on campus and in the greater Brunswick community. Treadwell has served as assistant secretary to the board of trustees, participated in numerous class reunion committees, and supported Bowdoin’s Office of Career Exploration and Development (CXD) as a mock interviewer.
  
  
• Roger Tuveson ’64, P’86, P’91
  Through decades of exemplary volunteer service, Tuveson has served as cochair of numerous reunion committees, supported the Annual Fund as a class agent, volunteered for admissions, and contributed to the Bowdoin College Athletic Hall of Honor as a member of the selection committee. Tuveson has been a fixture for years as an enthusiastic alumnus and parent—and as a fan of Bowdoin’s women’s hockey, women’s basketball, field hockey, swimming, and baseball teams. He is a proud grandparent of members of the Classes of 2017 and 2022.

• Ryan Davis ’15
  Davis’s work as a lead class agent and a 1794 Society ambassador is highly valued. Along with soliciting peers for gifts of all levels and brainstorming new ways to encourage them to give, he has often reached out to invite peers to events around the country. Davis’s service on his fifth and tenth class reunion committees and his support of CXD’s Sophomore Bootcamp program help demonstrate his dedication to keeping alumni connected to the College and each other.
  
  
• Diamond Walker ’17
  Walker’s dedication to Bowdoin and the Bowdoin College Black Alumni Association (BCBAA) has been transformative. From hosting virtual programming for alumni of color during the pandemic to spearheading efforts to connect Black alumni, her contributions have been impactful and far reaching. As an active member of the BCBAA Coordinating Council, she has played a pivotal role in establishing the mentorship program and has led meaningful events on campus and in New York City. Walker has served as an event speaker, supported CXD’s Sophomore Bootcamp program, and served on the AF/AM/50 host committee.

• Mark Lenhart ’89
  Lenhart’s leadership and commitment to fostering global learning opportunities exemplifies his dedication to supporting the next generation of students. As executive director of CET Academic Programs, he has played a pivotal role in advancing international education. His work as a trustee and chair at the Fund for Education Abroad has been transformative, and his frequent speaking engagements at national conferences on study abroad safety, underrepresentation, and the LGBTQ student experience have furthered his impact on the educational community. Lenhart’s decades of service at Bowdoin include his work on the Alumni Council, as a primary volunteer and peer organizer of pride events, on reunion committees, and in support of admissions and CXD programs.

• Thomas Sides ’68
  Sides’s dedication to Bowdoin and its community and his belief in the common good and in paying it forward have been heralded as remarkable, as has his care for the College, his understanding that it must grow and evolve with the times, and his active encouragement that it do so. After serving on his fiftieth reunion committee, he became a class agent and since that time has been a stalwart volunteer, serving as cochair of his fifty-fifth reunion committee and as a fund director, sharing his insights with younger generations.