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Alumni Council

Alumni Council serves as the advisory body to the College on behalf of the Earlham Alumni Association. Council leadership can be reached via email by any Earlhamite.

Interested in serving on Alumni Council? Alumni of Earlham College are invited to apply to serve on Council by completing our nomination form. You can also nominate a fellow alum who might be a good fit.

Elected members may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms. Alumni Council meets twice each year on campus to focus on programs and communications to fulfill a number of goals including:

  • facilitating the continuing relationship between Earlham College and its alumni
  • encouraging communication and fellowship among alumni
  • advancing the interest and needs of Earlham College
  • aiding in general promotion of the College to its alumni and the public

In response to these goals, five committees with specific responsibilities carry out the work of Alumni Council:

  • The Alumni-Alumni Committee connects alumni to each other as a way of increasing the benefits of being an Earlham alumnus through work with Class Chairs and reunion committees. The primary goal of the Alumni–Alumni committee is to recreate the sense of community that Earlhamites treasure.
  • The Alumni-Campus Committee connects alumni to campus as a way of supporting Earlhamites who come after them and provides a way for their successors to connect with predecessors. The Alumni–Campus Committee facilitates alumni to campus relations by finding ways that they can support each other.
  • The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee – Ad-Hoc addresses training issues for Council. Immediate needs are to engage a DEI professional who can provide guidance to the Council on matters of nominations, guidance to other committees, outreach initiatives for underrepresented alumni groups, studies on generational/cultural/geographical outreach and initiatives, and other projects as determined by the committee and the Office of Alumni Engagement.
  • The Membership and Leadership Development Committee is made up of two subcommittees.
    • The Leadership Development Subcommittee shall nominate Executive Committee officers and committee chairs, conduct and maintain annual self-evaluations of Council members, and generally promote the leadership development of Council members for the purpose of service to the Alumni Council and the College. 
    • The Membership Subcommittee manages the nomination/solicitation and selection process for new members, develops onboarding plans and materials for the orientation of new members, and invites or declines Council members for continuing terms.
  • The Recognition Committee identifies and nominates Earlham alums for the Outstanding Alumni, Outstanding Young Alumni, and Distinguished Service to the College awards, facilitates the vetting and selection of recipients, and hosts/co-hosts the recognition ceremony.
Alumni counsel group photo

Current Leadership

Wendy Smiseck `91
Columbus, OH
Alumni Council Chair
, Membership & Leadership Development Committee
Martha Henn `84
Indianapolis, IN
Convener
, Recognition Committee
Ken Huus `93
Blythewood, SC
Alumni Council Vice Chair, Convener, Membership & Leadership Development Committee
Chris Meyer `69
Xenia, OH
Alumni Council Secretary, Recognition Committee
Andres Guzman `10
South Hadley, MA
Co-Convener, DEI Ad Hoc Committee
Martha Hill `79
Colfax, IN
Board Representative

Recognition Committee
Jason Jimerson `85
Greenwood, IN
Convener, Alumni to Alumni Engagement Committee
Hans Kersten `86
Philadelphia, PA
Co-Convener, Alumni to Campus Engagement Committee
Katherine Pawelczak `01
Indianapolis, IN
Co-Convener, Alumni to Campus Engagement Committee
Deborah Roose `71
Oberlin, OH
Co-Convener, DEI Ad Hoc Committee
Mary Branson `78
The Woodlands, TX
Co-Convener, Membership & Leadership Development Committee

Recognition Committee

Roosevelt Allen `76
Framingham, MA
Ed Stigall, Jr. `88
Oxford, OH
Yazeed Moore `97
Grand Rapids, MI

Membership & Leadership Committee

Meghna Subramaniam `20
Pittsburgh, PA
Michael Elloreaga `03
Richmond, IN
Susan Scantland Littleton `05
Columbus, OH

Alumni to Alumni Engagement Committee

Howell Gatchell `69
Richmond, IN
Lifetime Member
Stephen (Steve) Henderlite `84
Castle Rock, CO
Brian Navarrete `05
Springfield, IL
Peggy Osbourn `78
Houston, TX
Brandy Bennett `05
Cold Spring, NY

Alumni to Campus Engagement Committee

Jay Coffman `02
Delaware, OH
Neil Levine `83
Beverly, MA
Chris Tillery `13
Brownsburg, IN

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ad Hoc Committee

Carrie Bubb `92
Fort Wayne, IN
Chanese Hamilton `16
Alexandria, VA

Lifetime Members

Betty Joyner Gothelf `56
Novato, CA
Eugene Ogle `55
Torrance, CA

EARLHAM ALERT:
We continue to monitor the effects of an industrial fire 1.1 miles from campus.
EARLHAM ALERT:
We continue to monitor the effects of an industrial fire 1.1 miles from campus.