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Annual Fund

The Thayer Annual Fund makes an immediate difference in the life and learning of engineering students, helping us maintain excellent and innovative academic programs and provide support for our students who need it most. Join other alumni, parents, and friends of Thayer in making a gift to the Thayer Annual Fund. All gifts—of any size—make a difference.

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Celebrating 50 Years

Barry Mc Lean smiling while at a podium

2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Thayer Annual Fund—launched in 1976 as the "Dean's Fund" by Dean Carl Long and Thayer's Board of Advisors, including dedicated board member and lifelong Thayer and Dartmouth supporter, Barry McLean '60 Th'61.

The vision was simple and powerful: to provide annual, flexible support to enhance the student experience and help drive innovation across Thayer. In its first year, the fund raised $15,000—a modest but meaningful beginning.

Today, five decades later, that vision has grown exponentially. In the 2025 fiscal year, the Thayer Annual Fund raised an extraordinary $1.86 million, thanks to the generosity of many alumni, families, and friends.

Join us in celebrating 50 years of the Thayer Annual Fund, and in investing in the next 50.

Leadership Giving

Join our most generous supporters and receive membership into the Sylvanus Thayer Society for Leadership Giving, including special designations for young alumni as well as for our most loyal donors. Members receive special invitations to events and activities throughout the year.

Sylvanus Thayer Society for Leadership Giving

Corporate matching gifts may be included to reach each level.

Myron Tribus Fellows
Gifts of $50,000 or more

Asa Dodge Smith Fellows
Gifts of $25,000 to $49,999

Robert Fletcher Fellows
Gifts of $10,000 to $24,999

Frank Warren Garran Fellows
Gifts of $5,000 to $9,999

Frederick J. Hooven Fellows
Gifts of $2,500 to $4,999

1867 Associates
Gifts of $1,000 to $2,499

Young Alumni Leadership Giving

The Advisors' and Dean's Circles encourage the future of philanthropic support for Thayer by honoring donors from the 10 most recent graduating classes.

Advisors' Circle (Graduates 1 to 10 years out)
Gifts of $500 to $999

Dean's Circle (Graduates 1 to 5 years out)
Gifts of $100 to $499

Albert W. Doolittle Jr. Giving Society
Albert W. Doolittle Jr. '36 Th'37 never missed a gift to the Thayer Annual Fund since its establishment in 1976. In his honor, donors who give to the Annual Fund for at least five consecutive years, or every year since their Thayer School graduation, are recognized with membership in the Albert W. Doolittle Society.

"Volunteering my time is fulfilling, and I enjoy working with the many people who feel as I do about the value of a Thayer education."

—Benton C. Routh '86 Th'86 '87, Annual Fund Chair

Become an Annual Fund volunteer

The work of our volunteers, from class agents to our executive committee, is critical to advancing our mission "to prepare the most capable and faithful for the most responsible positions and the most difficult service." Our volunteers help strengthen the student experience and keep Thayer a place of innovation, creativity, and ingenuity.

Ways to Volunteer

  • Be a class agent

    Class agents play an important role in stewarding classmates and friends for a lifetime of giving. Each class agent builds relationships with 10–15 assigned classmates or engineering colleagues through phone calls or emails throughout the year. Other duties include:

    • Providing leadership by example through an annual gift or pledge made early in the fiscal year;
    • Advising Thayer's advancement team on solicitation assignments and helping to identify new volunteer prospects;
    • Regularly sharing Thayer news with classmates and colleagues assigned to you.

  • Join the Annual Fund Executive Committee

    Members of the Executive Committee steward and solicit our leadership prospects, which include many of our class agents, as well as support class agents in their work. Other duties include:

    • Providing leadership by example through an annual gift or pledge made early in the fiscal year;
    • Attending fall and spring Executive Committee meetings;
    • Advising Thayer's advancement team on solicitation assignments and helping to identify new volunteer prospects;
    • Regularly sharing Thayer news with classmates and colleagues assigned to you.
       

    Executive Committee Members

    • Richard K. Akerboom '80 Th'82 '85
    • Ligin M. Baltrusaitis, PhD Th'19
    • Richard Bi Th'08
    • Michael C. Chapman '76 Th'77
    • James Chin Th'15
    • Timothy J. Connors '88 Th'90
    • Eric H. Fitz Th'05
    • Robert B. Garman '69 Th'70
    • Gabriella L. Grangard '16 Th'17
    • Amanda Taplett Johnson '01 Th'02
    • Harris B. McKee '61 Th'63
    • Kaye D. McKee Th'16
    • Christian Ortiz '11 Th'11 '16
    • Steven D. Reinitz '09 Th'09 '14
    • Benton C. Routh '86 Th'86 '87, Chair
    • Shounak Simlai '05 Th'07
    • Laura Weyl Th'08

Tools for Volunteers

Sustaining Donors

Become a Sustaining Donor to the Thayer Annual Fund

Sustaining (monthly, quarterly, twice-a-year or annually) gifts to the Thayer Annual Fund provide steady, reliable support that fuels innovation, teaching, and research all year long.

When you become a sustaining donor, you help ensure Thayer can meet urgent needs, fund emerging opportunities, and plan boldly for the future.

Why make a sustaining gift?

  • It's easy and flexible—set it and forget it.
  • It's impactful—small gifts add up to big change.
  • It's stable—consistent support helps Thayer thrive.

Join a dedicated community committed to advancing human-centered engineering at Thayer.

Start your sustaining gift today and make a lasting difference.

Give Now—choose "make a sustaining gift" using a credit card or PayPal.

Make Your Gift

There are many ways to make your gift to the Thayer Annual Fund.

How to Give

Report of Gifts

"Thayer cultivates independent-thinking, project-based engineers who are able to make a splash in the world."

—Michael Doogue Th'98, member of Thayer Board of Advisors

Gifts translate to life-changing opportunities for our students and faculty—from need-based scholarships that make Thayer's distinctive engineering education possible for more students to the resources that enhance hands-on, project-based learning in classrooms and project labs. Read how this year's gifts made an impact at Thayer.

Contact

To get involved or to learn more, contact:

Gail Dexter
Director, Annual Giving
+1 (603) 646-1304
gail.l.dexter@dartmouth.edu

General Inquiries
+1 (877) 5-THAYER
+1 (877) 584-2937

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