Gift of a Lifetime

My most memorable experience with a Dartmouth alumnus occurred this past fall. I was invited by the Dartmouth College Fund to attend a scholarship luncheon because this year a Dartmouth alumnus decided to fund my tuition. I was extremely nervous to be meeting a guy who didn't even know me but just from reading my file decided to help pay for my education. However, he did not make me feel awkward at all. If anything, I think I made him feel awkward for even saying thank you!

If you are like me, I wondered why anyone would give a ridiculous amount of money to their alma mater. However, the moment I met him, I knew the reason why he choose to donate his money to the school, he absolutely LOVES Dartmouth. Mr. Rees-Jones discusses his time at Dartmouth as a very enjoyable experience and he has always wanted to give back to Dartmouth.

The reasons why the moment was memorable are: First, he had the thickest Texan accent I have EVER heard, and I am from Texas. But that made him even more genuine.

Second, from the moment we met to the end of the lunch, he was constantly asking me what I did on campus, if I was enjoying my time here, where my family was from, what am I studying and so on and so forth. He wanted to actually get to know me.

Third, he was very humble. He never once flaunted his wealth in any way even though he is also funding five other Dartmouth students' tuitions.

Mr. Trevor Rees-Jones '73 has definitely made an impact on my life and I am grateful for everything he has done for the College and for me.

To find out more about his HUGE donation to the school click here: Mr. Trevor Rees-Jones ' 73

P.S. I didn't know this about him till I left the luncheon and went to my room and googled him. However, in 2007 Forbes named Mr. Rees-Jones in the top 400! Read more about the article here: Forbes Article