The Nelson A. Rockefeller Distinguished Public Service Award was established by the Board of Visitors in 1990 to honor the late Nelson A. Rockefeller '30 for his dedication to service in the public and private sectors. Rockefeller's public life spanned nearly forty years, including 15 years as Governor of New York State and two years as Vice President of the United States. His commitment to service, though, went beyond his political involvement and included participation on various educational and cultural boards through philanthropic support.
Supported by income from the 1991 Rockefeller Family Challenge endowment fund, award was created to recognize one Dartmouth alumna/alumnus annually who has demonstrated exemplary public service in her/his personal and/or professional life.
The Center’s Board of Visitors considers the names of possible recipients and selects one person to receive the award each year. The recipient is invited to Hanover to coincide with the Board’s fall or spring meeting to receive the award and to address the College community and meet informally with students, faculty, and Board members.
The Rockefeller Center covers the cost of the recipient’s transportation, accommodations and meals.
Past recipients of the award:
1990- Jonathan Moore ’54, former UN Ambassador, U.S. Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, UN Ambassador-at-large for Refugee Affairs
1993- C. Everett Koop ’37, former U.S. Surgeon General
1995- John McKernan ’70, former Governor of Maine
1996- Paul E. Tsongas ’62, former U.S. Senator from Massachusetts & 1992 Democratic Presidential Candidate
1998- Stuart Simms ’72, former Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services, formerly with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services
1999- Angus King ’66, former Governor of Maine
2002- Robert B. Reich ’68, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Massachusetts Candidate for Governor
2003- Susan Holmes ’84, Environmental Activist, Earth Justice in Washington, DC
2004- H. Carl McCall ‘58, former New York State Comptroller, New York State Senator; Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights; Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; UN Ambassador; and President of the New York City Board of Education.
2005- Stephen Bosworth ’61, Dean of the Fletcher School, Tufts University, former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (1997-2000), Ambassador to the Philippines (1984-1987) and Ambassador to Tunisia (1979-1981). Previous Foreign Service assignments include Paris, Madrid, Panama City, and Washington DC serving as Director of Policy Planning, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs, and Director of the Office of Fuels and Energy, and Dartmouth College Trustee
2006- Timothy Geithner ’83, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, former U.S. Under Secretary for International Affairs, former Director of Policy Development and Review, International Monetary Fund
2007- Louis F. Oberdorfer ’39, U.S. District Court Judge, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division; former Co-Chairman of Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; and former President of the D.C. Bar.
2008- Rob Portman ’78, Lawyer and a former Director of the Office of Management and Budget (2006-2007). United States Trade Representative (2005-2006). Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio (1993- 2005).
2009- John Hoeven '79, Governor of North Dakota (2000- ). He has served as president and CEO of the Bank of North Dakota (1993-2000), and executive vice president of First Western Bank in Minot (1986-1993). Governor Hoeven also holds an MBA from Northwestern University.
