“I Want to be Part of the Village”

Board Chair Kathy Fallon ’88 exemplifies this extraordinary selflessness as a member of the Kellogg Society (having included Hartwick in her estate planning) and lead contributor to the Together, We Soar Campaign among many other gifts.

Recently Trustee and Together, We Soar Campaign Co-chair Colleen Connery ’83 sat down with Kathy to talk about her public service, philosophy on giving, and Hartwick’s life-changing impact.

CC: Why did you select Hartwick?
KF: It was an amazing direct mail brochure that spoke to me. The look of the setting and community made me visit, and it was perfect. After I committed, I learned my maternal grandfather had also attended following World War II. I don’t think he finished, but it must have been in my blood.

CC: How did you choose your major and why?
KF: I chose anthropology and political science because I was sure I was going to work in international development. The study of society was my passion, and I wanted to bring an anthropological influence to U.S. international development.

CC: What was your favorite J Term course?
KF: Oh, that’s a hard call. It is tough to beat the Bahamas in January; doing a dig was really cool. But Ireland was quite a blast to visit as well. It was a young culture and rapidly changing society in the late 80s — moving from a moral, traditional, 1950s-like culture to a more progressive culture, which made it an interesting time to be there. Riveting.

CC: You spent several years with the Peace Corps. What was that experience like?
KF: After graduation I had to choose between starting an advanced degree or joining the Peace Corps in Niger. I decided it would be better to start with practical experience, so off I went in November 1988 until 1991. The Peace Corps allowed me to work in international relations, study new cultures, learn new languages and visit Ghana, Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. I learned a ton living as the only westerner in a remote Muslim village.

CC: How relevant was your major to your first few jobs?
KF: Anthro and poli sci translated very well to the Peace Corps and after that, I decided U.S. domestic policy might be my next chapter. For the next eight years, I worked at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at the Massachusetts State House for Ellen Story (D) of Amherst, Mass., and in the executive office for Governor William Weld (R). Eventually I found my way to the Public Consulting Group where I’ve been ever since, consulting to all 50 states and large cities, to improve outcomes and process. My course of study allowed me to move fluently between cultures and political perspectives, which has been enormously helpful.

CC: What led you to public service?
KF: My mom worshiped JFK. She spoke of the Peace Corps and government service as a higher calling. I was always riveted by politics and policy and wasn’t swayed by party politics or dogma. I volunteered on a Democratic presidential campaign and worked on a Republican governor’s campaign. The U.S. is always experimenting with federalism. The approach Texas takes to resolving an issue will differ from the tactics they apply in Seattle. No single approach is perfect but seeing the ways different jurisdictions approach their issues and the impact they have on citizens is educational. The current times are unsettling but being part of history, while studying history helps us find our way through.

CC: How did you become a trustee?
KF: Ten years ago, then-President Margaret Drugovich reached out. She explained that higher education was in flux and that what I learned from board service would also apply in my public consulting. She also promised I would meet new people and have a chance to make a difference. All true. I have met the best trustees, staff, faculty and students! It has been a wild ride, but well worth it.

CC: When was your first donation to Hartwick?
KF: As soon as I got back from Africa, I started my giving habit. I’m sure my first gift was $50 or less in the early 90s. Hartwick has always been an annual priority.

CC: Why do you support your alma mater? Why is that important?
KF: Grantors and foundations measure alumni support in their funding decisions. I support Hartwick because it gave me so much. I would not have been able to earn my degree without loans, grants and scholarships. I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams, and I believe in holding the door open for those who come behind me — the same way people opened that door for me. No one graduates without a village, and I want to be part of the village for today’s and tomorrow’s students.

CC: What was the role of Hartwick in your career?
KF: I learned and gained confidence and life skills. I got to travel overseas. I took advantage of opportunities academically and socially — serving as a sorority officer and working in the admissions office. It is hard to imagine I would have become as successful as a leader in my company without my Hartwick experience. Hartwick is amazing at growing kids into adults who take the world by storm.

For more information about the Together, We Soar campaign, visit www.hartwick.edu/togetherwesoar or contact the Office of Advancement at 607-431-4064 or [email protected].