Community Award Presented to New London Residents Betsy and Sheldon Boege

On Friday, May 17, Colby-Sawyer College President Susan D. Stuebner presented the 2019 Community Award to New London residents Betsy and Sheldon Boege during the spring meeting of the President’s Community Forum. The Community Award is presented annually to an area resident or organization who has demonstrated extraordinary involvement in, and made noteworthy contributions to, the college.

After living for more than 25 years in Asia and the Middle East, Sheldon and Betsy Boege moved to the New London area in 2001. Soon after, they became involved with the college’s Adventures in Learning (AIL) program. Over the past 18 years, Betsy and Sheldon have each taken on many leadership roles in AIL, and Sheldon has served as a group study leader and lecturer for more than 15 courses. This year, they collaborated with Professor of Fine and Performing Arts Jon Keenan to lead a course on the preservation of Japanese Art from the Meiji Period. In addition to their work with AIL, the Boeges volunteer at the annual Colby-Sawyer Chargers Club tennis tournament and are members of the President’s Community Forum.

In addition to the time and talent that Betsy and Sheldon have devoted as volunteers, Colby-Sawyer has also benefited from their tremendous generosity. In 2018, the Boeges made a significant gift to fund exhibitions and artists who visit the Center for Art + Design and to establish the Ernest F. Fenollosa Endowed Fund to support art-related internships for Colby-Sawyer students. This year, they chose to invest in one of Colby-Sawyer’s most important academic priorities: field studies courses, which provide students the opportunity to apply what they learn within the classroom during intense, hands-on experiences in an environment where they can explore a topic in person. The Boeges’ gift will help support the expansion of field studies offerings and underwrite some of the costs for students to participate in these unique learning opportunities.

“Sheldon and Betsy Boege exemplify the unique relationship that Colby-Sawyer enjoys with community members from the surrounding area,” Vice President for College Advancement Dan Parish said. “We are so fortunate to benefit from their expertise, energy and support, and we are grateful for all that the Boeges have done for Colby-Sawyer and Adventures in Learning over the past 18 years.”