Dr. Bonita L. Betters-Reed ’73 speaks to the crowd after receiving the 2018 Distinguished Service Award from the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association.
The SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association recently honored Dr. Bonita L. Betters-Reed ’73 with its 2018 Distinguished Service Award during the College’s Reunion Weekend.
The Distinguished Service Award is presented to alumni who have made exceptional contributions to the Alumni Association and/or the College. Betters-Reed was honored for the significant impact she has had on the Potsdam College Foundation Board and the College.
About the recipients:
For the past 12 years, Dr. Bonita Betters-Reed ’73 has served as a dedicated trustee of the Potsdam College Foundation. While her efforts have often occurred “behind the scenes,” she has given generously of her considerable talent and expertise to enhance the effectiveness of the Foundation, which raised a total of more than $35 million for the College during her time on the board.
As a retired professor of organizational leadership at Simmons College in Boston, Betters-Reed volunteered her time to assist with leadership training for both SUNY Potsdam and the Foundation Board. She facilitated the first-ever leadership training retreat for the board’s Executive Committee, guiding the board in developing key priorities that included a succession plan, as well as a plan for increasing inclusion and diversity. Thanks to her leadership, the Foundation Board now includes two associate trustee positions, to be filled by early career professionals.
Betters-Reed also played a key role in the College’s first major rebranding effort. She worked closely with the College’s Office of Public Affairs, campus leadership and members of the Foundation Board to present the branding process to campus constituents. Betters-Reed was instrumental in helping all involved to understand the new brand, in terms of both sound business practice and its importance to the academic effort.
She has endowed the Bonita L. Betters-Reed Leadership Scholarship for Diversity and Inclusion, to be awarded every year to a student who shares her passion for bringing people together. In addition to her generous endowment gifts, Betters-Reed is a loyal donor to the Annual Fund for Potsdam, recognizing that flexible use gifts that can be directed toward the College’s greatest needs are among the most valuable gifts to the institution.
Another of Betters-Reed’s passions is Greek Life, being a proud sister of the Alpha Kappa Phi (Ago) Sorority. She was invited as the only non-campus speaker to address Greek alumni during Reunion Weekend a few years back, providing a valuable perspective regarding national issues, and how they both reflected, and were different from, Greek Life at SUNY Potsdam.
To find out more about SUNY Potsdam’s committed alumni, visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni.
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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