Lynne Boles ’74 will be recognized as the recipient of the 2018 Roger B. Linden Distinguished Service Award during SUNY Potsdam’s Commencement Ceremony on May 19.
SUNY Potsdam has named Lynne Boles ’74 as the recipient of its 2018 Roger B. Linden Distinguished Service Award, the highest award bestowed by the College. The annual recognition is bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated steadfast support for SUNY Potsdam and the region through their leadership, advocacy, stewardship and service.
Boles will be recognized during the College’s Commencement Ceremony, to be held on Saturday, May 19 at 10:15 a.m., in the Academic Quad. More than 750 bachelor’s and master’s graduates are set to cross the stage in this year’s ceremony.
About the recipient:
Lynne Boles ’74 graduated from SUNY Potsdam with her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and journalism. While at Potsdam, Boles was the president and secretary of the Student Government Association, served as managing editor of The Racquette, and was a sister of the Agonian Sorority. In 1975, she received her master’s degree in TV and radio from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Boles spent 34 years in marketing, advertising and communications at Procter & Gamble, and was recognized as the Corporate Advertising Executive of the Year in 2009 by the Delaney Report. Since her retirement as vice president for global advertising at P&G, Boles has worked as an independent consultant for communications and brand building. She has also found time to give back to SUNY Potsdam. Boles was elected to the Potsdam College Foundation Board of Trustees in 2005, and has served as president since 2012. Throughout her tenure, she has volunteered countless hours, and as a result, her leadership skills, passion for giving and dedication to the College have helped transform the Foundation Board in significant ways.
Through her invaluable service on the board’s marketing advisory group, Boles has shared her professional expertise with her alma mater, assisting in the development of a marketing and branding strategy for the campus. She also served as a member of the steering committee for Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam. Her guidance and vision played a key role in the campaign’s success in raising $33.5 million to support scholarships and programs at SUNY Potsdam.
In additional to her exemplary service, she has been a faithful and generous donor every year since graduating. Boles and her husband, John Priest (Hon. ’17), were major donors at the Chancellor’s Circle level during the campaign, supporting the Fund for Potsdam, programs in the Department of Theatre and Dance, and the Dan Hurley Student Leadership Fund, among other causes.
Boles was the keynote speaker at the College’s 2006 Commencement Ceremony, and was the recipient of the 2012 Minerva Award from the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association.
Established in 1968, the Potsdam College Foundation is a non-profit corporation dedicated to stewarding the continued growth of private giving in support of SUNY Potsdam. Its mission is to ensure a quality future for the College and its people, by establishing endowments to support scholarships and programs to ensure campus needs are met. To learn more about giving back to SUNY Potsdam, visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni/giving.
For more information about Commencement at SUNY Potsdam, visit www.potsdam.edu/commencement.
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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