Harold Petersen ’55 - A most loyal alumnus with a charge for the alumni community.
Next June, Harold Petersen ’55 celebrates the 70th anniversary of his graduation from DePauw. He plans that 2025 will also mark another impressive anniversary – his 45th consecutive year of giving in support of DePauw. Consistent giving by alumni such as Petersen is the foundation that has built and sustains DePauw’s tradition of excellence, fueling a mission that develops leaders in every field.
Retired after 56 years of teaching economics at Boston College, Petersen recently had an opportunity to meet with DePauw President Lori S. White at an alumni gathering in the historic city. Petersen emerged from the meeting “convinced that DePauw's future is very bright but that there are some big challenges over the next few years."
His next thought: “What can we, as alumni, do to help?”
Petersen says, “It struck me that the most important thing I could do at this point would be to increase my annual giving. Building endowment is important, but so is balancing the budget without severe cuts.”
Petersen shared this sentiment at the meeting and followed up days later by increasing his annual gift by 50%. He says he is hoping to do this again next year, and he invites his fellow alumni to join him in doing what they can “out of gratitude for what DePauw has done for us.”
Harold Petersen had a rich DePauw experience. A Rector Scholar who came to the university intent on being a writer, he was soon drawn to the field of economics. With a reputation for being a bit of a prankster, one of his most treasured memories is serving as a representative of the Men’s Hall Association in the Student Senate and passing his coveted blue blazer on to another distinguished alumnus, Vernon Jordan ’57.
You can read more about Harold Petersen’s storied DePauw experience in this earlier profile.