Alan MacDougall, A65, and Jeanne MacDougall
About them
Alan, A65, was one of three members of the Tufts community to toll Goddard Chapel's bell to notify the campus that President Kennedy had died. That memory represents the spirit of public service that was the cornerstone of Alan's Tufts education. After graduation, he continued his public service efforts by spending more than 30 years as an intelligence officer with the federal government.
Over the years, Alan has been an active alumnus, serving as the president of the Alumni Association and as a mentor to students and alumni. Alan and Jeanne are members of charitable and municipal boards in their small Vermont village and hold leadership positions in their church.
About their gift
The MacDougalls made the decision to join the Charles Tufts Society, bequeathing their estates to the School of Arts and Sciences as part of a $20 million pledge from the Tufts Alumni Council. Their gift is unrestricted because, MacDougall says, "It's difficult to predict what Tufts will need down the road. I think it's important for university leaders to have the flexibility they need to capitalize on new ideas as they develop."
Why they give
"Jeanne and I have no children. We both want our estates to go to a good cause, and Tufts is the best cause we know. I came from a blue-collar environment. My parents worked hard to make Tufts possible for me. What I've earned all my life is the result of the education I received at Tufts....Tufts provides you with a sense that you should make the world a better place. It was the university ethos then, and it's the university ethos now."
