The award has been bestowed on extraordinary 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ volunteers since 1987.
By Bennett Campbell Ferguson
August 15, 2024
In June, Darlene Pasieczny ’01 received the highest honor a 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ alumni volunteer can earn: the 2024 Babson Society Outstanding Volunteer Award, which was named for Jean McCall Babson ’42 and has been bestowed on extraordinary 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵies since 1987.
“I felt truly honored!” said Darlene, who is a member of the 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Board of Trustees. “And inspired to keep going. Engagement with 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ meant different things to me at different times, but always brought joy and true connection and purpose. Helping 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵies rise and the college excel for the future is the legacy of all alumni volunteers.”
Darlene’s volunteer work at 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ dates back to her days as an admissions office volunteer. She was subsequently a member of the Class of 2001 reunion committee, a mentor at Working Weekend events, and she served on the Alumni Board, helping to rewrite the Alumni Association By-Laws in 2018 and create the Chapter Leadership Council.
At a ceremony in the Performing Arts Building Atrium, Darlene was honored by Dylan Rivera ’95, President of the Alumni Board. He cited Darlene’s many accomplishments in the 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ community, from founding the 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Career Coaches Program to co-chairing the 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Legal Network, which engages with 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵies practicing law nationwide.
“For all of these reasons and many more, our fellow alumni voted to recognize Darlene with the Babson Award for 2024,” Dylan said. “Darlene, thank you for all that you have done and all that you’ll continue to do on behalf of 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ and 91²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵies.”