Donors are stepping up to join the Health Leaders Circle, a new initiative to support annual funds and critical areas of need at the Geisel School of Medicine and Dartmouth-Hitchcock. Launched in October, the program offers donors of $5,000 or more opportunities to connect with institutional leaders through Health Leaders Circle events and communications. In its first three months, 75 donors joined, including 25 donors who have given more than $260,000 toward educational programming, student scholarships, and research at Geisel.  

Many of those donors, like Philip Boulter MED ’64 and Suzanne Boulter MED ’66, are longtime supporters of the medical school, and they joined the Health Leaders Circle with a gift to medical student scholarships. 

“I was a scholarship student at Dartmouth and have always felt it’s incredibly important to give back to the institution,” says Philip, who specialized in internal medicine and endocrinology and served in a number of leadership roles, including as the first medical director of the Hitchcock Clinic in Concord, N.H. 

Both Boulters taught and mentored Geisel students throughout their careers and have been active members of their alumni communities. A past president of the N.H. Pediatric Society, Suzie was one of the Class of ’66 members who established the Six of DMS ’66 Fund, which honors one of the first classes of women at Dartmouth’s medical school by supporting the women at Geisel today.  

“Medical school was a special time for the six of us women in my class,” says Suzie. “We really bonded and have warm, positive feelings toward the school. I look forward to seeing the possibilities and the impact of the Health Leaders Circle.” 

Motivated to Give Back 

Vincent D. Pellegrini Jr. D ’77, MED ’79 is another early supporter of the Health Leaders Circle with deep ties to the Dartmouth medical community. A professor of orthopaedics and vice chair of orthopaedic education and research at Geisel, past president of the Geisel Alumni Council, and orthopaedic surgeon at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Pellegrini is excited about the new program. 

“The value of unrestricted funds is that they empower leadership to build the initiatives they see as most promising,” says Pellegrini, who donated to the Fund for Geisel.  

After serving in academic medical institutions throughout his career, Pellegrini was delighted to return to Hanover in 2019. “Even when I was in medical school at Dartmouth, the emphasis on the human side of medicine and the close relationship between the medical center and the school felt unique,” he says. “It felt like the perfect thing to be able to come back to the medical school and the community, to educate future physicians and train clinicians in this environment that encourages inquiry. Whether it’s through teaching, volunteering, or donating, giving back is what motivates me at this point in time.” 

A Commitment to Stay Connected 

Niranjan Bose PhD ’04 shares the Boulters’ and Pellegrini’s dedication to Geisel and commitment to giving back. On the Geisel Board of Advisors since 2017, Bose is the managing director of Health and Life Sciences at Gates Ventures. 

“The time I spent at Dartmouth and at Geisel is something I’ll always cherish,” Bose says. “My colleagues in the Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program and my PhD advisor and mentor, the late Professor Ron Taylor, enabled me to learn, grow and embark on a career that I have come to enjoy a lot.” 

Serving on the Board of Advisors and contributing to the Fund for Geisel are both ways Bose gives back. “The Health Leaders Circle is a way for me to follow through on my commitment to stay connected with Geisel and play a small role in allowing the institution to continue providing growth and development opportunities for current and future students,” he says. 

At the first Health Leaders Circle event, held virtually on January 21, 2021, Geisel Dean Duane Compton, PhD, expressed his gratitude to supporters. “One of the most important things for you all to recognize is how your support allows us to do the research and educational programs that move things forward, both in science and in training the next generation.” 

To learn more about the Health Leaders Circle, visit geiselcampaign.dartmouth.edu/health-leaders-circle/