Honorary Degree Citations
Donna Hurd Drohan '69
Sandra Ohrn Moose '63
Anne J. Neilson ' 49
Deval Laurdine Patrick
Donna Hurd Drohan '69
Doctor of Humane Letters
Explorers who journey into uncharted territory need boundless energy, great courage, and the willingness to draw their own maps. You, Donna Hurd Drohan, are an intrepid voyager, and your journey has uncovered new terrain for women and men.
You found your calling at the U.S. Department of Transportation's National research facility, where you became an expert on evaluating the impact of advanced concepts on army operations. During your 16 years there, you completed a major study for the Joint Chiefs of Staff that was lauded then and is still cited today. You received a number of individual and group awards and remained, in your words, "stunningly and amazingly happy."
Now you run your own company, Donna H. Drohan Consulting, where you continue to further defense transportation and logistics concepts. Your life's work ensures the safety of American soldiers, as you find more efficient ways to speed supplies to troops while reducing exposure to risk.
An intense passion for your profession has marked your 28-year career. In 1980, when you graduated as Department Scholar from Harvard's City and Regional Planning master's degree program, you said you felt like you had "died and gone straight to heaven."
You've said about your work, "It's important to believe that an idea isn't bad just because no one seems to be listening. It just takes time, and this belief has to sustain you." We admire your perseverance, and we are proud to present you with the degree: Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
Sandra Ohrn Moose '63
Doctor of Letters
Exceptional leaders imbue organizations with values that transcend the bottom line. By that measure, as well as any other we could devise, Dr. Moose, you are outstanding.
After graduating from Wheaton summa cum laude, you earned a doctorate in economics from Harvard and began your career as a business consultant. When you joined The Boston Consulting Group, very few women worked in the field of management consulting. That did not daunt you. Indeed, you rose to the position of senior vice president and director of the firm and now continue as a senior advisor. Today, you also head your own consulting firm, and have served as director to other corporations. Your success has served as inspiration to many other women executives; your willingness to mentor others typifies your generosity.
In addition to mentoring, you also share your expertise with many educational and cultural organizations, including your alma mater. You served on Wheaton's Board of Trustees during a pivotal phase in the college's recent history. Your generosity also found expression in the establishment of the Ohrn Family Scholarship Fund, which honors your parents, and the Henrietta Jennings Endowed Professorship, which honors one of your Wheaton professors.
Your pioneering spirit and generosity have opened doors for many women and men. Wheaton salutes your accomplishments and your conviction. It is with great admiration and appreciation that we bestow upon you the degree: Honorary Doctor of Letters.
Anne J. Neilson '49
Doctor of Science
Good taste may be subjective, but superior judgment is undeniable. Anne Neilson, you possess that rare ability to pull together a recipe for success that nourishes many.
You began your career at Arthur D. Little, Inc., as a taste tester, advancing to chemist and later, senior chemist. In your more than 40 years with the company, you found ways to improve the taste of products as diverse as chewing gum, children's tranquilizers and whiskey. Though you officially retired in 1991, you continue to contribute your expertise as an independent consultant for the company.
As one of the leaders in the field of taste chemistry, you understand that scientific achievement begins with outstanding educational opportunities. Through more than two decades of service as a Wheaton trustee, and now as a trustee emerita, you have done much to ensure that students find the ingredients necessary for educational success.
Your concern for Wheaton, and your generosity, established two endowed funds at the college: The Anne J. Neilson '49 Endowed Professorship in the Sciences and the Anne J. Neilson '49 Fund for the Chemical Sciences. Your dedication to this school is reflected in many other ways around campus, from the Neilson Classroom in the Haas Athletic Center to the Anne J. Neilson '49 Project Scholarship Fund.
You once called Wheaton your "adopted family." We are honored by the association. It is with the utmost admiration and appreciation that we bestow upon you the degree: Honorary Doctor of Science.
Deval Laurdine Patrick
Doctor of Laws
The late Christopher Reeve said, "Once you choose hope, anything is possible."
Hope is a constant companion to you, Governor Patrick. Your life's journey has taken you from humble beginnings on the South Side of Chicago to Fortune 500 boardrooms and top posts in public service. And always, you bring along an inspiring optimism about what is possible through true collaboration.
In 2006, you made history by becoming the first African-American governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. During your campaign, you reached across old divisions with a message of hope, community and hard work. As governor, your focus on education reform, economic growth and civic responsibility brings opportunity to many.
As assistant attorney general for civil rights during president Clinton's first term, you focused on the prosecution of hate crimes and discrimination. In that post, you led the largest criminal inquiry prior to September 11, investigating a series of church burnings in the South.
Your commitment to the common good informs your many works outside of government, from service with the NAACP to corporate giants such as Coca-Cola. As chairman of Texaco's Equality and Fairness Task Force, you helped create a model for equity in the workplace.
Your conviction that "we can" create a better world is borne out by the good that results from your work. We applaud your dedication to public service and the example you set for fellow citizens. it is our honor to confer upon you the degree: Honorary Doctor of Laws.
