Tom Ross Speaks to Charlotte Rotary
By Matt Joyner
            
Davidson alumnus Worth Williamson introduced Davidson College President Tom Ross to Charlotte Rotary. Ross, a 1972 graduate of Davidson, is 17th president of the College and only 97 days into this new job for him. A Greensboro native and attorney, Ross comes to the Davidson presidency after an already-illustrious career at the bar, as a judge and as director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. Ross's grandparents lived in Charlotte and his father and two children are likewise Davidson alumni, so his ties to Mecklenburg County run deep.
 
Ross noted that the histories and destinies of Davidson College and the City of Charlotte are "intertwined," but allowed that Davidson has "not always been the citizen it should be" and that Charlotte has not always fully appreciated the nearby presence of Davidson. Ross hopes to change that in the course of his presidency.
 
Davidson College is "one of the most highly selective liberal arts colleges" in the United States, comparable with Williams, Amherst and Pomona. It has 1,700 students from 47 states and 30 foreign countries. With its faculty focus on teaching and 11/1 student to teacher ratio, Davidson's national popularity has steadily grown with application for the Class of 2012 surging 17% over the prior year's applications.
 
Davidson students live under an honor code that the student chair of the honor council termed "a call to live a life of honor" and actively seek opportunities to serve the local and global community. Approximately 80% of Davidson students have an international learning experience as part of their college training. Recently a Davidson eating house raised $6,000 for a relief project in Kenya that was parlayed into a $167,000 project through the participation of the Rotary International Foundation.
 
Davidson College seeks to lead and to develop leaders. An on-campus leadership program sponsored by a Davidson alum who is CEO of Burger King has provided an outstanding opportunity for students. Recently Davidson has been the leader among U.S. colleges in eliminating loans from its financial aid package to students, in a move to free students from burdening debt that would prevent them from pursuing nonprofit or service careers after college. Through a combination of work study jobs and outright grants future Davidson students will graduate debt free, at a cost of an additional $70 million dollars needed for the Davidson endowment to fund the initiative, Ross said. Since Davidson's initiative in this area Amherst, University of Chicago, Williams and Wesleyan have followed suit and Colby and Bowdoin are not far behind.
 
With approximately 2,000 graduates in the Charlotte area, Davidson College is a substantial presence in the Charlotte area. Ross hopes that during his tenure both the town and the gown will benefit from more engagement with each other. 
       
Head Table: Liz Irwin, Matt Ryan, David Zimmerman, Worth Williamson, Leland Park, Melissa Swanson;
Invocation: Ken Samuelson;
Visitors & Guests: Mark Pierman; Health & Happiness: Leland Park; Song: Pam Jefsen; Piano: Thomas Moore

• Lamar Thomas is in need of a host family for sixteen-year-old Isa. If you are looking for someone to share your home between Thanksgiving and January, contact Lamar at 704-372-8615 or lthomas@washcycle.com.
         
• Chase and Carolyn Saunders welcome first granddaughter, Hayden Leigh Saunders, born November 1st; Powell says Dot is still being looked after in the Asbury Care Center; Donald and Janet Haack have launched a new web site to advertise their books. Go to www.diamondmemoirs.com for more information; Regina Patton successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro last week.
   
• Recognized as Best Place To Work by the Business Journal: Premiere Inc. (Henry Bostic), Greer & Walker (Charlie Greer), Hunton & Williams (Tom Cottingham and Anthony Foxx), Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (Mike Crum and Tim Newman), Integra Staffing (Michelle Fish), WFAE Public Radio (Roger Sarow), Donald Haack Diamonds & Fine Gems (Donald Haack).
  
• Thanks for serving Charlotte: City Council At-Large: Anthony Foxx, John Lassiter, Edwin Peacock; Board of Education At-Large: Trent Merchant.
   
• Group Study Exchange: A team of 5 (1 Rotarian, 4 non-Rotarians) will travel to Taiwan for a thirty day visit as part of Rotary's Group Study Exchange Program. Team members must be between the ages of 25 to 40, cannot be lineal descendants of a living Rotarian, must be employed, and either live or work within the 11 counties around Iredell, which make up Rotary District 7680. Applications are due by December 1st. Contact Regina Patton for additional information.

• 2007 Humanitarian Award: The United Nations Association of New York honored Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation with its 2007 Humanitarian Award, in recognition of Rotary's significant efforts to provide safe water and sanitation and its commitment to sustainable development worldwide. "In the years since RI has started focusing on water as one of its annual service emphases…We've learned just how much can be accomplished with relatively little, how a single small water project, perhaps a pump or a filter, can change the life of a community," says RI president Wilf Wilkinson. "However, our work has also included participation in many other major water projects."

• Matching Grant Approved for Charlotte Rotary: The Club has just been notified that a grant of $58,810 has been awarded from RI for the Peru Water Project. The plan to improve water capacity currently supplied by the municipally-owned water company in Arequipa will be funded by donations from the Rotary Club of Arequipa ($6,000), Charlotte Rotary ($37,206), District 7680 ($37,206), and The Rotary Foundation ($58,810), for a total project of $139,222.
   

The Classification and Membership Committee recommend and the Directors approve for consideration for all members, the following NEW MEMBERS. Should you question the eligibility of any nominee, please call the Rotary Office by November 12. You will be contacted by a member of the Board. Otherwise, no reply is necessary and election will proceed according to our bylaws.