Davidson College issued the following announcement on Dec. 14.
Adam Gerstenmier ’05 was one of seven finalists for a competitive fellowship during his time at Davidson.
After he didn’t get the job, long-time staff member Ruth Pittard told him, “You were the favorite candidate going into the interview and the least favorite coming out.”
Was it hard to hear? Sure. Was it exactly what he needed to hear? Yes.
“Apparently, I lacked real passion and a way to show it,” he said. “Nobody was better positioned to give me that feedback. Rather than ignore it, Ruth chose to have the conversation and was able to help me accept it with humility and also use it as a growth opportunity. I’ve never entered an interview again where I didn’t know what I wanted to say and without preparing for a whole range of potential questions. Failing that interview gave me the feedback I needed to succeed.”
Gerstenmier, who works for the United Nations and lives in Kenya, chose a life of service for the common good, in large part thanks to Pittard. He says few people have had more impact on his life.
Pittard’s “romp in education,” as she calls it, included a variety of roles, including positions in audio visual services, the now-named Alvarez College Union and student life. She was the college’s first director of the Bonner Scholars Program, a nationally recognized community service-based scholarship program that emphasizes love, compassion and leadership through the values of civic engagement, community building, diversity, international perspective, social justice, spiritual exploration and wellness. This year, the program celebrates 30 years at Davidson.
Michelle Levin ’06 (front right) established the Ruth Pittard Fund for Love in Action with classmate Brika Eklund ’06.
Pittard retired in 2005 as the assistant dean of community service after nearly 30 years with the college and currently lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina. To honor Pittard’s lasting impact on the Davidson community, Michelle Levin ’06 and Brika Eklund ’06 have established the Ruth Pittard Fund for Love in Action, in partnership with the college’s Center for Civic Engagement. The fund will support summer internship opportunities in perpetuity through the center. Anyone wishing to honor Pittard’s many contributions is encouraged to make a gift here.
Beth Maczka ’85, a former YWCA CEO who is now pursuing a master of theological studies degree at Vanderbilt University, recalls the ways Pittard worked in her life, creating opportunity and instilling confidence.
“As a freshman, I needed a job, and Ruth taught me how to thread the reel-to-reel projector to show movies in Love Auditorium on Friday nights,” she said. “She also stepped in when I was worried about raising money to travel to India the summer before my junior year. This was before there were dedicated scholarships for this kind of thing. Ruth gave me the first $50 toward my goal and convinced me to raise the rest—and I did.”
Laura Pepper ’07 holds tight to lessons learned from Pittard as well.
“She mentioned how she applied for new jobs every year, and a big part of it was so she could learn about other organizations,” recalled Pepper, who works for Duke Energy in Charlotte, North Carolina. “I remember Ruth talking about how these interviews often led to partnerships and connections with people. I still tell people about this because I think it represents such a beautiful perspective on life—seeing something for all its possibilities and always looking for ways to build community.”
Original source can be found here.
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