Jane E. Campbell '87
(Awarded 2012)

Every generation notes it in their own way: Any story of Davidson is a story of people.

The Davidson story of Jane E. Campbell '87 has been all about people from the very beginning. She started learning lessons of philanthropy from a 1927 alumnus in her hometown church in Florida. As a Davidson student, her sense of service to others took varied forms, from leadership in Quips and Cranks and IMAC sports to ROTC, the Student Artist Series and Women's Basketball. She was even a pen pal of Dean Rusk '31. Jane was named to Who's Who as a Davidson student, and has carried Davidson proudly forward with her ever since-around the world and then some!

Jane's stellar Navy career has taken her, among other places, aboard the USS Eisenhower as a freshly minted public affairs officer during Desert Storm in 1994. Since then, she has built her career-and an astonishing photography portfolio-through deployments at Miami, Pearl Harbor, the Pentagon, the White House, Bahrain and Afghanistan. Her many decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Recently promoted to the rank of captain, in June 2011 Jane earned her master's degree in national security strategy. She currently is director of press operations on the staff of the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.

Wherever the Navy sent her, Jane has always stayed in touch, and always sought out Davidson people in her new tour. From every posting there would be a card sent back to an old friend on campus, often with a snapshot taken of her with a new Davidson friend in front of a red and black college banner tacked with care to the wall of some latterday Quonset hut.

And whether combatting piracy through communications as chief public affairs officer for the Joint Command in Bahrain or reporting directly to Gen. Stanley McChrystal in Afghanistan, Jane has found time to stay involved in both the philanthropic and "special ops" work of alma mater, too. She has served as reunion class chair, Annual Fund class agent, and organizer of an alumnae coeducation reunion. She is champion in word and deed of the college's priorities of access and excellence as exemplified in The Davidson Trust. She currently sits on the Davidson College Board of Visitors and she even helped organize her class reunion this weekend.

To speak with Jane is to hear "the polished, straightforward, sometimes understated precision of the military spokesperson, which she is," a Davidson Journal article noted in 2005. And as we all know, too, it is to hear and feel the warmth and fun of true caring, about people and about Davidson.

For your unstinting support of the college you love, for the tenacity with which you express it, for your commitment to the work of keeping Davidson's story strong, and for the generosity of spirit you show all Davidson people, the Davidson College Alumni Association honors you, Jane E. Campbell, with the Alumni Service Award on the occasion of your 25th Reunion.