The Ursula Gentile Lowerre Outstanding Service Award 2010

Sally Dodge Mole ’65, left, and Ursula Lowerre ‘76

The 2010 Ursula Gentile Lowerre Outstanding Service Award was presented to Sally Dodge Mole ’65 at the May graduation ceremony in Lugano. Sally is a creative entrepreneur, successful business owner, experienced fundraiser and energetic environmental activist. Among her many activities she was a founder of the Locally Grown Food movement and the creator of Taste Vermont!, a biannual event which promoted public awareness of specialty farmers in Vermont. She was Executive Director of the North Shire Museum and History Center for six years. In addition to serving on the boards of the Vermont Land Trust, the Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation and the Education Committee of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Sally now manages her family’s farm properties and directs timber operations and organic farm activities as well as continuing her agricultural advocacy consulting. She lives in Manchester, Vermont, with her husband Dale Guldbrandsen and has two sons, three stepdaughters and four grandchildren.

Sally has been extremely supportive of Franklin since its inception, when the College was a venture with many challenges to its future success. Her generosity and enthusiasm encouraged and inspired others to support the College during this crucial time in its history, helping it grow from a two-year to a four-year institution. She was also instrumental in helping secure the College’s first permanent home, the Kaletsch Campus.

A member of the Franklin Board of Trustees from 1983 to 1993, Sally has also been a part of the Alumni Council since its founding. She is currently on the Panelist Selection Committee for the College’s first video-conferencing Networking Forum.

In her acceptance speech Sally urged the graduating seniors to engage in service, which she called “the turning of vision into reality” because it “helps you to be empathetic, aware, knowledgeable.” As in the case of her service toward Franklin, she said, “What starts out as a small effort on your part, builds passion and energy over time and ends up making a big difference.”

This accolade is named in honor of Ursula Gentile Lowerre ’76, who has always been a driving force behind many of the initiatives we know today as part of Franklin College. Appropriately, therefore, the award, which is presented every year at Commencement, recognizes individuals who have kept Franklin at the forefront of their thoughts and have worked on the College’s behalf with dedication and vitality. 

August 2010