Julie Bergeron ʼ75 has been a Colgate volunteer since graduation. In her latest role as 50th reunion co-chair, she says 1975’s milestone anniversary is a good time for the class to see the progress of the Campaign for the Third-Century and participate through their class gift.
“Our reunion is a tremendous opportunity for people to see what's happening on campus and hopefully be excited about it,” she says.
Julie majored in geography at Colgate, swam on the first Women’s Swimming teams, played intramural ice hockey, led campus tours and was a Resident Advisor. She took part in a one-time Public Policy Study Group in Washington, D.C., and a Southwest Jan Plan in Arizona and New Mexico. She became lifelong friends with mentors Prof. Theodore Herman and Coach Mark Randall.
After earning an M.B.A. from Yale in 1979, Julie spent 10 years working for Conrail in Philadelphia before moving to Vermont to marry and raise a family. Along the way, she served as a Class Agent, Alumni Admissions Representative, Reunion Program Chair, and was a member of the Alumni Council (2005–2009). Today as the Class of 1975 transitions to retirement, she urges them to re-engage with Colgate.
“This is the perfect time to think about what Colgate means to you,” she says. “It is not just nostalgia —but having a meaningful relationship with Colgate in the present.”
Julie is leading by example. A member of the Presidents’ Circle for the past few years, she decided to step up with a planned gift of an IRA. Her donation is part of her class gift and supports the goal of the Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) to raise $200 million for the Campaign for the Third Century by June 2029. After years of volunteering her time, Julie felt it was the right time to make a significant financial commitment.
“The WLC is a great way to involve women in philanthropy and Liz Buchbinder ’77, WLC chair, has reinvigorated what that looks like at Colgate,” Bergeron says. “This is an exciting time for women leaders across arenas and I’m proud to join this group of remarkable Colgate women.”