Event Celebrates Transformational Philanthropy
Mark '81 and Lisa Burgess pose with a reproduction of their Founders' Society plaque. Photo by Dan Loh.
Dickinson Honors Mark '81 and Lisa Burgess With Induction Into Founders' Society
Dickinson recently inducted Mark '81 and Lisa Burgess into the college’s esteemed Founders' Society, which recognizes donors whose lifetime giving exceeds $1 million. The installation ceremony celebrated their transformational philanthropy, which most recently established the Burgess Institute for the Global Economy at Dickinson.
“I am honored to recognize these two incredible Dickinsonians for their commitment to the college and to its future,” said President John E. Jones III '77, P'11. “Mark and Lisa are visionary philanthropists focused on helping the next generation of Dickinsonians to thrive in today’s global economy.”
President Jones addresses attendees during the installation ceremony. Photo by Dan Loh.
One member of that "next generation," Sophie Jones ’28, highlighted the lessons she has already taken from the four Burgess Institute initiatives she has experienced: a site visit to the Utz factory, a fireside chat with alumnus and executive in residence Nate Mitchell, a financial literacy session and an inspiring talk by a local entrepreneur.
"In the eight weeks that I've been on campus, I've learned a lot through four Burgess Institute events," she said. “From what I've seen, I think that [the Burgess Institute] will encourage us to keep exploring novel ideas and opportunities, to be brave in trying new things and to be ready to shift direction as we grow and evolve while living in a changing world."
Burgess Institute Executive Director Steve Riccio echoed Sophie’s points. As he thanked the Burgesses for their gift, he highlighted the value of the Burgess Institute, which harnesses practical learning experiences, rich mentorships, rewarding internships and extensive networking opportunities to help students in any major launch successful careers in business and leadership.
"Through your lens as a business leader, you envisioned the coupling of the liberal arts with skills every leader needs to contribute to the world around us,” he said. “This includes leadership development, hands-on experience, a grounding in how global economies work, industry-specific career support and connections with our strong network of alumni business leaders."
The Burgesses’ investment in Dickinson’s academic program is also inspiring other donors, noted Renee Cramer, provost and dean of the college. "Spurred by their generosity, we’ve had others step forward to meet the moment with additional gifts to the Burgess Institute,” she said, noting that more donors have also joined in with additional gifts to the areas of the academic program that they find "exciting, innovative and of utility to our students."
Former Dickinson Board of Trustee Chair Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77 was also on hand to thank the Burgesses for their support of the college. In her comments, Reynolds highlighted how Mark’s vision combined with the couple’s generosity to make the Burgess Institute a reality.
“Having spent a number of years as a trustee, Mark began to develop a vision of a transformative way of supporting leadership development for our students by leveraging the college’s liberal-arts curriculum through co-innovation and experiential learning,” she explained. “Not only did mark have the vision for this, but Lisa and he stepped forward to make sure the Burgess Institute would become a reality with this incredible gift to support it.”
Former Dickinson Board of Trustee Chair Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77 thanks the Burgesses for their philanthropy. Photo by Joe O'Neill.
During his time at Dickinson, Burgess majored in economics, was an officer in Theta Chi fraternity, played NCAA men's golf and was inducted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon honors society. After graduation he earned an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and has since held numerous leadership positions in the business world, including his current role as president and CEO of Mauser Packaging Solutions. Though much of the event was focused on celebrating the Burgesses’ vision and leadership, when he spoke, Mark highlighted the importance of Dickinson’s leadership in his giving and the launch of the Burgess Institute.
“This event is not about me; it’s about a lot of things that led to this event,” he said, noting how former Dickinson President Bill Durden ’71 was instrumental in re-engaging him with Dickinson two decades ago and how the Board of Trustees and President Jones are continuing to move Dickinson forward. “Higher education is a really tough business—and I do call this a business—because it’s hard to compete and hard to win. But I think all of you are doing a great job of moving Dickinson in the right direction”
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Published November 7, 2024