As Marietta College prepares to celebrate its 10th Annual Day of Giving, alumnus Jack Hopkins ’65 reflects on connection, stewardship, and the impact of every gift.
In a river town where the landscape is rooted in history, Marietta College stands much as it always has. Watched over by a timeless bell tower, its red-brick halls, shaded paths, and quiet courtyards remain home to the traditions and values nurtured by generations of Pioneers. When Jack Hopkins ’65 steps onto campus, the past feels present.
“It’s almost as if, when I stepped on campus,” Hopkins said, “I felt like I was back in 1961.”
That steadfast sense of belonging, stretching across decades, is what alumni often describe as the Long Blue Line. For Hopkins, it isn’t a metaphor or memory. It’s a lived experience that has stayed with him long after his years as a student. With the College’s 10th Annual Day of Giving approaching on February 12, Hopkins reminds us why that line matters—and why it continues to move forward.
From Student to Steward
Hopkins arrived at Marietta College from Maryland as a first-year student, unsure of what came next. He had, as he puts it, “no clue” what he wanted to do. What he found was a campus that met uncertainty with encouragement and a faculty committed to helping students discover both direction and purpose.
The College’s nurturing environment opened doors Hopkins never anticipated. He became a speech and theater major, despite having never attended a play before coming to Marietta. Today, he is the vice president of an equity theater board in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he lives with his wife, Andy.
That support shaped more than his undergraduate experience. It laid the foundation for a career defined by service, leadership, and philanthropy. Hopkins went on to earn both his master’s and doctoral degrees at Ohio University.
He is the founder of Jack Hopkins Consulting Services, LLC, and the former president/CEO of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, from which he retired in 2008 after serving for 25 years. He also served as president of Nazareth College in Michigan and chaired the Communication Department at Hope College in Michigan. He was the senior advisor to FSG in Boston, and served as acting executive director for CF Insights, which is a division of FSG.
Hopkins was honored in 1990 with an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from Marietta and a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2008. Both were humbling recognitions by the College that helped immensely prepare him for his future professional opportunities.
Through it all, Hopkins traces that trajectory back to Marietta and to the people who invested in him early on.
“It was really because of the people at Marietta that helped me figure out what life was going to be about,” he said. “They encouraged me to complete my degree and pursue graduate school, even when I wasn’t sure what I was going to do in my life.”
Those relationships extend beyond the classroom. Hopkins recalls his closest friend on campus, a student from a background different than his own. Dave Harrison ’64 was the only child in a Jewish family, and Hopkins was the only male in a Catholic family. Despite their differences, their shared curiosity, ambition, and desire to connect bonded them. “Dave and I are brothers, as we say, from different mothers. We’ve been connected ever since 1961, when I went there as a freshman.” That bond has endured for more than six decades, a testament to the family connections that Marietta fosters and the lasting sense of community spirit that draws Pioneers back throughout their lives.
Faculty and staff were also instrumental in Hopkins’ development. He recalls Professor Gerry Evans accepting him as an advisee when Hopkins was trying to figure out his path as a first-year student. His mentor and lifelong friend, Dr. Art Buell—and his wife, Betty—now both deceased, guided and encouraged him to reach and achieve higher goals. Dean Ruth Wilcox demonstrated how to get the most out of students by listening intently to their ideas and encouraging them to present their case to the administration. Others—too many to mention—also made an impact on Hopkins, as did his involvement with his fraternity TKE brothers, with whom he remains in contact.
Time and distance do not weaken those bonds. Hopkins sees it when alumni meet and connect, and he recently experienced that sense of connection when a 2011 graduate, Brendan George, reached out after years apart. The pair met for coffee to catch up, with their conversation focusing on the relationships that Marietta College alumni maintain with classmates—connections that remain strong and greatly supportive long after graduation.
“It’s all about the family connections that Marietta nurtures,” Hopkins said. “It’s like a string that holds us all together. It never breaks.”
Building a Tradition of Giving
Hopkins’ longstanding connection to Marietta College has always been about engagement, stewardship, and passing forward the support he once received. Like many alumni, his ability to give back evolved over time. While he and Andy were raising three sons and navigating the responsibilities of family life, financial contributions were not always possible, yet he remained connected. But once time and resources aligned, Hopkins reengaged, first by giving his time, then by supporting the College financially. He credits Andy, his wife of nearly 60 years, with her steadfast love and support. Though she did not attend Marietta, she has always supported his desire to give back to his alma mater so others may experience the joyous collegiate atmosphere of a Marietta education.
“When you give back your time, you get reengaged,” he said. “And when you’re able, you pass things forward.” That philosophy has guided his approach to philanthropy, reinforcing the idea that participation matters and every contribution, regardless of size, helps sustain the environment that once sustained him.
“It doesn’t matter whether you have a nickel or millions of dollars to give back,” Hopkins said. “Whatever we’re able to do to help foster the kind of environment that Marietta College and the faculty, staff, and students provide is so important.”
He emphasized that alumni are often at different stages of life and financial well-being, with Marietta understanding this reality and welcoming contributions of time, talent, or financial support at whatever level is appropriate.
This philosophy took concrete form in 2016, when he served as chair of the Marietta College Alumni Association’s development committee and helped launch the College’s Day of Giving initiative. Their goal was simple but meaningful: to energize alumni, build momentum, and demonstrate collective confidence in the College’s future. Alumni leadership stepped forward; participation grew, and the single day transformed into a tradition rooted in shared belief and investment in the College.
When alumni give together, the message resonates far beyond campus. It signals confidence to partners, foundations, prospective students, and their families, affirming the enduring strength of The Long Blue Line.
“If we as alumni don’t give, that message says we don’t care about the future of the institution,” Hopkins said. “But if everybody gave to the level of their ability, those outside the College would recognize that people believe in the future of this institution and that we also want to pass along what we’ve experienced in an educational institution like Marietta.”
He added, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if 100% of alumni gave something? We’d put Marietta College on the philanthropic map.”
Ten Friends. Ten Gifts. Ten Years Strong.
This year’s theme Ten Friends. Ten Gifts. Ten Years Strong celebrates what Hopkins believes has always been at the heart of Marietta’s story: relationships.
“Who along The Long Blue Line do you still have connections with?” He asked. “Who can you reach out to and reflect on your time together?”
A decade into Day of Giving, the initiative has become more than a single day or a series of gifts. It is an invitation to reconnect and celebrate shared experiences, to support the College through giving and engagement, and to help carry forward the traditions and opportunities that will continue to define Marietta for future generations.
Much has changed since Hopkins’ days as a student. New academic spaces have risen alongside historic halls; the curriculum continues to evolve, and the College has broadened experiential and career-focused opportunities that help students learn by doing and prepare for life after graduation. Yet despite these changes, the heart of the College remains familiar.
“The young people who go to the College remind me so much of the students when I was there,” Hopkins said. “They’re terrific people. The faculty and staff want to see everyone succeed.”
For alumni who may feel distant from campus, Hopkins offers reassurance: Marietta has grown, but it has not lost its identity or the core values that continue to make it home for countless Pioneers.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
As Marietta College prepares to mark ten years of Day of Giving, Hopkins sees a future filled with possibilities. With the transformational leadership of new president Kathleen Poorman Dougherty, a committed Board of Trustees chaired by Dr. Jim Wilson ‘69, and ongoing academic and co-curricular innovations taking shape, the College is positioned to build boldly on its foundation.
“The future for Marietta College is very bright,” Hopkins said. “We all know how Marietta College impacted our own lives, and how this institution can impact the lives of current and future students as they become wonderful citizens, future leaders, and Pioneers in American society. So, I encourage everyone to make a financial contribution to the Day of Giving and throughout the year to Marietta College. Your gift means so much to the future of our students, to the institution, and to the Marietta community.”
On Thursday, February 12, alumni and friends are invited to be part of that future by giving, inviting others, and strengthening the Long Blue Line that connects generations of Pioneers. Together, we celebrate the impact of generosity and engagement, ten years strong—with more history to make.
To learn more about Day of Giving 2026, visit marietta.edu/alumni/day-of-giving. To connect with Jack Hopkins ’65, visit www.linkedin.com/in/jack-hopkins or contact 269-998-7758.