Marcia Dugan, longtime member of the Keuka College Board of Trustees and the recent recipient of an honorary degree from the College, died Sunday, Feb. 7, after a long illness. She was 78.
Dugan was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 1994 and served nine years, was re-elected in 2004 and again in 2007.
“I had the pleasure of working with Marcia Dugan virtually my entire presidency,” said College President Joseph G. Burke. “She brought great energy to the Board and always put the needs of students first. Her fellow Board members and I solicited her advice frequently and her knowledge of issues—local and national— affecting Keuka College and higher education in general was impressive. She will be missed.”
A 1953 graduate of Antioch College, Dugan received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Keuka at the Dec. 13 mid-year conferral of degrees. She was presented for the degree by Marilyn Baader, a member of the Board and 1963 graduate of the College.
“Marcia has been a tireless advocate for her alma mater and I can attest that she has that same passion for Keuka College,” said Baader. “The contributions she has made to my alma mater are greatly appreciated, and I know many alumni echo my appreciation. She has given her time, talent, and treasure to Keuka College.”
Dugan endowed a scholarship in her late husband’s (Frederick) name, which is awarded annually at Honors Convocation. It is presented to a local student majoring in political science.
“Marcia’s mother-in-law, Edith Dugan, was director of health services at the College,” said Baader. “Marcia and her family funded a room in health services in Edith’s memory and in recognition of her 17 years of commitment to Keuka College.”
Dugan was director of public relations at Keuka College from 1972 to 1980 and held the director of public affairs post at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT) from 1980 to 1995.
Dugan lost her hearing at age 40 and used an eclectic approach to enhance communication, including binaural hearing aids, speech, assistive technology, and sign language.
An advocate for the hearing impaired, Dugan served on the Hearing Loss Association of America Board of Trustees for nine years and was president from 1996 to 1998. She was president of the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People from 2001 to 2006 and was the organization’s representative to the International Disability Alliance that was instrumental in drafting the 2008 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In 1999, she was appointed by New York State Gov. George Pataki to the Hearing Aid Dispenser Advisory Board that is responsible for overseeing the education and licensing of hearing aid dispensers in the Empire State.
Dugan was a delegate to the 1961 White House Conference on Aging, counted among the Outstanding Young Women in America in 1965, and was a New York state delegate to the first National Women’s Conference in Houston, Texas, in 1977.
Locally, she was instrumental in establishing the Yates Performing Arts Series and the Yates County Arts Council, and is a founding member of the Keuka Arts Festival. She received the Finger Lakes Council Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Service Award in 2006 and the New York State Senate’s Woman of Distinction Award in 2004.
She is survived by her son, Michael (Claudia) Dugan of Wayne, Pa.; daughters, Elizabeth (Charles Camponovo) of Washington, D.C., and Margaret (Timothy Dunne) of Paris, France; grandchildren, Marshall, Madeleine, Molly, and Ruby; sisters, Pat Bernstein of Weston, Fla., and Jeanne (Herbert) Wormser of Davie, Fla.; sister-in-law, Gale Dugan of Washington, D.C.; and many loyal and caring friends.
Friends may call Wednesday, Feb. 10 from 2-5 and 7-9 p.m. at Wheldon Funeral Home in Penn Yan. The family will have a private burial.
Memorials may be made to Keuka College or the Hearing Loss Association of America.