DANA PROFILE

Five Presidents — One Carolyn

In the last 30 years, thousands of photographs have been taken of the five presidents of Dana. There are photos of presidents enjoying Sights & Sounds. There are photos of presidents holding shovels at groundbreaking ceremonies. There are photos of presidents greeting new students to campus.

But in the 30 years Carolyn Potter has served as secretary to the presidents of Dana College, there have been just a handful of photos taken of the woman who kept those presidents running from event to event.

Potter was even reluctant to have her photo taken at her surprise semi-retirement party held on a cold day in February. But she gave in “for the good of the college” and posed with a cake made especially for the party.

Even if Potter has stayed out of the public eye, her dedicated efforts for Dana have been appreciated by 30 years of students, faculty, staff and administration.

“She’s one of the finest people I know,” said Dr. Elwin Farwell, former president of Dana. “She’s so loyal to the president and the college.”

Potter originally came to Dana in 1957 for an elementary education degree. She left for an office job in Omaha before she completed her studies. But returned in 1974 as a secretary in the Development Office.

After six months, Potter was named secretary to the president, a position she has held ever since. She has been a constant at Dana College Board of Regents meetings and a vital support system to the presidents she’s served.

“I came to Dana becasue I thought the college atmosphere would be a place where I would like to work,” Potter said. “I thought I would like it better than a business atmsophere.”

Obviously, Potter did enjoy Dana. She always has lived close to the campus and now lives across the street from her office in Pioneer Memorial. Over the years, she’s taken advantage of Dana’s thriving cultural and athletic life, attending plays, concerts and games.

“I like working with the faculty and staff,” she said. “I like the environment here. I like the closeness between people.”

Potter said her duties as secretary to the president haven’t changed much since 1975, but the technology has made her job much easier to do. The electronic typewriter has been replaced by a computer, and the copier has enabled her to free herself from carbon copies, ditto machines and mimeographs.

It’s events like Opening Dinner, Farewell Coffee and birthday coffees that Potter said are her fondest memories of working at Dana. The most vivid, though, is the day she came up the hill to the sight of flames engulfing Old Main. Her activities for the following days were a blur of activity, but she remembers it being a very emotional time.

Even in semi-retirement, Potter has stayed dedicated to Dana. She works about six hours a day, but only takes pay for four. She said she hopes to continue until the college can find a suitable replacement.
As those who work with Potter will tell you, though, there will never be a replacement for her.

“I have had several very fine secretaries in my 40 years in higher education,” said Dr. Myrvin Christopherson ’61, current president. “Carolyn represents the best of all of them. She is bright, professional, dedicated to the task, uncomplaining, and absolutely devoted to Dana College and the college mission.

“To top it off, she treats every visitor and caller with respect; and always upholds confidentiality. In my mind, she is the consummate administrative assistant, and I hope she’ll continue to work with me for as long as she wants, even if it’s only part time.

“What is amazing to me is that Carolyn and I were freshmen at Dana together. I was surprised and delighted to find out that she was to be my administrative assistant when I came here 18 years ago.”