Class Note 1994
Issue
July-August 2022
Hi, ’94s! As class secretary, I wanted to share the sad news that our classmate Gillian “Jill” Feldman Higman passed away on January 24 after an extended illness.
As many of you remember Jill, she greeted friends with a huge smile, her bouncy, curly hair, and signature enthusiasm. Jill came to Dartmouth from Lincoln, Rhode Island, and she immediately joined the equestrian team and served as a football manager. Katherine Maguire remembers Jill as her fellow football manager, confidante, partner in crime, and irreplaceable friend.
Jill’s intellectual curiosity took her first across Europe, armed with her love and skill for global languages, for two study-abroad experiences, and later to the Duke University Fuqua School of Business. While at Fuqua Matt Hergott, Ken Davis,and I spent lots of time with Jill, recounting Dartmouth memories and making new ones through classes, dinners, corporate recruiting, and a few bottles of Opus One.
After earning her M.B.A., Jill returned to Deloitte in Chicago and dove into the challenging work of strategic consulting. Her career in healthcare strategy started at Deloitte before moving to the Aetna group, where her keen insights were invaluable throughout the turbulent changes in the healthcare sector. Jill married Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Higman in April 2004 in Bermuda, and the couple welcomed daughter April Rose in May 2005. By this time, the family was settled in the picturesque seaside community of Cape May, New Jersey. Throughout Jill’s life, she embraced her passions for people, Dartmouth, and horses with unbridled enthusiasm. She greeted old friends with a bounce, smile, and hug. She remained an active Dartmouth volunteer, serving as an alumni admission interviewer and the district enrollment director for her area. She continued to work with horses by supporting horseback riding for disabled children and working on equine rescue. Jill is survived by Daniel and April as well as her parents, Susan and Stephen Higman ’68. You may find a full obituary at dartmouthalumnimagazine.com.
I also received an update from Monserrat Kim, spouse of George Kim, who died in May 2019 after his battle with cancer. She has been working on a project in his honor.
Montserrat shares, “In dealing with our loss I looked for ways to help other families in a similar situation. One area that I found lacking was services and communication about cancer for children with sick parents. To address this, I created My Dad and the Dragon, a children’s picture book that honestly describes what it is like when your father is diagnosed with cancer through the allegory of a cancer dragon. Cameron, the main character, openly shows family life, fears, and joys to young readers.”
One hundred percent of profits from the sale of this book will be donated to social service organizations that help children with sick parents. You can check out this beautifully illustrated book at whenadragoncomes.org/love-george for a free digital copy.
My last update comes from a press release announcing the selection of Brad Baca as the 14th president of Western Colorado University. A Colorado native, Brad came to Dartmouth as a first-generation college student and majored in government. After returning to his home state, Brad earned a master’s in public policy from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He established strong relationships with Colorado lawmakers and colleagues in higher education to become an effectual and impactful leader. Prior to his presidential appointment Brad served as the executive vice president and chief operating officer for Western Colorado University. Congratulations, Brad!
That’s it for this column, and I welcome your update any time.
—Laura Hardegree Davis, 520 Meadowlark Lane, Brentwood, TN 37027; lauradavis723@mac.com
As many of you remember Jill, she greeted friends with a huge smile, her bouncy, curly hair, and signature enthusiasm. Jill came to Dartmouth from Lincoln, Rhode Island, and she immediately joined the equestrian team and served as a football manager. Katherine Maguire remembers Jill as her fellow football manager, confidante, partner in crime, and irreplaceable friend.
Jill’s intellectual curiosity took her first across Europe, armed with her love and skill for global languages, for two study-abroad experiences, and later to the Duke University Fuqua School of Business. While at Fuqua Matt Hergott, Ken Davis,and I spent lots of time with Jill, recounting Dartmouth memories and making new ones through classes, dinners, corporate recruiting, and a few bottles of Opus One.
After earning her M.B.A., Jill returned to Deloitte in Chicago and dove into the challenging work of strategic consulting. Her career in healthcare strategy started at Deloitte before moving to the Aetna group, where her keen insights were invaluable throughout the turbulent changes in the healthcare sector. Jill married Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Higman in April 2004 in Bermuda, and the couple welcomed daughter April Rose in May 2005. By this time, the family was settled in the picturesque seaside community of Cape May, New Jersey. Throughout Jill’s life, she embraced her passions for people, Dartmouth, and horses with unbridled enthusiasm. She greeted old friends with a bounce, smile, and hug. She remained an active Dartmouth volunteer, serving as an alumni admission interviewer and the district enrollment director for her area. She continued to work with horses by supporting horseback riding for disabled children and working on equine rescue. Jill is survived by Daniel and April as well as her parents, Susan and Stephen Higman ’68. You may find a full obituary at dartmouthalumnimagazine.com.
I also received an update from Monserrat Kim, spouse of George Kim, who died in May 2019 after his battle with cancer. She has been working on a project in his honor.
Montserrat shares, “In dealing with our loss I looked for ways to help other families in a similar situation. One area that I found lacking was services and communication about cancer for children with sick parents. To address this, I created My Dad and the Dragon, a children’s picture book that honestly describes what it is like when your father is diagnosed with cancer through the allegory of a cancer dragon. Cameron, the main character, openly shows family life, fears, and joys to young readers.”
One hundred percent of profits from the sale of this book will be donated to social service organizations that help children with sick parents. You can check out this beautifully illustrated book at whenadragoncomes.org/love-george for a free digital copy.
My last update comes from a press release announcing the selection of Brad Baca as the 14th president of Western Colorado University. A Colorado native, Brad came to Dartmouth as a first-generation college student and majored in government. After returning to his home state, Brad earned a master’s in public policy from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He established strong relationships with Colorado lawmakers and colleagues in higher education to become an effectual and impactful leader. Prior to his presidential appointment Brad served as the executive vice president and chief operating officer for Western Colorado University. Congratulations, Brad!
That’s it for this column, and I welcome your update any time.
—Laura Hardegree Davis, 520 Meadowlark Lane, Brentwood, TN 37027; lauradavis723@mac.com