David Scott Palmer ’59

David Scott Palmer ’59 died on April 28. He entered Dartmouth from Melrose (Massachusetts) High School, majored in international relations, and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. In his senior year he was a starting end on the College’s first Ivy-championship football team and was also captain of the heavyweight crew. He was awarded the Kenneth Archibald Athletic Prize, was a member of Casque & Gauntlet and Phi Beta Kappa, and was later inducted into the Wearers of the Green. After graduation Scott studied in Chile, which led to a career—with the exception of a brief stint as an administrative officer at Dartmouth—as an expert on Latin America. He received an M.D. from Stanford and a Ph.D. from Cornell in political science and taught at the U.S. Foreign Service Institute for many years. In 1988 Scott became a professor at Boston University, where he served in various capacities, including as chairman of the departments of political science and international relations. In 1966 Scott married Sally, the sister of Jim Crawford ’58, and they had boys Walter ’90, Crawford ’93, and Asa ’98. Sally died in 1985, and in 1998 Scott married Diane Nagel, who shared his expertise in Latin American affairs and fluency in Spanish. Scott was involved in many Dartmouth activities and, at the time of his death, was vice president of his class. He is survived by Diane, seven children, 14 grandchildren, including Sophie ’20 and Coalter ’22, and sister Kirk.


Portfolio

Book cover Original Sin with photo of hands over face
Alumni Books
New titles from Dartmouth writers (July/August 2025)
Woman posing with art sculpture
Inspiration in the Adirondacks
Artist Catherine Ross Haskins ’94 transforms an old grain mill into a vibrant arts hub.
Comeback Story

Alumni first returned to campus for official reunions in 1855.

Illustration of woman in movie theater eating popcorn
Katie Silberman ’09
A screenwriter on storytelling in Hollywood

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