Wheaton president wins Boston Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award

Wheaton President Dale Rogers Marshall is the recipient of the Pinnacle Award for achievement in the professions presented by the Women's Network of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Marshall began her career as a high school social studies teacher, and is now recognized as a leading academic, a distinguished author and national lecturer who has been a constant advocate for women and minorities in higher education. In her nine years as president, Marshall has led Wheaton's emergence as a leading national college, including a dramatic growth in applicants for admission, broad recognition for the quality of its academic programs, an ambitious expansion of facilities and a record-setting $90 million fund-raising effort. She is a member of the Massachusetts Women's Forum, the Commercial Club, the Massachusetts Campus Compact and on the board of the New England Financial Zenith Fund. Actively involved in the Wheaton community, Marshall volunteers with students at local food banks and with Habitat for Humanity.

Wheaton is a national liberal arts college with 1,500 students drawn from 43 states and 35 countries. The college combines a traditional curriculum in the arts and sciences with an innovative emphasis on real-world experience - internships, jobs and volunteer service - to help students make the connection between theory and practice. Its students gain admission to the nation's most prestigious graduate programs and regularly win competitive academic awards such as the Rhodes, Marshall and Fulbright scholarships.

The Chamber of Commerce will present its eighth annual Pinnacle Awards to seven women who have achieved excellence in business, management, and the professions. More than 900 business leaders are expected to attend this year's awards luncheon, which will be held on Thursday, January 31 at The Westin Hotel, Copley Place. Caterina Bandini, news anchor for WHDH-TV (Channel 7), will be the keynote speaker and master of ceremonies. The Pinnacle Awards were established in 1995 by the Chamber's Women's Network, which promotes and expands economic opportunities for all women in business through shared leadership, expertise, and advocacy. These awards recognize the important contributions women are making in the business community