Andrea “Tunie” Howland ’85 began volunteering for Carleton while still a student, as an admissions tour guide. She didn’t realize that her backward-walking steps on campus tours were also leading her forward — into a lifelong commitment of service.

The youngest-ever president of Carleton’s Alumni Board and one of the youngest recipients of the Alumni Association’s Exceptional Service Award, Howland initially got involved “simply because I was asked,” she says. “It sounded like fun, and I wanted to give back.”

After graduating, Howland moved to Boston, where she became co-chair of the region’s alumni club. She organized events for Boston area alumni, interviewed Carleton applicants who couldn’t make it to Northfield, hosted summer send-offs for students about to begin their Carleton journey, and even represented Carleton at college fairs. She went on to chair clubs in Chicago, Connecticut, and Denver (where she currently lives).

“I’m helping the college, but I meet great Carleton people,” Howland says. “And I’ve developed skills that apply to my professional work. Relationship building, organizing events, promoting — those are all things I’ve done while volunteering for Carleton, and they translate to different careers, too.