It All Started at Converse: The Journey of Tina Rohner, ‘07
The Converse Annual Fund is spotlighting the newest members of the Converse College Board of Trustees. These six individuals support the College with both their time and talent, helping our students to become transformative leaders who see clearly, decide wisely, and act justly. This profile of alumna Tina Rohner, ‘07 (Nisbet Scholar) is the sixth of the series.
What inspired you to become a member of the Converse College Board of Trustees?
Since I graduated from Converse, I have always stayed involved with Converse and have been trying to give back where I can to enable others to hopefully have the same transformative experience that I had during my 4 years at Converse. Becoming a member of the Board of Trustees will allow me to become even more involved with Converse and take part in shaping the future of the institution, which is both a privilege and an honour. I look forward to the challenge.
I am proud of everything that I have accomplished, and it really all started at Converse.
Thinking through your personal goals, what life accomplishments are you most proud of? What would you like to check off next from your bucket list?
To be honest, I don’t really have a bucket list….I have a travel bucket list….but that’s on hold for now obviously! New opportunities come up all the time and over the years I have realised that projecting out too far is often a futile exercise. I am proud of everything that I have accomplished, and it really all started at Converse.
What are some of the overall impacts you hope to make during your tenure on the Converse College Board of Trustees?
I hope to add a different perspective from my own experience of having been an international student at Converse and from living and working in Asia. I hope to contribute to making Converse a future-proof institution and to bring new ideas to the table that will ultimately benefit the students.
Why do you think it’s important to give to the Converse Annual Fund? What program/area of Converse will your next philanthropic gift support?
Funding is one of the biggest constraints an institution like Converse faces. To offer students the best student experience it is vitally important that we all continue to support Converse as much as we can. For myself, I like to fund scholarships for students, as without the funding I received while a student, it would not have been possible for me to attend Converse.
During the COVID-19 quarantine, was there a particular activity, project or hobby that you most enjoyed?
I really enjoyed being outdoors, hiking and cycling. Here in Tbilisi, there was a period of about 10 days when all driving was banned and one could only walk or cycle, which for us at least was quite good fun to explore the city without cars on the road! I also bought some weights and really got into home workouts, which I had never done before, but found very enjoyable.
What is one fun need-to-know fact about you?
Growing up in Germany, I had never had peanut butter before I came to Converse…I had only seen it in movies. So one of the first things on my to-do list upon arrival my freshman year was to try peanut butter in Gee dining hall. (It was not what I expected!)
Where was your favorite spot on campus to relax when you were a student here? What is your favorite memory of Converse as a student?
Favourite spot: the Tennis courts and the Quad. Favourite memory as a student: there are so many, so it’s really hard to pick one, but probably the yearly trips up to Washington DC for the Model Arab League competition.