Margaret "Peg" McKenzie Milbourn, 1967
B.A., Denison University
Professional Volunteer
Painesville, Ohio
Citation awarded June, 2012
Since her graduation from Denison, Peg has spent over 40 years as a “professional volunteer” (actually coined by Denison staff) working with non-profits, especially in the development and governance areas. She is known as a volunteer who has made a significant, positive impact in her community.
Peg began her philanthropic career as a neophyte board member of the local chapter of AAUW and served as President. Simultaneously she joined the board of her children’s newly established private school, began a development office and successfully chaired the $2.6 million capital campaign. She later joined and served as president of the Junior League, as a Board member of Lake Erie College and Andrews School and a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Sustaining Fund. She distinguished herself as the only female Board Vice President and development chair at Grand River Academy. In 2000, she and her husband George (Denison ’65) were recognized as Sesquicentennial Fellows by Lake Erie College for their “wisdom, vision and support” to the University and their community.
But her real passion for the past 15 years has been Denison. It was easy to say “yes” to Denison as George, sister (Susan McKenzie ’64), daughter (Jane ’91), nephew (Bobby Mallett ’97) and niece (Amy Brown ’06) all graduated from the university. She served as Moderator for Women for Denison (1998), National Annual Fund chair (1999-2001) and as an alumni nominated member of the Board of Trustees (2001-2007). She has also chaired or co-chaired reunion committees for her 30th,35th,40th and 45th. Her official Denison service culminated in serving as chair of the newly created Leadership Giving Committee (2006-2010).
Peg is proud that her daughter Jane also served as a Trustee and that they may be the only daughter-mother combination to do so. Her sister also received an Alumni Citation at her 45th making them the only “sister act” to receive this honor.
Today she focuses her efforts as VP of the board of Hospice of the Western Reserve where she recently served as co-chair of a $19 million campaign to build a new house. She was recently invited to join the Board of the Cleveland International Piano Competition where she chairs, you got it…the development committee.
In her spare time Peg spends time with her 8 grandchildren, dodging Cleveland winters on Sanibel Island and pursuing various artistic endeavors including renderings of homes and recently illustrating a children’s book “As Long As You Need Me.” In her many trips to Granville she has purchased children’s t-shirts in hopes that her love for the university may continue for at least one more generation.
