Staying close to Roanoke College

Doug and Peggy Horn, members of the Roanoke Rising Campaign Steering Committee, believe in the importance of helping Roanoke move forward.

Peggy Fintel Horn '78understands first-hand the value of a close-knit campus, where professors not only teach, but also guide students through the process of discovering their talents and passions. She had that kind of experience at Roanoke.

Peggy was a biology major at St. Olaf College when her father, Dr. Norman Fintel, became Roanoke College's eighth president in 1975. When Peggy spent the summer on Roanoke's campus with her parents - Dr. Fintel and wife, Jo - she took an economics course taught by Professor Ed Siefried. By the time she completed the course, Peggy had decided to transfer to Roanoke to pursue a major in business and economics.

"I was bitten by the bug - I loved economics," says Peggy, a managing partner with Morneau Shepell SBC Ltd., a leading provider of technology and outsourcing services for employee benefit plans. "A light bulb went off for me, and that course really gave me direction. Economics combined my love of words with the analytical and numerical abilities that always were easy for me. That course changed my life."

Horn and her husband, Doug Horn '78, met at the College and share a deep affection for its role in their lives. They are now volunteers for Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College, serving as regional co-chairs in Atlanta. 

"Roanoke is such a warm place, and we believe it's important to help the College move forward with its mission to continue providing a great educational experience for young people," says Peggy, who joined the College's Board of Trustees in 2009. "A campaign is a long process, and it takes a lot of people to make something like that successful. We're just happy to be a part of it."

The Horns already have supported a number of campus projects, including the Pirro Patio that will adjoin the new Cregger Center and overlook Kerr Stadium. The patio will be named in memory of former Roanoke head lacrosse coach John Pirro, '77, who died in 2013 after a long battle with Huntington's disease. Pirro and Doug, both from Huntington, N.Y., were lacrosse teammates in high school and at Roanoke and remained close friends.

"John was the cornerstone of Roanoke lacrosse," says Doug, who played on the College's 1978 national championship lacrosse team. "He's the person who encouraged me to go to Roanoke, and I'm grateful for that."

Peggy is honored to share in her father's impressive legacy at Roanoke. During his presidency, enrollment increased while academic standards improved; financial aid was expanded to include merit-based awards; and the Honors Program was established. Dr. Fintel also helped boost the College's endowment and oversaw numerous building, expansion and campus beautification projects. 

The Horns maintain close ties to the Roanoke Valley, where they still own a house and where Peggy's parents live. They have three adult children; the youngest, Robert, is a member of Roanoke's class of 2015.  

"We've got such a history with and an affection for Roanoke," says Doug, who serves as president of the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference. "We have such great memories of the College, and we continue to have really close bonds with our friends 35 years later. We feel that the College does a great job in providing a quality education, and we're happy to help it continue that excellence."

- Karen Doss Bowman