Gertrude Beal spent nearly 40 years quietly strengthening Guilford College, building a reputation as someone who could find connections, prospects and possibilities long before anyone else knew they existed. A historian by training and a researcher by nature, she treated every new name like the start of an adventure.
That unwavering curiosity and her love for Guilford has made her one of the College’s most trusted behind-the-scenes contributors. On Monday, that dedication was recognized when she received the Spirit of Philanthropy Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ North Carolina Triad Chapter. She was nominated for the award by Guilford.
For years, Gertrude has helped the College’s Advancement Department find and connect with potential donors. After working in Hege Library and in the former Correspondence Center on campus, she was employed as Director of Prospect Research in Advancement for 11 years in the latter part of her tenure at the College.
A Quaker, now retired and living nearby at Friends Homes Guilford, she’s the kind of volunteer who doesn’t seek spotlight or credit, but whose fingerprints are all over the College’s progress, says Elizabeth Freeze, the College’s Chief Philanthropy Officer.
“Guilford is thrilled to honor such a dedicated volunteer who knows how important accurate information is to the philanthropic process,” says Elizabeth, who is currently serving as President of the Triad AFP Chapter. “Gertrude’s support has made all the difference in the past 11 months and beyond.”
Gertrude’s specialty is research, and she approaches it the way some people approach a box of chocolates: with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a little joy in not knowing exactly what she’ll find next.
“Research is like eating candy,” she laughs. “Once I start, I just keep going.”
Gertrude, who worked at Guilford from 1979 to 2017, was a History major at St. Andrews Presbyterian College. She enjoys the research that comes with being a history buff. “I love discovery,” she said. “Finding out how people are connected — that’s just fun to me.”
On Monday, the Triad’s fundraising professionals honored that spirit — the steady, generous, thoughtful work that rarely grabs headlines but is vital to Guilford. “I don’t look at what I do as work,” she says. “When I succeed, Guilford succeeds.”