Mary Flanagan, the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor in Digital Humanities, received the Class of 1964 Outstanding Leadership Award for her work as founding director of the Tiltfactor Lab, an interdisciplinary innovation studio that designs and studies games with social impact.

Presenting the award at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center Board of Visitors dinner at the Hanover Inn on May 11 was Robert Bartles ’64, who recognized Flanagan as a proponent of experiential learning and an agent for social change. 

Rockefeller Center Director Andrew Samwick, the Sandra L. and Arthur L. Irving ’72a P ’10 Professor of Economics, read the citation honoring Flanagan’s work.

“The essence of your leadership style is embodied in your groundbreaking game designs and the establishment of the unique research lab Tiltfactor,” Samwick said. “Mentoring your students, you have shown that games are a useful way to break down barriers and actually ‘tilt’ people’s perspectives.”

The Class of 1964 established the Outstanding Leadership Award at its 50th reunion, in June 2014, to honor those who share the class’s belief in the importance of developing young leaders to take on today’s challenges, said Samwick.

After the presentation, Flanagan presented a brief overview of her current research and her work with students and took questions from the audience of about 60 people, including members of the Rockefeller Center Board of Visitors, Rocky faculty and staff, social science faculty, and guests.

Members of the Rockefeller Center Board of Visitors, who serve as advisers to the director of the center, are Dartmouth alumni and represent academia, business, nonprofit organizations, and the law.

William Platt can be reached at william.c.platt@dartmouth.edu.