Carrying the Torch

CARRYING THE TORCH - PETER ROONEY PREPARES FOR THE OLYMPICS
by Karon Warren

On April 1, Oglethorpe University welcomed a new faculty member on its campus: Atlanta native Peter A. Rooney. As vice president for development and alumni relations, Rooney, 42, hopes to strengthen the school's presence in Atlanta as well as increase support and momentum in fund-raising for the school.

After graduating from Rhodes College in Memphis in 1984 with a bachelor of arts degree in religion, Rooney joined that school's staff at the request of then-president James H. Daughdrill, Jr. For the next four years, he worked with the college's development office and served as director of major gifts. In 1989, Rooney returned to Atlanta and joined the staff at The Westminster Schools – his high school alma mater – as director of development and director of principal gifts.

After 15 years and much success, Rooney felt the opportunity offered by Oglethorpe University was too good to pass up. "It just touched me the right way, and I thought it was an opportunity to really make a difference in Buckhead and this town and the Southeast region," he said. "I think it's a great challenge. I think we have big, important work to do here. I want to strengthen a wonderful co-educational liberal arts school."

While getting acclimated to his new position, Rooney plans to focus on the foundation already laid by his predecessors.

"At this point, my goals are the university's goals: to strengthen the financial base, assist in the development of the campus, attract and retain the very best faculty, provide challenging programs, and meet the students' needs," he said.

Rooney also hopes the university will help him grow as well. "I think the challenges that are ahead as we further develop the campus and strengthen the finances will be different from those at Rhodes and Westminster," he said. "The work will be about different challenges. It will provide me a breadth of professional knowledge that I haven't achieved before."

Although Rooney will have his hands full learning and performing his new job duties, he will still make time for another endeavor close to his heart: the Olympic Games. Rooney, along with his wife Elizabeth, first volunteered with the Olympic Games after Atlanta won the bid for the 1996 summer games. "Like so many, we gave ourselves to the Centennial Games because it was here in Atlanta," he said. "We helped move the flame from Los Angeles to Atlanta." Their volunteer work included serving torchbearers water and helping to enhance their experience along the torch route.

Thanks to the logistical knowledge he obtained during that experience, Rooney took on a similar role in the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, and, come this fall, he will do it again for the 2004 Athens Games. He also enjoyed meeting and learning about the people involved in the torch relay: cancer survivors, organ donors, organ transplant survivors, Special Olympic athletes and many others. "It's the human story of overcoming great odds," he said.

The enormity and rarity of working with the Olympic Games is not lost on Rooney. "It's rare to get the chance to do something once in a lifetime," he said. "Now, I'm getting to do it again for the third time."

Rooney also spends a great deal of time working with local charities in Buckhead, where he and his family now reside. He volunteers with the Trinity Community Ministries, which "helps homeless men that need to clean up their lives and live a bit differently," Rooney said. He also works with the Buckhead Business Association and Northside United Methodist Church, where he is a member.

In his free time, Rooney enjoys time with his wife and their two children, Mason,6, and Peter, 4. In particular, they like to spend time with family and friends anywhere on or near water – the lake, the ocean, you name it. Rooney also likes to read, cook and watch baseball.

For now, however, Rooney is focused on his new position with Oglethorpe, one he hopes to maintain for many years to come. "We've got some big things to do here," he said. "We hope to strengthen the relationships of people who care about Oglethorpe."