Vermont Business MagazineA dedication ceremony in memory of Southern Vermont College alumnus Lonnie Bortman ’94 took place on campus Sunday, August 13. The site of the dedication, called “Lonnie’s Lookout,” is located on the Everett cave path through the upper orchard on campus (a path off the Everett Mansion courtyard). Bortman was born in New Jersey in 1971 and grew up in Sunnyvale, CA. From a young age he enjoyed outings to parks and a variety of sports, especially soccer, bicycle riding and skiing. Family visits to the east coast and southern Vermont fostered his love of the mountains and sparked ideas of someday returning to the east coast.
At age 19, Bortman was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, treated and cured. With a new lease on life, he transferred to Southern Vermont College where he thrived personally and academically, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies. He fulfilled his dream of moving back to the east coast a few years after graduation and frequently returned to the trails and slopes of southern Vermont.
Bortman’s treatment had placed him at a higher risk for developing lung cancer, which materialized 25 years later and took his life in 2016. In his brief 44 years, Bortman traveled to all 50 states and many international countries yet he felt most “at home” in southern Vermont.
SVC president Dr. David R. Evans said, “Lonnie Bortman’s story moved me in particular, because he so perfectly embodied the College’s mission to help students discover and fulfill their potential. His success as a student after the challenges of his illness, and his deep love of our natural landscape, capture the College’s special essence. I am honored to have worked with Lonnie’s family to find a fitting way to commemorate his life and passion for this beautiful place.”
Bortman leaves behind a host of friends and close family, including a wife and three stepchildren. “Lonnie’s Lookout” is a lasting way to share his love of the mountains with all who pause and take a moment to enjoy the view.
Founded in 1974 but with roots extending to 1926, Southern Vermont College is a small, liberal arts college located on a 371-acre campus overlooking the Green Mountains. The College is a model of an enlightened educational community: diverse, supportive, environmentally respectful and socially responsible. Through its career-focused, liberal arts curriculum, SVC transforms students into engaged citizens with a broad perspective of an ever-changing society. Classroom learning is combined with real-life, real-world experiences in the study of business, humanities, nursing, science and technology and the social sciences. SVC’s athletic teams are part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC). The College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and has been designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Community-Engagement Classification Institution. For more information, visitsvc.edu.
Source:(BENNINGTON, Vt.) – Southern Vermont College