People Making a Difference: Linda Linck

Linda hasn’t always seen herself as a leader. But looking back, it’s clear that the seeds were there. And by saying “yes” to the right opportunities, Linda has cultivated them.

In the late 1960s, when paths in science for women were limited, Linda was one of just two female biology majors in her class at UC Santa Barbara. Following advice from her parents, whose fraternal connections provided instant support whenever the family relocated, Linda joined Delta Gamma, a women’s fraternity with a deep commitment to leadership and service.

“Saying ‘yes’ to Delta Gamma has turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Linda says. “It took me from being a quiet, introverted girl into someone who had the confidence to be herself.” That confidence led Linda to earn a degree in physical therapy and, filling a practitioner shortage with the U.S. Navy, treat young men coming back from the Viet Nam War with serious injuries. “The need was tremendous, and the experience was life-changing,” Linda says.

Delta Gamma’s singular mission is service for sight and aid to the blind, carried out through schools for visually impaired children, hands-on service, and grants to organizations engaged in vision science and care. Since joining the fraternity, Linda has said “yes” to many leadership opportunities, from local to national, including Vice President/Collegians — overseeing more than 140 chapters — National Director of Finance, and Chair of the Delta Gamma Foundation.

Linda’s first encounter with Glaucoma Research Foundation came when she directed Delta Gamma’s groundbreaking Art of the Eye exhibition, a collection of 52 multimedia works by visually impaired artists. The Delta Gamma Foundation’s first grant to Glaucoma Research Foundation brought the exhibition to the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 1997, and Linda’s leadership made it possible.

Ever since, Linda has been instrumental in forging strong ties between Glaucoma Research Foundation and the Delta Gamma Foundation — encouraging local alumni chapters to contribute volunteer time and funds, engaging collegians in GRF events, sharing her fundraising insights. “My mother-in-law went blind from glaucoma,” says Linda. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to give my time to GRF.”

In 2008, Linda accepted Glaucoma Research Foundation’s President’s Award in recognition of her leadership and service. Attending the Gala, she was in the room when the first Catalyst for a Cure team presented its early findings. The experience inspired Linda to say “yes” when invited to join the GRF Board of Directors. “On the Board, I’ve gotten to help answer questions critical to GRF’s future,” Linda says. “Should we fund a second CFC team? Should we add a Shaffer grant? Because I believe so much in research, my answer was ‘yes, we should!’”

Linda continues to give generously toward a cure for glaucoma as a member of the board, as chair of the development committee, as a liaison to Delta Gamma, and as a generous donor.

Posted on August 8, 2024