A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Greetings fellow alumni—

Basketball season is underway, and both the men’s and the women’s teams look great! The men’s team is playing a number of high-level games this year, with 12 of them televised, and plenty of positive publicity as the season gets started. Always strong, the women’s team is a favorite to win the Atlantic 10 and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in the program's history. READ FULL ARTICLE

GW & "U"

Commencement does not have to mean an end to the rewards of participating in campus organizations and activities. If you enjoy playing intramural sports, for example, you may now play with one of the George Washington Alumni Association (GWAA) sports leagues. If your passion is theatre, join fellow alumni for one of our theatre events. There are numerous other opportunities through the GWAA to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. One of these is the GWAA Programs Committee, which is open to all alumni. READ FULL ARTICLE

This month, in addition to the extended profile, we have included a few class notes submitted by alumni. If you would like to read more class notes, or if you would like to enter one of your own, visit the class notes section of the GW Alumni Online Community. (If you have not already registered, the site will guide you through the process.)

GW ALUMNUS APPOINTED SENATE MINORITY LEADER
With GW located so near the heart of the U.S. government and national politics, it is not surprising that numerous GW alumni are actively engaged in political discourse and that many GW undergraduates aspire to political posts. Enter Harry M. Reid, a GW Law School graduate and senator from Nevada. Reid was recently named Senate Minority Leader. His small-town upbringing, charming demeanor, and national political stature have earned Reid the respect of his colleagues. READ FULL ARTICLE

OTHER ALUMNI HEADLINES…
Ruth Glick, CCAS BA ’64, will have her 100th book, Crimson Moon, published in January 2005. Glick writes under the pseudonym Rebecca York, and is the author of the popular Moon series. Both a USA Today and a New York Times best selling author, Glick will be a part of GW’s upcoming Alumni Authors Lecture Series; scroll down to D.C. Happenings for more information.

Dan Glickman, Law School JD ’69, has been appointed president and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Glickman has had an extensive political career, and will use his ties to the government to assist with his duties at the MPAA. Glickman hails from Wichita, Kansas, and is thrilled with his new post.

Representative Steve Israel, CCAS BA ’81 has begun his third term as a U.S. Congressman, representing New York’s 2nd Congressional District in the House. Israel, a Democrat, has long aspired to his current post. In a recent interview with the GW Hatchet, he described the political atmosphere at GW as formative to his dreams of becoming a Congressman.

Brigadier General John C. Reppert, ESIA PhD ’82, was awarded the prestigious Oxford Cup, Beta Theta Pi Fraternity’s top award, in November. The award honors Reppert, who led a distinguished military career which included directing communications in Saigon for General Westmoreland’s headquarters. Following Kyrgyzstan’s independence, Reppert was the first U.S. diplomatic representative to visit the former Soviet state.

AND IN NEWS OF THE WEIRD…
Richard Clay Travis, CCAS BA ’01, has begun a remarkable crusade. Employed as a lawyer in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Travis is outraged that the NFL games are not broadcast there. To protest DirecTV, which holds a monopoly on the Sunday Ticket package, he has vowed to eat nothing but pudding until something changes. To date, Travis has consumed 361.3 total puddings!

GW COLONIALS SHOOT FOR SUCCESS
The Atlantic 10 Conference coaches and the media have voted, and The George Washington University Colonials are the consensus pick to win the Atlantic 10’s West Division for the 2004-2005 men’s basketball season. The team’s reputation is on the rise. Over the past three years, under the guidance of Coach Karl Hobbs, players have become more experienced. Working with their strength and conditioning expert, Mark Bearden, they have toughened up and are a stronger team than the one that finished the season 18-12 just one year ago. READ FULL ARTICLE

Coach Hobbs addresses the GWAA Board of Directors at its meeting on December 1, 2004.

STRONG AND STRONGER: GW WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
After making it to the Atlantic 10 tournament and finishing with a 14-2 record last year, the GW women’s basketball team has high hopes for the 2004-2005 season. The team, led by coach Joe McKeown and captains Liz Dancause, Anna Montanana, and Jessica Simmonds, scored a 70-55 victory in its final exhibition game, played in November against the Russian Club team from Ekaterinburg. These captains, plus the team’s star lineup, are poised to catapult GW to the top this season. Be sure to catch one of the many upcoming games by checking out the 2004-2005 Women's Basketball Schedule, or by visiting GWsports.com.

VISIT THE COLONIALS TICKETS WEBSITE!
Calling all Colonials fans! Visit the Colonials Tickets website at http://gwired.gwu.edu/colonialstickets to be a part of the 2004-2005 Men's and Women’s Basketball season. Prices are as low as $39.00 for the entire season! Don't miss the opportunity to choose your seat and purchase tickets directly from this secure website!

AFFORDABLE GROUP TICKETS FOR GW BASKETBALL GAMES
Is your youth group, organization, or team on the lookout for an affordable and entertaining group activity this winter? If so, here is THE TICKET for you!! This year, for groups of 10 or more, GW is selling tickets for five early-season men's games for $2.00 each! Similar discounts apply all season. For women's home games, tickets are priced at $1.00 for groups of 10 or more. You may obtain a GW group ticket form here, or by contacting Ed McKee, Director, Sports Media and Community Relations at edmckee@gwu.edu, or at 202-994-5778.

JOIN THE ALUMNI CAREER ADVISOR NETWORK!
A new program, the Alumni Career Advisor Network, connects GW alumni with current GW students. It’s all done online! Students can locate alumni in their chosen fields for helpful tips on how to succeed; alumni serve as career advisors by sharing their experience, skills, and professional insight. To learn more about this valuable networking service and to register, visit the Career Advisor Network through the GW Alumni Online Community. (If you have not already registered, the site will guide you through the process.)

GW SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & APPLIED SCIENCE LEADS NATION IN PERCENTAGE OF DOCTORAL DEGREES AWARDED TO WOMEN
The GW School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) ranks first in the nation in the percentage of engineering doctoral degrees awarded to women, according to rankings recently released by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). The ASEE also ranked SEAS 10th nationally for its percentage of female faculty members. For more information, visit the GW News Center.

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH & HEALTH SERVICES ATTENDS PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE
The GW School of Public Health & Health Services (SPHHS) made an impression at the American Public Health Association annual conference held in early November in Washington, D.C. A number of students, faculty, and alumni presented at the conference. In the exhibit area of the conference, SPHHS featured a student dressed as George Washington. The SPHHS booth received a second-place award among the non-profit competition for best booth. In addition, Dean Ruth J. Katz, JD, MPH, hosted an SPHHS reception held at the Renaissance Hotel. Approximately 100 alumni, current students, faculty, and guests attended.

GW SUMMER SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The George Washington University Summer Scholars program offers two engaging programs for motivated high school students. The 10-day GWorkshops are intensive mini courses for students in grades 9 – 11. The 6-week pre-college program is geared to high school juniors, and gives them the opportunity to experience the extraordinary intellectual and cultural opportunities of Washington, D.C., while studying at one of the nation’s top ranked universities. For more information, click here.

GW PARTICIPATES IN TUITION PLAN CONSORTIUM
Do you know how you will pay for your child or grandchild's college education? Planning for a child's college education may be one of the most significant financial decisions your family makes. Fortunately, there's a new way to pay for private college that can help you reach this lofty goal – the Independent 529 Plan, which GW participates in. The Independent 529 Plan gives you a new tool to help finance a child's college education by allowing you to lock in tuition costs. To learn more, visit http://www.independent529plan.org/.

THE MOUNT VERNON ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION (MVAA) HAS A NEW PRESIDENT
Sylvia Benatti, MVC BA ’96, MA ’98, has assumed the presidency of the Mount Vernon Alumnae Association. Immediate past-president Nancy Zintak served for three years and passed the gavel to Benatti during Colonials Weekend. In addition to her time as president, Zintak worked on the board in various capacities for over 20 years. We thank her for her dedication and labor.

An intelligent and well-traveled woman, Benatti is much loved by Mount Vernon alumnae. The mother of six children and one foster daughter, and the grandmother of four, she has somehow found the time to earn two degrees in the past 10 years. The Alumnae Association is delighted to have Benatti on board – her thoughtfulness, intelligence, and dedication to Mount Vernon will ensure her success as the leader of the MVAA.

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS FOR THE 2005 WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Are you a woman with leadership experience? Then the 3rd annual Women’s Leadership Conference needs your ideas. The conference is a one-day event bringing together an intergenerational audience of alumnae, students, and local women to discuss their personal and professional challenges. The Steering Committee invites you to respond to the call for presentations for the 2005 Women’s Leadership Conference. READ FULL ARTICLE

DINNER WITH ALUMNI PROGRAM GROWS
As part of its ongoing commitment to bring alumni back to campus to interact with students, the Office of Alumni Programs (OAP) kicked-off its “Dinner with Alumni” program this fall with much success. READ FULL ARTICLE

STAY CONNECTED TO GW WITH GW NEWS CENTER UPDATES
Stay connected to your alma mater with weekly e-news messages from the GW News Center. Learn about what’s happening on campus with your former professors, fellow alumni, and students.

Weekly GW News sent via e-mail includes the latest news, events, and guest columnists who answer readers’ questions. To view a sample, click here.

Join the scores of subscribers already receiving GW’s online news source on a weekly basis. Simply click here and complete the form. It’s that simple to become more connected to The George Washington University!

ATTEND THE GW INAUGURAL BALL

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FORWARD THE COLONIAL CABLE TO A FRIEND!
Do you know GW alumni who are not receiving the Colonial Cable? Forward your copy and ask them to visit the alumni web site to sign up for a free subscription! The Colonial Cable is the best way to learn what's happening on campus and stay connected to GW. Your feedback is also welcome – please contact us at cable@gwu.edu to share your thoughts.

Due to the holiday schedule, the next edition of the Colonial Cable will be published in February 2005.  For the latest event information, check the December and January Regional Roundup newsletters, or the GW Alumni Online Community at www.alumni.gwu.edu.

JOIN THE GW ONLINE COMMUNITY AT WWW.ALUMNI.GWU.EDU.
To learn more about what's happening at GW, or for information about alumni benefits and services, regional clubs, or your alumni association, visit the GW Alumni Online Community at www.alumni.gwu.edu.

MAKE A GIFT TO THE ANNUAL FUND!
Each year, annual giving from alumni helps to support quality education for current students at GW. Please make your gift today! You may designate your gift to an area of personal significance. Please visit www.gwu.edu/give2gw to make a gift online.

Credit card gifts made online by 11:59 p.m., December 31, may qualify as tax deductions for 2004. Please note that credit card gifts sent via the postal service are credited on the date they are entered into our system, regardless of when they are postmarked. Please mail your gift early if you would like a tax write-off for the 2004 tax year.