Hello Fellow Colonials —

This month the GW community stood with Virginia Tech and the Hokie Nation in the wake of the tragedy that rocked that campus on Monday, April 16. On Tuesday, April 17, hundreds of students participated in a candlelight vigil held that night that included an open forum for community members who wanted to express their condolences. At a reception held in his honor on Wednesday, April 18, President Trachtenberg and over 500 alumni, parents, and friends shared a moment of silence. As members of one nationwide university community, we continue to send Virginia Tech our sincerest condolences and best wishes.

These days have reinforced for me the true power of our alumni network. GW is blessed with thousands of alumni who are dedicated to helping their alma mater and each other. Some of our best were recently honored at the 46th annual Distinguished Alumni Service Awards. These alumni include two members of GW’s Board of Trustees, close advisors to university deans, the spearhead of GW’s intellectual property review procedures, and a 25-year member of the Columbian Women. There is complete coverage of the Alumni Service Awards in this issue of the Cable.

I am also sad to announce that I will be leaving GW at the end of this semester. Come August 1, I will be joining the University of Southern California as head of alumni relations. The Division of Advancement is seeking qualified individuals to succeed me as head of alumni relations and the GW Annual Fund. If you have any nominations, please contact Laurel Price Jones, Vice President for Advancement at lpj@gwu.edu.

It has been my honor and pleasure to lead alumni relations and annual giving for the past four years, and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the next several weeks. I will embrace my new family at USC, but I will always remain a proud Colonial.

Warm regards,

Scott M. Mory, BA ’96, JD ’99
Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations and Annual Giving