GWAA CORNER

At its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 9th, 2004, the George Washington Alumni Association Board of Directors created a new committee to focus on developing new education programs for GW alumni. The GWAA and the University’s Office of Alumni Programs are interested in expanding their educational program offerings, which currently include alumni lectures, the alumni course audit program and the alumni travel program.

The Vice President for Education Programs will chair the Education Programs Committee. The Vice President for Education Programs is appointed by the President of the GWAA, and will also serve on the GWAA Executive Committee. All alumni who have earned a degree from the University are eligible and encouraged to apply!

Click here for an application for the Vice President of Education Programs position.

Message From the President

On behalf of the George Washington Alumni Association Board of Directors, welcome to a great new year! Please join me in welcoming the new GWAA officers for 2004-05. I would also like to commend the past president, Rob Efrus, and the outgoing officers for their dedication and outstanding work.

This year will be an exciting year for the GWAA. One of our main focuses will be to develop a strategic plan for the GWAA for the next 3 to 5 years. There are three key areas that I believe will serve as a strong foundation for the strategic plan and assist the GWAA to continue to succeed in the future: 1) Connection, 2) Reconnection and 3) Advancing GW.

Connection – It is important that the GWAA “connect” and create a bond with students while they are on campus starting at matriculation all the way through graduation. This year, the GWAA is reaching out to connect with students from the moment they arrive on campus by participating in Colonial Inauguration Freshmen Move-in. In June and July, alumni served as volunteers at a social hour during Colonial Inauguration to meet and greet new students and parents. In August, alumni will serve as volunteers to assist freshmen move into their dormitories. The GWAA also sponsors activities for graduating seniors, and for graduating graduate and professional students. By reaching out to students and having the GWAA sponsor/co-sponsor student events on campus, students will understand the significance of being a GW alumnus/a even before they graduate.

Reconnection – The GWAA will strive to reach out to all GW alumni and help them “reconnect” to GW. We will find new ways to involve and engage alumni and “invite” them to be a part of our spirited community. We want to see you at Colonials Weekend this fall, as well as the other events sponsored for alumni. Please help us in our efforts to “reconnect” all alumni by updating your alumni records through the Office of Alumni Programs, forwarding the Colonial Cable to alumni that may not be receiving it and inviting alumni to join you at alumni events.

Advancing GW - As alumni, our support plays a critical role in the University’s operations both today and in the future. Your contributions to GW have a positive affect ranging from student scholarships to institutional rankings. One of the measures in the U.S. News & World Report rankings is the “Alumni Giving Rate” – meaning the “percentage of alumni that contribute” to the University. GW’s alumni giving rate is respectable, but an improvement in the giving rate will continue to improve the University’s stature. We hope alumni will come together to support GW, and encourage ALL alumni to support the University.

I am looking forward to a dynamic year for the GWAA, and to working with the Office of Alumni Programs. The success of the GWAA is dependent upon the engagement and support of our alumni. I invite you to join us at our upcoming events and find ways in which you can assist us to “connect, reconnect and advance GW.”

Sincerely,

Kristen Betts (Ed.D. ‘98)
President, George Washington Alumni Association