GWAA CORNER

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 three to five 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 reached out to connect with students from the moment they arrived 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 at 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 effect 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 institution. GW's alumni giving rate is respectable, but an improvement in the giving rate will continue to improve the University's stature. We hope ALL alumni will come together to support GW.

Sincerely,

Kristen Betts
President, George Washington Alumni Association