Alumni Recognized at 75th Annual Alumni Achievement Awards
(From left) Mary Margaret Whipple, MA '69; Bruce Sewell, JD '86; Sherri Rose, BS '05; GW President Steven Knapp; Roslyn M. Brock, MHSA '89; Leonard Wartofsky, BS '59, MS '61, MD '64, MPH '95; and GWAA President Jim Core, MA '96
NAACP Chair, Apple General Counsel Among Honorees
Five graduates received Alumni Achievement Awards—the university's highest annual recognition for alumni—during Alumni Weekend 2011.
Honorees are recognized for the impact they have made on society through outstanding professional, voluntary, or philanthropic accomplishments. This year's award winners were selected from a pool of more than 50 nominees.
"Your contributions, you and your fellow alumni, not only strengthen the reputation of this great university...you are what we give to the world," GW President Steven Knapp said at the awards dinner in September. "You are the fulfillment of the vision that goes all the way back to the founding of this university and what was imagined by George Washington."
The 2011 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award recipients are:
Roslyn M. Brock, MHSA '89, chairman of the National Board of Directors for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and vice president of advocacy and government relations for Bon Secours Health System Inc. Ms. Brock has been affiliated with the NAACP for more than 25 years. She was elected as chairman in 2010, becoming the youngest person and fourth woman to hold the position.
Bruce Sewell, JD '86, senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary at Apple Inc. Mr. Sewell serves on the company's executive team and oversees all legal matters, including corporate governance, intellectual property, litigation, and securities compliance and government affairs. He joined Apple from Intel Corp. in September 2009.
Leonard Wartofsky, BS '59, MS '61, MD '64, MPH '95, clinical professor of medicine at GW's School of Medicine; professor of medicine, anatomy, physiology, and genetics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; and professor of medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He also serves as chairman of the Department of Medicine at Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Wartofsky's primary clinical focus is thyroid cancer.
Mary Margaret Whipple, MA '69, Virginia state senator, representing the 31st District. She is a member of numerous committees, including Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources; Education and Health; Finance; and Privileges and Elections. Sen. Whipple also serves as chair of the Rules Committee and chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
This year's recipient of the Recent Alumni Achievement Award, which recognizes graduates of the past 10 years, is:
Sherri Rose, BS '05, a National Science Foundation mathematical sciences postdoctoral research fellow at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She co-authored the statistical text Targeted Learning: Causal Inference for Observational and Experimental Data. Dr. Rose was recently elected president of Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
This year marked the 75th annual presentation of the Alumni Achievement Award. In 2007 the GW Alumni Association split the awards into two categories: Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards and the Recent Alumni Achievement Award, which recognizes graduates of the past 10 years.
Global Growth and Innovation
Colin Powell and Wired Editor in Chief Chris Anderson to keynote Global Forum-Seoul March 16-17
Two of GW's most distinguished alumni will serve as keynote speakers at the next edition of the GW Global Forum, the university's premier international event.
Gen. Colin Powell, MBA '71, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state, and Chris Anderson, BS '81, Wired editor in chief and author of The Long Tail, will headline the GW Global Forum-Seoul and share their expertise related to the forum theme of "Global Growth and Innovation."
The event will take place March 16 and 17 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and is open to the worldwide GW community.
Other confirmed speakers include: Ferid Murad, Nobel Prize-winner in physiology or medicine (1998), and GW University Professor of biochemistry and molecular biology; and Alec Ross, senior adviser for innovation to U.S. Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton.
University leaders, including President Steven Knapp, Provost Steven Lerman, deans of several schools, and leading faculty members, will be on hand to share their insights and to connect with the nearly 300 members of the GW community who are projected to attend.
This is the third edition of the GW Global Forum. The inaugural event took place in Hong Kong in 2009 and New York City played host in 2010.
To learn more about the program or to register, visit alumni.gwu.edu/globalforum.
From The GWAA President
Jim Core, MA '96
Dear Fellow Colonials,
It was thrilling for me to see so many alumni back on campus in September during Alumni Weekend 2011. While the weekend was a whirlwind—with more than 60 events—I was energized by speaking with so many other alums who are excited about this university and profoundly influenced by the relationships they made here.
In addition to taking part in the many social events, I was one of the dozens of alumni who attended the first-ever Alumni Volunteer Leadership Forum leading in to the weekend. This was a valuable experience in myriad ways, given that one of my top three priorities for the next two years is strengthening the GW volunteer network.
One trend consistent among alumni associations nationwide is that affinity activities—such as a shared student organization, professional field, or cultural connection—are attracting the most volunteer growth. This presents a challenge and an opportunity for the alumni association. The challenge is to re-orient from an organizational structure based around degree types and class years to one that also effectively serves affinity groups. We have an opportunity to engage more alumni and provide a great experience in the process by being flexible and creative.
The alumni volunteers working on the reconstituted GW Alumni Association Programs Committee—led by Yao Tyus, MA '05, who also heads up GW's Black Alumni Philanthropic Society—are exploring what more we can do to serve alumni through affinity programs. The committee's efforts focus on four areas:
1) Student groups/organizations—such as former Student Association members, Cherry Tree staff, Greek organizations, and club sports participants;
2) Multicultural groups—including groups organized around race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, etc.;
3) Industry/workplace groups—such as federal government employees, entrepreneurs, real estate professionals, or financial services professionals; and
4) Interests—including arts, food, culture, sports, etc.
The Black Alumni Association and Latino Alumni Association are two notable examples of groups building strong networks, helping the community, and having fun, too. If there is an organization that meant a lot to you during your time at GW, let us know. We could use your help connecting alumni and supporting students who share that affinity.
Brandon Muir, BA '05, a former GW golfer and current GWAA board member, also is leading by example. Brandon stepped forward to work with Alumni House and GW Sports staff to help reconnect Colonials golf alumni—particularly recent graduates—with each other and the university through a mentoring program for current student-athletes.
To learn more about alumni volunteer opportunities, visit alumni.gwu.edu/volunteer. To learn about our existing clubs and groups, or how to start your own, visit alumni.gwu.edu/clubs.
We rely on your ideas and input to keep the alumni community—and this university—moving onward and upward! I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jim Core, MA '96
President, GW Alumni Association, 2011-13
alumni.gwu.edu/gwaa
Alumni Weekend 2011
More than 2,600 alumni returned to campus to reconnect with GW and fellow alums during Alumni Weekend in September.
A concert featuring Grammy-nominated Robert Randolph & the Family Band and D.C.'s own Grammy-nominated Chuck Brown kicked off the festivities. Other highlights included an athletics reunion, a multicultural alumni happy hour, Back to Thurston tours, Taste of GW, a political brunch, and an '80s celebration.
Alumni in the undergraduate classes of 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1981, and 1961 joined their classmates for special reunion celebrations.
Liberty Mutual, an alumni benefit provider, gave financial support for Alumni Weekend 2011.
Alumni Weekend 2012 will take place September 27-30.
For more photos, visit alumni.gwu.edu/aw.
Former Colonials basketball stars Pops Mensah-Bonsu, BA '06, Yegor Mescheriakor, BS '98, MS '11, Chris Monroe, BA '04, and Mike Hall, BS '06, joined new men's basketball head coach Mike Lonergan and former GW football player Eric Lewis, BS '65, at the athletics reunion.
Bob Stevens
Members of GW's Black Alumni Association, Latino Alumni Association, and Pan-Asian Alumni Association meet for a Multicultural Alumni Happy Hour at Zengo D.C.
Amy Smucker
(Clockwise from left) Vice President for External Relations Lorraine Voles, BA '81; Linda Battalia, BA '81; Debbie Mazur; Leon Rosenman, BBA '81; Peter Marin, BA '81; Alex Gordon, BA '81; Dan Smith; Chris Runkel, BA '81; and Nathan Slovin, BA '81 gather at the 1981 class reunion. at the athletics reunion.
Dave Scavone
GW President Steven Knapp took the stage to play the drums and bongos at the kickoff event.
Taste of GW was one of several family-focused alumni events.
Allison O'Brien
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Grammy-nominated go-go musician Chuck Brown performs during Alumni Weekend's kickoff celebration.
Dave Scavone
Chairman of the Board of Trustees W. Russell Ramsey, BBA '81, looks through a yearbook with classmates at the class of 1981 reunion.
Dave Scavone
Grammy-nominated Robert Randolph & the Family Band performs on University Yard to kick off the weekend.
Bob Stevens
George enjoys being one of the guests at Taste of GW.
Allison O'Brien
For the third year, Alumni Weekend offered a Taste of GW, featuring food and drink from alumni restaurateurs.
Allison O'Brien
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The Adventures of George Washington
George in the Kingdom of Mustang in the Himalayas (Nepal) with Stan Armington, BS '64 (left), and Edward "Skip" Gnehm, BA '66, MA '68 (center)
GW's namesake had another busy summer. Thanks to the exploits of alumni all over the world, George served as a travel companion, wedding guest, and more.
GW's second annual "Where's George" photo competition leading in to Alumni Weekend drew entries from around the globe. Alumni submitted photos of the Colonial cutout from the mountains of Nepal to the ruins of the Acropolis and many places in between.
Visit alumni.gwu.edu/wheresgeorge to view a slide show of all our "Where's George" photo submissions from 2010 and 2011. All alumni who submitted photographs were entered in a drawing to win an iPad at Alumni Weekend 2011. John Ramirez, BBA '95, was this year's lucky winner.
George with Danielle Schmidt, BA '06, at her wedding.
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George in front of the Acropolis with Alexander Henderson, BA '91, MA '93
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Alumni and Doctoral Student Awarded Fulbright Scholarships
Recent alumni and a doctoral student were awarded Fulbright Scholarships, America's flagship international educational exchange program, to teach and pursue research around the globe.
Julie Bailey, BA '11, will teach English in Kolkata, India.
Rupita Chakraborty, BA '11, will teach in Samarinda Seberang, Indonesia.
Sarah Conner, BA '11, will conduct research for a public health project examining the role of fastfood in Egypt's diet, nutritional awareness, and obesity rates.
Amanda Eller, BA '10, will work in Benin to research the relationships between mainline Protestant missionaries, African-initiated Christian churches, and the country's Vodou practitioners.
Leslie Jessen, BA '10, will travel to Georgia, where she hopes to intern at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies.
Carolyn Kerchof, BA '10, will teach in Bad Zwischenahn, Germany.
Daoyen Lei, BA '11, will teach in Berlin-Spandau, Germany.
Caitlin Loehr, BA '10, will travel to Senegal to research how community radio can promote sustainable development in rural and poverty-stricken communities.
Emma Morse, BA '11, will travel to Tanzania to conduct research that examines breast cancer awareness and prevention strategies among women in urban and rural communities.
Betsy Myers, BA '11, will travel to Amman, Jordan, where her research will center on Jordan's blossoming nuclear energy program and its regional and domestic impacts.
Victoria Roman, BA '11, will be teaching English as a second language in Tajikistan and starting an after-school theater program for girls.
Cascade Tuholske, BA '10, will teach English in Sliven, Bulgaria, and engage in independent research focusing on civic engagement programs in the area.
Sarah Tynen, BA '11, plans to examine the impact of urban renewal on the preservation of tradition and cultural identity in China.
Kristen Van Nest, BA '10, will conduct research about how historical information has been used by Luxembourg's government and business communities to create a future-oriented image of the nation.
Harry Wodehouse, BA '10, will travel to Mauritius to conduct research to gauge the effectiveness of English as the language of instruction and assessment in Mauritian primary education.
Patrick Funiciello, a doctoral student, will travel to Spain to complete his dissertation research on the role of contraband in the Spanish Empire from 1580 to 1640.
