Jason Miller, Scott Mory, Shannon Mouton, Stacey Martin, and Joe Bondi

The New “A-Team”

Five Colonials graduates now in place at Alumni House are here to serve.

When Scott Mory was a senior in high school, he came to Washington, D.C., from New Jersey to visit American University. However, his mother insisted that he also check out The George Washington University while they were in town.

“After the tour, I had a goofy look on my face and my mother said, ‘This is where you’re going.’”

“She knew,” says Mory, the new executive director of alumni programs at GW. “When I was walking around, I could feel something was going on here. There was a palpable energy.”

Since that initial visit in 1991, Mory essentially has never left the campus he was lured to on that autumn morning. His goal now is to help make sure that his fellow alumni continue feeling that same energy he felt on his first visit.

Mory graduated from GW’s Columbian College of Arts and Sciences in 1996 and went on to earn his JD from the Law School in 1999. He spent four years practicing law while remaining an active member of the GW community through his participation on alumni boards. He ultimately served on the Board of Trustees, a position from which he resigned last fall when we took over as head of the Office of Alumni Programs.

“I had always been interested in pursuing a career in higher education, but I also had an interest in law—though I wasn’t sure I’d practice forever,” says Mory of his recent career change. “When this position became available, it felt like a natural fit—for me and the University.”

Since moving in to Alumni House at 1925 F Street in September, Mory and his staff have taken on an aggressive agenda to revitalize the number and variety of opportunities for alumni to continue their connection, or to reconnect, with GW.

Mory is not alone in this endeavor. He is fortunate to have a staff of Colonial compatriots. All four of his program directors have GW degrees, enabling them to lend their campus experiences and perspectives as well as their professional expertise to the operation.

One of the initiatives at the top of their agenda is the upcoming re-launch of the Alumni Online Community. GW is at the forefront of universities sponsoring an online community as the primary forum for alumni to network among themselves and stay in touch with their alma mater.

“The new Alumni Online Community will provide a greatly expanded array of features including a career advising database, interactive class notes, and an alumni marketplace,” says Jason Miller, director of alumni benefits and outreach. “We’re sure that alumni will enjoy the different ways they can engage and interact with the University through these new tools.”

Miller, who earned his bachelor’s degree in 1997 and a master’s in public administration in 2002 from GW, has worked in Alumni Programs since 1999. “What makes me feel great is having seen the increased points of connection between the University and its alumni through communication as well as programming. I’m excited at how our improved Alumni Online Community will bring all that together even more.”

Alumni Programs also has been developing active regional alumni chapters around the country. “Regional alumni chapters are crucial for us since we have alumni concentrated all over the country,” says Stacey Martin, director of regional alumni programs. “Our regional chapters plan and organize social events and community service activities and host lectures, career mentoring opportunities, and tailgating parties before men’s and women’s basketball games (both here in D.C. and during away games). Most importantly, our regional clubs help us strengthen the connection between GW and its alumni all over the country.” GW currently has vigorous alumni chapters in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, South Florida, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.

Martin, who earned her master’s degree in tourism administration from GW in 2002, has been able to directly translate her classroom experience to her career in alumni programs. “It has given me an exact occupation,” she says. “Plus, I like being on a university campus. I enjoy the people I meet traveling around the country. The alumni and parents each have an interesting story to tell.”

Given the strengths of GW’s faculty and the professional achievements of its alumni, the Office of Alumni Programs staff also is in the process of creating a comprehensive alumni educational program. It will include a regular series of lectures sponsored on campus, online, and around the country, an educational travel program, and, of course, the Alumni Course Audit Program, through which alumni can sit in on current classes.

Shannon Mouton, director of alumni education programs, who runs these activities, is a 1990 graduate of Mount Vernon College. She also is responsible for working closely with the alumnae from that campus, ensuring their legacy as part of the GW community. “Working in Alumni House gives me a chance to expand the scope of my work and continue to help bring Mount Vernon women into the larger fold of the University,” she says.

In addition to the Mount Vernon alumnae, the Office of Alumni Programs is making efforts to reach out to various constituency groups. In an attempt to meet the needs of the alumni, Joe Bondi, director of alumni constituency initiatives, is working with alumni from such student organizations and activities as The GW Hatchet, musical groups, and athletics to connect them back to the part of the University in which they were involved.

“We’re connecting generations of alumni who were involved in the same activities when they were on campus,” Bondi says.

One recent example of this work was Bondi’s involvement in the 75th anniversary celebration of the campus radio station WRGW. “It was great to see WRGW alumni from the 1960s sharing their experiences with the current radio station students.”

Bondi, who earned his bachelor’s degree in 2001 and his master’s degree (as part of the Presidential Administrative Fellows program) in 2003 at GW, also is leading an initiative to work with current students so that they will understand what it means to be a graduate of GW, with all the benefits and responsibilities that come along with that honor. “I’m so excited to be working with the Alumni Programs team to initiate some great programming to connect students to alumni and alumni to each other,” Bondi says. “When I was a student at GW, I never felt like I was connected to our large alumni population. I hope the work I’m doing will help change that for future GW students.”

None of this programming could be possible without the active and enthusiastic involvement of GW alumni, Mory is quick to point out. “We enjoy our ability to work with alumni. In particular, we are fortunate to coordinate our efforts and collaborate with the leadership of the George Washington Alumni Association, school alumni associations, and the regional alumni chapters. Drawing on their strengths and developing friendships with these alumni helps to propel our efforts forward.”

Mory has enjoyed the work he has done so far. “What has struck me is that for every place we have traveled and at every event we have held, I have noticed that there is a pride and love of GW among the alumni. What this office is poised to do is answer the needs of those who want to stay connected and involved.”