Alumni Events and Activities
Reunion Fever
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Classmates Lisa
Gugliotta, BA ’00, and Jon Zimmerman,
BA ’00, with friend Denise Shrader,
catch up at Blue Gin in Georgetown.
Rachel Kasmir
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If the word “reunion” calls to mind
sedate gatherings where classmates compare notes
on spouses, careers, and expanding waistlines,
then think again. When GW revived its reunion
program in October during Colonials Weekend,
it changed the way many Colonials think about
alumni gatherings. With special events for the
classes of 1955, 1980, 1995, and 2000—and
more than 450 alumni and guests in attendance—the
occasion was a great success. Former classmates
came from far around the world, across the country,
and nearby to enjoy the company and the many
activities offered during Colonials Weekend.
Members of the class of 1980 gathered at 1957
E Street, the new home of the Elliott School
of International Affairs and the geography department,
and danced the night away to tunes from the ’70s
and ’80s. The 10th reunion party for the
class of 1995 also took place at 1957 E Street,
on the top floor, with stunning views of several
monuments. Meanwhile, more than 200 alumni and
guests of the class of 2000 sipped martinis at
Georgetown hot spot Blue Gin.
“Being able to
keep in touch
with your
alma mater is important,” says Jon Zimmerman,
BA ’00, who traveled from Seattle. Zimmerman
attended the Colonials Weekend Kick-off Party
Friday night, Colonials Village on Saturday afternoon,
and the party at Blue Gin on Saturday evening.
He met up with friends and says he was surprised
to catch up with people he hadn’t expected
to see. “The element of surprise in running
in to people I knew in
college but had lost touch with made the
evening worth it.”
David Cleary, BA ’95, MPA ’97, welcomes
classmates to their reunion event.
Dave Scavone
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David Cleary, BA ’95, MPA ’97, jumped
into reunion planning early in the game. “The
Office of Alumni Programs approached me nearly
a year in advance. We met several times to talk
about how to get alumni involved and ensure attendance
at our reunion,” Cleary says. “It
was fun helping the University figure out how
to reconnect with our class, many of whom have
not been in contact with GW since we graduated.” Although
Cleary lives in the D.C. area, he enjoyed catching
up with classmates he hadn’t seen in
years and witnessing all of the changes on
campus.
Deborah Baumel, BA ’80, says she enjoyed
the 1980 class reunion at 1957 E Street. “The
food was great and the setting was very relaxed.” Baumel
is from a GW family: Her father taught at the
GW Medical Center; all but one of her siblings
attended GW; and her oldest daughter, Elizabeth,
is a freshman studying computer science. Baumel,
who lives in Rockville, Md., plans to attend
Colonials Weekend next year as well when her
husband, Sam Baumel, BA ’81, will celebrate
his 25th reunion. “We networked to get
friends to come to the Colonials Kick-Off Party
on Friday night,” she says. “And
we’ll reach out in the fall for the reunion.
There will be a lot of people there, I’m
sure.”
The 2005 class reunions were so successful
that the Office of Alumni Programs has added
an additional reunion year for 2006, the class
of 1976, which will celebrate its 30th reunion.
During the next few months, reunion chairs
will contact classmates. So save the date of
Oct. 21 for reunion celebrations in honor of
the classes of 1956, 1976, 1981, 1996, and
2001. Reunion fever is mounting at GW, and
there’s no telling where it will
lead.
Colonials Weekend 2005
Alumni returned to GW Oct. 21 through
23 to participate in Colonials Weekend.
People of all ages traveled from across
the country and from overseas to enjoy
festivities including Colonials Village,
the Legacy Luncheon, reunion events, and
deans’ receptions.
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It’s
Good to be GW Alumni
The George Washington Alumni Association
and the Office of Alumni Programs have
teamed up to bring alumni numerous benefits,
including discounts on home and auto
insurance, a course audit program that
costs only a fraction of regular tuition
fees, and an alumni credit card.
Alumni Travel Program
For the adventurer, this year’s
Alumni Travel Program offers six different
packages beginning in May. Alumni can
tour Sicily, visit Ireland, Portugal,
or Normandy, or cruise the passage of
Lewis and Clark with other Colonials
aboard an authentic reproduction of an
1800’s-era riverboat. Visit www.alumni.gwu.edu/educ/atravel.html for more information.
Alumni Course Audit Program
Learning is a lifelong process. GW makes
this easy with its Alumni Course Audit
Program, which allows alumni to attend,
for a nominal fee, a wide array of
the University’s courses on a
not-for-credit basis. As well as expanding
your mind, the program is a terrific
way to keep up connections with former
classmates and to the University. Visit
www.gwu.edu/~alumni/educ/courseaudit.html for more information.
GW Credit Card
As the saying goes, “For everything
else, there’s MasterCard.” GWAA
and MBNA America provide alumni with
the opportunity to support their alma
mater while shopping. With the GWAA Platinum
PlusSM MasterCard, a portion of every
purchase goes to support GWAA programs
and activities, at no extra cost to the
cardholder. The annual percentage rate
is competitive and there is no annual
fee. For more information, or to apply,
call MBNA at 1-800-523-7666.
Home Insurance
GW alumni may qualify for a special group
discount on auto, home, and renter’s
insurance through Group Savings Plus
from Liberty Mutual. To learn more, visit
www.libertymutual.com/lm/georgewuaa,
or call 1-800-341-5389 for a no-obligation
quote.
Club Quarters—A New Benefit for
GW Alumni
Going out of town for business or pleasure?
Club Quarters is a private chain of full-service
hotels that caters to business-oriented
consumers in a club-like setting. GW
has arranged for alumni to take advantage
of Club Quarters’ accommodations
at a reasonable price—often as
low as $52 per night, depending on the
season and location. Club Quarters accommodations
are located in many metropolitan areas,
including Washington, Boston, Chicago,
London, New York, Philadelphia, and San
Francisco.
GW Alumni Online Community
There’s more. Be sure to visit
the GW Online Community at
www.alumni.gwu.edu. Special programs
include a searchable online alumni directory,
class notes, an e-mail forwarding service,
and the Career Advisor Network, which
enables alumni to mentor other alumni
and students online. Be sure to visit
today.
For more information on any of these
benefit programs, please call the Office
of Alumni Programs at 202-994-6435
or 1-800-ALUMNI7,
or e-mail alumni@gwu.edu. |
Julie
Woodford
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Celebrating
GW Hoops
GW
men’s
basketball
fans
gathered
at Alumni
House
for a
pizza
dinner
before
one of
the final
home
games
of the
season.
More
than
80 fans
enjoyed
the “tailgater,” one
of nearly
40 alumni
events
held
to cheer
on the
Colonials
during
their
outstanding
season.
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How Do I
Become a...
For those whose dreams soar
high—perhaps to outer space—GW’s
Office of Alumni Programs offers the “How
Do I Become A…” series, an opportunity
to spend time with alumni in professions ranging
from banker to baker to astronaut.
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GW President
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg accepts a
GW banner flown in space on the shuttle
Discovery by Charles Camarda, MS ’80,
during NASA’s Return to Flight
Mission in July.
Julie Woodford
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Speakers last fall included
Peyton Patterson, MBA ’83, one of the nation’s
most powerful women in banking, and GW attendee Chuck Todd, a political insider
and editor in chief of Hotline, a daily news briefing on American politics.
Capping the fall season was astronaut Charlie Camarda, MS ’80, who presented the
University with a GW banner he brought into space on the shuttle Discovery during
NASA’s Return to Flight Mission in July.
The series switched gears in the winter, turning
to topics of food and travel. Author Doug Morris,
BBA ’83, MBA ’85, discussed the ins and outs
of travel writing. Warren Brown, MPH ’98, JD ’98, discussed how he
left the legal profession in 2000 to found CakeLove and LoveCafe, two popular
spots for homemade treats in Washington. Brown also hosts the Food Network show
Sugar Rush. In the future, Joseph Baca, JD ’64, former chief justice of
the New Mexico Supreme Court, will speak in the series.
As GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg noted
during the Camarda event, “Every
day one picks up the paper, GW alumni are leading an organization or doing something
others dream about.” Attending one of the “How Do I Become A…” events
is an opportunity to learn about how your fellow alumni have realized their dreams—and
perhaps to discover a way to realize your own.
Luther Rice Society Reception
Linda Rozanski, left, joins her daughter,
Challen, a GW sophomore, at a reception
for members of
GW’s Luther Rice Society following
the Kalb Report at the National Press
Club in March. The society recognizes
annual leadership giving. |
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