Alumni Events
and Activities
Alumni Programs Offer Guidance to Students
Last fall, sophomore Alison Devenny had
dinner with a GW alumna who moti-vated her to be more focused
on her career. “Afterwards, I was bursting with energy,
trying to find new internships and researching other programs
that came up at the dinner.”
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International trade lawyer Richard Popkin, BA ’71,
MA ’72, speaks to students at his home in February,
when he hosted a group of GW students who wanted to
know more about his line of work.
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Devenny is one of 150 undergraduate students
to participate in GW’s newly launched Dinner with Alumni
program. The program pairs up small groups of students with
alumni for dinner in and around the Washington metropolitan
area. Alumni have hosted dinners in locations ranging from
the National Press Club to Pizza Paradiso restaurant. Devenny
and some of her Elliott School of International Affairs
classmates attended a dinner hosted by Nicole Speulda, BA
’99; Cameron MacKenzie, MA ’03; and Sarah Marquis
Ladislaw, BA ’01, MA ’03.
For alumni, the dinners provide an opportunity
to reconnect with their alma mater and give back to the
University in a significant way. “When GW came to me
to ask if I would be willing to host a dinner with students
who have expressed interest in international law and trade,
I was thrilled to have the opportunity,” says alumnus
Richard Popkin, BA ’71, MA ’72, an international
trade lawyer and partner at Swidler Berlin in Washington,
who opened his home to students in February. “The more
practical light that can be shined on academic programs,
the better.”
The Dinner with Alumni program is one
of two new offerings for undergraduates that the Office
of Alumni Programs has launched. Another program, co-sponsored
with Class Council, a student organization, is the “How
Do I Become A…?” lecture series. The series showcases
successful alumni in a range of professions, providing guidance
to students considering particular career fields.
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Retired secret agent Joseph Kiehl, BA ’72, MA
’76, addresses students during his “How
Do I Become a CIA Operative?” talk.
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Retired secret agent Joseph A. Kiehl,
BA ’72, MA ’76, kicked off the series in February
with his talk, How Do I Become a CIA Operative? New York
Times investigative reporter and alumna Diana Henriques,
BA ’69, addressed students in March on pursuing careers
in journalism. And in April, Josh N. Kuriloff, BBA ’81,
executive vice president of Cushman & Wakefield of New
York, discussed how students bitten by the entrepreneurial
bug can succeed in the real estate field. The Alumni Programs
staff plans to expand the series in the 2005-06 academic
year.
“We think it’s important for
students to see alumni on campus often, since our alumni
are an important part of our University community,”
says Scott Mory, executive director of alumni programs.
“The lecture series and dinner program are ways that
we are able to show students how alumni make a difference
both on campus and in the world beyond GW.”
University Holds Annual Scholarship Luncheon
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Shaina Jones ,BA ’05, thanks benefactors at
the scholarship luncheon.
Dave Scavone
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More than 100 people gathered in the Marvin
Center in November to recognize donors of endowed scholarships
for the wonderful support they give to the University and
its students. The event afforded the opportunity for donors
and recipients of endowed scholarships and fellowships to
meet each other. At this year’s luncheon, GW President
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg offered thanks to the University’s
scholarship supporters, stating, “You are not only
helping the University and its students, you are also helping
to educate the leaders of the 21st century.”
Several accomplished students were highlighted
throughout the program, including neuroscience major Melissa
Davis, a recipient of the Mary Ellen Caplin Scholarship,
the George Gamow Undergraduate Research Fellowship, and
the Luther Rice Collaborative Fellowship; and Wazir Jefferson,
a student in the Graduate School of Education and Human
Development and a recipient of the Vest Family Fellowship.
Shaina Jones, a senior in the School of Media and Public
Affairs and both a Larry King Scholar and a Gridiron Scholar,
gave a moving talk about the benefits of donor support in
higher education.
Alumni Association Honors a Dozen of
Its Own
GW alumni make a difference! In
honor of the professional achievements of GW graduates,
the George Washington Alumni Association sponsors
the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards, bestowed
each spring on alumni who have distinguished themselves
in their professions. The awards date back to 1937;
past recipients include former FBI director J. Edgar
Hoover BL ’16, LLM ’17; Zelda Fichandler,
AA ’43, MA ’50, founder of Arena Stage;
and Colin Powell, MBA ’71, former secretary of
state.
GW also highlights the contributions
alumni make through service to the University with
the Alumni Service Awards, which began in 1959. The
awards, also given each spring, have been conferred
on a broad range of alumni noted for their generosity
to the University.
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Awardees are:
For Distinguished Alumni
Achievement:
Robert Ames Alden, BA ’65,
MA ’68, editor at The Washington
Post from 1952 to 2000
Walter M. Bortz III, EdD
’98, president of Hampden-Sydney College
Diana B. Henriques, BA
’69, an investigtive reporter for The
New York Times
James F. Humphreys, JD
’79, West Virginia state senator Pradman
Kaul, BS ’67, CEO and chairman of Hughes
Network Systems
Floyd D. Loop, MD ’62,
chairman and CEO for the Board of Governors
of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Christine E. Seidman, MD
’78, professor of medicine and genetics
at Harvard Medical School
George W. Wellde Jr., MBA
’76, managing director of Goldman Sachs
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And, for Alumni Service:
Jeffrey S. Akman, MD ’81,
Res ’85, professor and chair of the
GW Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department
Bruce J. Ammerman, MD ’72,
Res ’77, a neurosurgeon with the Washington
Neurosurgical Associates
Gary Granoff, BBA ’70,
JD ’73, chairman and CEO of Ameritrans
Capital Corporation
Arthur Mintz, BBA ’66,
CEO and CFO of Kingly Manufacturing Co.
The Distinguished Alumni
Achievement Awards recipients will be honored
at a brunch held during commencement weekend,
and the Alumni Service Awards recipients will
accept their honors at a special reception held
in June.
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Donors Gather for Annual Luther Rice Society Reception
More than 100 alumni and friends gathered
on March 23 at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington for the
Luther Rice Society annual reception. The society honors
donors who make annual gifts of $1,000 or more to GW. President
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg warmly thanked the guests, noting
the significant role that alumni support plays in the future
of all institutions of higher education.
Among those present at the reception were
Mary Miller, MBA ’78, who has made a gift to GW’s
annual fund for each of the past 25 years; Oscar Dodek,
MD ’56, JD ’88, who supports the annual funds
of both the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the
Law School; and William Oakley, MS ’71, who recently
established a scholarship fund at the School of Engineering
and Applied Science.
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Mary Miller, MBA ’78, has supported GW for every
one of the past 25 years.
Julie Woodford
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Donors to Columbian College gather at the Luther
Rice Society reception on March 23.
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William Oakley, MS ’71, right, chats with Paul
Rohling, a member of the Luther Rice Society and of
GW’s advancement team.
Julie Woodford
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Chapter News and Regional Update
Art. Networking. Pastries. What do these
three things have in common? Each of these items was featured
in some way at a GW regional event. From a tour of the Getty
Museum in Los Angeles, to a lecture on entrepreneurship
given by Warren Brown, JD ’98, owner of the popular
CakeLove bakery, to presidential receptions across the country,
GW has instituted dynamic regional programming, with something
for everyone.
President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg has
been traveling the country this academic year, meeting with
alumni in New York, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Palm Beach,
and San Francisco. Several tailgating events have taken
place in Washington, with pre- or post-game networking receptions
and tickets to basketball games. Philadelphia and South
Florida hosted watch parties for the GW men’s and women’s
teams, where fellow alumni viewed the game while enjoying
food and drink. Additionally, regional programs from lectures
and theatrical performances to happy-hour gatherings and
museum visits have provided alumni with numerous opportunities
to engage with the University.
This spring, the Office of Alumni Programs
sponsored a Texas tour with the Office of Undergraduate
Admissions; stops included Austin, Houston, and Dallas.
Boston alumni watched the Celtics take on Shaq and the Miami
Heat, and alumni in San Francisco hosted a wine reception.
This list is a small sampling of upcoming regional events.
For more details, visit the alumni Web site at www.alumni.gwu.edu
and click on Calendar of Events.
You are welcome and encouraged to attend
any of the events in your area. For more information, please
contact Stacey Martin, MTA ’02, Senior Director of
Regional Alumni Programs; 1925 F Street NW; Washington,
D.C., 20052; (202) 994-7429, or at staclee@gwu.edu.
Seniors Remember 9/11 With Scholarship Fund
The Class of 2005 arrived at GW just a
few weeks before Sept. 11, 2001, and were profoundly affected
by the shattering events of that day. So it is fitting that
graduating seniors have chosen to leave as their legacy
a scholarship fund recognizing that experience.
In November, more than 1,000 seniors voted
to create the Class of 2005 September 11th Scholarship Fund
to recognize the courage and valor of the men and women
who served their country on that day. The scholarship will
be awarded annually to a rising senior who has served as
a first responder or in military service. The campaign,
which is entirely student run, has set a fundraising goal
of $25,000 by commencement in May.
“As we prepare to graduate from GW,
it’s important for us to begin to realize our responsibility
to provide opportunities for future generations of GW students,”
says senior Chrissy Trotta, one of the campaign co-chairs.
The senior class gift tradition dates
back to the 1980s. It is an important initiative that educates
undergraduates about the significance of philanthropy and
helps them make the transition from students to alumni.
Landmarks such as the phone booth at the intersection of
G and 22nd streets and the mosaic featured prominently in
the Marvin Center main lobby exist because of the energy,
initiative, and financial support of senior classes. Last
year’s seniors created the Class of 2004 Gelman Library
Book Fund, which allows Gelman to purchase books every year
in honor of the class
For more information on Senior Class Gift
Campaign, please contact the Office of Alumni Programs at
(202) 994-6435, toll-free at 1(800) ALUMNI-7, or at
alumni@gwu.edu.
Princeton to GW: Join Us!
The Princeton Club of New York is offering
exclusive membership opportunities to alumni, faculty, and
administrators of The George Washington University. The
Princeton Club is located in midtown Manhattan and offers
a wide range of benefits including an athletic facility,
guest rooms, and a business center. Social events include
distinguished lecturers, social mixers, Broadway theater
packages, private tours, and a variety of clubs and committees.
Membership in the Princeton Club also includes access to
exclusive clubs around the world. For a membership application,
visit the Alumni Online Community at www.alumni.gwu.edu,
and click on Alumni Benefits on the left side. Take advantage
of this opportunity to join a prestigious alumni club today.
