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Publications |
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The
Stevens Indicator
The Magazine of the Stevens Alumni Association |
Summer '09 |
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Features |
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The Stevens Alumni Association & G.O.L.D. welcome the Class of 2009
Meet-and-greet event celebrates the next generation of alumni
By Kristin Boyd, Associate Editor
Members of the Class of 2009 mingled with classmates, networked with alumni and kicked off fundraising efforts for their Senior Class Gift during a meet-and-greet event held March 20 and sponsored by the Stevens Alumni Association and the Graduates of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D.) program.
The mixer, meant to welcome graduating seniors into the alumni fold, featured several speakers, including Robert Hoar ’06 and Mark LaRosa ’93, who both discussed the importance of staying connected to the Stevens community.
“Welcome to the Alumni Association,” LaRosa said. “You should be really proud of where you come from and what you’ve accomplished. There are a lot of great alumni.”
LaRosa, who is the SAA’s second vice president, highlighted the ways alumni can remain in touch, from the SAA Web site and the alumni Facebook page to LinkedIn and StevensConnect. In addition, he said, many alumni also attend the SAA meetings and participate in the SAA’s regional clubs, including the Baltimore Club, Manhattan Club, Fishing Club and Pharmaceutical Club.
Hoar challenged the students to stay engaged, give back and continually promote the Institute. “Look back and think about all the stuff Stevens gave you,” he said before congratulating the class on all of its accomplishments.
The event also kicked off fundraising for the Senior Class Gift: the installation of the Class of 2004 clock tower on campus. The Class of 2004 was able to raise enough money to purchase the clock but not enough to install it, so the gift will serve as a “bridge” between the two classes, said Mike Manzella ’09, a member of the Senior Gift Committee.
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By the end of the night, the Class of 2009 had reached 10 percent of its $5,000 goal. But a bit of friendly competition ensued, as the senior class was divided into five teams, each named after a former Stevens president and representing a different color. The green team, led by Class of 2009 valedictorian Michael Bertucci, had the highest percentage of participation with 13 students donating. In addition to bragging rights, the group received a discount for a special cocktail party at 3 Forty Grill in Hoboken during Alumni Weekend. The Class of 2009 has since collected $5,640, exceeding its goal.
The night continued with music, socializing and snacking. “Have fun, drink, be merry,” SAA Treasurer Victoria Velasco ’04 said after raffling the first round of prizes, including pens, stuffed duck mascots and other assorted items from the Stevens Campus Store.
Josh Zawislak ’06, a member of the SAA’s Young Alumni Committee, hosted the event with Velasco. Staying in touch with Stevens, he said, has allowed him to network, keep up with his classmates and learn about industry opportunities.
“If we don’t get involved now, later on, what’s going to happen? It’s really nice to get involved, keep up with Stevens, meet people and learn about our traditions,” Velasco said. “It’s really kind of cool.”
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