Virginia Tech Alumni Association News - Fall 2000
Constituencies
Constituency programs for Tech Alumni are enjoying increasing popularity. A constituency program is built around a group of alumni who share a common bond ~ not necessarily the year they graduated.
Various aspects of Student Life provide opportunities for such events. A couple of favorite examples are the Hillcrest and Black Alumni Reunions. First held in 1998 and most recently in the Spring of 2000, the Hillcrest Coed Reunions provided a unique experience for alumni. Hillcrest Hall served as the primary residence for "coed" students from it's opening in the Fall of 1940 until it was closed for renovation in 1970. Many alumnae who attended Virginia Tech during that period returned to campus, exchanged stories, and got a chance to see how Hillcrest is used today. They also met some of the outstanding women of today's Virginia Tech. The most recent in a series of Black Alumni Reunions was held in the Spring of 1999. Alumni renewed friendships, shared experiences with other black alumni, and forged relationships with current African-American students. Other recent examples of constituency programs that have centered around student life are the annual Corps of Cadets Reunion, and the 50th Anniversary of the student-run radio station, WUVT.
Other constituency programs focus on particular Academic areas. Alumni enjoyed returning to campus in 1998 as the curtain opened for the reunion commemorating the Theater Arts Department's 30th Anniversary. Also five of the eight colleges now organize very successful reunions each Fall. These include the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Human Resources and Education, Natural Resources, and Veterinary Medicine. Look for more alumni events organized around colleges and even some departments in the future. MBA alumni have a reunion this Fall that incorporates professional development sessions and a football game. What a combination! The Computer Science Department is planning a "virtual reunion" next Spring that will be held at several locations simultaneously and use broadband Internet technology to bridge the gap.
Some of the most interesting constituency groups evolve after graduation. Alumni are learning about the accomplishments of their peers and their university through events organized around their Professions. For example, alumni who have entered the fields of human medicine and dentistry returned to campus last April. With majors ranging from biology to mechanical engineering, and class years ranging from the 50's to the 90's, these alumni found interesting connections during the weekend. Tech's work in materials science, virtual modeling, transgenic medicine, and the opportunity to meet with current premed and pre-dental students provided that common ground.
What's next? Plans are currently under way for Virginia Tech's first IT Summit. This event, to be held in the Spring of 2001, will address issues that are common to alumni who are leaders in the rapidly evolving fields of information and communication technologies. Like the event for medical professionals, the IT Summit will offer an opportunity for professional development, student contact, university involvement, and interaction among alumni representing a variety of class years, colleges, and majors.
By Richard Hastings, Senior Associate Director