Virginia Tech Alumni Association News - Spring 2004
On Their Way To Becoming Alumni Leaders: Student Alumni Associates
What group of undergraduate
students on the Virginia Tech campus can currently boast about having
14 members of Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, a
member who is a candidate for SGA President, several fraternity and sorority
presidents, the Homecoming Queen for the past 3 years, Resident Advisors,
finalists for Undergraduate Representative to the Board of Visitors, Dean's
Ambassadors for a variety of colleges, Battalion Commanders for the VT
Corps of Cadets, New Student Orientation Leaders, Class Officers, Ring
Design and Dance Chairs, Student Teaching Assistants for the Residential
Leadership Community, and the recipient of the Bronze Star for distinguished
service in Afghanistan?
Who
are these spirited students wearing "maroon polos" leading the
crowd at pep rallies, staffing the football ticket distribution at 6:00
a.m., volunteering at campus Career Fairs and for spirit events at local
elementary schools, decorating the campus and passing out ribbons at Founders
Day, giving campus tours to alumni, working reunion registrations and
putting game day faces on alumni and their children returning to campus
on football weekends? This organization is the Student Alumni Associates
(SAA), a group comprised of 100 diverse and spirited students. Proudly
they represent the Virginia Tech Alumni Association to current and past
members of the Virginia Tech family. SAA members understand and practice
the university motto, Ut Prosim. Other programs they help sponsor include
Seniors Movin' On, leadership retreats, Parents Day, Faculty Appreciation
day, and career fairs. Kiely O'Hara '02 remembers, "One
of the most beneficial aspects of membership in SAA was being enlightened
and then personally embracing the Virginia Tech mission. It was through
other members and our advisors that I discovered the importance of this
to Virginia Tech's success as well as contributing to its uniqueness."
In fall of 1974, under the guidance of Vice President Emeritus of Alumni Relations G. E. "Buddy" Russell '52, the first members of the Student Alumni Associates of Virginia Tech met. Their early duties included assisting in the President's box for football games and giving campus tours to prospective students. Nearly 30 years later, over 1000 alumni were once members of SAA.
Class Officers at Virginia Tech are elected in the spring of their freshman year and serve for life. So in 1993, a natural relationship was formed when the supervision of the Class Programs transferred from Student Affairs to the Alumni Association. Since then, a full-time position has been added to handle these responsibilities, and Class Officers automatically became members of SAA.
Combining class and SAA programs has forged a special "Virginia Tech for life" relationship, uniting student leadership programs with the Alumni Association. Current Alumni Relations Vice President Tom Tillar points to SAA members "as being the very best prospects for future alumni volunteer roles in our Alumni Association, the colleges, and other alumni constituency organizations within the university."
SAA coordinates the fall pep rallies where the traditional "Flaming VT" by the Corps H Company still burns brightly leaving a scorched VT in the lawn of Alumni Hall. Rebecca Carr VTCC '04, of Hotel Company remembers this past fall, "This is the biggest thing we do all year - we count down to it from the first day of classes...the senior class of Hotel Company cried like babies when we lit it ... a dream of ours to stand there and represent Hotel, the Corps and Tech, then light the torch that ignites the VT. We all get chills just thinking about it." The Homecoming game ball is still run 100 miles by members of the Corps Ranger Company and presented with pride and spirit at the pep rally. Since 1994, the closure of the rallies is the now famous "Hokie Rap." The newest tradition, since fall 1998, is the "Low Techs" - SAA's all-male contrast to the women's HighTechs dance team. Both groups are featured at the pep rallies and sometimes perform together.
Class Programs consist
of activities associated with one of the oldest and most treasured Tech
traditions - the class ring tradition. Beginning with the Class of
1914, a specially appointed student Ring Design Committee creates a ring
unique to each Class. Not only does Tech have one of the largest class
rings, but also is one of the most coveted ring programs in the nation.
For seventy years, the annual Ring Dance has been the grand event on campus,
with a sell-out banquet Friday evening and a capacity crowd for the Formal
Dance on Saturday. The Corps D Company still releases a small pig onto
the dance floor in Squires after the rings are exchanged, to the delight
and thrill of dance-goers. New traditions have been added over the years
and now the HokieBird is very much a part of Ring Dance, wearing top hat
and tux, receiving a HokieBird-sized ring and dancing on stage. The festivities
culminate with the display of fireworks on the Drillfield, the playing
of 'Silver Taps' and the firing of the Skipper cannon.
The Virginia Tech tradition, spirit and involvement of these students does not end with their college years. Their experience with SAA and the Class Programs has left an imprint on each of them. SAA's first president, John Higginbotham '77 served as national Alumni Board president in 2002-03. Scott Cappiello '94, SAA president in 1993-94, also serves on the Alumni Board.
Meghan Grice '04, Ring Dance Chair and SAA vice-president for membership summed it up best, "The Student Alumni Associates has definitely been the most rewarding organization that I have been involved in over the past four years at Virginia Tech. I feel proud to serve the university, and meet outstanding alumni while enjoying the time I get to spend with all of the wonderful people involved in SAA. As I leave Virginia Tech I will remember the people that I have met and the passion that they have for our university. I will strive to have that same energy as an alumna in the future and I plan on returning to campus as many times as possible. One of my goals is eventually to give back, as one alumnus, W. E. Roberts, already does, in the form of an SAA scholarship that I was lucky enough to receive. It meant a lot to me and I would love to make an impact on future Hokies that are outstanding leaders on campus."