Cheers to Volunteers!
From the alumni board president.
It is my honor to thank and congratulate all of the dedicated alumni who volunteered their time and talent to Reed this year. Though the space I have to recognize your hard work is limited, my gratitude is not. A huge thanks to all alumni volunteers: admission representatives, Alumni Fundraising for Reed, chapters, Foster-Scholz Club, international student hosts, Paideia, Peer Mentor Program advisory board, Reed Alumni Connect, Reunions, summer internship & Winter Shadow hosts, my fellow alumni board members, and the sundry others who serve our community both officially and unofficially.
I’m excited to call attention to a few highlights from this year:
Alumni Board
The alumni board has taken on a number of exciting projects this year. In particular, we have initiated a committee for young alumni chaired by Ben Rankin ’87 and a diversity and inclusion committee co-chaired by alea adigweme ’06 and Melissa Osborne ’13. We continue to build our Reed Career Alliance, chaired by Darlene Pasieczny ’01, and our chapter chairs committee, chaired by Dave Baxter ’87. A great big thank you to our committee chairs and the directors who serve with them! Your energy is tireless, your creativity inspirational, and your positivity infectious. It is an honor to serve with you and to represent our community!
To learn more about the alumni board, contact Mary Askelson.
Alumni Fundraising for Reed (AFR)
So far, 58 AFR volunteers have raised $66,103 from 239 alumni—congratulations! Rumor has it that this already impressive number will continue to grow once AFR volunteers get to work on their June outreach initiative. I also hear that you are currently seeking volunteer fundraisers for said June initiative . . . wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
To learn more about AFR or to sign up to for this June’s effort, contact Carlie Stolz ’13.
Chapters
Our chapters have been buzzing with activity this year! I deeply appreciate our chapter chairs for organizing so many lively activities, and the same goes for the chapter volunteers who helped behind the scenes. Some recent notable events:
Convivial pizza parties in Boston, Chicago, NYC, and D.C. to welcome new graduates
Spellbinding book clubs in Seattle, D.C., Portland, and Southern California
Festive holiday/solstice parties in the Bay Area, D.C., and Boston
Picnics in Seattle, D.C., Southern California, the Bay Area, and Chicago.
To learn more about Alumni Chapters, contact Wendell Britt ’13.
Reed Alumni Connect (RAC)
For many of our graduates, their first welcome into the alumni network comes through RAC volunteers. What an incredibly important role you provide! Shepherding our newest alumni into the community that will be with them for the rest of their lives is invaluable. Thank you for reaching out to this year’s brand new graduates to offer congratulations and resources. Twelve RAC volunteers contacted 97 of our newest alumni this year. You all RAC!
To learn more about RAC, contact Haley Parra-Cain ’17.
Winter Shadows
Winter Shadows are key to helping current students explore their purpose and the workplace. I’m proud to thank the alumni and parents who offered 117 shadow opportunities to 152 students. You show students new possibilities for what life after Reed might offer. Fun fact: Winter Shadow opportunities routinely result in internship and full-time offers all over the country. Impressive!
To get involved with the Center for Life Beyond Reed, contact Brooke Hunter.
My sincerest thanks to you and the many, many other volunteers not listed here. I am constantly in awe of the amazing work that you all contribute. You should be proud of what you do for Reed—every bit of it impacts Reedies past, present, and future. Thank you, thank you.
Make sure to look out for Reed’s Volunteer Impact Report this summer for a more robust summary of your innovative volunteerism!
Love Reed,
Lisa Saldana ’94
Alumni Board President
Tags: Alumni, Giving Back to Reed