Alumni Admissions Volunteers Build Community for New Eagles
Summer 2022 was a busy one for the Alumni Admissions Volunteer network. Volunteers assisted in providing a warm welcome to our newest Eagles, the Class of 2026! The summer months leading up to the start of college can be a stressful time for students and families, but our AAV members stepped up to build a sense of community and excitement for the new students.
鈥淚 thought it was a big success, as the students and parents seemed to make good connections and were engaged,鈥澨齭aid听Robb Cohen, a parent host听in Baltimore.
This summer saw 53 alumni participants welcoming 150 new students and nearly 120 new Eagle family members at 16 events. We are especially grateful to the alumni and new students who engaged in more than one event!
This year marks the first 鈥渉ybrid鈥 season for summer alumni-admissions activities. Eight virtual 鈥淪ummer Welcome Series鈥 events were hosted on Zoom, and eight 鈥淪ummer Send-Off鈥 events were hosted in person in metro-areas across the country.
Our Virtual Summer Welcome Series, launched in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, remained an exciting and important way to encourage community building between students and alumni. Three events engaged new AU Eagles, where we saw eager students seeking guidance and listening to fun stories about life at AU from alumni of all generations. In our July event alone, we heard stories from alumni who graduated in 1961 through to 2019. At these events, new Eagles truly got a breadth of knowledge and experience. This also shows the dedication and excitement our AAV network holds to help welcome our new students.
In addition, AAV members hosted five affinity-specific events in partnership with the Pride Alumni Alliance, Black Alumni Alliance, Latino Alumni Alliance, the Asian & Pacific Islander Alumni Network, and first-generation alumni. Alumni and new students connected and discussed their thoughts, experiences, and concerns surrounding life at AU and in DC.
This year, the AAV network hosted Summer Send-Off events in Baltimore, Denver, Minneapolis, Northern NJ, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, South Florida, and St. Louis. Dedicated alumni and parent volunteers hosted at local parks, establishments, or their own homes, creating a warm and inviting space for our new Eagles and their families. Longtime supporter Amy Lampert, SOC/BA 鈥94, graciously opened both her homes in Florida and St. Louis to welcome new Eagles.
鈥淚t is comforting to know that the school continues to strive for excellence and that with every year there are even better people joining the community of alumni,鈥澨齭aid听Shauna Ruda, CAS/BA 鈥09.
The Office of Alumni Relations would like to extend our sincere thanks to all AAV members who participated in this summer鈥檚 programs. We are already looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2027 next year!
If you are interested in becoming an Alumni Admissions Volunteer; please email alumni@american.edu or . Thank you!听
2022 Summer Send-Off Hosts:
Baltimore: Robb Cohen (P鈥25)
Denver: Jamie Anderson, CAS/BA 鈥06, and Shauna Ruda, CAS/BA 鈥09
Minneapolis: Meghann McLouth, Kogod/BSBA 鈥00, Thomas Florzcak, CAS/BA 鈥17, Zach Scwhartz, Kogod/BSBA 鈥07, Jasmine Stringer, Kogod/BSBA 鈥01, and Nick Banovetz, SPA/BA 鈥03
Northern NJ: Patty Caballero, SOC/BA 鈥91, Kogod/MBA 鈥00, and Don Lisco, CAS/BA 鈥91, Kogod/MBA '00
Pittsburgh: Don Mike Mendoza, SOC/BA 鈥10, SOC/MA 鈥17
San Francisco: Lee Levy, SIS/BA 鈥93
South Florida & St. Louis: Amy Lampert, SOC/BA 鈥94