Letter to the Editor | The Triangle

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

If you are one of the many students graduating this month, congratulations to you and welcome to the Alumni Association. We hope to see you involved with our Young Alumni Association and at various other alumni events no matter where you locate in the future.

If you are still a student though, there are several things that you can take advantage of thanks to the Alumni Association. With all the concern over SAFAC funding did you know that student organizations are eligible for grants from the Alumni Association? Since 2008, the Drexel University Alumni Association Grants Program has provided 47 grants, totaling more than $58,000, to recognized student organizations at Drexel. Grants are awarded every term to select applicants whose proposals are chosen by the members of the Alumni Association Board of Governors. The next proposal deadline is July 22 for fall term activities. Events must be held two or more months from the grant proposal deadline.

“The Grants Program helps us to directly support the very constructive activities and agendas of the student groups, which has helped us to forge much closer ties with the students. Our logo is now prominently displayed at events and our alumni are sought after to participate in the events. The Grant Program funds have definitely provided a seed to strengthen the bond between students, alumni and the University,” John Phillips, chair of the Grants Committee, explained.

For more details about the grant program go to www.drexel.edu/alumni/grants_studentinfo.asp or contact Jeff Spence in the Alumni Office at 215-895-2375 or via email [email protected]

Another way that students and alumni can work together is through the Alumni Association’s outreach program known as the Community Alumni Network at Drexel University. The Alumni Association has decades of history working with programs like the 37-year-old annual Turkey Project, but the official CAN DU committee started in 2006. Its most recent activity took place April 9, when 134 volunteers participated in a community service project at Samuel Powel Elementary School. The event was led by CAN DU and 23 campus and community partners, including the Powel School’s Home and School Association, Drexel alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends. Volunteers transformed the school’s multipurpose room, main hallways, nurse’s office, windows, library and a number of classrooms. The project served as a kick-off to the week’s events celebrating the inauguration of President John Fry.

“The opportunity to bridge the relationship between Drexel and its neighbors involved with the Samuel Powel Elementary School was very exciting and fulfilling,” CAN DU co-chairs Frank Cymbala, ’82, and Rich Blumberg, ‘84, said. “The greatest value is knowing how happy the children were who got to experience a transformation at their school when they returned for classes. Also, CAN DU is pleased to be a part of the Drexel Alumni Association, and President Fry’s strategic plan to help the community.”

To learn more about getting involved with CAN DU please go to www.drexel.edu/ia/alumrel/can_du.asp.

These are just some of the ways that Drexel’s Alumni Association is getting involved with the current students. If you would like to learn more ways the Alumni Association is connecting students and alumni, please call the Office of Alumni Relations at 215-895-ALUM or email [email protected].

 

Catherine Campbell-Perna

BS, Communications, 1995

MS, Higher Education, 2010

Alumni Board of Governors Communications Committee