Charging Ahead

Alumni events supported by the Cornell Visa program

By Mollie Pulver '80

Revenues generated by the Cornell Visa Card program continue to fund programming for the University's many alumni organizations. In 2006, the Cornell Alumni Federation's Grant Committee considered many proposals and funded eighteen projects from New York to California and Singapore. Here is a look at some of them.

The Cornell Club of Greater Philadelphia organized one of the largest events receiving a grant in 2006. It held a "Welcome to Philly" gathering in February in conjunction with the CACO Mid-Winter Meeting and a Mosaic regional conference. More than 500 alumni, guests, and their families attended, including locals and alumni from neighboring states. They were treated to a behind- the-scenes tour of Citizens Bank Park (home of the Philadelphia Phillies) and a "Taste of Philly" dinner. Family activities included a DJ, a mummers band, face painting, and a magician, while a silent auction raised significant funds for the Club's scholarship fund. The event was organized by Marcia Goldschlager Epstein '64, Jeff Estabrook '80, JD '83, and Mary Wilensky Kahn '79.

The Cornell Latino Alumni Association (CLAA) used its grant to support a series of lectures by Latino Studies faculty in CLAA's three major regions: New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. The first lecture, in Washington, featured Ronald Mize, assistant professor of Latino studies and development sociology, who discussed his research on the historical and contemporary experiences of Chicano and Mexican immigrant communities. History professor Maria Cristina Garcia presented the second lecture in April at the Cornell Club in New York, focusing on Cuban Americans and U.S.-Cuba policy. For more information on the lectures or CLAA, contact the president, T. J. Carrizales '01, MPA '03, at tjc24@cornell.edu.

With help from a Federation grant, the Cornell Club of Sarasota-Manatee celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in February. More than 130 alumni and guests attended the black-tie event. The highlight of the evening was an address from President Emeritus Frank H. T. Rhodes, followed by fellowship and dancing to a live band. Club president Jim Billings '63, MBA '64, praised event chair Patty Gros Bettle '65 for her vision and organization. Grant funds used for promotion and outreach were a key element in making the gala a success.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore was the venue for a breakfast event sponsored by the Cornell Club of Maryland in September. Bob Ramin '82, MBA '85, executive director of the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., enjoyed the opportunity to host alumni. (He holds a joint appointment with the Baltimore aquarium, whose executive director is David Pittenger '71.) In addition to an early-bird tour of the aquarium, attendees heard a presentation by William Bemis '76, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and director of Cornell's Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island, Maine. Kurt Overton '94 organized the event, which drew more than seventy participants. It was the first Club function that many had attended, and the Club added several new members to its roster. The CAF grant helped to keep the per-person cost far below the Aquarium's regular price of admission.

Calling All Class Leaders | Nominations Sought for Vanneman Award

One of Cornell's unique strengths is the commitment of its alumni, many of whom continue to serve the University for decades after graduation. These alumni include the Cornell Association of Class Officers (CACO), whose 1,600 members organize reunions, create scholarship funds, plan regional activities, and keep classmates connected with each other and Cornell.

In 2005, CACO established the William "Bill" Vanneman '31 Outstanding Class Leader Award to recognize class officers who have provided long-term exemplary service to the University and their individual classes. The award, presented at CACO's Mid-Winter Meeting, is named in honor of Bill Vanneman '31, who has served his class tirelessly for more than seventy-five years and continues to actively volunteer. Bill was the first recipient of the award, followed by Jim Hanchett '53 in 2006 and Bill Doolittle Jr. '38 and Elsie Harrington Doolittle '38 in 2007.

Now CACO is seeking nominations for 2008. All Cornellians are invited to nominate fellow alumni who have worked actively as officers for a sustained period on behalf of their classes. Current and past officers are eligible for the award after they have celebrated their 30th Reunion. Recipients are selected solely on the basis of their contributions as class leaders.

For more information and a nomination form, please visit www.alumni. cornell.edu/caco. Forms may be returned at any time, but only nominations received by November 1, 2007, will be considered for the 2008 award. We encourage you to take this opportunity to recognize unsung heroes whose hard work is a tribute to Cornell and an inspiration to fellow alumni.

Please e-mail questions to Kevin McManus '90 at caco@cornell.edu or call Class &Reunion Programs in the Office of Alumni Affairs at (607) 255-1988.

Charging Ahead

Club members volunteer to help others

By Lisa Elliott

Cornell alumni work tirelessly to foster community, effect change, and better our society. One example is Cornell Cares Day. Each winter, in collaboration with the Cornell Public Service Center, area clubs plan and execute a day of direct, hands-on service projects; the day is held over winter break, so students home from campus can participate. The Cornell Public Service Center developed the student-alumni event in 2001, piloting with two cities, New York and Boston. Last year, twenty- four cities participated, including the first international addition, Shanghai. "It's an active event, giving people an opportunity to socialize while doing something of value," says Robin Friehling '82 of the Rockland County Cornell Club, which hosted a combined coat, food, and blood drive for its inaugural event.

Clubs develop their own service projects, and some have created partnerships that have lasting effects. "We've established a tradition with the San Francisco Food Bank; we look forward to it every year," says Charles Wu '91, a member of the Cornell Alumni Association of Northern California. "The key is to inculcate a tradition of community involvement with Cornell alumni. The success of our education is defined not only by how our alumni do, but in how we impact others."

Projects vary from city to city. In Sarasota, alumni joined with Habitat for Humanity for their first Cornell Cares Day; the event was just one day in a larger partnership the Cornell Club of Sarasota-Manatee has with its local Habitat chapter. In Boston, volunteers worked at the Greater Boston Food Bank, inspecting, sorting, and preparing products that were distributed to hunger relief agencies. They also worked at Community Servings, a program offering free, nutritious, home-delivered meals for people with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses, their dependents, and caregivers.

From New York City to Los Angeles to Shanghai, Cornell alumni are volunteering at zoos, hospitals, and nonprofits simply because they care. The Cornell Public Service Center is currently looking for additional clubs to join the event. Cornell Cares Day can link to a partnership your club already has--or help you create new opportunities to give back to your community. Contact Cornell Cares coordinator Lisa Elliott, lje7@cornell.edu or (607) 255-9382, for more information on how to get your club involved.

Founded in 1991, the mission of the Cornell Public Service Center is to champion the conviction that the Cornell experience confirms service as essential to active citizenship. More than 4,000 students participate in Public Service Center programs annually, providing more than 200,000 service hours.