The Bethany College Alumni Association Board of Directors (Alumni Council) will hold its spring meeting on campus this Friday and Saturday, April 4-5. The 22 Alumni Council members meet formally on campus twice per year and periodically throughout the year via teleconferencing. During the 2007-08 academic year, the Alumni Council played an instrumental role in the formulation of the 10-year campus master plan.
I am extremely pleased that during the past six years, the Alumni Council has become larger, stronger and more focused on important issues impacting Bethany College. The Alumni Council is now diverse in its geographic and class distribution. I thank Bruce Fahey ’77 (Akron, Ohio) for his leadership as president and Pat Hosey ’80 (Wilmington, Delaware) as vice president.
This weekend’s meeting includes a reception and dinner in The Bethany Club on Friday night, the traditional President’s Breakfast/Roundtable on Saturday morning at Christman Manor, followed by a full agenda for the remainder of the day focusing on the work of the Advancement Committee, chaired by Craig Williams ’96 (Odenton, Maryland.) and the Engagement Committee , chaired by Amy Callahan ’95 (Wilmington, North Carolina).
The Advancement Committee recently established The Larry E. Grimes Lecture Series, an endowed fund honoring Dr. Grimes, Professor of English Emeritus and currently Director of Church Relations. The committee will discuss growing the fund and developing programming.
The Engagement Committee assists the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations in a wide variety of ways including the recent establishment of an Undergraduate Student Alumni Association. This committee has supported a number of ongoing events including the Allison Run, Homecoming Weekend, and Alumni Weekend.
In the recent past, the Alumni Council has heard presentations by Heather Ricciuti, the Mary Cutlip Director of Libraries & Learning Resources; Kathleen Shelek-Furbee, Chair of the Department of Social Work, and Jerry Stebbins, Dean of Students. They have also toured the science facilities and greenhouse with Dr. Bill Hicks, Chair of the Biology Department, contributing funds for a variety of projects there. At this weekend’s meeting, they will hear from Brian Rose ‘98, Director of Athletics and Recreation, on improvement in facilities and the success of Bison sports.
I know you join me in thanking each Alumni Council member for their service to Bethany College. If you see them on campus this weekend, please give them a warm Bethany welcome.
