The George Washington University on Wednesday introduced to the alumni and university communities the new GW Alumni Association (GWAA) and the alumni who will serve on the GWAA Executive Committee.
“I am thrilled to welcome the volunteer leaders of the new GW Alumni Association, and I look forward to collaborating with them to advance the university,” said President Thomas LeBlanc. “I have had the pleasure of meeting hundreds, probably thousands, of GW alumni in the D.C. metro area and around the country during the past two years. I am confident the new GW Alumni Association and its volunteer leadership will strengthen the alumni community and the university.”
The mission of the GWAA is to advance the university by working collaboratively to strengthen and promote an invested alumni community that inspires lifelong loyalty through the engagement of current and future alumni. The GWAA mission and guidelines were approved by the GW Board of Trustees Volunteer Engagement Task force in February.
The GWAA is closely integrated with the university and the greater alignment between volunteer leaders and staff will enable the university to deliver the best possible alumni experience. The association will make recommendations and provide advice to the university administration, and its volunteer leaders will serve as advocates and ambassadors for GW.
All GW graduates and former students who completed at least 15 credit hours and left the university in good standing are members of the GW Alumni Association. Membership is granted automatically; there are no membership dues and no registration is required. Instead, alumni are encouraged to support GW’s critical and strategic needs across campus, such as scholarships that provide access and opportunities to deserving students.
“This university has played a large part in my success in life and in my career,” said new GWAA President Richard Jones, LAW JD ‘84. “As we approach the university’s bicentennial in 2021, I look forward to working with our many alumni volunteers, as well as university leaders, to further engage and connect the 290,000 alumni living around the globe.”
A virtual listening tour will take place during the summer, which will provide alumni with an opportunity to meet the members of the GWAA Executive Committee and to share thoughts about the association’s future. Ideas and insights from the listening tour will help inform the association’s strategic planning process.
The new GWAA also will feature an Alumni Association Leadership Council, which will include members of the Executive Committee and a representative from each Chartered Alumni Network, alumni organizations that have existing relationships with the Office of Alumni Relations.
“We look forward to partnering with the GW Alumni Association and alumni volunteers around the globe to build GW pride and support as we drive toward the university’s third century,” said Donna Arbide, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations.
A version of this article originally appeared on GW Today. Visit our website for a full list of the GWAA Committee members.
