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The groups welcomed leaders from the ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ College Black Alumni Association, the Association of ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ Latinx Alumni, and RepresentAsian who participated in group discussions and lectures. The conference kicked off with a lobster bake. During the reception before dinner, Alumni Council president John Shukie ’99, BRAVO National Advisory Board (BNAB) chair Niki Alvarez ’07, and Lance Conrad ’91, P’28, chair of the Alumni Fund directors, addressed the group to set the tone for the days ahead.

“Let us pledge not to lose sight of what unites us, our proverbial North Star, and commit ourselves to providing the College with the necessary strategic counsel to advance our forever home,” Conrad said, following a reading of “The Offer of the College” by his son Jake Conrad ’28.  

The a cappella group Ursus Verses performed during dessert, and volunteers sang along to wish Sara Edel ’02 a happy birthday.

Over the course of the conference, volunteers spent time with President Safa Zaki, heard an overview of college finances from Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Matt Orlando, and reviewed a slate of affinity group programs and events. Individual meetings and discussions included the following:

• The Alumni Council held its plenary sessions, which included an improv exercise hosted by Chip Brewer ’92 and individual committee meetings. Faculty representative and professor of education Doris Santoro introduced faculty members Assistant Professor of Asian Studies John Kim, Assistant Professor of Psychology Abhilasha Kumar, and Assistant Professor of Physics Fe McBride.     
                                                                                                         
• BNAB held a series of conversations aimed at improving the alumni interview process for fall 2025 based on survey results from alumni who participated in interviews last fall. Senior VP for Institutional Research Tina Finneran delivered a presentation about the Polar Bear Feedback team. Three student workers from the Office of Admissions spoke about the various ways they interact with prospective students and families when they visit campus.
    
• The Alumni Fund directors focused their time on alumni participation strategies, reunion giving, and learning more about the Finnegan McCoul Woodruff Mountain Center project. Student class agents presented on the ways their program has grown over the past year. 

Volunteers also joined more than seventy members of the Class of 2025 for a networking event cohosted by Career Exploration and Development (CXD), the Alumni Council’s Career Committee, and the Senior Class Engagement Campaign. Later that evening, they enjoyed a celebratory dinner acknowledging the volunteers who will conclude their terms on June 30, 2025: 

• Alumni Council: Todd Herrmann ’85, Greg McQuater ’72, Saddie Smith ’75, Ian Yaffe ’90
• BNAB: Dashelle Fabian ’11 
• Alumni Fund directors: Jared Littlejohn ’15, Michael Peiser ’07, Herly Rosemond ’97, Tom Sides ’68, and Helen Wen ’10 

To learn more about these volunteer and affinity groups, visit the Alumni Council, Alumni Fund Directors, BRAVO and Multicultural Alumni Engagement webpages.