What to Know Before You Come Back to WC This Weekend

We hope you're excited for your trip back to campus for Alumni Weekend 2012! The following are some things to remember before you head back to WC this weekend. As always, if you have questions about anything, please contact Alumni Relations.

When You Arrive on Campus
Please make your first stop the Alumni House (the white house with black shutters on the corner of Campus and Washington Avenues) to pick up your dorm key, event tickets and/or registration packet. You are welcome to use the Board of Education parking area just across the street on Washington Avenue or the Minta Martin lot, within a short walk to the Alumni House. The registration desk at the Alumni House is open Thursday 10:00 a.m- 6:00 p.m., Friday 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

If you have not yet registered for all of the events you wish to attend, you may do so in person at the Alumni House registration desk.Bring a Government-Issued ID
When you stop by the Alumni House, show your government-issued identification to receive a wristband. All bars on campus will require everyone to have a wristband in order to be served throughout the weekend. Additionally, look for ID stations at large events.

On-Campus Accommodations

WC provides bed linens (sheets, pillows, blankets and towels) in the dorms, and we will make sure the rooms are clean and comfortable. Alumni Relations distributes welcome bags with bottled water and snacks to all staying on campus. As always, we will do our best to accommodate your dorm needs.

Remember the bathrooms are co-ed! You may want to bring a bathrobe/cover-up, flip-flops, a shower caddy (to carry your toiletries to and from the bathroom), an alarm clock, a small reading lamp and money for the vending machines.

Who's Coming Back?
See the full list of those who have RSVPed online.

Bringing Children
Washington College welcomes families and provides family-friendly events during Alumni Weekend. We offer reduced fees for children 7 to 12 years of age, and kids under age 7 are free at most events. While we are not able to offer childcare during the weekend, for alumni staying on campus, we do allow children to stay in their parent’s dorm room at no additional cost.

Alumni Weekend Costs
The cost of Alumni Weekend events vary based on the activities scheduled. Many events are complimentary, such as seminars, recreation activities, and special programs. Credit cards are accepted at the Alumni House registration desk only. If you want to pay at the door of an event or if an event has a cash bar, please bring cash or check.

Special Needs
If you need special services or assistance, phone Alumni Relations at 410-778-7215. Transportation across campus via golf cart is available if needed.Food/Dining
The Dining Hall will be open for Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast. Throughout the weekend, however, Alumni Relations offers meals and snacks at events. Please read the schedule to find out more about the variety of meals and snacks available on campus. In addition, Java George, a coffee bar in Hodson Commons, offers coffee and light snacks on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Dress
While there is no dress code, attendees usually dress in casual clothing for daytime events. In the evenings, most people opt for business casual or semi-formal wear.

Questions?
Contact the Alumni Office by email (alumni_office@washcoll.edu) or leave a phone message at 410-778-7215. Someone will get back to you as soon as possible.

Where in the World are WAC Alumni?

You never know when you might bump into a fellow alum, no matter where you are in the world! Recently, alumni were spotted in:

Turkey
Jim Hughes ′58 rang in 2012 with Bob Colburn ′58, his travel companion, during a one-week adventure in Turkey. Bob explored Cappadocia in central Turkey via hot air balloon while Jim preferred touring Turkish attractions from the ground. The classmates stopped in the city of Konya to visit the mausoleum of the Sufi mystic and poet, Mevlana, better known in the West simply as "Rumi." Jim and Bob also saw the whirling dervishes and visited the natural and historic site of Pamukkale, the ancient city of Ephesus, the resort town of Kusadasi, Istanbul's New Year’s fireworks, the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

The Island of Anguilla 

In late February, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations Lorraine Kenton Polvinale ′69 P′98 and her husband, Tom ′70, visited their friends, Sallie Moniot Lilienthal ’70 and her husband, Pete, at their Caribbean home in Anguilla. While spending a wonderful week in paradise, the group had lunch one day at the lovely, beachfront Italian restaurant owned by fellow alumnus, Alan Piazzi ′86. What are the chances four WC alumni would be on the small island of Anguilla at the same time? Pretty good!

Hong Kong
For the past eight months, JoEllen Clark ’00 and her family have lived in India. Last Christmas, they visited Laurel Harris ’98 in Hong Kong. The group, including JoEllen, her husband, Arun Chatterjee, their daughter Vivian, 5, and their son Evan, 2, as well as Laurel and her daughter Caroline, 2, took a three-hour hike while on their trip. JoEllen and her family had so much fun, they are currently visiting Laurel again!

England
Brian McLelland ’86 participated in the Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames this past summer. Brian, pictured in the cap, said, "What an awesome experience!" Founded in 1839, the regatta, held by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England, is a famous sporting occasion and social event, attracting people from around the world as competitors and spectators.

Where in the World are YOU?
Whether you've visited a far-off land or you've been comfortable in your tiny corner of the earth, we want to hear from you! Send in a class note and tell us about it today! The deadline to appear in the summer issue of the magazine is April 13.

Is Your Class Up to the Challenge?

George has been standing proudly on his pedestal, tri-cornered hat in hand, for a very long time. Over the years he's seen it all on the Campus Green–frisbee games, classes under the trees and, oh yes, even the midnight scenes on May Day! While George still feels "all right," just like the rest of us, he has watched those memories begin to fade over the years.

To help remind him of the good old days, George is rallying you and your reunion class to post photos of your college years to the Alumni Facebook Page! George is challenging the following eight classes–2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, 1982, 1977, 1972 and 1967–to see which class can post the most photos of their time at WC.

Get set to dust off the old scanner or search through your data files; post your photos to the Alumni Facebook Page through February 29. (Please keep the photos PG-rated and make certain to add your class year to the photo description in order for it to count.) Fear not! Photos that have already been sent in through your reunion committee will count towards your total.

What's in it for you? The class with the most photos posted to the page by midnight on February 29, 2012, will win a free round of drinks at their Friday night reunion class party on Alumni Weekend! That's right. Free drinks on George! Huzzah to that!

Should you have any problems uploading photos or have questions, just email us. You may also e-mail photos to Alumni Relations at alumni_office@washcoll.edu.

Ready, set, SCAN!!!

The Word From Washington

 What We Learned from the Reunion Survey

This fall, 837 alumni, faculty and staff shared their thoughts about the possibility of separating Reunion from Commencement Weekend. The Reunion Task Force, composed of alumni and staff, was led by the co-chairs of the Classes & Reunion Committee of the Alumni Board, Peter Shafer ’86 and Heather Spurrier ’00. The task force researched the topic and recently presented the executive summary of their findings to President Reiss. In the new year, be on the lookout for an announcement about Alumni Weekend 2013.

 Town and College Announce Agreement on Armory

The Town of Chestertown and Washington College have announced an agreement that will, if fully realized, transfer ownership of the Chestertown Armory to the College. President Reiss stated, “We look forward to working with the Town as we go forward with plans to build a state-of-the art waterfront campus — plans that will incorporate the historic Armory property and be a point of pride for Washington College and the entire Chestertown community." Read the full article.

Leverage Your Washington College Alumni Network

Have you joined the WC Alumni Group on LinkedIn yet? Over 1,000 of your WC friends have begun networking on that site. See where your fellow alums are now, and perhaps make a career connection or find an old friend! If you're currently job hunting, try the new LinkedIn feature that conveniently displays your college alumni network when you search companies. For instance, try searching for IBM on LinkedIn, and you will see the WC alumni who work there. Pretty neat, eh?

 Flock to a WC Chapter Event in Your Area

You don't need to return to campus to feel part of the WC flock! Alumni are networking in Baltimore, meeting up with old friends in Chestertown, and celebrating the holidays together in big cities. If you haven't attended a WC chapter event lately, consider leaving your nest  to say "hello" to old friends. Even Gus, though he prefers the comforts of Chestertown, flies off-campus occasionally! Recently, the Talbot Chapter invited Gus to meet some fine, feathered friends at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, MD. His next stop? Wilmington's toast!

Your WC News in 3 Minutes or Less!

WC Names New Vice President for Advancement Gretchen Dwyer, a fundraiser and 16-year veteran of development andalumni-relations work, has accepted the position of Vice President for College Advancement and Alumni Relations. A native of California, Gretchen earned a bachelor’s degree in English and African Studies from St.Lawrence University in Canton, NY, and a master’s degree in literacy, language and cultural studies from Boston University. Gretchen, her husband, Tom, and their three children will arrive in Chestertown in December. Read more... Veterans Deserve a Chance to be Rhodes Scholars In The Chronicle of Higher Education, President Reiss makes the case that the Rhodes Scholarship should eliminate discrimination on the basis of age.  He explains that this award, which has been sending Americans to the University of Oxford for over a century, should provide veterans a chance to be Rhodes Scholars.  Read the full article and learn more about the Washington College student who, as a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, brought the issue to light. New Members Join WC Alumni Board The Alumni Board welcomed its newest members in October: Elizabeth O'Hara Lazo '93, Wayles Wilson '03, Bruce Alexander '94 M'00 and Richard Grieves '83. It was the first meeting of the academic year for the Alumni Board. All committees reported on their progress and reviewed goals for the year. Afterwards, a reception at the Alumni House was held for the board, and a feathery VIP guest officially welcomed the new board members.  Washington College Freshmen Dig the Pig  Named after Alexander Hamilton (the first United States Secretary of the Treasury and a loyal supporter of George Washington), Hamilton Pig - or "Ham" for short - is a piggy bank symbolizing the importance of giving back to WC. Each freshman received a Hamilton to feed with change. Occasionally, students bring their pigs to events, donating their savings to The Washington Fund while having a “squealing” good time! Read more about Ham and "friend" him on Facebook.