Good News On State Funding Requests

Dear Alumni,

 The 428th session of the Maryland General Assembly adjourned at midnight last night, and I am pleased to report that the legislature maintained funding for the Sellinger Program of direct aid to independent colleges and universities at the fiscal 2011 appropriation of $38.4 million.  Washington College’s allocation under the Sellinger Program will be $1,364,424.  As important, the Fiscal 2012 Capital Budget awards $10 million for four construction and renovation projects at independent colleges and universities.  Washington College’s allocation will be $2.5 million for the renovation of the Clifton M. Miller Library.  Washington College is contributing the difference to upgrade the heating, air conditioning and ventilation system; to create spaces for group study, distraction-free testing and study skills instruction, an expanded College Archive, and additional offices for instructional technology staff.

Up until this past weekend, there was grave concern that the College’s request for assistance in renovating Miller Library would be reduced to $1.5 million, effectively delaying the opportunity to begin the project this summer.  The $2.5 million is less than the requested $3 million, but it will permit the College to begin phase one of the project immediately following Commencement in May.  It also means that a planned $1 million renovation of the basement of the Cain Athletic Center will be able to proceed as planned this summer.

There are many individuals to thank for the success of our state funding requests in these trying economic times.  First and foremost, we thank the members of the General Assembly who were our champions:  Delegates Norman Conway, Adrienne Jones, and Melony Griffith of the House Appropriations Committee and Senators Edward Kasemeyer, James DeGrange, and Richard Colburn of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.  In addition, Senators Barry Glassman ’84 and Joe Getty ’74 were persuasive advocates on behalf of their alma mater.  Finally, I would be remiss if I did not recognize and salute Tina Bjarekull, President of the Maryland Independent College and University Association (MICUA), and her staff for their diligent work throughout the 90-day legislative session to make the case for independent higher education before the members of the General Assembly.  We could ask for no better representation in the halls of the Maryland legislature than Tina and her staff.

I hope you will join me in thanking members of the Maryland General Assembly with whom you come into contact for supporting MICUA institutions through the Sellinger Formula and the State Capital Budget.

"There's no place like home."

"There's no place like home."

That was certainly the case for our varsity student-athletes this weekend. Saturday marked the first time in school history that nine varsity sports competed at home on the same day - and all nine came away winners. The men's and women's rowing teams hosted Division II Philadelphia University and won five of the six races. The men's tennis team won two matches, while the women's tennis team remained unbeaten at 10-0 with a win over Muhlenberg. Our men's and women's lacrosse teams each posted important conference wins over Muhlenberg. On the diamond, baseball swept a
double-header against Ursinus, winning game two in walk-off fashion in the 11th inning, while softball split a pair of games against Muhlenberg, winning game one in walk-off fashion in the 10th. Finally, the sailing team hosted a conference championship-qualifying regatta this weekend and put the finishing touches on its first-place finish Sunday morning. It was a truly remarkable weekend on the fields, on the courts, and on the water and was representative of the continued success our teams are bound to enjoy. There are plenty of games left. For further sports information and schedules, go to washingtoncollegesports.com. Please come to the College and join Elisabeth and me in supporting them!

"War on the Shore"

Enjoy "War on the Shore" at the Stadium, on Television or Online The "biggest little lacrosse game in America" is just five weeks away and Washington College alumni are encouraged to cheer on the Shoremen as they do battle against archrival Salisbury University in the "War on the Shore," Saturday, May 7, on Kibler Field at Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO WATCH THE GAME: See it at the Stadium The best, of course, is in person. The "War on the Shore" has an atmosphere unsurpassed in Division III athletics. The game routinely draws more than 2,000 fans, and Roy Kirby, Jr. Stadium will be a packed house - not to mention the hundreds of Washington College students who will be enjoying the game from just outside the north end of the stadium between Sassafras and Chester Halls. There will be a special alumni and friends BYOB pre-game tailgating section set up outside the stadium beginning at 11:00 am. (Note: There will be no skybox seating available during the game due to the television broadcast.) Watch it on TV If you live in the greater Baltimore media market, you can watch the game live on WMAR-TV, ABC 2. For the first time ever, the "War on the Shore" will be the station's featured Game of the Week. Catch it Online You may also be able to watch the broadcast live online on ESPN3.com. ESPN3.com is available free on college campuses and military bases and via most major Internet service providers, including Atlantic Broadband, Bright House, Cavalier, Comcast, Cox, TimeWarner, and Verizon. For more information on ESPN3, find out if your Internet provider carries it. Coverage of this year's game will begin at 1:00 pm, with face-off scheduled for 1:06. The winner of the game will be awarded the Charles B. Clark Cup. Clark, a 1934 graduate of Washington College, was an educator and lacrosse coach at both Washington and Salisbury and led both programs to national prominence.

Be an Ambassador for Washington College

Sponsor a Washington College Book Award at a secondary school of your choice this spring!  Recently, you should have received a mailing about the Book Award, the WC program that recognizes high school juniors across the country who have produced outstanding written work in the field of history.

Supported by the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, the Admissions Office, and Alumni Relations, the program depends upon alumni who volunteer to become Book Award sponsors. 

TO BECOME A SPONSOR: 
1) Complete the online sponsor form on the Book Award web site.
2) WC will mail an information packet to you that you may use to approach the school(s) of your choice.
3) Once a school agrees to participate and you help underwrite the program with a $50 gift, WC will send the award to the recipient.  You may choose to appear in person for the award presentation.

To find out more about the program or to see past award presentations, visit the Book Award web site.  You may also email or call 410-778-7880 for more information.

The 24-Hour DV Challenge

Do you have an interest in Film-making or Digital Video?  Would you like to participate in Washington College's 6th annual 24-Hour Digital Video Challenge?  

The 24-Hour DV Challenge has been a highly popular video competition, hosted by WC's Multimedia Production Center over the last five years. Participants form a team to create a short film in just one day. The challenge increases with a list of criteria you must include in your video that you won't receive until the start of the competition. Teams must have at least one WC alumna/us on them, and final videos must include only footage produced and edited during the 24-hour window. The winning alumni team earns bragging rights and a $150 Amazon.com gift card.

See highlights from the 2008 Screening and Awards.

Competition:
The primary time window is 4/1/11 at 5:30 PM to 4/2/11 at 5:30 PM.
A secondary window of 4/2/11 at 5:30 PM to 4/3/11 at 5:30 PM is available to help those with scheduling conflicts.  You must choose one time slot.

Screening and Awards:
A screening of the films and awards for the winning teams will take place 4/11/11 at 7:30 PM in Hodson Hall in the Egg. The best video production will receive the prize of a $150 Amazon.com gift card.

You are not required to come to campus to participate!
As much as we'd love to have our alumni teams producing their films on campus and in the MPC lab, you are not required to travel to campus to participate.  If you live too far away to make the trip, please consider forming your team locally and submitting your film electronically (for timestamp) and follow up with a DVD in the mail for the screening.  If you do want to come to campus to participate, you can bring your own equipment to use, or borrow gear from us!

All skill level filmmakers welcome!  No cost to enter!  Please contact us by 3/31 at the latest if you wish to participate.

For more information, or to register, contact Brian Palmer, Manager of the Multimedia Production Center, at bpalmer2@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7864.

“Dawn, n.: The time when men of reason go to bed.”
   -- Ambrose Bierce (1911)

Ah! The "all-nighter." It's a Washington College tradition few of us can forget. And on Saturday night of Reunion Weekend we are going to celebrate those memories in a very special show. 

We are currently seeking savvy storytellers to relate true stories about their late night escapades in a live performance program called “Tales Out of School: All-Nighters.” If you have a moving, inspiring, shocking, or hilarious story about your College experience after dark, we want to know about it.  Was your educational experience between dusk and dawn as valuable as your experience between dawn and dusk? Did coffee, snack foods, hormones, or fear fuel your push through ’til dawn? Did you toil through the night to finish a paper, cram for an exam, celebrate a victory, seek love, overcome heartbreak, share secrets, or support friends?

The Washington College Department of Drama Alumni want to hear from all artful alumni storytellers (regardless of your field of study) about your unforgettable experience in sleep deprivation. If you can tell your story in less than 10 minutes, through words or song, dance or movement, mime or sign, and you are planning to come to Reunion Weekend (May 20-22), please tell us about you and your tale.

Following are complete details on how you and your story might have your moment in the spotlight. Please contact us soon—we don’t want to wait up all night!

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: “TALES OUT OF SCHOOL: ALL-NIGHTERS”
All alumni planning to attend Reunion Weekend 2011 in Chestertown are invited to submit a proposal for our “Tales Out of School” program. Please send us a one-page description that includes:

• Some basic information about you: class year; field of study; current vocation (or avocation); performance, public speaking, or storytelling experience, etc.
• A brief description of your true Washington College “all-nighter” story: who, what, where, when, etc., and how you would tell it.
• A brief sales pitch: why do you think your story should be included in the presentation?

Story proposals must be sent via e-mail to reunionstories@washcoll.edu no later than Friday, April 15. Supporting materials (such as headshots or other photos, MP3 video or music clips, etc.) are also welcome.

Storytellers selected for the performance will be notified by a panel of alumni volunteers by May 1.  A mentor/director will be assigned to each storyteller to help prepare for the performance. Storytellers will be expected to arrive on campus the afternoon of Friday, May 20, to meet with the group. Storytellers must also attend a brief technical rehearsal on Saturday, May 21. The performance will take place from 7:30-8:30 pm on Saturday.

NOTA BENE: On the night of the performance, audience members who have an all-nighter story to tell will drop their names into a hat for possible selection during the performance. Alumni storytellers whose submissions are not selected by the committee are encouraged to participate in the drawing on the night of the performance.

Raise A Glass To George!

F E B R U A R Y    1 5 Baltimore Chapter Toast & Meet the President 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, 711 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD R.s.v.p. by February 10, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 Dress: casually elegant On site valet parking available for a fee. F E B R U A R Y    1 6 Washington DC Chapter Toast 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Light fare will be served, cash bar.) America Restaurant inside Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC R.s.v.p. by February 11, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 Parking on premises - subway access MarDel Toast 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. (Light fare will be served, cash bar.) Atlantic Hotel, 2 N. Main Street, Berlin, MD 21811 R.s.v.p. by February 11, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 F E B R U A R Y    1 7 Annapolis Chapter Toast 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. (Light fare will be served, cash bar.) Maryland State House, Old Senate Chambers, 100 Circle, Annapolis, MD R.s.v.p. by February 12, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 New York Chapter Toast 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. (Light fare will be served, cash bar.) Bill's Bar & Burger, Rockefeller Center, 16 West 51st Street at 5th Avenue, New York, NY R.s.v.p. by February 11, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 F E B R U A R Y    2 2 Southwest Florida Chapter Toast 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. (Light fare will be served, cash bar.) St. George & the Dragon, 936 5th Avenue, Naples, FL R.s.v.p. by February 18, 2011 to Ellen Green Reilly '59 at reilly4222@aol.com or the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 Philadelphia Chapter Toast & Meet the President 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. R2L, 50 South 16th Street, Philadelphia, PA R.s.v.p. by February 18, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 Dress: casually elegant F E B R U A R Y    2 3 Kent & Queen Anne's Chapter Toast 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. (Light fare will be served, cash bar.) Fish Whistle, 98 Cannon Street, Chestertown, MD R.s.v.p. by February 18, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 F E B R U A R Y    2 4 Talbot County Chapter Toast 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. (Light fare will be served, cash bar.) Mason's, 22 S. Harrison Street, Easton, MD R.s.v.p. by February 21, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 F E B R U A R Y    2 8 Wilmington Chapter Toast & Meet the President 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Columbus Inn, 2216 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilmington, DE R.s.v.p. by February 24, 2011 to the Alumni Office at alumni_office@washcoll.edu or 410-778-7215 Dress: casually elegant

Washington College
300 Washington Avenue
Chestertown, MD 21620
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