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Summer Newsletter
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From the ACL President
Dear Class Leader,
Welcome to a new season of class engagement!
As we kick off another fiscal and academic year, we welcome the newest cohort of class volunteers. We are looking forward to meeting you and supporting your efforts to engage your classes. We also bid farewell to the four members of the ACL Board of Advisors who have completed their terms. Many thanks to Vinny Egizi ’88, Marc Harrison ’92, Grace Kim ’85, and Phoebe Knowles ’96 for their many contributions over the last six years.
As a reminder for new and seasoned volunteers alike, the ACL Board of Advisors is here to support the Brown community by:
- engaging alumni through class affiliation
- recruiting, training, and supporting class volunteer leaders
- communicating with class leaders
If you have questions or are interested in being mentored by an experienced class leader (see “Ask the Expert” below), please reach out to board members at any time, and be sure to start or participate in conversations with other class leaders on the ACL Facebook page.
Enjoy the summer and good luck with your plans for the coming year.
Ever true,
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Steve Owens ’78, P’17
President, Association of Class Leaders
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P.S. We look forward to seeing you at Alumni Fall Weekend in Providence, October 18 and 19! Mark your calendars and make your hotel reservations ASAP—it will surely be a vibrant weekend on campus.
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Words of Wisdom from Fellow Class Volunteers
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Looking Back: 2018-2019 Wrap-Up
At the inaugural ACL Boot Camp, held March 14 in New York City as a part of the two-day Brown Volunteer Summit, a full house of alumni volunteers learned useful tips from experienced class leaders. Topics ranged widely and included best practices in communication and event planning and the importance of ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion in class events and reunions.
Throughout the year, the ACL Board committees were busy focusing on training, communications, engagement and class leader mentoring.
Over the spring, classes ending in 3 or 8 held class elections and all slates were confirmed in early July. Find a complete list of class officers on Brunonia.
At the Annual ACL meeting in Providence on April 27, the ACL Board of Advisors presented a year-in-review, attendees confirmed the slate of new ACL Board members, and the Board gave a heartfelt send-off for Paula DeBlois RUE ’89 (see below), who retired in June after 28 years of service to Alumni Relations at Brown. A well-attended cocktail reception followed the meeting.
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Ask the Expert: Liza Boyajian ’82
So you’re a new class leader...now what?
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First, congratulations on joining Brown’s Association of Class Leaders (ACL), a group of spirited and enthusiastic volunteers who work tirelessly to engage alumni. We’ve learned that planning is one of the most important components of successful class leadership, and as the Brown calendar year is just beginning, now is the perfect time to start!
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I recommend first consulting these documents, which are full of ideas and reminders that are helpful in the planning process:
Then, set up an initial planning meeting with your other class leaders via conference call or a virtual meeting such as Zoom. Put together a high-level plan and timeline for the coming year, and the next five years. Make sure that you feel it is reasonable and something you can accomplish. Review and update your plan each year as you gain experience and learn what works best.
Also, throughout the year, be sure to take advantage of events, resources, and training that are available to you as a class leader. Mark your calendars for Alumni Fall Weekend, October 18 – 19 in Providence and the Volunteer Summit on March 12, 2020, in New York City. These are great opportunities to learn, get inspired, and connect with other class leaders. We also have a wealth of information on the Brunonia website.
And did you know the ACL Board has a mentoring program for class leaders? If you’re interested in having a class leader mentor, to connect with someone more experienced to ask questions, brainstorm, and learn what has worked for other classes, please contact your Alumni Relations Class Liaison.
Many thanks again for everything you do for Brown. Being a class leader should be fun and rewarding, connecting you to your class and the entire Brown community. For me, the rewards of becoming involved have been so much more than I ever expected. I wish the same for each of you. Enjoy the rest of your summer and here’s to a great year ahead!
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Meet the New ACL Board Members
Four new members have joined the ACL Board of Advisors. We wondered: why do you volunteer for Brown? Here’s what they had to say:
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“Staying involved as a volunteer allows me to continue to experience the magic of Brown while giving back to the place that shaped me.”
—Michelle Frea ’14
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“Throughout my undergrad journey and since graduation I have been helped by incredible mentors who were volunteers themselves. Brown and its community taught me the importance of volunteerism, therefore volunteering is a way for me to give a fraction back.”
—Petros Perselis ’10
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“I forged some of the most meaningful relationships of my life during my four years at Brown and want to do what I can to help current and future students have as rich an experience as I did.”
—Zana Salzman ’12
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“I love Brown because our community invites each individual to bring their authentic self to every intellectual, social and soulful experience to advance themselves and others. Now as alumni volunteers, we use this power generated to advance our classes and the Brown community as a whole.”
—Kehli Woodruff ’94
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Upcoming Dates to Remember
Mark your calendar!
- October 18 and 19, 2019: Alumni Fall Weekend, Providence
- December 3, 2019: Giving Tuesday
- March 12, 2020: Volunteer Summit, New York City
Now Through October:
Your Communications To-Do List
Reunion Communications Quick links:
In Other Brown News...
As a volunteer leader, you want to keep a finger on the pulse of what’s happening at Brown. In this new section, you’ll find a handpicked sampling of recent stories, news, and developments from campus.
- The Brown Alumni Association is seeking nominations for members of the Brown Alumni Association Board of Governors, as well as alumni trustees. Submit your nominations today.
- Brown is in the midst of a yearlong celebration of the University’s distinctive Open Curriculum, which turns 50 this year. The Brown community is encouraged to use the year ahead as an opportunity to critically reflect on the University’s defining educational philosophy.
- The 2019 First Readings selection has been announced! Join incoming first-years, transfer students, staff, and faculty in reading The Idiot by Elif Batuman.
For more campus updates, check the News from Brown weekly newsletter, coming straight to your inbox every Friday.
What is the ACL?
If you’re one of Brown’s 600+ elected or appointed class leaders, you’re automatically a member of the Association of Class Leaders (ACL), and the ACL Board of Advisors is here to help! Please reach out to any of the board members with any questions.
To keep up-to-date on ACL news and events, join us on Facebook!
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