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Alumni Home > News & Events > Noteworthy > E-Newsletters

eAVC - The Monthly e-Newsletter for MIT Volunteers

March 2006

In This Issue:

Dear Volunteers,

I've enjoyed reconnecting with friends and meeting many of you during my travels this year for the Alumni Association. I'm constantly reminded of the importance of coming together to learn from one another and share life experiences.

This spring allows three great opportunities to gather with friends and network with fellow alumni. MIT on the Road travels to Chicago on April 8 for faculty discussions on innovation and globalization, cancer research, and the future of energy.

The Graduate Alumni Convocation and Reunion, held on campus April 21-22, allows alumni with graduate degrees to reunite and celebrate their successes as well as connect with faculty and current students.

And, of course, Tech Reunions 2006, June 8-11, promise many fun and exciting events for alumni and their families to just enjoy each other's company and feel the energy of MIT's campus. Favorites such as Tech Night at the Pops and the Tech Challenge Games combine with new offerings, such as the MIT10 reception for graduates less than 10 years out.

There's a lot to look forward to this spring. I hope to see you at these events.

Sincerely,

Scott P. Marks Jr. '68

Association Talking Points

Volunteers Praised for Service

Congratulations to the newest members of the Alumni Association's Volunteer Honor Roll of Service. The 18 honorees, from Hartford, Conn., to Mexico City, are graduate and undergraduate alumni and parents of current students. Learn about the awardees and nominate a fellow volunteer deserving of this recognition.

Calling All Alumni—There's Still Time to Vote!

No matter where you live, you may cast a vote to elect new members to the Alumni Association's National Selection Committee, the group responsible for selecting top alumni leaders to serve on the Association's Board of Directors and as alumni nominees to the MIT Corporation. Every position on this ballot is at-large, so all alumni vote for all seats. Hurry—voting ends March 24.

Spread the Word: Tech Reunions Registration Opens March 13

Encourage classmates and fellow club members to register for Tech Reunions 2006 beginning March 13. Reunions are held on campus June 8-11.

Volunteer for the MIT Tech Challenge Games, June 11

Participate in or help supervise the antics at the Tech Challenge Games, a Reunions favorite, on Sunday, June 11, from noon–2:00 p.m. at Steinbrenner Stadium. Teams, which represent the five youngest reunion classes (1976-2001), need participants of every age, kids to seniors. Volunteers are also needed to keep score, judge contests, and announce winners. Contact Bob Ferrara '67 at 617-253-7495 or Bonny Kellermann '72 at 617-253-9722 to sign up.

Find New Ideas for Group Activities on Events Calendar

Looking for ideas for club and group events or just a way to have fun? Check out the Alumni Association's Events Calendar. Search by group or month. On tap for March: a whale watch with the Club of San Diego, a discussion of energy policy with the Club of Washington, DC, and a dinner with newly admitted students with the Club of Rhode Island. Events listed through SmarTrans and Alumni Site Builder automatically populate the calendar.

Alumni Leadership Conference Set for Sept. 15-16, 2006

Mark your calendars for the Alumni Leadership Conference (ALC) to be held on campus Sept. 15-16, 2006. The annual gathering features hands-on workshops, lively panel discussions, and helpful networking events for MIT volunteers.

Campus News

MIT Will Match Federal Pell Grants

Acknowledging the decline in federal funding for student financial aid, MIT has announced it will match Federal Pell Grants for all eligible students attending the Institute starting September 2006. The change will effectively double Pell Grant funds for eligible students and limit, or, in some cases, eliminate student loan debt for recipients.

MIT Method Reveals How Radiation Damages the Body

Researchers at MIT have devised a new method for examining how radiation damages normal tissue in the body. The knowledge may make it possible to reduce side effects for cancer patients or to develop treatments for radiation exposure.

Neurons in Sync Focus Attention, Researchers Find

MIT researchers have found that when neurons fire in synchrony, the resulting signal calls attention to certain tasks and helps speed response time. The finding could provide insight into attention problems evident in many brain disorders.

New Minority Recruiting Efforts Launched

Provost L. Rafael Reif announced two new faculty committees that will focus on recruiting and retaining minority faculty members. The Minority Faculty Recruitment Committee and the Committee on the Retention of Minority Faculty will submit a report to the provost by May 1 and outline a work plan for the next academic year by Oct. 1.

Club Update

Time to Nominate Officers for Upcoming Fiscal Year

Is your term of office for your club ending? Now is the time to gather your club's nominating committee and plan your slate of officers for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1 for most clubs. Contact your alumni officer to help identify, nominate, and recruit future club leaders. For best practices in volunteer leadership succession, visit the Club Leaders Toolkit.

Host Viewings of Enterprise Forum's 2006 Capital Forecast or June Broadcast

Clubs wishing to host a viewing event of the MIT Enterprise Forum's Jan. 26 broadcast, "Forecasting Markets: The Capital Update for 2006," can order DVDs now. The program explored funding opportunities and how to access capital. Email requests and your program's date to mitef@mit.edu. The next EF broadcast, about angel investing, will be June 7. Call EF at 617-253-0015 or email to sign up as a live viewing site.

Class Update

2007 Reunion Trainings and Event Planning Commence this Spring

Celebrating a reunion in 2007? Members of the class programs staff will be contacting class officers this spring about reunion trainings and kickoffs for event planning and fundraising. Questions? Email classprograms@mit.edu.

Coordinate Your Efforts with Class Officer Email Lists

Use your class officer email list to communicate with the other officers in your class. The address is "mit(class year)_officers@listserv.mit.edu." For example, the address for the Class of 1956 officer list is mit1956_officers@listserv.mit.edu.

Stay Current

Make your volunteer work easier by being easy to find. Please take a moment to log in to the Infinite Connection and update your contact information.

About eAVC

eAVC, a monthly e-newsletter for MIT volunteers, is available in HTML and text-only formats. To receive the text-only format, please email mitalum@mit.edu.

Feedback, comments, or questions?

E-mail Amy Marcott, Web Writer/Editor