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eAVC - The Monthly e-Newsletter for MIT Volunteers

June 2005

In This Issue:

Talking Points

• Message from Beth Garvin, Executive VP & CEO of the Alumni Association
• Nearly 3,000 Alumni Reminisce, Celebrate, and Learn at Tech Reunions
• Graduates Encouraged to Benefit Common Good at Commencement
• Provost Brown Chosen as Boston University's Ninth President
• Alumnae, Grads Reflect on Gender Balance at MIT
• Where is Waldo in the Brain?
• Lead by example—Make Your Annual Gift Before June 30!
• Alumni Site Builder™ Simplifies Web Site Creation, Management
• Alumweb Webmasters Offered New Links, Calendar Functions
• Wire Transfers Ease Banking for Domestic SmarTrans™ Users

Club Update

• Advertise Volunteer Opportunities on Alumni Association's Web Site
• Summer Send-Off Event Hosts Needed

Class Update

• Volunteers Thanked, Giving Results Announced at Technology Day Luncheon
• Class of 1965 Triumphs at Reunion Row

Dear MIT Volunteer,

This month, Linda C. Sharpe '69 steps down as the Alumni Association president, and I'd like to thank her for the dynamic role she's played within the Association. A year ago, Linda articulated a key goal to increase the Association's communication efforts. Her dedication has engaged alumni from across disciplines and backgrounds with each other and with the Institute.

A life member of Black Alumni at MIT (BAMIT), Linda lauded the accomplishments of black alumni over the past century at the affinity group's 25th anniversary celebration in October. She actively champions women's issues and helped plan the Women's Leadership Conference, a gathering of strong and successful MIT women from every generation. She was also a member of the inauguration committee, which so gracefully ushered in Susan Hockfield as MIT's new president. On behalf of the entire Association, I extend heartfelt thanks for Linda's enthusiasm, energy, and ability to both honor the pioneering spirit of MIT and fuse rewarding bonds among alumni for the future.

Indeed, June is a transitional month for many volunteers, and I thank you all for your dedication to the Institute. Your time and effort sustains MIT's educational and financial strength and enhances the relationships among alumni worldwide.

We have a chance to set a new record for both donors and dollars to the Alumni Fund this year. President Hockfield has been overwhelmed by the warm reception that she has received from alumni; it would be truly amazing if we could also welcome her with these new records. I appreciate both your own contributions and any gifts you can encourage before our fiscal year ends on June 30.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to another exciting year.

Sincerely,
Beth Garvin
Executive Vice President and CEO, MIT Alumni Association

Nearly 3,000 Alumni Reminisce, Celebrate, and Learn at Tech Reunions

Alumni from the fifth through the 75th reunion classes visited campus June 2-5 and participated in more than 110 events, including Tech Night at the Pops, class receptions, Cardinal and Gray gatherings, the Technology Day program on bioengineering, Tech Challenge games, and more. Read the Tech Reunions coverage and view a slide show from the weekend.

Graduates Encouraged to Benefit Common Good at Commencement

President Hockfield challenged more than 2,100 graduates to "put what you have learned here to work, for the good of this nation and world," at MIT's 139th Commencement on June 3. In his Commencement address, Irwin M. Jacobs EE '57, CEO of Qualcomm, urged political activism, philanthropy, and not only taking advantage of innovations in the future, but making a positive impact on the world as well. Read the Commencement coverage and watch a Web cast of the event.

Provost Brown Chosen as Boston University's Ninth President

MIT Provost Robert A. Brown will become Boston University's ninth president on September 1. He leaves behind a legacy of academic, teaching, and administrative success at MIT. During his tenure as provost, Brown oversaw the establishment of the Broad Institute, the Whitehead Institute, the Dupont-MIT Alliance for biotechnology research and other collaborations and helped recruit and retain superb women faculty as part of an Institute-wide initiative.

Alumnae, Grads Reflect on Gender Balance at MIT

Just 25 years ago, the graduating Class of 1980 was 16 percent women. How did they succeed in a male-dominated environment? Alumnae and current students discuss changes in the gender balance at MIT where today, 42.5 percent of the Class of 2005 are female and a woman sits at the helm of the Institute.

Where is Waldo in the Brain?

Professor Robert Desimone, director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, and his former colleagues at the National Institutes of Health use the visual system as a model to explain how the brain processes information and focuses on what's important. Their study shows that neurons synchronize their signals to command attention, like a chorus rising above the din of noisy chatter in a crowded room.

Lead by example—Make Your Annual Gift Before June 30

The race to meet donor and dollar goals is on! There is less than a month to go before the end of the fiscal year and just under 3,000 donors are needed to meet the Alumni Fund's participation goal. MIT depends on the regular, annual giving of alumni like you. If you have not yet made your annual gift, it's not too late. Make your gift online today by visiting the Giving to MIT Web site, or call 617-253-8270. Thank you for your continued support of MIT.

Alumni Site Builder™ Simplifies Web Site Creation, Management

Does your group need a Web site, but you (gasp!) don't know HTML? Now you don't have to, thanks to the Alumni Site Builder™ (ASB), a tool designed to ease Web site management for classes, clubs, FSILGs, Enterprise Forum chapters, and affinity groups. Simply input text into a template, upload a photo or associated document, and identify hyperlinks. Click here to view a site built with ASB. Events created in ASB feed directly into the master Events Calendar on the Alumni Association Web site. Links to SmarTrans™ web forms can also be included on ASB pages. For more information, e-mail asbhelp@mit.edu.

Alumweb Webmasters Offered New Links, Calendar Functions

Newly created tools allow Alumweb Webmasters to offer the Online Directory search box or Infinite Connection login box on their group's Web site. The Webmaster's reference page also lists quick links to useful Association and Institute Web pages and provides instructions for filtering SmarTrans™-managed events into a group-specific calendar. Contact Greg Bourne at gbourne@mit.edu with any questions.

Wire Transfers Ease Banking for Domestic SmarTrans™ Users

SmarTrans™ users can now transfer funds collected on behalf of volunteer groups directly into the group's checking account, a much-requested feature since the SmarTrans™ launch in June 2003. This service is free to all SmarTrans™ users and, at this time, only available for those with domestic bank accounts. Please e-mail smartranshelp@mit.edu to sign up or learn more.

Club Update

Advertise Volunteer Opportunities on Alumni Association's Web Site

Is your volunteer term ending June 30? Post any openings on the Alumni Association's Volunteer Opportunities Bulletin Board. This resource informs fellow alumni of short- and long-term positions in your club area and helps ensure that all positions are filled for next year.

Summer Send-Off Event Hosts Needed

Help welcome the incoming Class of 2009 to the MIT community by hosting a summer send-off event in July or August. These gatherings unite club volunteers, local alumni, educational counselors, parent connectors, and current students. Last year, more than 45 summer send-off events worldwide ushered freshmen into MIT. For more information, contact Krista McCabe at 617-324-0378 or kmccabe@mit.edu.

Class Update

Volunteers Thanked, Giving Results Announced at Technology Day Luncheon

The annual Technology Day Luncheon provided an opportunity to applaud the many volunteers who support the Alumni Association and help sustain the strength and vitality of MIT. From the record-breaking attendance of the 55th reunion class to the record-breaking 84 percent giving participation from the Class of 1980, there was a lot to be thankful for. See the reunion gift results for yourself in the coverage of the Technology Day Luncheon.

Class of 1965 Triumphs at Reunion Row

Congratulations to the Class of 1965, winners of this year's Reunion Row. The competition was strong this year on the Charles River, with spirited team chants and several classes showing off well-cadenced timing—as if they'd never stopped early morning practices at the boat house. Catch the highlights in the and check back in two weeks for movies capturing the action.

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

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