Volunteer View: May 2012

Talking Points / By the Numbers / Toolkits / Give

The Susan Hockfield Scholarship Fund

To pay tribute to Susan Hockfield and the far-reaching accomplishments of her presidency, MIT has created an opportunity for friends and alumni to celebrate her. The Susan Hockfield Scholarship Fund will enable promising undergraduates—Hockfield Scholars—to experience the rigor and richness of an MIT education. Your contribution to the fund will honor the legacy of MIT's 16th president by helping to prepare future generations for lives of leadership and service.

MIT's 17th President

Provost L. Rafael Reif will assume his new role on July 2, 2012. Read about him and watch an extensive video interview as part of the MIT150 Infinite History collection.

Encompass Spotlight: Class of 1987

The Class of 1987's new iModules/Encompass-based website uses a Twitter feed and a blast-from-the-past Tech headline on the homepage. Those were the days!

Encompass Spotlight: AMITA

Check out the photo albums, newsletter with archives, and homepage spotlights on the website for the Association of MIT Alumnae.

Talking Points

Get Inspired, Informed at ALC 2012

Save the date! Return to campus Sept. 21–22, 2012, for the MIT Alumni Leadership Conference. ALC 2012 will be a celebratory gathering designed to connect you with fellow alumni volunteers and provide the knowledge, inspiration, and practical tools you need to be an even more effective MIT ambassador. This year's program will discuss Institute initiatives, feature talks from MIT leaders and current students, offer workshops on the new Encompass platform from iModules, and celebrate the important role that alumni volunteers play in the Institute's success.

MITEF Expands Board, Seeks Nominations
The MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) global advisory board provides guidance to MITEF and Technology Review staff to ensure success of MITEF globally. Review the details and job description and submit your nomination by May 31. The FY13 term starts July 1, 2012. MITEF seeks to expand this board due to its continued success. Self-nominations are welcome, and former candidates are encouraged to resubmit their nominations.

New Admissions Videos
Dean of Admissions Stu Schmill '86 mocks Stephen Colbert and prospective students get an enchanted look at MIT via Tim "Willy Wonka" Beaver.

Attend Your Living Group's Reception, June 8
Twenty-eight fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups and residence halls are hosting receptions for local alumni and those returning for reunions. Most events are June 8 starting at 3:00 p.m., but a few—like Lambda Chi's 100th anniversary celebration—will be at other times. Check the schedule.

MIT, Harvard Partner to Revolutionize Online Education

The $60M nonprofit collaboration, called edX, will offer free, interactive online classes from both schools to anyone in the world using the open-source platform established for MITx. The venture is also aimed at enhancing on-campus learning. News of edX has spread worldwide. Watch a promotional video and the press conference. Peruse the FAQs for help fielding questions you might receive in your volunteer work.

Discover the Future of MIT: Become an Educational Counselor (EC)

The MIT Educational Council Office is looking for ECs for next year. ECs help the Office of Admissions by discovering, recruiting, and/or interviewing applicants and serving as a community resource in their hometowns. Alumni are especially needed in the 21 specific states and 16 countries listed below. Interviews are conducted in person or via video chat. Learn more and sign up.

US: Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, West Virginia

International: Armenia, Bulgaria, Canada, Ecuador, India, Iran, Kuwait, Morocco, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE

AILG Dinner to Feature Community Strategic Plan, MIT's New Treasurer

The Association of Independent Living Groups' (AILG) is holding its annual dinner on campus June 13. MIT's new Executive VP and Treasurer, Israel Ruiz SM '01, will keynote. The AILG has just published a Community Strategic Plan for MIT's 38 active fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups (FSILGs), an effort that involved more than 100 students, alumni, and MIT staff. Ruiz will provide additional perspective on MIT's directions and how the AILG can further its already deep relationship with the Institute. Email AILG Chair Ernie Sabine '66 at esabine(at)alum.mit.edu if you wish to attend.

By the Numbers
The MIT Science Fiction Society (MITSFS) curates the oldest collegiate science fiction collection in the country and one of the top three largest publicly available collections of sci-fi in the world. Learn more, view photos, and watch a video about the society. Most stats below taken from the video.

—MITSFS founding: 1949
—Location: W20-473
—Students, alumni, & local residents who are members: 300
—Percent of all English-language speculative fiction ever published that MITSFS owns: >90
—Number of copies of each volume MITSFS aims to maintain: 2
—Number of items members may have in circulation at any time: 8
—Number of "keyholders" (a.k.a. librarians): 30
—Years' experience of longest-serving active keyholder (Jack Stevens '76): >40
—Number of books (not including magazines, media, or fanzines) MITSFS has: ~65,000

Stay current

To learn more about research and happenings on campus, read the Slice of MIT blog and Tech Connection, follow the Alumni Association on Twitter, join the LinkedIn group, and become a fan on Facebook.

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