2018 Award Winners

Bruce N. Anderson ’69, MArch ’73

Bruce has spent many years volunteering for the Alumni Association and MIT in a variety of capacities. His service includes a five-year term on the MIT Corporation membership on the MIT Corporation Visiting Committees for Architecture and the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation. Bruce has been a member of the MIT Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and its Committee on Nominations to Corporation Visiting Committees. He has served on the reunion planning committee and gift committee for the Class of 1969 and as director of the MIT Enterprise Forum Board. He is a student career advisor, an educational counselor, an externship sponsor, and a leader among MIT’s Energy, Environment and Sustainability Network. As President of the MIT Club of Boston, Bruce created an atmosphere of collegiality and collaboration that enabled the club to strengthen its membership, marketing, and communication efforts. Bruce served as president of the MIT Crew Alumni Association (MITCAA) from 2011–2017, where he helped reinvigorate the crew program and provided much needed alumni support. Bruce’s efforts included fundraising, alumni engagement, and engaging student athletes. He supported fundraising for major projects, including the Harold W. Pierce Boat House renovation and other endowments. He instilled new energy and sophistication in the MITCAA’s approach to alumni engagement and, thanks to his work, the MITCAA now has a mentor program that connects alumni and student rowers. His support of the crew program has been generous, unwavering, and marked by his strong leadership and dedication to MIT. His numerous contributions in a variety of volunteer roles distinguish Bruce as a tremendously dedicated volunteer and the Bronze Beaver is a well-deserved honor.

Sharon Cutler Ross ’65

Sharon began her volunteer service with MIT as an educational counselor in 1972 and served as an EC for an impressive 40 years. As an EC, she was a crucial part of the admissions process and helped build relationships with prospective students, provided valuable interview feedback, and served as a community resource for MIT. Sharon became involved with the MIT Club of Atlanta in 1973 and held various leadership roles, including director, president, treasurer, and secretary. The continued success of the club is in part thanks to her dedication and consistent and effective leadership. She took on a broader MIT leadership role when she served on the Alumni Association Selection Committee from 1991–1993 and on the MIT Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1999–2001. Sharon began volunteering on behalf of her class during her 25th reunion and has served on the Reunion Programming Committee and Reunion Gift Committee for every reunion since then. She personally connected with 25 classmates during her 50th reunion year in 2015 and helped raise more than $50,000 for the gift campaign, becoming one of her class’s top solicitors. She was especially active in bringing together a vigorous presence of alumnae from her class, and she was appointed as one of the two Commencement marshals during reunion as a tribute to her diligent work. Sharon has served as a WBRS class agent, a member of the MIT Annual Fund Board, and a founding member of the Office of Gift Planning Advisory Council. She is a valuable volunteer who has served MIT for more than 45 years. Her lifetime of effective volunteerism makes her especially deserving of the Bronze Beaver award.

Steven P. Larky ’84

Steven has been an active fundraising volunteer for many years, most notably for the MIT Crew Affinity Giving program. His volunteerism includes being a member and co-chair of his Reunion Gift Committees and serving on the MIT Annual Fund Board and Goals Committee. He was named vice president of resource development for the MIT Crew Alumni Association in 2014, and he has helped raise funds for the crew program, recruit additional volunteers, diversify the volunteer pool, and strategize the group’s priorities. His enthusiasm for the crew program led to the launch of a crowdfunding campaign to support a winter training trip to Florida. As a leader for his 30th reunion, Steven worked to establish goals and recruit classmates, and helped the Class of 1984 reach a 40 percent participation rate and raise more than $1 million. During his service on the Goals Committee, he provided valuable feedback and helped direct the strategy of the Annual Fund. His high level of commitment to the MIT Crew Alumni Association and other MIT volunteer activities serve as a model for others. He epitomizes everything that the Kane Award represents.

Yolanda Lau ’02

Yolanda has volunteered with the Alumni Association since her graduation. She has held many leadership roles, including class president, reunion planning committee chair, MIT10 class gift committee member, educational counselor, treasurer and secretary for the Club of Hawaii, and president for the Club of Baltimore. As co-chair of the 2002 Reunion Gift Committee, Yolanda engaged the 26-person team and helped form a unique structure that allowed for more leadership roles. The Class of ’02 raised nearly $1 million with a 28.6 percent class participation rate, more than double the previous 15th reunion fundraising record. Yolanda was the most active member of the gift committee and was extremely thoughtful in her outreach, soliciting 67 classmates and securing 50 gifts. Alongside her co-chair, Amy Figueiredo ’02, SM ’04, she engaged the Class of ’02 during the 2017 24-Hour Challenge. Yolanda is a reliable volunteer and a loyal supporter of MIT, and an ideal selection for the Henry B. Kane ’24 Award.

Carol C. Martin ’77

Carol served as an outstanding fundraising volunteer for MIT for nearly 40 years, and has contributed to the Alumni Association through her work on behalf of her class and the MIT Club of Boston, as an educational counselor, and as a parent volunteer. Carol was the chair of the Reunion Gift Committee during her fifth reunion and has faithfully served as chair or co-chair for her 10th, 20th, 30th, and 40th class reunions. As co-chair for her 40th reunion Gift Committee, Carol recruited a diverse and effective committee and served as a resource for her classmates, especially new volunteers. She is a strong advocate for the MIT Annual Fund, understands best practices, and is a motivational force for all of the Reunion Gift Committee volunteers. Carol helped set dollar and participation goals and worked to ensure that every volunteer could see the role that they played in the success of the campaign. Her 40th reunion class surpassed their aggressive goals of 40 percent participation and $2.8 million raised, and Carol selected the most number of prospects of any volunteer. In recognition of her longstanding commitment to fundraising for the Institute, Carol is deserving of the Henry B. Kane ’24 Award.

Robert S. Scalea ’77

Rob is dedicated to helping the MIT Annual Fund grow, and he has provided invaluable leadership and guidance to help maintain the strength of the Fund. It is a success thanks in part to Rob’s leadership, persistence, and careful guidance as chair of the Annual Fund Board. Rob’s energy at board meetings highlights his commitment. Board members have commented that they feel engaged, utilized, and connected to the mission of the Annual Fund and the Alumni Association because of Rob’s leadership. He instituted Board subcommittees that have yielded new ideas, ranging from stewardship to volunteer retention. He is a generous donor who allows the Annual Fund to use his philanthropy to help with the Fund’s key priorities: unrestricted giving and efforts to increase participation. Rob is a true leader who is a long-time advocate for the Annual Fund and the Institute’s needs for the generous philanthropic support of its alumni. The Henry B. Kane ’24 award is the perfect way to recognize Rob’s inspiring leadership and dedication to the Institute.

Dennis E. Womack-Kalla ’67, SM ’69

Dennis has served as a dedicated MIT fundraising volunteer for 25 years, including for his Reunion Gift Committee and Planning Committee. Dennis began his fundraising efforts during his 25th reunion and served on the Reunion Gift Committee for his 35th and 40th celebrations. He also co-chaired his 45th and 50th reunions and embraced his leadership role. He is a motivated and model volunteer who is responsive to emails, comfortable communicating expectations, and always encouraging to fellow volunteers. On his 50th Reunion Gift Committee, he reached out regularly to classmates with compelling solicitations that encouraged participation, and the committee surpassed its aggressive goal of 50 percent participation and raised more than $2.5 million. Dennis also served on his Reunion Planning Committee for his 40th, 45th, and 50th reunions, and he now serves as the Class of 1967 vice president. His dedication to his class, the MIT Annual Fund, and the Institute makes him an ideal selection for the Henry B. Kane ’24 Award.

Jeffrey A. Arenberg ’86, SM ’87

Jeff has served in a variety of volunteer roles for the MIT Alumni Association, including leadership positions for the MIT Club of Southern California, the MIT Club of Northern California, and the MIT Class of 1986, as an educational counselor, and as a member of the Alumni Association Selection Committee. He served the Club of Southern California on its Communications Committee and as assistant vice president of communications, vice president of membership, treasurer, and director at large. As a member of the Club of Northern California, Jeff served as treasurer. Jeff has served as treasurer for the Class of 1986, co-chaired its 25th reunion, and was instrumental and enthusiastic in helping plan the 30th reunion. Jeff regularly attends the Alumni Leadership Conference and is an active participant in a variety of Alumni Association events. He is dedicated and dependable, and his love of MIT is inspiring. The Harold E. Lobdell ’17 Distinguished Service award celebrates Jeff’s many years of dedicated service, outstanding commitment, and ongoing enthusiasm for the Institute.

Rolf Brauchler ’69

Rolf established the MIT Club of Northern California’s Venture Mentoring/Bay Area Program (VM/BA) in 2008. The program has helped nearly 200 MIT-founded ventures and connected more than 400 Bay Area alumni, including more than 100 active mentors. Rolf works with mentors and mentees and hosts regular roundtable meetings to improve the VM/BA experience. Rolf’s service to VM/BA is a continuation of his volunteerism since the late 1980s, when he served as vice president and committee member for the MIT Club of Northern California. More recently, he served as a member of the MIT Club of Northern California Board of Directors. As the club’s vice president of entrepreneurship, he started the Disciplined Entrepreneurship Workshops, which are practical, hands-on sessions for startup teams and individuals based on the work of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. Rolf leads the MIT Club of Northern California with impactful contributions and a deep commitment to making a better world through his service to MIT. Rolf’s spirit of volunteerism for more than three decades is an inspiration for fellow alumni, and he is very deserving of recognition with the Lobdell Award.

Brian F. Brown ’93

Brian has been a member of the MIT Club of Colorado for nearly 25 years, and his contributions are among the most significant in club history. He has held numerous officer positions, including president from 2003–2006, when the club reached an all-time membership high. In addition to his commitment to the Club of Colorado, Brian is an active volunteer for his class reunions and served as co-chair for his 25th reunion in 2018. He has hosted UPOP students, participated in the Venture Mentoring programing, stayed connected with his fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and served as a term director for the Alumni Association Board of Directors. His work on the Board of Directors has included a number of contributions. As chair of the board’s finance committee, he revamped how that committee helps connect the Alumni Association’s finances to its strategic plans and desired goals. Brian takes great pride in being an MIT alumnus and gives back to a degree few can match. The MIT community is a better place because of Brian’s efforts, and he is richly deserving of the Harold E. Lobdell ’17 Award.

Charlene Chuang ’05

Charlene is an active volunteer who is involved with her class and the MIT Club of New York and has served as an educational counselor and on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Charlene began volunteering with her class as a member of the Fund Committee following graduation. As a member of her class’s Reunion Gift Committee, Charlene helped raise more than $83,000 for her fifth reunion and more than $436,000 for her 10th reunion. She was also co-chair of her Pi Reunion and helped break the previous attendance record by nearly 20 percent. Charlene is an active volunteer for the Club of New York, serving as vice president of social programs and interclub relations, where she oversaw club programming and made inroads in establishing communications between MIT affinity groups in New York and Ivy Plus alumni groups. Her contributions have led to a well-connected and cohesive local MIT community and have broadened networking opportunities for MIT alumni in the area. Charlene, who currently serves as the president of the MIT Club of New York, is an outstanding volunteer with a deep respect for MIT and an ongoing desire to give back. She is extremely deserving of the Lobdell Award.

Damian Claudio Fernandez Lamela MBA ’07

Damian became a dedicated MIT volunteer after he first arrived on campus in 2005, when he served as president of the MIT Club of Argentina and co-president of the MIT Sloan Latin Business Club. His continued volunteerism includes roles on the MIT Annual Fund Board and the MIT Alumni Association Board of Directors, where he helped form the MIT Graduate Alumni Council. He has also served as president of the MIT Club of Dallas and Fort Worth, where he helped increase club engagement and endowment for its scholarship fund, and as president of the MIT Club of Austin and San Antonio, where he helped revitalize the group by recruiting new board members and increasing the number of engaged alumni by 400 percent. Damian was an organizing committee host for the 2018 Houston MIT Campaign for a Better World. He has served as co-chair for his Sloan reunion committees, helping break fundraising and attendance records. Damian’s service and the impact of his efforts are richly deserving of the Lobdell Award.

Douglas C. Spreng ’65

Douglas is a passionate, focused, and supportive leader for MIT who is dedicated to the Class of 1965, the MIT Club of Northern California, and the entire Institute. He brings an entrepreneurial spirit and a corporate rigor to his volunteerism. Doug has served as the Northern California club’s president and as chair of the Energy and Environment Track, which was recognized with the Great Dome Award in 2016 and has inspired other volunteers and leaders to emulate its success. He mentors new club members and helped create a structured and stable club environment that allows new volunteers to grow as leaders. He is philanthropically dedicated and is an honorary member of the Corporation Development Committee in Northern California, where he founded the MIT Energy Initiative on the Road, a program that connects faculty with MIT alumni clubs and groups. He recruited MIT’s first energy ambassadors—alumni in select regions who serve as local resources and help promote energy events. He currently serves on the Visiting Committee for Materials Science and Engineering. Doug has been a long-term fundraiser, participating in both geographic phonathons and several reunion gift committees. Doug has been a diligent volunteer for more than three decades and is most deserving of the Harold E. Lobdell ’17 Award.

Sandra Chen ’12

As a member of the MIT Northern California Club’s (CNC) young alumni committee track, Sandra helped develop successful events and programming for recent MIT graduates in the Bay Area. Sandra recognized that many young alumni in the area had formed their own organic MIT networks outside the CNC and worked to create a dedicated club track to address this issue. She connected with local young alumni to better understand these networks and then worked to carve out networking opportunities focused on relevant activities that were inexpensive, accessible via public transportation, and featured a recent graduate connection or host company. Sandra creatively utilized her own personal contacts to create a referral network to help publicize these events, and she helped increase class participation rates through class competitions and weekly updates. The young alumni events organized by Sandra have helped the club form new connections with recent MIT graduates and helped connect MIT’s Bay Area community. This award reflects Sandra’s outstanding work and helps set an example to encourage the involvement of the next generation of MIT volunteers.

Anthony A. Davis SM ’85

Tony has been on the board of the MIT Club of Great Britain for seven years, serving as club president since 2013. Throughout his tenure, he also has led the Sloan Club within the board. He is a tireless leader and great steward of MIT values. Under Tony’s leadership, the Great Britain club is very active in recruiting and retaining volunteers, and its events have improved in quality and range—social, academic, educational, book promotions, and athletics. In particular, he initiated the successful Business and Finance Speaker Series, which reflects the interest of the high portion of the UK alumni who work in those fields. Tony helped MIT organize and promote major events in the UK, including the MIT Better World event and the “Internet of Everything” tour with Vice President for Open Learning Sanjay Sarma. Tony is an active educational counselor who supports the SOLVE program, promotes executive education programs at MIT Sloan to female applicants, liaises with the Kennedy Scholarship/Memorial Trust, and engages third-year MIT students at the University of Cambridge. The MacVicar Award honors Tony for his passionate and generous volunteer work for MIT.

Stephen P. DeFalco ’83, SM ’88

Steve’s most significant impact has come through his leadership of the West Campus Village Steering Committee, a project he took on at his own initiative. Steve was aware of the many challenges that Boston-based FSILGs were facing as it related to their own sustainability, including MIT’s desire to prevent third parties from eliminating a meaningful portion of its housing stock, and he helped proposed a win-win situation for MIT and FSILGs. He was named chair of the West Campus Village Steering Committee, and he organized the committee into three groups: benchmarking demonstrated best practices at other institutions, reviewing the sustainability of the current system, and holding a student design workshop. Steve led the committee brilliantly and produced a comprehensive and digestible report that gave MIT administrators a path forward for the project. Because Steve is grateful for his time as an FSILG at MIT, he works diligently to see the FSILG community continue and thrive at MIT. The MacVicar Award recognizes Steve’s invaluable contributions to the MIT community.

Sawaka Kawashima Romaine ’01

Sawaka became a volunteer for the MIT Association of Japan, one of the oldest alumni clubs outside of the US, in 1986. Since then, she has served as vice president and president of the association and helped lead and innovate MIT-J activities in many ways. Sawaka helped organize the Annual Assembly, which takes place in February and brings together more than 100 MIT alumni. She helps lead the Casual Gathering, a network of Ivy League–level alumni in Tokyo, and is a devoted volunteer for the MISTI Japan program, helping organize the joint MISTI-Japan/MIT-J reception, a cornerstone event for both groups. Sawaka also ensures that the club works in collaboration with the Sloan Society of Japan, the MIT Venture Forum of Japan, and the MIT Industrial Liaison Program. The MacVicar award recognizes her commitment to MIT-J and the MIT community.

Talal A. Kheir ’69

Talal is on his fourth consecutive two-year term as a board member for the MIT Arab Alumni Association (MIT AAA). He is instrumental in organizing and executing successful events and initiatives, sustaining the Association’s activities, and ensuring continuity and engagement among members of the board and executive committee. During his service on the board, Talal organized several highly successful conferences as part of MIT AAA’s Pan-Arab Conference series in Dubai. As president of the MIT AAA, he also managed the finances as treasurer, organized the Arab alumni database, maintained the website, and helped organize the Pan-Arab Conference. The MIT AAA also establish the first endowed undergraduate scholarship fund for Arab students during his presidential tenure. The MIT AAA’s mission is “to bring MIT to the Arab world and to bring the Arab world to MIT,” and this award recognizes Talal for maintaining and invigorating that mission.

Paul M. Kominers ’12

Paul is an exceptional leader, volunteer, and ambassador for MIT. He served as a recent graduate member of the MIT Corporation Board, and his performance in this role was exemplary. As chair of the Corporation Screening Committee, Paul has been an important voice in the committee’s deliberations, and he has helped refine and institutionalize the committee’s best operating principles. He has been an invaluable member of the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs (CJAC), both when serving as a student representative and as a recent graduate member. Paul has served on the visiting committees for the Dean for Undergraduate Education, Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Music and Theater Arts. He is an educational counselor, a Community Catalyst Leadership Program coach, a member of the Corporation Nominating Committee, and member of the MIT10 Class Gift Committee. His active and effective engagement in numerous volunteer roles at MIT makes him the embodiment of the spirit of the MacVicar Award.

Elizabeth Maria Petheo MBA ’14

Elizabeth began volunteering for MIT Sloan before she graduated from the Executive MBA program. She was an instrumental part of her Class Gift committee, which had 100 percent participation towards the MIT Sloan Annual Fund. She was an incredible partner to the MIT Sloan Office of External Relations and provided a thoughtful student perspective. After her graduation, Elizabeth moved to Washington, DC, and became involved in the work to form an MIT Sloan Club in that area. She took on a leadership role as vice president of partnerships and developed a model for incorporating sponsorships into the club’s programming that helped eliminate paying dues. The introduction of Elizabeth’s sponsorship model was tremendously impactful, and she worked with other Sloan clubs and the MIT Sloan Alumni Board to help institutionalize the model. Elizabeth is an inaugural member of the Graduate Alumni Council (GAC), where she helps connects the shared experiences of MIT Sloan graduate students with the greater MIT graduate student population. Elizabeth is thoughtful and helpful to alumni, students, faculty, volunteers, and staff alike. This award honors her commitment to the MIT and to the mission of MIT Sloan.

Shannon M. Willems MBA ’03

Shannon became an active volunteer with the MIT Club of South Texas in 2015, when he served as the official point of contact for the Club’s annual Houston Rockets event, which features a pre-game session with the NBA team’s general manager, Daryl Morey MBA ’00. Shannon helped create a new alumni event series called the 99 Breakfast Club that features a business-related topic at a venue in the northwest quadrant of Houston, a location that previously held very few club events. He greatly expanded the club’s geographical presence by initiating several MIT “In Your Neighborhood” events in suburban areas approximately 30 miles north of downtown Houston. Shannon is active with the club’s informal Golf Group and effectively used networking opportunities to find local alumni to serve as event speakers. Shannon has served as the Club of South Texas chair for Sloan Alumni Programs and is the club’s president select. He is also involved with the MIT Enterprise Forum of Texas (Houston) and served as the area’s chapter executive committee secretary. Shannon is a joy to work and collaborate with, and he exemplifies the qualities of a MacVicar awardee.

Matthew R. Zedler ’07

Matt first volunteered with the Alumni Association as an enthusiastic member of his fifth Reunion Gift Committee. Despite living in Beijing, Matt quickly moved into a leadership position on the committee and was its top solicitor, helping raise more than $54,000 from 28 percent of the class. Matt later joined the MIT10 gift committee, where he helped the committee reach its 3,000-donor goal across all 10 class years in 2013 and 2014, and helped raise $40,000 in scholarship challenge funds. Matt relocated to northern California in 2015 and was named co-chair of the Class of 2007’s MIT10 gift committee. During his 10th reunion, Matt helped his class significantly increase its giving totals from their five-year reunion. During the first MIT 24-Hour Challenge in 2017, Matt co-sponsored two participation challenges that garnered donations from more than 600 MIT10 alumni and nearly 300 undergraduates. Matt continues to expand his volunteer capabilities each year and is an asset to the Alumni Association. His volunteerism illustrates his dedication, leadership, and desire to have a significant impact on MIT, and he is an ideal candidate for the Margaret L. A. MacVicar ’65, ScD ’67 award.

Michael L. Agronin ’84

Mike became an educational counselor in the Baltimore area in 2000 and now serves as vice chair. He helps coordinate the EC efforts in that region, actively troubleshoots any issues, trains new ECs, and has introduced group training sessions for new counselors. Each year, Mike works to determine the best matches between ECs and Baltimore-area high schools, using a software program he wrote to connect schools with the closest available ECs. His work has increased EC involvement around Baltimore. Mike is very accommodating to the MIT staff who visit Baltimore each year, and he is incredibly supportive to prospective students and their families. His dedication to the Educational Council makes him an excellent recipient of the Morgan Award.

Patricia A. Cullen ’82, SM ’83, PhD ’90

Patricia has been a dedicated member of the Educational Council since 1990 and has served as vice chair of the Denver region since 2016. The many interview reports she files each year always include context and background. In 2017, Patricia showcased her commitment to MIT when she attended an Admissions Office information session in Wyoming. As the only MIT alumna in attendance, she served as a helpful resource for prospective students and their parents and as an important link to the larger MIT community. Patricia is an active member of the MIT Club of Colorado, where she works to connect area alumni for networking and community service. Patricia’s exceptional execution of Educational Council responsibilities embodies the spirit of the George B. Morgan ’20 Award.

James N. Hallock ’63, SM ’69, PhD ’72

Jim has served as an educational counselor in Waltham, Massachusetts, since 1977, the first year of the council’s work in the Greater Boston area, and he has conscientiously interviewed students in that area for more than 40 years. Jim often participates in Boston-area open houses for prospective students, receives exceptional ratings for his interview reports, and is always a reliable presence for the Admissions Office. His dedication to MIT and the Boston area, and his service over an exceptional length of time, distinguishes Jim’s efforts on behalf of the Admissions Office and make him wholly deserving of recognition with the Morgan Award.

Richard H. Levine ’66

Richard has been an educational counselor in the Boston region since 1996. He conducts interviews at Newton South High School, which often has more than 20 students who apply to MIT each year. Richard is eager to conduct each interview and always receives high ratings on his interview reports. Richard regularly attends the annual Cambridge Open House for prospective students and readily engages applicants and parents with stories about MIT. The Morgan Award is given in recognition of Richard’s sustained service as an educational counselor, the excellence of his performance in this role, and the substantial number of interviews he conducts each year.

David J. Luneau ’87

Dave joined the Educational Council in 1997 and has served as regional chair of the Concord, New Hampshire, area for 10 years. He is responsible for nearly 20 educational counselors and coordinates all interviews for the region. Dave organizes and represents MIT at a college-day event each year. He is also a steady presence on the MIT campus, where he visits regularly with Educational Council staff. Dave is a friendly and gregarious presence who is always excited to host prospective students in his area and is well-connected within his community. He is a fantastic, approachable ambassador of the MIT community and an ideal alumnus to counsel and mentor future MIT students. He is a terrific counselor, and the Morgan Award is a well-deserved honor.

Peter W. Rossow ’71

Peter joined the Educational Council in 1981, first serving northeast Maine and later based in Paris, where he interviewed applicants as far afield as the Netherlands. After returning stateside, he became a counselor in northern New Jersey in 1998 and was named vice chair of the region in 2012. Northern New Jersey is one of the largest regions, and Peter has been essential in developing an efficient system that makes the interviewing process as seamless as possible for ECs and prospective students. Peter is the lead EC at Bergen County Academies, a top area school, where he supervises multiple counselors and conducts many interviews. He attends open houses for prospective students and an annual student sendoff picnic sponsored by the MIT Club of Northern New Jersey. Peter’s sustained service and dedication to the council makes him deserving of the Morgan Award.

Adam T. Singer ’92

Adam joined the Educational Council in 2003 in Providence, Rhode Island, and became regional chair in 2005. In addition to conducting interviews, Adam is instrumental in ensuring that the Providence central meeting is a success each year. In 2017, he reserved a beautiful space for a spring program and led communications with ECs to secure great representation. In addition to planning and logistics, Adam is skilled in creating and maintaining positive relationships with the ECs in his region. He invited ECs to come to the meeting early, where he facilitated a relaxed conversation about individual updates and invited feedback. Adam is a respected leader and a valued liaison between admissions and Rhode Island ECs, and he is very deserving of a Morgan Award.

Jorge H. Trevino MBA ’97

Jorge has been an educational counselor in Mexico since 2002 and has served as international regional chair since 2011. Because the admission rate for international students is lower than for domestic students, it can be challenging to keep ECs in the region engaged. Jorge does an excellent job helping the counselors in his area understand what the Admissions Office finds most helpful in the reports. He implemented a system where interviews in Mexico are immediately requested after an application is submitted, which allows ECs to focus on the most serious applicants. He also conducts many interviews and writes highly rated reports. Jorge is a model international regional chair and is well deserving of the Morgan Award.

Mona Wan ’84

Mona is a tireless volunteer who has served as an EC and regional chair for the South Bay region in northern California and played an important leadership role for all San Francisco-area ECs. The South Bay is the largest council region in the Bay Area and has one of the largest pools of applicants in the US, and Mona’s role can be time-consuming and demanding. In 2015, she was named the region’s co-vice chair. She is responsible for nearly 100 ECs, as well as a larger-than-average applicant pool. Mona is detail-oriented, works closely with the Educational Council, and helps ensure that all interview assignments are convenient for ECs and applicants. Mona is also an active interviewer, and she is knowledgeable, dedicated, and always willing to help in any way. She is well-deserving of the Morgan Award.

The Avanza Network

The Avanza Network was formed by a small group of Latino MIT alumni in 2011. Since its founding, the group has become a formal nonprofit and now includes some 300 Latino alumni who span MIT class years 1978–2016. The Avanza Network’s mission is to motivate Mexican-Americans, other U.S. Latinos, and underserved communities to achieve their potential by raising awareness of the transformational power of a college education. Avanza’s goal is to dramatically augment the number of members of these groups applying and being accepted at the highest level of college matriculation. The network aims to increase college graduation rates for these groups, emphasize the diversity of career paths, highlight the benefits of STEAM proficiency, and cultivate the group’s pipeline of talent through the professional development life cycle. In 2016, Avanza met in Las Vegas and spoke to more than 1,400 students across 14 schools, which resulted in the city’s highest-ever number of applications to MIT. In 2017, the group visited 28 schools and one junior college and connected with more than 5,300 students in greater Los Angeles. Avanza brings a spark of hope to these communities, and its alumni volunteers are storytellers, motivators, and mentors who have inspired countless students. Their personal stories show students that, with focus and hard work, anything is possible. The Great Dome award is a fitting tribute to recognize the transformational impact of the Avanza Network.

Bexley Hall Community

The Bexley Hall community has raised more than $100,000 in pledges and gifts to endow an undergraduate scholarship fund in honor of their well-loved dorm. In 2016, an eight-person committee, comprised of alumni from different class years, was formed to help establish a permanent Bexley legacy. They began a pledge campaign with a narrow focus on potential high-level donors, which later focused on the greater Bexley alumni community. During the 2017 24-Hour Challenge, the committee hosted a micro-challenge with an initial goal to secure 40 donors to the scholarship fund. After quickly reaching their goal, the committee established a new goal of 120 donors, which they reached shortly before midnight. A few weeks later, the committee launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $28,000, which was highlighted by various Bexley-specific prizes, including postcards, framed photos, a Doors of Bexley poster, and a Bexley Hall brick for donors who made a previous MIT Annual Fund gift. The team exceeded their goal in June 2017. The outstanding fundraising efforts of the Bexley Hall community are a product of the team’s tenacious spirit, collaborative nature, and resolute dedication to both MIT and the Bexley community. The Great Dome Award is a very well-deserved recognition.

MIT Class of 2014 Pi Reunion Committee

The MIT Class of 2014 Pi Reunion Committee provided exceptional service to MIT in the execution of their Pi (3.14-year) reunion in 2017. The committee hosted more than 700 participants for their weekend-long reunion in Las Vegas, which featured 15 events designed to reconnect the class before their five-year reunion at MIT. More 650 members of the class of 2014 attended the Pi reunion, and the committee was able to curate an inclusive class experience. Post-reunion feedback suggested that the reunion was a success and helped generate excitement for their five-year reunion, and that the dozen volunteers who served on the Pi Reunion Committee provided excellent leadership. The Pi reunion also served as an engagement point for potential Class Council members, Reunion Committee members, and at-large volunteers dedicated to furthering a fellowship of MIT. The Great Dome award is given in recognition of the committee’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to their class and the Institute.

MIT Sloan CFO Summit

The MIT Sloan CFO Summit is a premier event that connects financial executives from around the world with leading faculty from MIT. Started in 2002, the annual event offers one day of interactive learning and thought-provoking discourse on the future of finance, accounting, and business, and includes presentations, panels, keynotes speakers, networking and a closing reception. The summit is designed by volunteers who use knowledge from professional experience and the expertise of the MIT Sloan School of Management. The Summit is part of the CXO Series produced by the MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association and MIT Sloan. The volunteers who plan the summit have three goals in mind: attract best-in-class speakers who represent a broad mix of industries, geographies and business stages;  attract a best-in-class audience of CFOs and other financial executives from a variety of companies; and help all participants maximize practical education and peer networking in a convenient, one-day format. Cochairs Jeremy Seidman MBA ’03 and Jack McCullough MBA ’97 exemplifies what it means to be MIT alumni volunteers and the MIT Sloan CFO Summit has become one of the Sloan school’s most successful and visible alumni-driven events. The Great Dome Award is a well-deserved honor.

Lauren Tsai (2004) Endowed Fund for Women’s Basketball

Vicky Canto-Ponce ’00 and Connie Yang ’03 led the charge to increase engagement and support among the MIT women’s basketball alumni, which resulted in the first endowment for the women’s basketball program. Vicky and Connie strategically identified and engaged team captains from different eras who reconnected with other women’s basketball alumnae from their respective years, with a goal to engage all alumni in the current program and discuss areas of need. The era captains were divided by year, which allowed the committee to connect with a wider range of teammates, and executed a communication plan that included social media, phone calls, emails, and a two-page letter to all women’s basketball alumnae. The letter detailed the life of the late Lauren Tsai ’04 and the contribution she made to the institute through academics and athletics, and outlined priority funding needs and gift instructions. The committee also hosted events on the East and West coasts with 85 alumnae and parents in attendance. This multi-tiered approach allowed the committee to share the impact that an endowment could have for current and future student-athletes. The campaign resulted in 76 donors, raised $155,000, and increased giving to MIT Women’s Basketball by nearly 400 percent. This award honors the tremendous efforts of a group of extremely dedicated and talented volunteer leaders.

MIT Club of Northern California Tech Conference

The MIT Club of Northern California offers numerous events in the Bay Area for social enjoyment and professional growth and provides resources for career development and entrepreneurship for local alumni. Club leaders separate programming into tracks that focus on a specific subject area, including energy and environment, K–12 outreach, life sciences, and health care. In 2016, Shuja Keen ’99 identified a key gap in club offerings and relaunched the Tech Track, which hosted nine events and mobilized 500 attendees—nearly a third of the club’s annual membership—at its events. As a result of this success, the club planned and launched the MIT Club of Northern California Tech Conference, which became the club’s most successful event, attracting more than 640 attendees and generating $240,000 in revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships. It became a collaborative effort that engaged other club track leaders to align the event with their plans and identified ways to deliver a successful event with limited volunteer resources. The 2017 Club of Northern California Tech Conference was a resounding success and is highly deserving of recognition with the Great Dome Award.

Ann C. Allen HM

Ann Allen W ’68 has focused her volunteerism and philanthropy on creating a better experience for MIT students since her husband, Jonathan Allen PhD ’68, joined the MIT faculty as an assistant professor shortly after his graduation. Ann, an adjunct lecturer at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) and a longtime member of the MIT Women’s League, has helped develop many connections between the MFA and MIT, including the creating of customized museum tours for the MIT community. Ann is an engaged member and generous donor to the Council for the Arts at MIT. She serves as chair of the council’s Awards Committee and, as both a committee and executive committee member, she travels frequently with the council to visit art museums and installations all over the world. At the invitation of the Music and Theater Arts Section, Ann twice co-taught The Supernatural ­­­in Music, Literature, and Culture. After Jonathan passed away in 2000, Ann helped set up the Jonathan Allen Junior Faculty Fund in his memory. Ann is an active member of the Emma Rogers Society (ERS), and she has called and met with scores of new surviving spouses, especially faculty wives, to offer a kind and empathic ear and encourage them to participate in ERS programs. Ann is an integral and valuable member of the MIT community, and her substantive and sustained efforts on behalf of MIT’s mission, faculty, and students are extraordinary.