I hope this newsletter finds you healthy, rested and at peace as we roll into another year. As you will read your AAAC (African-American Alumni Chapter) has been very busy. We have a goal to make sure all of our events are seen and heard throughout our communities. Inside you will find information about Homecoming 2002, scholarship donation, upcoming events and much more! You may even be able to connect with an old friend in the "Where are they now?" section.
      Words cannot express how excited we were to see such a large crowd at our first "Black Professional Social Set." It was great to see old friends and make new connections for the coming years. Please look for more information for our next Social Set, Thursday, February 6, 2003.
      As always feel free to e-mail me (cdub868522@aol.com) with any questions you may have regarding the chapter. Please consider this letter an open invitation to our meetings and events. We always welcome your presence as well as your thoughts and ideas. Your input helps make our chapter a success!
      I leave you with a point to ponder:

"There ain't no man can avoid being born average. But there ain't no reason a man got to be common."    Satchel Paige

Sincerely,

I appreciate all the e-mails, donations and involvement from many of you over the past semester. It was powerful connecting with other alumni members at a variety of programs and events we hosted this year. It really was a very positive time. The Welcome Back Barbeque had more than 500 students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members in attendance. The professional social set raised more than $500 for our ongoing scholarhship endowment campaign, and the Homecoming parade marked the 3rd year of collaboration between the chapter and the African-American students.
      The pace continues into this semester -- we are currently promoting the Faculty Grant Award for student retention programs along with General Dynamics, as well as the Black Studne Dialogue and Scholarship Dinner also hosted by General Dynamics. It is appropriate here to express great gratitude to Herb McCoy and the crew at General Dynamics. You have been shining examples of corporate commitment to the advancement of Afrianca-American students. General Dynamics is leading the way and demonstrating how collective groups of individuals aligned by professional or civic interest can play a significant role in molding the educational experience of students. We thank you. I invite other entities to explore ways to collaborate with the chapter. The calendar of events outlined within this newsletter is wonderful, but it is only a fraction of the potential good we can do for students. I sincerely believe that.