The Bridge - October 2006

Alumni News

Homecoming 2006: A Look Back

Alumni of all ages and their families showed their WPI spirit on Homecoming Weekend.

The 24th Hall of Fame class was inducted at ceremonies on Friday night. The inductees were Lance Baden '99 (wrestling), Stacey (Cotton) Bonasso '90 (volleyball), Coach Whit Griffith, Mike Pockoski '99 (track), Matt Surette '99 (football) and Rich Testa '84 (wrestling). Bios and photos appeared in the Sunday Telegram.

Mark your calendar now for Homecoming 2007, Sept. 28-29, 2007.

Inside the Alumni Association Operations Division

The Operations Division supports the internal operations of the Alumni Association. Its mission includes overseeing the Class Boards of Directors (CBOD) and the specialized committees charged with identifying alumni for leadership positions and award recognition. These include the Citations Committee, the Alumni Trustee Search Committee, and the Nominations Committee.

Division Chair Jake Roczniak ’03 seeks to provide a better and stronger WPI alumni experience through the programs he leads. His goal, like that of the other members of the Alumni Association, is to increase volunteerism at WPI. He says, "I think that no matter what you do, if you attend an alumni event, if you are active in your class, or if you volunteer for a larger role in the Alumni Association, it will be beneficial to WPI. My position has helped me learn and grow in different ways, and now I thank WPI for not only educating me but also letting me give back to an institution that affected my life so much. I want the future students to get as much out of the school as I did, and a strong alumni base will aid in that endeavor." If you are interested in serving on the Operations Division, contact Jake at jroczniak@alum.wpi.edu. Read Jake's profile in Transformations.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities.

Halloween Treat at Higgins House

The Worcester Chapter of the Alumni Association invites you to experience Haunted Higgins House on Oct. 28. Family and children's tours will run 4:30-6:30 p.m. Student and alumni tours begin at 7 p.m. A donation of $1 per family is requested to support the Student Alumni Association (SAS) and future chapter events. Alumni and Friends are welcome to join the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) for a family social hour in the Campus Center Chairman's Room from 5-7 p.m. For more information, see the SAS website.

Financial Planning Evening

On Nov.14, the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD), in conjunction with Ameriprise Financial, will present an evening of seminars for beginning and seasoned investors. Sessions will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:20 p.m. in Higgins Labs. Topics will include Home Buying, Building Your Financial Future, Understanding the Markets, and Retirement Planning Beyond the Numbers. Cost is $8 in advance/$10 at the door. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today. For more information and to pre-register, contact the Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at 508-831-5600 or e-mail alumni-office@wpi.edu.

WPI in Your Neighborhood

WPI is hitting the road. We're visiting alumni and friends around the country, and so far, there have been stops in Chicago and Philadelphia. Watch the Alumni Calendar for more opportunities to connect with other WPI alumni and friends in your neighborhood and to learn more about what is happening at WPI today. View calendar.

Verify and Update Your Alumni Information

You may have recently received a letter requesting that you verify and update your alumni information with WPI. To ease this process, you may submit your update online.

Alumni of Distinction

Periodically, the Office of Alumni Relations highlights noteworthy alumni on the home page. Take a moment to read about Richard Liebich '66, the first recipient of the WPI Alumni Association Humanitarian Award, which honors alumni who have served humanity through creative leadership or a unique humanitarian achievement. Read the citation.

WPI News

New Undergraduate Deans Appointed

John A. Orr, professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been named dean of undergraduate studies. Richard F. Vaz, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been named dean of WPI's award-winning Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division (IGSD). Transformations spoke with them about their vision for undergraduate education. Read the interview.

Admissions on the Upswing

WPI continues to see positive momentum in undergraduate admissions, with increases in campus visits, applications, and the conversion rate from inquiry to admitted students, yielding a very impressive entering class. The Class of 2010 (780 students) features 210 straight-A students (with a perfect 4.0 GPA in high school), an average GPA of 3.7, and an average class rank in the top 13%. The class includes 26 valedictorians and 15 salutatorians. Two members of the entering class are under 16 years old. The Class of 2010 also includes 72 international students from 26 countries, including Bangladesh, Ecuador, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.

WPI Professor is Jefferson Science Fellow

Paul W. Davis, professor of mathematical sciences and former dean of the Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division recently began a term as a Jefferson Science Fellow at the U.S. Department of State. The one-year appointment allows him to share his scientific and technical expertise with non-specialists within the State Department to help shape U.S. foreign policy. Read more.

Management Program is Tops

WPI's Graduate Management Program once again cracked the Top 10 in The Princeton Review's rankings for The Best 282 Business Programs. For the third year in a row, WPI was ranked in the Top 10 in Greatest Opportunity for Women, showing progress in the strategic goal of recruiting more women students to the campus. "Although The Princeton Review ranking is only focused on graduate programs, the same outstanding faculty members teach in both our undergraduate and graduate programs, and many of the same employers recruit both our undergraduate and graduate students," notes department head Mac Banks. Find out more.

WPI Lauded as Community Asset

An Oct. 5 conference at WPI, called "The College/University as Urban Developer," explored the contributions of colleges to the economic prosperity of the cities they call home. Case studies included WPI's under-construction Gateway Park project, and the expansion of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS). "This isn't just about developing WPI," President Dennis Berkey said. "It's about developing Worcester. What's good for Worcester is good for WPI and the other colleges in the area." Read more.

WPI in the News

Careers

New job listings

The Alumni Association's Career/Employment Program helps alumni in the search for new employment or with making a career change, and provides counseling and mentoring on a private, one-to-one basis. For more information, e-mail alumni-office@wpi.edu or call 508-831-5600.

Job listings are posted on an "as received" basis for the convenience of WPI alumni. Job-seekers are responsible for contacting employers and/or recruitment firms to verify particulars and request further information.

Alumni Events

Oct. 26: Boston Alumni Club Event, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Dick and Ann Marie Connolly Residence, 775 Monument Street, Concord, MA. Contact: alumni-office@wpi.edu or 508-831-5600.

Oct. 28: Haunted Higgins House. Children's tour at 5:30 p.m., followed by GOLD social hour in the Campus Center Chairman's Room. Contact: sas@wpi.edu. Sponsored by: WPI Student Alumni Society.

Nov. 1: GOLD Committee Meeting, 6:30-8 p.m., Campus Center, Chairman's Room. Contact gold@wpi.edu or call 508-831-5600.

Nov. 8: Tech Old Timers: PT Boats: WWII Southwest Pacific, 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m., Campus Center, Odeum.

Nov. 10: Founders Day 2006 (Observed on Nov. 10 this year, because Nov. 11 is a Saturday.) Sponsored by WPI Student Alumni Society. Contact sas@wpi.edu or 508-831-5600.

Nov. 28: Tailgate: RPI vs. WPI football game, 11:30 tailgate event. Contact alumni-office@wpi.edu or 508-831-5600.

Dec. 13: Tech Old Timers: Holiday Music Performance 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m., Campus Center, Odeum.

March 10: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 2 p.m. matinee, Opera House, Boston. Mezzanine seats $68.00; must purchase by Feb. 9, 2007. Contact: regional-events@wpi.edu or 508-831-56.

University Events

Oct. 25: The Why, How and When of Getting Your MBA, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Campus Center, Mid-Century Room. Contact cdc@wpi.edu.

Nov. 1: Being a Professional: The Ethics and Canons of Engineering, 7-8:30 p.m., Olin Hall 107. Sponsored by Mechanical Engineering Department. Contact: pstlouis@wpi.edu or 508-831-5872.

Nov. 2: University Lecture: "The Virtual Orchestra: In Search of Human Bandwidth," Prof. Frederick Bianchi, 5-6 p.m., Alden Memorial Hall. See more information.

Nov. 14: Venture Forum: Fast Pitch Contest to Net Five Minutes of Fame, 6:30-9 p.m., Campus Center, Odeum. Cost: $15 members/$25 non-members. No pre-registration necessary. See details.

Nov. 16: "Speaking with Pixels: The Arts and Sciences of Digital Games," Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) weekly seminar, 11 a.m.-noon, Atwater Kent 233. View full schedule of speakers.

Dec. 9: Holiday Pops Concert, 8 p.m., Mechanics Hall, Worcester. WPI Festival Chorus, plus choruses from Anna Maria, Clark, and Worcester State. Tickets: call 508-754-1234.

Bookmarks

Your questions and comments are always welcome at thebridge@wpi.edu.

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Last modified: Oct 24, 2006, 11:17 EDT