VOLUME 13, NO. 1     DEC 1999

Back to school

Fifteen alumni volunteers representing 11 disciplines returned to campus this summer to take part in an innovative new program designed to help recruit the best and brightest high school graduates for the Class of 2004. The Admissions Office collaborated with Academic Affairs, Residential Services, Student Life and the Financial Aid Office to present Admissions 101, a training seminar for Alumni Admissions Ambassadors (AAAs).

Alumni from as far away as South Carolina and Colorado spent two days at their alma mater in August learning about the latest campus building and renovation projects, touring classrooms, laboratories and residence halls, mingling with fellow volunteers, and meeting the administrators and students who make WPI one of the nation's most innovative universities. The program included presentations about admissions, financial aid, the WPI Plan, the freshman experience, global programs, residential life, and athletics and student activities.

AAAs will spend the next year visiting high schools, representing WPI at college fairs or college nights, and talking with accepted students and their parents. The following alumni comprise the inaugural group of ambassadors: Terry Schmidt Adams '92, Kim Lemoi Bowers '90, Antoinette T. Burns '95, Kim Quigley Caserta '95, Renee Cusson '95, Michael Donahue '90, Joseph Klimek '94, Alyce Pack '95, William Riccio '88, Michael Shorr '92, Warren Smale '95, Jennifer Kavka Tonning '94, Walter Towner '83, Charles Wilder '81 and Susan Woods '85.

"These alumni were all regarded as student leaders in their time on campus," says Michael P. Smith, associate director of admissions (above, far right), who coordinated the workshop. "Our alumni admissions ambassadors are very important to our admissions effort, and I couldn't be happier with how our pilot program turned out."

"This was an excellent program that showed me all that WPI has to offer," says Shorr, a member of the technical staff of Lucent Technologies' Optical Networking Group in North Andover, Mass. Shorr received his bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from WPI and earned a doctorate at Georgia Tech in 1995. "When I lived in Atlanta, I represented WPI at college fairs and took part in alumni admissions programs. After attending AAA training, I feel much more comfortable and confident that I am portraying WPI's current programs, facilities, and admissions criteria accurately and completely when talking with prospective students and parents."