January 2008

St. Mary's College

   Alumni e-news

 

1. Legislative Reception in

    Annapolis

2. Alumni Reception at

    SMCM  Women's & Men's 

    Basketball vs. Villa Julie

3. Dirk Griffith '79 Resigns as Director of

    Alumni Relations and Planned Giving

4. Job Opening for Director of Alumni Relations and

     Planned Giving

5. Reunion 2008 - June 13^th -15^th

6. Alumni Basketball Games at SMCM – Feb. 16^th    

 

1. Legislative Reception in Annapolis

The annual Alumni Legislative Reception will be held in Annapolis on Thursday, January 24^th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the President’s Conference Room at 1 East Miller Senate Building. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served.  A brief program will feature the SMCM students who participated in the New Hampshire’s College Convention 2008 along with a short discussion of the bill being sponsored by Dyson and Bohanan about student involvement in the election process.  We hope you can join us.

Kindly respond to Beth Byrd at eabyrd@smcm.edu or 800-458-8341 by January 18^th if you will be attending. If you are traveling from D.C. and need a ride, please call Jim Wood ’61 at 202-966-0566. For a map and directions, click here.

  

2. Alumni Reception at SMCM Basketball vs.

Villa Julie

Bring your family and friends to Villa Julie on Saturday, January 26^th to show your Seahawk support for the basketball program. There will be a catered alumni reception at Villa Julie between the women’s and men’s basketball games. The Lady Seahawks (see photo above) battle the Lady Mustangs at 2:00 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 4:00 p.m.

Directions to Villa Julie – Stevenson Campus

3. Dirk Griffith ’79 Resigns as Director of Alumni Relations and Planned Giving

 

Some of you may not have heard that Dirk Griffith ’79 resigned as director of alumni relations and planned giving.  His last day on the job was Friday, January 4, 2008.  We wish him the very best as he begins a new career as a financial adviser for Smith Barney (Waldorf office).  Based on his experience at the College, Dirk’s new position is a natural progression in his professional life.  We are sure that Dirk will be missed by all the alumni, and his leaving is definitely a loss to the College and its fundraising team.

 

Dirk has been with the College for the past 17 years.  During that time, he has served as alumni director, executive director of alumni relations and planned giving, director of development, and director of major and planned gifts, in addition to his current position.  His accomplishments have been considerable.  While director of alumni relations, he reorganized the governing body of the SMCM Alumni Association, the Alumni Council, transforming it into a more effective governing body.  This included working with the College to introduce legislation making the president of the Alumni Council a voting member of the College’s Board of Trustees. 

 

He also assisted in the College Foundation’s registration with the State of Maryland to offer charitable gift annuities and initiated and managed the formation of the Foundation’s first gift acceptance policy.  During his tenure he has identified, solicited, and documented several million dollars in planned and major gifts. 

 

As Dirk stated at his farewell party, “Being the alumni director allows you to become close to many people. Some even become close friends, and a special few are almost like family.”  We wish him and his new bride, Lisa, a happy, healthy life together with their two beautiful girls, Katie and Patricia. Please join us in wishing Dirk the very best in his new career.

 

 4. Job Opening for Director of Alumni Relations and Planned Giving

If you or anyone you know is interested in applying for the position of Director of Alumni Relations and Planned Giving, the posting is available at www.smcm.edu/hr/employment.html.

5. Reunion 2008 - June 13^th -15^th  

 

Reunion 2008 is for every alum, not just those who graduated in years ending with 3s and 8s. Look for the following alums at this year’s reunion who have stepped up to be a class agent for their anniversary year and are busy talking up Reunion 2008 with their classmates.

 

 

 

 

 

1948 - Joann Boner Holland

1953 - Joan “Cookie” Stotler  

1958 - Suzanne Lussier-Jones, Lyl Boyce Wray, Patricia Kveseth Schwaebe, Anita Sutton Williams

1963 - Barbara Kearns

1968 - Susan James Kirkpatrick, Ron Neri, Jane Linton

1973 - Bob “Crunchrat” Thornton, Pete Manspeaker,  Susan Butler

1978 - Ben Bryan

1983 - Cary Loker Braun, Jim Harvey, Wim Cassard,

Angie Stocksdale Harvey

1988 - Leon Henry

1993 - Carla Maranto-Arnold, Tom Arnold, Eric Cotton

1998 - Jenni Ashbrenner Schultheis, Paul Schultheis,

Keith Neidhart

2003 - Samantha Sissman

 

Call the Alumni Office at 800-458-8341 or e-mail alumnioffice@smcm.edu if you would like to volunteer to help. Stay tuned - brochure and on-line registration will be out in March.

6. Alumni Basketball Games at SMCM – February 16^th    

Lace up your basketball shoes and come down to St. Mary’s for the annual Alumni basketball games.  Women tip off at 9:30 a.m., followed by a free throw contest and shoot out at 10:30 a.m.  The men’s game will start at 11 a.m. followed by a reception and lunch in the movement room. Stick around for senior day to watch the Seahawk women battle Gallaudet at 2:00 p.m. and the men at 4:00 p.m. There will be introductions of all alums at half time. A FREE pint glass and T-shirt will be given to all participants. Please e-mail Leslie Tucker your shirt size and intent to play by January 26^th.