A concert by Barenaked Ladies, a discussion of women in politics including top analyst Eleanor Clift, and a breakfast with the deans are among the dozens of events lined up for Alumni Weekend 2010.
“We are thrilled to host thousands of alumni during the weekend and offer a wide variety of events on campus and around the city that will allow GW graduates to connect with faculty, students and fellow alumni,” says Karen White, senior director of alumni relations.
The four-day long celebration begins tonight with two events – a multicultural alumni happy hour and the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards, during which the university and the GW Alumni Association will present seven of the most accomplished GW graduates with the highest honor for alumni.
Recipients include former U.S. solicitor general Gregory G. Garre, J.D. ’91; deputy NASA administrator Lori B. Garver, M.A. ’89; Asghar Mostafa, B.S. ’82, president, chief executive officer and chairman of Entourage Systems Inc.; and Ellen M. Zane, B.A. ’73, president and chief executive officer of Tufts Medical Center and the Floating Hospital for Children.
On Friday night, in one of the weekend’s most highly anticipated events, Grammy Award-nominated Barenaked Ladies will perform on University Yard before a standing-room-only audience.
Earlier that day, the university will host the fourth annual Ramsey Student Investment Fund Conference. The conference, which will be held at 1957 E Street, will include panel discussions on investing from GW alumni and investors from financial services company The Motley Fool. GW Trustee Steven S. Ross, B.B.A. ’81, senior vice president for RBC Wealth Management, will deliver a keynote address.
Events on Saturday include a breakfast with deans from schools across GW, tours of campus and Thurston Hall, a 3k run around the monuments with the basketball team and the Taste of GW, which showcases food from a dozen restaurants owned and operated by alumni.
On Saturday evening, Vincent Gray, B.A. ’64, fresh off his win in Washington’s Democratic mayoral primary, is one of three recipients of IMPACT Awards from the GW Black Alumni Association – along with Joseph R. Rogers Jr., B.A. ’99, director of policy and civic engagement, Education Voters of New York, and Daniel B. Fagbuyi, B.S. ’95, M.D. ’99, medical director of disaster preparedness and emergency management at Children’s National Medical Center and assistant professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at GW School of Medicine.
Women and politics will be the topic of a Sunday morning brunch and discussion featuring Eleanor Clift, contributing editor for Newsweek, and Norah O’Donnell, chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC. The panel will be moderated by Ellen Malcolm, M.B.A. ’84, founder and president of EMILY’s List, a national organization dedicated to electing pro-choice Democratic women to office.
The weekend also includes special reunions for former Presidential Administrative Fellows, Student Association members, several Greek organizations, athletic teams and the classes of 1960, 1995, 2000 and 2005.
"Our thanks go out to the dedicated alumni volunteers who have helped us conceptualize and plan so many of the weekend's events, from reunion celebrations to networking receptions to our all-alumni concert,” says Ms. White.
More than 2,000 alumni and friends are expected to attend events throughout the weekend.