It’s hard to believe summer is already winding down. The days are getting shorter, students are returning to campus, and another academic year is getting underway at West Virginia University. You can feel the change around Morgantown as the semester begins. Campus is busy again, familiar routines are taking shape, and new future alumni are settling in and beginning to make their own memories at WVU.
While the University gets back into its fall rhythm, our alumni chapters are wrapping up a busy summer of their own. Across the country, Mountaineers have gathered for signature summer events, including the Low Country Mountaineers BBQ Bash, Boone County Pig Roast, and, this Saturday (Aug. 29), the National Capital Area Crab Feast. Chapters have also hosted golf outings, baseball games, and many other gatherings. These events are an important part of what our chapters do. They give alumni a chance to spend time together, welcome new Mountaineers to their communities, and, in many cases, raise money for student scholarships.
I always enjoy attending these events, and hearing about them and seeing the pictures that come back to us when that is not possible. They are a great reminder that our alumni chapters are active throughout the year, not just when football season arrives. A summer picnic or scholarship fundraiser may be the first opportunity for a recent graduate to connect with fellow alumni in a new city. For longtime graduates, it can be a chance to catch up with friends they have known for years.
Now, as summer comes to a close, much of our attention is turning to football. The Mountaineers open the season Sept. 5 against Coastal Carolina at Milan Puskar Stadium. From there, the schedule will give alumni plenty of reasons to get together, whether you are watching from Morgantown or joining a chapter game watch in your community.
One game in particular will bring Mountaineers together in a unique setting. On Sept. 19, West Virginia will take on the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlotte as part of the Duke’s Mayo Classic. Before kickoff, the Charlotte Chapter of the WVU Alumni Association will host the official WVU Alumni and Friends Pregame Party at Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, beginning at 3:30 p.m. The event will feature a tailgate buffet, drinks, and shuttle service to Bank of America Stadium, with proceeds supporting student scholarships.
I’m looking forward to seeing how many Mountaineers make the trip to Charlotte. Events like this are a great example of what our chapters can do when they have an opportunity to bring alumni together from near and far. If you are headed to the game, I hope you will make plans to join the Charlotte Chapter before kickoff. You can find event and ticket information on the official pregame party registration page.
For those who are not making the trip to Charlotte, there will be plenty of other opportunities to connect this fall. Our alumni chapters will host football game watches throughout the season, giving Mountaineers a place to watch the games, meet fellow alumni, and build new connections. If you have never attended a game watch, I encourage you to give one a try. You may walk in not knowing anyone and leave having made a few new friends.
As we move into the fall semester, I want to thank the volunteers who have spent their summer organizing events and bringing Mountaineers together. These gatherings do not happen without their time and effort, and our chapters continue to give alumni meaningful ways to stay involved with WVU and with one another.
The start of a new semester is a busy time for everyone at the University, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the year ahead brings. For our students, it marks the beginning of another academic year. For alumni, it is another opportunity to stay connected to our beloved alma mater and to the Mountaineers who make WVU feel like home, wherever they are.
Let’s Go!
Kevin Berry ('94, '95)
WVU Vice President of Alumni Relations
CEO of the WVU Alumni Association, Inc.