From Down the Hall

To my fellow alumni and friends,

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I’ve been reflecting on this past year and the hardships and angst felt by everyone. Loss of jobs, isolation, bitter political debates, and constant worry about our family and friends’ health and welfare is enough to push anyone to the edge.

In the age of social distancing and mask wearing, it can be difficult to remember that you’re not alone in the global struggle against COVID-19. As I said way back in April, connection is the new currency, which is why the Alumni Association is doing all that it can to bring Mountaineers together in a safe and uplifting way.

WVU is up and running again! We successfully welcomed students back to campus and classes are underway. It’s been wonderful to see our administration, faculty, and staff come together this summer and navigate the challenges of COVID, making it possible for our students to return safely. By and large, the students have been following the COVID rules as well. Everyone is working hard to keep the community safe and healthy, and we are keeping our fingers crossed for a full football season!

As our digital transformation continues in response to COVID-19, we’re excited to announce that the Alumni Association Webinar Series will be launching on Wednesday, August 12th!

Many of you have recently received a post card from me to let you know that we’ve launched our Mountaineer Memories Oral History project. We’ve teamed up with a company called PCI to record and document the history of WVU through the experiences of our Alumni.

As with the rest of America, the last few months have been quite the experience in shifting the work we do from the physical to the digital environment. It’s actually been much smoother than I would have predicted, and frankly, it’s been good for us. I’d say the WVU Alumni Association has advanced a couple of years in just a few months.

Congratulations, Graduates!

Last week, we hosted our Alumni Leaders Institute (ALI) annual conference, an event where we bring Chapter and Interest Group leaders, board members, and University officials together to discuss all things WVU and Alumni. Each year, 100 or so alumni return to campus to spend a couple of days connecting and learning about how the Alumni Association can be of highest value to our Mountaineers everywhere.

Many Mountaineers will remember that Travis Braden sported the Flying WV on his race car for several years while he was studying mechanical and aerospace engineering at West Virginia University. Now, as more and more events are being canceled due to COVID-19, Travis is participating in “virtual” racing and will be competing in the eTruck Series this evening at 7pm. We’re extremely excited for Travis to be carrying the WVU Alumni Association’s colors in this evening’s race and we invite fans to watch him compete. Take a look at the press release from Travis Braden Racing for more information about Travis and tonight’s race.