It's hard to believe that 2022 is coming to a close. It’s certainly been a year of exciting new challenges and incredible progress for our Alumni Association. You might remember our announcement at the beginning of the year, featuring the strategic partnership with West Virginia University. This partnership is delivering what was planned with its inception: to provide better support for and greater connection among the alumni and students of West Virginia University. In my final From Down the Hall for 2022, I'd like to share a few examples of how we are doing just that through various initiatives - both new and old.
Reaffirming and celebrating the important contributions made by our more than 70 alumni chapters and interest groups will continue to be a top priority. The work of these volunteers provides opportunities for our alumni and friends to create new WVU moments, large and small, and to experience a community of like-minded fellow Mountaineers even though they may live far away from campus. They are engaged in community service, serve as brand ambassadors, help bring alumni together in fellowship, raise money for scholarships and lend assistance to important University initiatives. If not for the hard work of these incredible alumni, hundreds upon hundreds of fellow Mountaineers would not be as closely connected with their alma mater. Within these groups, we can also see how a dedicated group of volunteers can be a driver for change. Many of our chapters pay it forward by providing scholarships to local students, helping them achieve the goal of receiving a life-changing WVU education. The power of our volunteer network never ceases to amaze me, and we will continue to collaborate with our University partners to demonstrate even greater appreciation and provide additional support for these groups in the future.