April 2006

ALUMNI NEWS

Scholarship Recipients, Donors, Meet for Festive Lunch Celebration

More than 225 scholarship recipients, donors, faculty, staff, and a few members of the AU Board of Trustees attended AU’s ninth annual Celebration of Scholarships. The April 25 University Club luncheon brought together more than 120 of the nearly 300 student scholarship recipients this year with many of the donors whose generosity helped them attend AU.

Vice President of Campus Life Gail Hanson welcomed guests to the event and Interim President Neil Kerwin, SPA/BA ’71 offered a few brief remarks, thanking donors. “Your gifts of scholarship and other assistance have allowed gifted men and women… to focus their time and effort on intellectual development and to complete their degrees,” said Kerwin.

Scholarship recipient and senior honors student Marlon Brown (pictured), who will graduate from the School of Public Affairs in May, told luncheon guests the scholarships he received allowed him to attend AU and made a lasting impression.

“Let me first say that my selection to receive scholarship awards has made it possible for me to matriculate and graduate from American University. I know I speak for many students who would not be here today if it weren’t for the scholarships that they have received. We are all very grateful to be students at AU and take full advantage of the many opportunities that are available,” he said.

 “Being here at this luncheon represents the achievement and success that we have found as students, but it also represents the strong sense of community that is fostered here at American University. So today we pause to show appreciation for those individuals who have supported both this institution and the students, through their generous contribution of scholarship awards,” added Brown.

Brown demonstrated his talents away from the speaker’s podium, too, in a jazz ensemble performance with fellow AU students. Brown played trombone, along with Joseph Berman ‘08 on guitar, Matthew Brown ’09 on drums, Carlos Chadha ’07 on bass, Paul Ruffner ’09 on tenor saxophone, and Justin Simone ’08 on piano. He will attend graduate school at the University of Delaware’s School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy this fall.

-Melissa Reichley

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