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May 2008
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ALUMNI NEWS |
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SIS Celebrates Accomplishments at Annual Embassy Event
School of International Service alumni celebrated the last 50 years, honored one of their own, and looked excitedly forward to the next 50 years at the annual SIS spring embassy event. The April 11 reception, held at the Mexican Cultural Institute, was attended by nearly 80 alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the university, reports SIS Alumni and Development Coordinator, Andra Inman, SIS/BA ’07, SIS/MA ’08. Members of the SIS community look forward to the spring reception, which SIS holds at a different embassy each year to remain truly international and get a taste of another culture, Inman explains. Past events have taken place at the embassies of Germany, Argentina, Nigeria, and France. SIS Dean’s Advisory member Alan Fleischmann, SIS/BA ’87 (pictured right) was honored as SIS Alumnus of the Year. The cofounder of ImagineNations Group says he was "excited, appreciative, and surprised” to be selected. “When I got the call from Dean Goodman, I thought – ‘you've got to be kidding!’” Fleischmann says he is particularly flattered to receive the award with SIS in its 50th year, as the school is poised to enter a new era of expansion, dynamism, and prominence. “American University helped me visualize the person I wanted to be,” he adds.
While sharing he has many good memories of the old halls and classrooms, Fleischmann says the new building - with its green design – “captures the innovation, opportunity, and spirit of the SIS degree.” In addition to the excitement of Fleischmann’s award, another highlight of the evening came when Dean Louis Goodman updated the crowd on the construction of the new SIS building. Crews began digging on the quad next to Bender Library in late March, and many alumni had not seen the progress. Since the digging began, more alumni have come back to campus to see the vision for SIS, complete with environmentally friendly certification and many technological advancements, says Inman. She expects even more alumni to come back and witness the progress as construction continues. According to University Architect Jerry Gager, digging and shoring up the holes in the ground will continue for the next couple of months, followed by construction of the 300-car underground parking garage. The new building is expected to open in 2010. “SIS is a breeding ground for a cadre of future leaders who understand the power of each individual to affect lasting change on the international stage,” Fleischmann said. “The future of SIS is bright and made brighter by Dean Goodman and the entire faculty’s dedication and commitment to our school.” For those who want to watch the progress but cannot make it to campus, check out the SIS construction Web cam: https://my.american.edu/content.cfm?load=includes/webc4.cfm - Brian Kalish '08
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