Summer 2022 was a busy one for the Alumni Admissions Volunteer network. Volunteers assisted in providing a warm welcome to our newest Eagles, the Class of 2026! The summer months leading up to the start of college can be a stressful time for students and families, but our AAV members stepped up to build a sense of community and excitement for the new students.

“I thought it was a big success, as the students and parents seemed to make good connections and were engaged,” said Robb Cohen, a parent host in Baltimore.

This summer saw 53 alumni participants welcoming 150 new students and nearly 120 new Eagle family members at 16 events. We are especially grateful to the alumni and new students who engaged in more than one event!

This year marks the first “hybrid” season for summer alumni-admissions activities. Eight virtual “Summer Welcome Series” events were hosted on Zoom, and eight “Summer Send-Off” events were hosted in person in metro-areas across the country.

Our Virtual Summer Welcome Series, launched in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, remained an exciting and important way to encourage community building between students and alumni. Three events engaged new AU Eagles, where we saw eager students seeking guidance and listening to fun stories about life at AU from alumni of all generations. In our July event alone, we heard stories from alumni who graduated in 1961 through to 2019. At these events, new Eagles truly got a breadth of knowledge and experience. This also shows the dedication and excitement our AAV network holds to help welcome our new students.

In addition, AAV members hosted five affinity-specific events in partnership with the Pride Alumni Alliance, Black Alumni Alliance, Latino Alumni Alliance, the Asian & Pacific Islander Alumni Network, and first-generation alumni. Alumni and new students connected and discussed their thoughts, experiences, and concerns surrounding life at AU and in DC.

This year, the AAV network hosted Summer Send-Off events in Baltimore, Denver, Minneapolis, Northern NJ, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, South Florida, and St. Louis. Dedicated alumni and parent volunteers hosted at local parks, establishments, or their own homes, creating a warm and inviting space for our new Eagles and their families. Longtime supporter Amy Lampert, SOC/BA ’94, graciously opened both her homes in Florida and St. Louis to welcome new Eagles.

“It is comforting to know that the school continues to strive for excellence and that with every year there are even better people joining the community of alumni,” said Shauna Ruda, CAS/BA ’09.

The Office of Alumni Relations would like to extend our sincere thanks to all AAV members who participated in this summer’s programs. We are already looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2027 next year!

If you are interested in becoming an Alumni Admissions Volunteer; please email alumni@american.edu or complete this form. Thank you! 

2022 Summer Send-Off Hosts:

Baltimore: Robb Cohen (P’25)

Denver: Jamie Anderson, CAS/BA ’06, and Shauna Ruda, CAS/BA ’09

Minneapolis: Meghann McLouth, Kogod/BSBA ‘00, Thomas Florzcak, CAS/BA ’17, Zach Scwhartz, Kogod/BSBA ’07, Jasmine Stringer, Kogod/BSBA ’01, and Nick Banovetz, SPA/BA ’03

Northern NJ: Patty Caballero, SOC/BA ’91, Kogod/MBA ’00, and Don Lisco, CAS/BA ’91, Kogod/MBA '00

Pittsburgh: Don Mike Mendoza, SOC/BA ’10, SOC/MA ‘17

San Francisco: Lee Levy, SIS/BA ’93

South Florida & St. Louis: Amy Lampert, SOC/BA ’94