| A Message from the WCU Alumni Association |
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New Year. Same Ram Pride.
Our resolution this year is to make sure that we keep you updated with all of the events and happenings of your alma mater- especially as we celebrate our 150th anniversary! You can help us connect with you by keeping us in the loop with all of your accomplishments, milestones and changes! Here are just a few of the ways that you can share your good news with the WCU alumni community. As always, we'd love to hear from you! If you have questions or feedback, please contact us via email, alumni@wcupa.edu or phone, 610-436-2813.
CLASS NOTES
Big news to share with the alumni community? Whether it's about family, friends, career or life in general, we want to hear about your success after West Chester! Check out what your classmates are up to by featuring your update in the WCU Magazine. Cheers to you!
LIFE EVENTS
Did you get engaged, married or added a member to the family? Drop us a note and send us a picture to be included in the WCU Magazine. We love featuring future Rams!
MEET OUR ALUMNI MONDAY
WCU alumni are celebrating small and large successes everyday! We want to highlight your journey from WCU and beyond. Let us feature you on the Alumni Association social media through our Meet Our Alumni Monday campaign. Each WCU alumni experience is golden!
WCU SWEETHEARTS
Did you meet your sweetie at WCU? We are currently accepting submissions for our WCU Sweethearts campaign to be featured on our social media all throughout the month of February. Share your love story!
PET OF THE WEEK
As we always say, Rams up, Paws up! Share a picture and brief description of your favorite furry family member, for a chance to be featured on social media and receive a special WCU Alumni Association pet bandana.
CONTACT UPDATES
Keep in touch! Whether it's an address, email or employment update, we want to make sure that we can continue to provide all of the most pertinent WCU alumni information that you need to know.
GET INVOLVED
There are so many ways to serve and benefit from the WCU community! Join an alumni chapter, participate in Ram Nation to be mentored or mentor current students and/or alumni, continue to receive services through the Twardowski Career Development Center, register to take advantage of special alumni discounts including on goods, restaurants and insurance policies, attend an alumni event or simply follow us on social media. Get involved in a way that meets your needs!
May this year bring new happiness, new goals, new achievements, and many new inspirations to your life. Wishing you a year loaded with happiness and a little (or alot) of purple and gold!
Rams up!
WCU Alumni Association & Alumni Relations Office
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| Campus News |
 Celebrating West Chester University's 150th Anniversary!
Join us for the WCU 150 Exhibition Lecture & Tour, a series of virtual workshops highlighting the museum and special lecturers from the WCU campus community. Tune in for the next lecture and tour,
History of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Larry Dowdy on
Tuesday, January 18th at 7:00pm.
Diversity, equity and inclusion is an integral pillar of West Chester University, as it aids in recruitment and retention, and contributes to a vibrant campus culture. Yet there were many hurdles to overcome in our institution’s 150 year history. Join Michael A.
Di Giovine, Director of the Museum of Anthropology and Archeology, student co-curator Aaron Stoyack, and Lawrence A. Dowdy, former Executive Deputy to the President, in a discussion of how WCU righted historical injustices. A number of artifacts will be highlighted and stories of African American alumni shared. Dowdy will explain that, in spite of being denied on-campus housing, dining room privileges and other opportunities during the early and mid-20th century, African American alumni were triumphant. He attributes their success to their high-quality campus education and the bonds formed with their classmates.
Register »
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| Service in the Spirit of the Holidays |
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“It's hard to imagine the vastness of destruction from a tornado nearly a mile wide that traveled over 200 miles through four states until you have been driving for 45 minutes and there is no end in sight. The destruction and need for help is overwhelming.”
These are some of the thoughts that came to Brigid Gallagher ’12, WCU’s assistant director of alumni engagement, as she traveled over the holiday break to the tornado disaster zone in Mayfield, KY. She joined other members of East Brandywine Baptist Church in Downingtown, PA, in service as part of a larger effort organized by Samaritan’s Purse, a faith-based non-profit organization headquartered in North Carolina that responds to global crises with spiritual and physical aid. She and her fellow volunteers provided not only labor to assist those affected by the tornadoes, but also compassion and spiritual support.
This was Gallagher’s first time volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse and she plans to join the group for future service opportunities, in part because of the resilience and faith of those she helped, whose thankfulness, she said, “was poignant. We were among nearly 250 daily volunteers and when out in the community, the orange shirt was recognized with the sincerest gratitude from everyone we came in contact with.”
Learn more >>
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Call for Volunteers:
WCU Alumni Association & Foundation Scholarship Committee |
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As the number of scholarships offered grows, so does our need for engaged scholarship application readers. With the gift of your time and talent, the WCU Alumni Association & Foundation Scholarship Committee can put much-needed funds directly into the hands of students. All are welcome to join, regardless of location, as committee work is done via an online scholarship management system (committee work occurs mid-March through May). Join and contribute a vital service to West Chester University.
For questions, contact Catherine Wolff, Assistant Director of Scholarships at cwolff@wcufoundation.org or Jenna Birch, Director of Alumni Relations at jbirch@wcupa.edu.
Fill out the interest form here >>
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| Upcoming Events |
Join Ram Nation
Ram Nation is West Chester University's official social and professional networking platform. A collaboration between the WCU Alumni Association and the Twardowski Career Development Center, Ram Nation connects alumni and offers opportunities to mentor current WCU students. By joining Ram Nation, you will be able to network with Golden Rams in your industry or city, share career advice or gain insights from experienced professionals, and access career development resources designed for your level of experience.
Register today »
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150 Internship Challenge
What a better way to celebrate West Chester University's 150th Anniversary than to support student success through internships via the Twardowski Career Development Center? Join the WCU 150 Internship Challenge by referring an internship opportunity offered by your employer. This challenge runs October 11, 2021 through March 7, 2022. If you work for an employer who hires interns, start the conversation now about posting this opportunity with WCU! Referral form available soon! Questions, email cdc@wcupa.edu.
Register today »
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Introducing New Benefits & Everyday Savings for Alumni & Friends
Want to win an Amazon gift card?! Enter for your chance to win by registering for PerksConnect during the sweepstakes period. Three lucky winners will be awarded a $100 Amazon gift card, a $50 gift card or a $25 gift card. Through PerksConnect, alumni can enjoy discounts on rental cars, hotel stays, vacations, concerts, insurance policies and so much more!
Register for free »
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Ramblings Live! with Danaé Reid '18
Join us as we catch up with Danaé Reid '18 on January 14 at 1pm, former Communications major and current fashion model and talk show host, as she shares how WCU runs in her family and how her WCU experience impacted her dreams of being in media.
View previous episodes of Ramblings Live!
Tune In »
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WCU 150 Exhibition Lecture & Tour: History of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Larry Dowdy
Diversity, equity and inclusion is an integral pillar of West Chester University, as it aids in recruitment and retention, and contributes to a vibrant campus culture. Yet there were many hurdles to overcome in our institution’s 150 year history. Join Michael A. Di Giovine, Director of the Museum of Anthropology and Archeology, student co-curator Aaron Stoyack, and Lawrence A. Dowdy, former Executive Deputy to the President, in a discussion of how WCU righted historical injustices. A number of artifacts will be highlighted and stories of African American alumni shared.
Register »
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Ramblings Live! with Brian Zepka '13
We are speaking with author of the book, The Temperature Between Me & You, WCU alumnus Brian Zepka '13 on January 18 at 1pm, as he shares his WCU experience and how he manages his life as a public health professional and an author. Tune in as Brian shares exciting news about his book with the WCU community!
View previous episodes of Ramblings Live!
Tune In »
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Ramblings Live! with Dr. C. James Trotman
How great to speak with Dr. C. James Trotman, Professor Emeritus of English (retired) and Founding Director of the Frederick Douglass Institute at WCU at 1pm on February 2nd. Consistent with its mission, and with the mission, vision, and values of the University, the Institute is an educational and cultural resource for advancing multicultural studies across the curriculum and for deepening the intellectual heritage of Frederick Douglass. Dr. Trotman will also discuss receiving the Fulbright Award!
View previous episodes of Ramblings Live!
Tune In »
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WCU 150 Exhibition Lecture & Tour: WCU's History in Innovation and Education of Wellness Professionals
Since our founding as a Normal School in 1871, Health Sciences has played a central role at our institution. Today, the College of Health Sciences boast a number of baccalaureate and graduate degree programs that train our students to be successful healthcare professionals. Join Museum Director, Michael A. Di Giovine for a short tour of the WCU 150: History and Heritage exhibition highlighting some of the prized artifacts and important milestones that speak to the development of the College of Health Sciences past and present, then join Dean Scott Heinerichs for an exclusive tour of the university’s state-of-the-art Immersive Learning Center in the new Sciences & Engineering Center and The Commons (SECC), showcasing the cutting-edge learning environments we provide our students to ensure they are prepared to be successful in their future careers.
Register »
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Ramblings Live! with Alumni Staff at Northwestern Mutual
Join us as we catch-up with three WCU alumni, all current employees at Northwestern Mutual - Grace Liparini '17, John O'Brien '18 & Heather Havighurst '18. They will share their experience with the internship program and what it's like to still have a close relationship with WCU.
View previous episodes of Ramblings Live!
Tune In »
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Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Chaddsford Winery
Valentine's Day with the WCU Alumni Association, whether it's gathering with your sweetheart or a group of classmates, enjoy an assortment of tasting wines at Chaddsford Winery paired with chocolate from Èclat Chocolate. Enjoy a wine education session during your tasting! You can attend this event in person (limited seats available) or virtual and have the wine/chocolate mailed to your home in select states. Registration closes on February 3rd at midnight.
Register »
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Save the Date!
Rams on the Road: Florida
We are headed to the sunshine state for several fun events with our Florida WCU alumni. Living or vacationing in the area, we hope to see you. More details to follow and registration available soon!Stay tuned to the Events Calendar »
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Save the Date!
Campus-Wide Sesquicentennial Exposition
and Alumni Weekend
Join us for one of the biggest weekends of the University's 150th Anniversary year as we bring the entire WCU community back to campus to participate in a diverse offering of events including staples such as the Spring Football Game, Alumni Weekend Kick-off Event, WCU Alumni Association Annual Meeting, the Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony and the Campus-Wide Sesquicentennial Exposition showcasing accomplishments across the University! Stay tuned for more details soon.
Check our Events Calendar for Updates »
Visit the 150th Anniversary website for more information »
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| Alumni just like you help to make a difference every day. |
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| Alumni Spotlight |
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Christy (Colon) McEwen majored in english and secondary education while at WCU and graduated in 2009. Originally from Northeast Philadelphia, her high school guidance counselor suggested she participate in a summer college program at WCU and Indiana University of Pennsylvania to gain college experience and possibly a scholarship. Participating in those summer programs conviced Christy that she should pursue higher education. She applied and was accepted to West Chester, and the rest is history!
Christy is currently the Digital Media Manager for EMI; Southern California’s leading LED digital signage company. EMI encompasses a full sales team, with graphic designers and service technicians who combined have decades of knowledge in advertising, digital LED system engineering, and project management of the electronic digital displays that you see and engage with every day on the freeway, inside the stadium of your favorite sports team, and on kiosks at your local shopping centers. Her favorite part of the position is that she can be creative!
Christy didn't shy away from being involved on campus during her time as a student. She was a Resident Assistant in Goshen Hall in addition to training to be a DJ at WCUR. She hosted a weekly Thursday night show, Hip Hop with Ms. Colon. In her spare time, Christy continues to be creative, having launched her own brand called BoomCheers Cocktails at Home. You can find her mixing tasty drinks from home and sharing them on her social media platforms. Her biggest accomplishments to date? Her husband, Evan and son, Cash.
Learn more about Christy's WCU journey >>
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| Trivia Time |
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Want to win a pair of WCU Flannel Pants? In 1871, how many boarding students made up the inaugural class of teachers in training at the Normal School at West Chester?
Four winners will be randomly selected that submit answers to the trivia question. Submit your answer and reference in the subject line Ramblings Trivia: alumni@wcupa.edu.
Congratulations to our December winners - Michael T. Carney '92 M'02,
Jean Flaherty '04, Eric Wojcik '01, and Lisa Diorio '77 - each received a Seasons Greeting Plaque! |
| 150th Celebration Sponsors |
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West Chester University Alumni Association
202 Carter Drive | West Chester, PA 19382
610-436-2813 | alumni@wcupa.edu |
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