HALT: Are you aware yet?
By Emily Tang '08
On March 31, the HALT (Hamilton Alumni Leadership Training) program launched its first annual HALT Awareness Week to illuminate the ways in which young alumni can stay involved with the life of the College, highlight how the program serves as a resource both for the student body and the graduating senior class and actively recruit new members from the Class of 2009.
Awareness Week kicked off with a presentation at a Student Assembly meeting, during which Co-Chairs Amy Brown '08 and Emily Tang '08 provided information about the program. Twenty-five percent of Hamilton's 17,000 member Alumni Association consists of young alumni who belong to the GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Group. In response to this increasingly important demographic, HALT was piloted six years ago, with the Class of 2003, to create a senior class leadership structure that introduces a core group of seniors to the various ways they can actively contribute to Hamilton as young alumni.
Through a series of monthly business luncheons and evening meetings held throughout the year, committee members hear from speakers who play key roles at Hamilton. Recent and future presenters include: President Joan Hinde Stewart, Charter Trustee Susan Skerritt K'77, Vice-President of Communications and Development Dick Tantillo, Associate Vice-President for Facilities Steve Bellona P'03, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Elizabeth Bowman and Associate Dean of Admission Sue Donegan.
HALT group sessions clearly lay out the ways that young alumni can contribute to Hamilton life after graduation. From planning regional events and reunions and volunteering for the Annual Fund to interviewing prospective students on the Hamilton Alumni Recruiting Team (HART) and making suggestions about facilities, recent graduates play a vital role in promoting and sustaining our Hamilton connections.
Members of HALT serve as liaisons to the Alumni Office for both current students and their own class. Committee members increase and improve communication between students and the Alumni Office by educating their peers about alumni networking tools available to them and provide valuable feedback and insight on the student experience to alumni officers.
On Tuesday of Awareness Week, trivia lovers gathered in the Little Pub for Trivia Night sponsored by HALT, with a special set of Hamilton-related trivia. Teams answered questions such as: (1) Before we were Buff and Blue, what was Hamilton's old school color? (Rose Pink); (2) What Guinness Book of World Records event took place at Hamilton in April, 1989? (World's longest swim relay).
HALT also went live with its new website, sponsored Snack Time in Commons and staffed tables in Beinecke. HALT also sponsored an alumni interview featured in Friday's issue of The Daily Bull.
HALT members planned Awareness Week so that its closing event coincides with Hamilton's Volunteer Weekend, when Hamilton's elite corps of alumni volunteers come home to the Hill for a series of committee and plenary meetings. On Saturday, HALT will meet with GOLD group alumni to discuss the GOLD group's involvement in volunteer activities for Hamilton.
The HALT 2008 group consists of forty members: Thomas Arm ('09), Katie Berlent, Marley Berns, Amy Brown, Toni Bullock, Rachel Cannon, Marisa Clemente, Grace Dobbyn, Rani Doyon, Gabi Ghimis, Ned Giliss, Tumelano Gopolang, Za Jafri, Bill Kearney, Whitney Kimmel, Melissa Kong, Jenna Lally, Jack Li, Abhishek Maity, Bridget Moore, Chris Moore, Anne Murphy, Ryan M. Murphy, Hilary Nitka, Maggi Noonan, Maureen O'Brien, Katie Painter, Emily Pallin, Daniela Pfister, Katie Plummer, Quinn Plunkett, Apolon Polonski, Pragyan Pradhan, Felix Ramirez, Danielle Sclafani, Emily Tang, Nathan Vandergrift, Michael Viveiros, Kateri Whitebean, and Magda Wierzbicka.
Students who are interested in HALT and want to learn more about the program should contact any committee member, Co-Chairs Amy Brown (aebrown) and Emily Tang (etang), or Dave Steadman '03 (dsteadma), director of young alumni giving. More information about HALT and applications for the Class of 2009 can be found on HALT's website.