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Outstanding Young Alumni Awards PresentedThe Alumni Association has recognized the following Young Alumni for exceptional career achievements, community service, and university service. Congratulations to each of these alumni. Joseph M. DeSimone '90, Chapel Hill, N.C., Arts and Sciences Alumni Relations Welcomes New Staff MembersBetty Lee, who joined the Alumni Relations staff in July, serves as alumni chapter coordinator and is based in Richmond, Va. Lee holds three degrees from the university: M.A., CAGS, and Ph.D. Most recently, she was the principal of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke. She served as chair of America's Promise in Roanoke and currently chairs the Virginia Amateur Sports Board of Directors, organizer of the Commonwealth Games of Virginia. Lee also is a member of many professional organizations and is active in continuing education conferences and activities. Her duties in the Richmond office include oversight of alumni chapters in Central and Eastern Virginia. Basil Gooden, who joined the Alumni Relations staff in October, serves as the coordinator of outreach and community relations for Virginia Tech, a position representing collaboration between Alumni Relations, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and Virginia Cooperative Extension. His position is designed to create and sustain a more diverse and inclusive university community through outreach and community development activities. In his specific role as coordinator for black alumni programs, Gooden will assist with reunions and other programs for black alumni on campus and in certain locations off campus. His goal is to encourage black alumni to develop mentoring relationships with current students, establish a global network of alumni, and communicate through a website community. Gooden is a 1990 graduate of Virginia Tech and holds a master of social work degree from Syracuse University. Additionally, he holds a master of public health degree and a Ph.D. in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Class of 1950 Celebrates Largest Reunion"Virginia Tech had to stretch to hold us when we arrived in 1946 and I guess they'll have to do it again," emphasized Joe Barlow '50, 50th reunion chair, just months before the Homecoming reunion of his class.That prediction came true on October 6 and 7 when the Class of '50 held the largest class reunion in Virginia Tech history, with over 540 guests filling rooms in six hotels. On Friday afternoon, the alumni honored their departed classmates with a memorial service and then enjoyed a pass-in-review in their honor by the corps of cadets. The celebration got into full swing at the reunion banquet that evening when Archie Cannon, chair of the Class Gift Committee, presented university president Charles Steger with a check for over $1.2 million on behalf of the class. The three-part gift includes a new endowed professorship in the math department, an endowed scholarship for the corps of cadets, and improvements to the University Libraries. The class was inducted into the Old Guard by Henry Dekker '44, a past president of the Old Guard. Dance music from the Big Band Era entertained the alumni until midnight. After gathering for a class photo and enjoying the Homecoming parade on Saturday morning, the class attended a pre-game luncheon at Lane Stadium and cheered the Hokies to victory over Temple. |