A Note from the President

September 2008

 

Another fiscal year has come and gone.  We had a banner year in many ways and I am looking forward to having more successful regional and campus-based activities this year.

 

The 2008-2009 Annual Giving Campaign broke several records. Agent Angie Tang wants to thank the 578 classmates who generously contributed to Annual Giving this year.  Your crucial support set records for our in both participation and dollars for a non0major reunion: 51.6% participation (an increase from 6.1% last year!) and $223,083 in gifts (exceeding our goal of $220,000!). Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the team of hardworking AG volunteers, especially the Regional Chairs, who produced these phenomenal results. If you would like to help us surpass last year's records, please contact Angie at aotang@alumni.princeton.edu.

 

Now that we have shown vast improvement in Annual Giving participation, I am sure that we can do the same with class dues.  They are still a bargain at $40.  Your dues cover the class’s cost for the Princeton Alumni Weekly subscriptions, mailings, community service projects, Class of 1991 Foundation scholarships and mini-reunions.  The dues card is enclosed for your convenience.  Alternatively, you may pay your dues online at the link called (interestingly enough), "pay my dues."

 

The Class of 1991 Foundation continues to receive a lot of impressive applications for our Spring deadline, and only a few in the Fall. If this trend continues, we will go to only one round for the 09-10 academic year. You may access the synopses of our past winners here on our website. Anyone interested in serving on the scholarship selection committee should contact me at sean91@alumni.princeton.edu.

 

Last year, our class hosted two successful mini-reunions in the Northeast. Your class dues paid for admission fees, food and drinks for these events. Folks reconnected with some classmates and met others for the first time. More funds are available for such events! If you are interested in hosting or planning a get-together, please contact Allison Rich atsplorts@alumni.princeton.edu or me. In the meantime, watch the website and your email for information on other upcoming mini-reunions.

 

Have you ever wondered how you will explain what our class experienced as undergraduates to folks who only know Princeton as a four-year residential college institution? So did the Alumni Council Princetoniana Committee. Their suggestion was that all classes appoint a Class Historian. Peter Dutton has volunteered to be ours. As such, he will be collecting photos, videos, lecture notes, letters and other memorabilia from our undergraduate years and sending copies to the Princeton Archives. Peter's role also includes documenting our class events and correspondence as alumni. Fortunately, as a Reunions regular, he has a head start on those events. Please contact Peter atDutton@alumni.princeton.edu to contribute your memorabilia and/or your talents toward organizing all the data.

 

I hope that wherever your travels took you this summer, you had a great time and took some photos. Pictures and notes to be included in the PAW should be sent to Gerry Alvarez at gerbear@alumni.princeton.edu.

 

Your participation is vital to the continued strength of our class.  Your officers are ready to work with you on the above activities and to help with new initiatives.

 

Take care and keep in touch!

 

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A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT

September 2007

I hope that everyone has had an enjoyable summer. It’s amazing how quickly they fly by! We are gearing up for the 2007-2008 fiscal year and hope it is a productive, happy and healthy one for our class. I am looking forward to hearing from you during the year and participating in regional and campus-based class activities.

There is still much work to be done to rebuild New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In response to this need, we have expanded our Community Service activities to Louisiana.  Mindy Brickman Patron ‘91, has introduced us to Julie Lause, founder of the KIPP Central City Academy.  The KIPP Academy, www.kippcentralcity.org, is a college preparatory public middle school that will be opening in the Uptown area of New Orleans this fall.  The staff will begin with an incoming class of 90 fifth graders, and add students each year until they have achieved a school of 360 students in grades 5-8. 

Because the school is starting from the ground up, it needs everything:  books, school supplies, furniture, etc.  Julie also has emphasized the importance of exposing her students to a variety of adults, professions, and life experiences.  Abby (Schoenbaum) Cox ‘91, Community Service Co-Chair, has developed some volunteer ideas that are listed on our class website, www.princeton1991.com.  Please contact her atabbycox @yahoo. com withideas on how to get supplies to New Orleans safely and cheaply or if you are simply interested in getting involved.

We are also continuing to build upon our relationship with the Pace Charter School, http://www.pace.charter.k12.nj.us/, an elementary school outside of Trenton.  Please contact David Reiley, Community Service Co-Chair at reiley@alumni.princeton.edu to get involved, or visit our class website for more information.

The 2006-2007 Annual Giving campaign continued our class’s trend of more money from fewer classmates: we set a new class record for the total dollar amount contributed and hit the lowest class participation since graduation. Our Class Agent, Angie Tang has been working with the AG office and several classmates to rebuild our participation while continuing to strengthen our Leadership giving efforts.  Stephanie Larsen will serve as Chair of the Leadership Gifts Team and will work with Angie in recruiting volunteers to build the Leadership Gifts Team. Leadership Gifts are major gifts in dollar amounts that make up the bulk of the class's contribution to AG. A few more Regional Participation Team Leaders are needed to recruit volunteers to call classmates who live near them.  The current Regional Participation Team Leaders are listed on our class website, www.princeton1991.com. If you are interested in helping, please contact Angie at aotang@alumni.princeton.eduor your region’s Team Leader.

One of the benefits of volunteering is that you get a chance to reconnect with classmates. Your class officers have decided to share this benefit with you by planning mini-reunions in their region.  On October 6, New England ‘91ers are invited to picnic and tour the DeCordova Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA.  Later on October 20, classmates can gather at our tables at the Harvard-Princeton Tiger Tent in Cambridge, MA. Folks in Southern California and New York should visit the class webpage and watch their e-mails for information on their upcoming mini-reunions.

Admission fees, food, drinks and whatever else is needed to have a successful mini-reunion are paid for or subsidized by your class dues.  If you would like to plan a get-together instead of waiting for one of the officers to do it, please contact Allison Rich at splorts@alumni.princeton.eduor me at sean91@alumni.princeton.edu.

And speaking of class dues, they are still only $40.  By paying your dues, you cover the class’s cost for the Princeton Alumni Weekly subscriptions, mailings, community service projects, and the aforementioned mini-reunions.  The dues card is enclosed for your convenience. If you prefer, your dues payment and Class of 1991 Foundation donation can be made online at www.princeton1991.com.

You may have noticed the many references to our class website. It has been updated to allow the class to keep in touch without mass mailings.  Gerry Alvarez, our Class Secretary, is posting pictures and stories that do not make it into the PAW on the website.  Send pictures of your garden or your last vacation to gerbear@alumni.princeton.edu.

Have a great fall!

Take care and keep in touch,

Sean D. Osborne

Class of 1991 President