By Therese Ciesinski
When you walk onto the first floor of the new Haupert Union Building, one of the first spaces you鈥檒l see will be the 麻豆果冻 Alumni Association Multipurpose Room. The location is intentional. It is meant to emphasize the enduring connection alums have with the university and the student community. The room will be used to hold the association鈥檚 quarterly meetings, but it will also be available to student organizations, faculty, and staff to use as meeting space. The multipurpose room is a gift from the alumni association鈥攖he largest donation in its history and the first naming gift to the HUB expansion.
The association鈥檚 current president, George Wacker 鈥03, hopes this significant contribution 鈥渨ill lead by example and encourage more people to give. We are cheerleaders. Making this initial donation is telling others that this is important.鈥
One feature of the multipurpose room that the association deemed a priority: technology that will allow alumni across the country to take part in meetings when they can鈥檛 physically be on campus. 鈥溌槎构 is not just in Bethlehem,鈥 says Wacker. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all over the world.鈥
Meg Davis 鈥15 has been on the alumni association board for five years. Part of that time, she lived in Colorado and called in to meetings. She says participating from afar worked well, and she encourages alumni to join in even if they live far away. 鈥淚t was quite easy to communicate,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 still felt involved, like I had an impact. With technology, we can include people from all over, especially younger alums. It鈥檚 an opportunity to join in and have your voice heard.鈥
鈥淚 love being a board member,鈥 says president-elect Angela DelGrosso 鈥14. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to come together with other alums of all ages to give back to a school that gave us so much. It鈥檚 great to have a way to stay connected after graduation and leave your mark on campus.鈥
The alumni association holds recognition and career networking events and sponsors annual gatherings that include Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, Shining Lights, Founders鈥 Week, Senior Sendoff, Evening on Main Street, and alumni nights at the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and IronPigs. While these events and gatherings are what Wacker calls the 鈥渓ifeblood鈥 of the alumni association鈥檚 activities, the multipurpose room will be an important part of its legacy. It will be a tangible reminder of the association鈥檚 purpose: keeping Moravian alumni engaged and an active part of the university family鈥攆or life.