 |
|
 |
|
       |
|||
   
    |
 |
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Tufts World Day: Uniting alumni around the globe
Alumni, parents and friends worldwide were invited to celebrate their Tufts connections that day by combining social events and, in some cases, community service projects. More than a thousand Jumbos in the Americas, Europe and Asia took up the challenge with gusto.
For example, in Las Vegas, the Nevada Tufts Alliance celebrated World Day at Café Ba-Ba-Reeba by collecting new Halloween costumes for children at the Shade Tree homeless shelter. "It was a fun event and a nice opportunity to remember the lessons of giving back that Tufts has instilled in each of us," said chapter leader Bret N. Bicoy, A92. The Seattle Tufts Alliance marked World Day with a wine tasting at the home of Dan Byrne, E76. In addition to bringing a bottle of their favorite Pacific Northwest wine for the tasting, attendees brought books to be contributed to First Place School, a Seattle school for children in grades K-6 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. And the Cape Cod Tufts Alliance sold hand-painted scarves in support of the local Haiti Project, under which Cape Cod secondary school teachers and artisans have made service trips to the Caribbean nation. "It's such a great success story in a difficult, dangerous area, and we want to help share it," said chapter leader Bev Chace, J56. At each gathering a "Toast to Tufts" specially written for World Day was offered.
"The toast did more to link us to other Tufts alumni around the world than any other words or actions," said New Jersey Tufts Alliance leader Ken Aidekman, A75. "OK, it wasn't 'We Are the World' with simultaneous images flashing on Jumbotrons at venues in the great cities of the globe, but it was an expression of togetherness and a moment of joy in being part of a good and decent community with shared experience. For a few seconds we all smiled and laughed along with hundreds of fellow alumni. Not bad." From Switzerland, regional Tufts Alumni Admissions Program chair Elizabeth Borner-Mouer, J69, reported: "Our toast to Tufts in Geneva was jovial. Owing to our diplomatic location – around 500 international organizations are headquartered in Geneva – healthy numbers of Fletcher alumni were present. One of our guests, Ambassador Chaiyong Satipanon, F80, Thai Permanent Mission in Geneva, arrived a bit later due to a previous diplomatic commitment, and missed our toast to Tufts. He apologized diplomatically and then offered to cook a Thai dinner for us all at our next gathering! This of course resulted in a second toast!" The alumni toast was recorded in seven cities for the Toast to Tufts video screened at the Beyond Boundaries campaign launch at Boston's Wang Center on Nov. 3. When the vignettes captured on tape in London, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington, D.C., New York and Boston were pieced together, they formed one toast spanning multiple time zones. "Tufts truly is a global university," said Gretchen Dobson, associate director for regional programs in the Office of Alumni Relations. "World Day was the product of strengthened partnerships between our regional chapters, the Alumni Association, academic officials and campus departments. We anticipate an active 2007 with greater participation from alumni and regional chapters worldwide." Tufts World Day was hosted by the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA) in conjunction with the Office of Alumni Relations.
|
