First-ever Leadership Day on the Hill aims to unite alumni and students

February 12, 2008--The TCU Senate Alumni Gavel Society, a chapter of the Tufts University Alumni Association, is launching the first-ever Leadership Day on the Hill event on February 29. The event aims to unite alumni and students for a celebration of leadership and its meaning in their lives.

The event will focus on “Ethics and Leadership” as they apply to the fields of politics, business, news media, higher education, and non-profit organizations. The day-long conference is a mix of a keynote event, seminars, speaker panels, a networking luncheon, and an alumni reception. Distinguished speakers include, among others:

• President Lawrence S. Bacow
• Neal Shapiro, A80, Thirteen/WNET New York City
• Dean Kathleen McCartney, J77, Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Matt Bai, A90, New York Times Magazine
• Alan Solomont, A70, A08P, Solomont Bailis Ventures
• Barbara Clarke, J88, The Children's Room: Center for Grieving Children and Teenagers, Inc.
• Nina Smith, J89, Rugmark Inc.
• Jesse Levey, A02, United Leaders Inc.

Formed in 2005 by Katzin and David Baumwoll, A06, both former student-body presidents, the Gavel Society was initially launched as a summit of previous presidents on campus.

Katzin has since expanded the alumni group, creating an online social networking website and helping launch this inaugural event with Sommer, who is involved with student government as a representative to the Board of Trustees.

“The Gavel Society met as a group of motivated alumni on two occasions,” said Katzin. “It was wonderful to catch up with old friends, but our question was “how can we best use our efforts to be involved with the undergraduate Tufts community? By emphasizing leadership and improving student life, we can continue to work on efforts that we loved to devote time and energy to while we were on campus.”