Dear IC Friends,
While 2020 has been a year of upheaval, it has also been a time for ingenuity and creating fresh solutions to new challenges, and that’s exactly the focus I’m hoping to bring as the new president of the of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. This is a pivotal time for our nation and also for our college, and it is our duty to lean on each other and take action to effect positive change.
Fortunately, I have the amazing work of Ami Maki ’94 to build upon and an energized group of new and returning directors committed to IC’s future. As we navigate challenging new circumstances, we will continue to focus on helping the Office of Philanthropy and Engagement staff fulfill their charge to support our alumni community and keep them connected to South Hill. We are looking forward to adapting to virtual events and creating programming that we hope will be accessible to alumni like you, whether you’ve participated in events before or haven’t connected with the college since you left.
It’s surreal to think that just last year we had one of the largest alumni gatherings ever as we bested the Cortland Red Dragons in MetLife Stadium. Having just moved back to the Ithaca area myself, I think it’s bizarre to be so close to campus and yet not able to visit a place that holds so many dear memories. There’s no reason, however, that we can’t continue to connect with our fellow Bombers, champion a college that transformed so many of our lives, and do what we can to ensure current students have just as memorable an IC journey, even when navigating a pandemic. I personally look forward to working with President Shirley M. Collado, the administration, trustees, campus community, and fellow alumni to guide the college forward by leading the alumni board in an innovative, sustainable, and inclusive way.
I likewise hope you’ll do your own part as an alum. Join us for our virtual events, and invite your Ithaca College networks to participate as well. Keep in touch with them, as we all need as much support as we can find these days. Open your LinkedIn network to build new relationships with IC alumni and students so that we can all lift each other up. And please, continue to support the Ithaca College Annual Fund so that the pandemic has a minimal impact on our alma mater’s ability to keep delivering a top-notch educational experience, now and — as the song goes — forever.
If you have questions or suggestions for the alumni board, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at alumni@ithaca.edu. We want to hear all your creative ideas for how we can support you or keep you involved with the college. I have complete faith that by working together we can weather these turbulent times.
CHRISTY AGNESE ’06
President, Alumni Association Board of Directors