Spring semester is in full swing, and so is the Student Alumni Association!
We are preparing for a semester chock-full of events for students, alumni and our very own members. February is right around the corner, which means so is the beloved I Love UMass Day. On February 14th, the lobby of the ILC (Integrated Learning Center) will be buzzing with students sharing the reasons why they love UMass Amherst, writing thank you notes to alumni donors, and competing in games to win UMass swag and other giveaways.
February may be a short month, but our SAA members will be making the most of it as we journey to the University of Connecticut for the District 1 CASE ASAP Conference. SAA members (both seasoned and new!) will be presenting on how we have created an inclusive culture among our membership, and how we collaborate effectively with our advisor. Other student-alumni organizations look to UMass SAA for advice on events and programs, and we hope to maintain our award-winning reputation at this year’s awards ceremony.
In March, we are trying something new! Students and alumni alike look forward to our “Moving to…” series where alumni panelists advise an audience of students on the exciting yet challenging process of moving to a new city. This year, our “Moving to…” panels will be virtual! This new virtual setup will allow students to explore the process of moving to more cities, such as Boston, New York City, and D.C. Students will be able to enter virtual chat rooms where SAA members will moderate a panel of alumni, who will be speaking to their experiences right from their cities! We look forward to connecting students and alumni in this unique and convenient way.
Seniors can look forward to our ongoing senior giving campaign, which is designed to empower students to give back to an area of campus that matters to them, while also giving thanks to a faculty or staff member who positively impacted their UMass experience. You will not want to miss this opportunity to express your gratitude and leave your legacy at UMass.
On May 3, seniors can join SAA for our 21st annual Commencement Ball! SAA members are already hard at work planning the extensive decorations to transform the Mullins Center into a road trip around the United States, featuring cities such as New York City, Hollywood, New Orleans and Las Vegas. This celebration of seniors’ UMass experience will be one to remember!
The Student Alumni Association has an open membership and is always accepting new members, so if you are looking for ways to get involved in the UMass community, we welcome you to join us at one of our general body meetings- you can find us in Memorial Hall Monday nights at 7:00 P.M. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you at our spring events!
Shannon Emmett ’19
President of Student Alumni Association