Messages from the URAA Board of Directors
-
May 2023: Student Event Spotlight: 2023 Black Excellence Gala
The mission and vision of the URAA is to enhance engagement of alumni with the University, its students, and our fellow alumni by encouraging them to be active members of an inclusive and interconnected community of lifelong Spiders who share their time, talent, and resources with other Spiders. The role of the URAA Board of Directors is to educate, to connect, to advocate for this mission and vision. To that end, we attend different UR campus events and amplify the many ways for alumni - future and present - to get involved with the Alumni Association. It was so wonderful for me and fellow Board member, Marilyn Branch-Mitchell, W‘78, to do that by attending the Black Excellence Gala on February 25th.
Sponsored by the Student Center for Equity and Inclusion (SCEI) led by Dr. Morgan Russell-Stokes and founded by Dr. Tinina Cade, this year’s annual Black Excellence Gala, included an award ceremony, a heavy hors d’oeuvres and dessert reception, and DJ dance party featuring music from the 1970s to the present. It showcased the brilliance and beauty of the UR Black student community. During the event, I had the pleasure of connecting and reconnecting with several students, staff, faculty, and fellow alumni. It was a special joy to celebrate all the awardees and share our URAA and Spider pins with graduating seniors and new alumni!
-
April 2023: What is the URAA Board of Directors?
The URAA Board is a diverse body of alumni with 27 officers and directors (the Association bylaws require a range of 20 - 28 members). URAA Board members reside in localities around the United States. The most recent alum on the URAA Board graduated in 2017, and also earned a UR law degree in 2020, while the oldest member graduated in 1959.
Where might you find a URAA Board member? Look for them speaking at graduation and other events around commencement. Board members also participate in welcoming new students during orientation and introducing alumni at award presentations. There are Board members representing alumni as members of various committees of the University Board of Trustees. You are also likely to see Board members at regional alumni events, Spider athletic events, and Reunion Weekend. -
March 2023: What is the University of Richmond Alumni Association (URAA)?
If you are one of ~ 55,000 alumni, you are part of the URAA. The URAA works to promote and foster a dynamic, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship between the University and its alumni with opportunities for alumni to connect with each other through meaningful programs and activities. We seek to inspire a spirit of excitement in our alma mater and encourage support for the continuation of the University for generations to come. Members of the URAA enjoy a variety of benefits, including access to our online alumni directory career development, continuing education discounts, and a subscription to the Richmond Alumni magazine. There are many events sponsored or co-sponsored by URAA.