President's message, cont'd...

I know, because I've seen and experienced an effort to do this firsthand. Alumni lawyers joined together in 1995 to form the Harpur Law Council and, through their connections, have established two internships in public-interest law. One, established five years ago, is with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. A new internship, created just this year, is with the Federal Trade Commission, and will focus on consumer fraud and antitrust law. This second internship was developed through two alumni who work at the FTC, Robert Cancelarro '91 and Michele Stolls '83.

The Harpur Physicians' Council is another example. It created a summer mentor program in the New York City area last year that involved seven pre-med students and 14 alumni mentor/physicians. The program was a tremendous success. This year, 13 pre-med students and 14 alumni mentor/physicians are participating. Accounting graduates from the School of Management and other groups have established internships, as well.

Individuals can use their contacts to establish internships. Take Keith Hurd '88, a publicist for Manhattan theaters. Through his connections, Keith has arranged for two internships for Theatre Department students. One is in theatrical management (production and marketing services) with Keith's own employer, The Management Group. The other is with Willa Kim, a costume designer who has won two Tony Awards. Both provide Binghamton students with an invaluable opportunity to view the world of the theater from the inside and earn real, hands-on experience.

In addition, Keith has been instrumental in setting up the annual Harpur theater night, now in its third year. On April 18, I had the opportunity to meet other Harpur alumni and enjoy a beautiful reception at Sardi's, followed by the musical Sweet Smell of Success, starring John Lithgow. Thanks to Keith, we had great seats! It was a great time for a lot of alumni -- a way to get people together and plugged into their University community.

From gatherings like this, I know the palpable excitement of alumni from various decades coming together and getting to know each other. From contacts I've developed as a member of the Harpur Law Council, I know how good it feels for someone like me, a lawyer in San Francisco, to be able to refer my clients to another lawyer in New York or Chicago -- a lawyer I know, and in whom I have confidence. If I'm looking for a lawyer with a specialty my contact there doesn't have, I know I can count on that person for a solid referral. Those kinds of contacts and connections quickly develop into a strong desire to give back to the University -- both for the education they received here that opened the door to their professions, and for the opportunity now to connect with other alumni through the school. For some, this appreciation and desire to reciprocate has translated into setting up internships for students.

The Alumni Association has taken steps to facilitate the growth of internships, both in numbers and in areas. As board president I established an Alumni Association liaison committee with the Career Development Center (CDC) and each of the schools. Board members John D'Aquila '86, Ed DeMattia '86, Bruce Cameron '88 and Robert Hoover '76 all serve on that committee. Our first meeting was held in April, and included representatives from each of the schools, several deans, the CDC and representatives from various other University offices.

This is a call to all Binghamton alumni to open doors for students by creating internships. From there, it's up to individual students to walk through that door and prove themselves. Given the quality of students we have, I know they'll rise to the occasion if just given the opportunity to walk through that open door.

I love hearing from you and welcome any ideas you have for increasing alumni involvement and strengthening our network. Please also let me know about any networking success stories or anything else that concerns you. You may reach me by mail at Binghamton University, PO Box 6004, Binghamton, New York 13902-6004; by fax: 607-777-2654; by phone: 607-777-2431; or by e-mail: alumni@binghamton.edu.

-- Marty Triano '76