From the Director's Chair

GREETINGS

"Live and learn." That's what I have been doing for the past few months. The living part has been enjoyable, as I have immersed myself as much as possible in the life of the campus -- although there are so many events that it is impossible to take them all in. Just visit the University's website to see the exciting variety of concerts, lectures, seminars, workshops and meetings open to members of the greater Binghamton University community.

Richard Heck

One thing I have been learning is that the University community includes a growing number of well-placed civic leaders. Binghamton, like most universities, strives to create an educated citizenry -- and it succeeds. This winter's Alumni Journal features a story about Barry Grodenchik '81 and Michele Titus '90, both members of the New York State Assembly. I have discovered that we count among our alumni several other legislators, as well as government staff members, judges and government-agency officials of all kinds. But I have also discovered that our alumni database is missing information regarding alumni in key positions of leadership and influence.

Government relations constitutes an important responsibility for President DeFleur and for the University's new interim vice president for research, Bahgat Sammakia. For example, BU Advocacy Day in Albany (a day when alumni, students, staff and faculty visit our legislators to acquaint them with new and ongoing research and programs at the University) has become an important annual event. The University is reaching out to legislators in a variety of other ways as well. Sammakia and his staff would like to learn more about our alumni in government positions, and so would we.

We'd like to enlist your help in learning about alumni who are elected or appointed civic leaders. If you know of alumni who hold these kinds of positions, please e-mail us to let us know. If you are one yourself, please visit our new online community and update your employment information, and to tell us more about yourself.

Regards,

Richard Heck,
your alumni director