Hello RIT/NTID alumni community,
The NTID Alumni Association Board of Directors had a wonderful spring meeting in April, and it was exciting to try something new. Our meeting was retreat-style at RIT’s Tait Preserve in Penfield, along with the NTID Foundation Board, and both boards came together for great discussion and collaboration.
Thursday, April 25
Our meeting started off on Thursday at RIT for a beautiful celebration honoring our newest distinguished alumni awardee, Rosa Lee Timm ’00. The NTID community came together to celebrate Rosa Lee’s award and also take part in the ribbon cutting for NTID’s new Safe Space.
Friday, April 26
On Friday, at the Tait Preserve, the discussion focused on NTID’s goals and our intentions for the coming year. Bryan Hensel, executive director of NTID’s Office of External Affairs, gave a presentation about plans to improve the structure and operations for each of our boards. We then had mini presentations by our members about our four areas of focus, which include fundraising, students, partners/engagement, and visibility. After these presentations, we broke off into smaller discussion groups to brainstorm initiatives.
The rest of our time together was spent in lively discussion, sharing our ideas and continuing to build connections with our fellow board members. This meeting was different in that we spent more time talking with each other, learning about each person’s passions and what brought them to serve on the board. This was a great way to get to know each other better and support the boards’ work in the coming years.
Saturday, April 27
On Saturday, we kept busy as usual with a review of what each of our committees has been working on and their future plans. Here are some key takeaways from each one.
- Alumni in Training supported two initiatives this year; the NTID Mentoring Program, led by Amelia Hamilton ’20, assistant director of mentoring and special projects, and “May We Roar, for the Last Time” led by Marissa Woodruff ’16, ’18, ’24, assistant director of alumni relations. It was another successful year for the mentoring program, which included 20 students and NTID alumni matched based on their fields. The impact on both students and mentors participating in the program was profound. We look forward to continuing to support Amelia in her work with alumni and students in this program. The “May We Roar” event is a new annual celebration for RIT/NTID graduating students. Marissa coordinated food and fun activities for the students as well as information on benefits, insider tips, and perks for our soon-to-be alumni. Nearly 40 students attended this first-time event.
- Diversity and Governance continues to work closely with the NTID Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Dr. Alesia Allen ’04, assistant vice president. We are working to ensure that new board members are on-boarded efficiently and that the board reflects our diverse alumni population.
- Alumni Programming We have discovered and revealed new “NTID Alumni Reps” in regions all across the nation! Continuing reps are Kelly Kim ’03 of Boston, and Stephanie Kiessling ’12, ’14 of Washington, D.C. New team members have been added: Keith Banks ’15, ’16 of Orlando, Florida; Irina Burke ’12, ’15, of Indianapolis, Indiana; Lisa Herbert ’02 of Austin, Texas; and Shabnam Razmpour ’09, ’10, ’13, of Denver, Colorado. This program is managed by Amelia.
- Development has been in a deep discussion regarding “The Street,” an NTID alumni interactive space, and how to support the final phase of development. Alumni Board members are looking into their networks to help identify possible donors to reach our final budget goal. We hope many of you will consider donating to this worthy and exciting project!
- Communication is continuing to support all our committees with their social media needs.
NTIDAA welcomes new Board leadership
One last announcement is that this is my (Anna-Marie’s) last meeting as president. It has been a wonderful eight years serving on this board with five of those years in a leadership role. I’m excited to see my colleagues and friends transition into their new roles: Bola Desalu ’96, is board president and Megan (Albertz) Gonzalez ’10, ’15, ’18, is vice president. To round out the new executive committee, Tim Beatty ’80, will remain secretary for another two-year term.
The board will continue to provide regular updates following their meetings and will let you know how these projects are moving along. Meanwhile, watch the NTIDAA Facebook page and NTID Alumni News for updates and stories connected with the above efforts. Thank you to all of you who continue to support RIT/NTID.
And as always, GO TIGERS!
Anna-Marie Unger, NTIDAA President and Bola Desalu, NTIDAA Vice President
