This post invites Wesleyan Alumni to join WAPPS, a group of alumni who focus on or engage with philanthropy and public service. With a host of events throughout the country, it’s easy to stay connected. We hope this post isn’t too soon for you recent graduates, but keep in mind, this is just one of the many awesome perks to being an alum now!
Wesleyan Alumni in Philanthropy & Public Service (WAPPS)
MISSION STATEMENT
Wesleyan Alumni in Philanthropy and Public Service (WAPPS) is a non-partisan, volunteer driven network of talented alumni committed to philanthropy and public service among Wesleyan graduates in the world at large. Embracing the common bonds of our “Middletown education” and public spirit ethos, we join together to build deeper relationships, exchange knowledge and provide enriching mentorship to one another. WAPPS aims to strengthen our community’s social impact by bringing together the diverse alumni population working across the public/private sectors committed to serving the common good.
MEMBERSHIP
At this juncture, WAPPS encompasses a broad range of alumni classes engaged in a growing list of sectors, including foundations, non-profits, social enterprises, partnership development, impact investing, international organizations, community groups, government and much more. With over 1,000 members worldwide (and growing daily!), we currently have active chapters in New York, San Francisco, Washington and Boston!
CALL TO ACTION
• Foster knowledge sharing/active engagement/advocacy amongst members to heighten our philanthropic/social impact individually and create a vibrant alumni organization globally.
• Cultivate career opportunities for fellow alumni through networking/mentorship/speaker programs and collaborate with the new Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship (PCSE) to build the “off campus/on campus” bridge with workshops/job shadowing/paid internships.
• Highlight and enhance the prestige of our alma mater in the philanthropic/public service
CONNECT WITH WAPPS – NEXT STEPS!
– Join us on LinkedIn: Wesleyan Alumni in Philanthropy and Public Service (WAPPS), a subgroup of the Wesleyan University Alumni Association (WUAA)
– Contact any member of our National Steering Committee in formation (Stephen McCarthy ’75 – sjmccarthy53@gmail.com/646-825-2123, Elizabeth “Biz” Ghormley ’04 – eghormley @gmail.com/347-866-4677, Arthur Nazarian ’09 – aknazarian@gmail.com/201-739-8606….. among others)
– Join our NYC chapter and contact our co-heads (Colleen Galbraith ‘03, colleengalbraith @gmail.com/718-570-2562 or Bonnie Oliva ‘04, bonnie.oliva@gmail.com/917-727-3506)
– Join our SF chapter and contact our co-heads (Larry Best ’85, larrybest@gmail.com/510-435-0953 or Lisa Renery Handalian ’88, LRenery@gmail.com/ 781-856-7730)
– Join our DC chapter and contact our co-heads (Rhonda Lees ’84, rhondaesq@aol.com/703-899-7537 or Rachel Schreiber ’05, rsschreiber@gmail.com/908-216-8829
– Join our Boston chapter and contact our head (Ben Waxman ’87, ben@btwaxman.com/ 978-744-8828)
– Connect on campus with Makaela Kingsley ’98 of PCSE or Karen Whalen of University Relations and Anne Santaniello at the Career Center
Since our inaugural meeting in April 2010, we as a group of active concerned alum have held multiple well attended, engaging programs in New York City, San Francisco, Washington DC and Boston….plus we would love to have more meetings/programs in several other cities on the East Coast, Midwest, West Coast…and beyond (where there is a critical mass of interested alum, usually 50-75 in number).
As a peer focused affinity group, WAPPS members seek to actively support local chapter organizing efforts with our expertise …. but we clearly need a strong volunteer committee on the ground (with staying power) to make any new entity developed a vibrant ongoing reality!