Brendan Russell ’08, a student member of the Finance Society, wanted to coordinate a trip to New York City to meet with and learn from alumni working in the financial industry. But how would he pay for such a trip? Brendan was savvy enough to find out about the Alumni Association’s Grants program, and applied for a grant last spring.

“The networking trip to New York City was a resounding success and a fantastic experience. We met with numerous alumni and attended a variety of information sessions at some of the world’s biggest financial institutions. The alumni that we met with were happy to have been able to help us, and were thankful for allowing them to ‘taste’ what UMass Amherst is all about today!”

Like the Finance Society, many registered student organizations (RSOs) and campus groups have stellar ideas for programs or events they’d like to hold to engage students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the community as well. However, finding funding to offset the costs of such programs or events can be a challenge.

The Alumni Association Grants program is one avenue for funding. Each year the Association awards $40,000 in grants to campus groups and RSOs to support the goals of the Alumni Association. These goals include enhancing the student experience, promoting tradition, supporting academic excellence, reconnecting alumni to the university and increasing the interaction between students and alumni.

“We are happy to report that the Vietnamese Students’ Association Tet Show was a huge success,” says Thang Pham ’07. “Our audience was a large and diverse crowd that included UMass Amherst students and their family members, members of fraternities and sororities, alumni, college students from the Five Colleges, and people from the community. We truly appreciate the Alumni Association’s commitment to student organizations and promoting campus activities.”

“Thanks to the Alumni Association grant and the resulting robust program publicity, Behind the Scenes: A Look at Exhibition Organization in the 21st Century, was attended by an audience twice the size of the past year, and included alumni,” says associate professor Laetitia La Follette, director of the Art History department. “The event gave students on campus a better sense of career opportunities in the curatorial area, and the ability to network and build contacts with like-minded alumni. The alumni themselves were delighted to reconnect with the Art History program and the University Gallery; we thus anticipate closer ties to these individuals in the future.”

The Alumni Association is proud of how the grants program supports quality programming, from multicultural presentations that include ethnic dance, music, food and literature, to educational trips and departmental alumni reunions.

The University Without Walls (UWW) program recently reconnected faculty, friends, and alumni for a 35th anniversary last June, which was partially funded by the Alumni Association. “This celebration was such a success!” says UWW director Cindy Suopis. “It’s not often you see such easy connections among so many; literally everyone who came had a part in adding to the fun and success of the evening.”

“We’re grateful to the Alumni Association for their support enabling us to offer the first-ever Music Alumni Reunion, and the first meeting of the newly formed Music Alumni Board, both of which took place on Homecoming Weekend,” says Marilyn Kushick, director of publicity and fundraising for the Fine Arts Center. “Alumni were so happy to see each other and their professors, to share their successes, and experience the work of current students through amazing performances at the Multiband Pops concert. Inspired by the music of our students, our new board spent Saturday morning in intense meetings exploring ways to connect with the Department, other alumni, and donors. . . and this is just the beginning!”

The Alumni Association is able to provide funding support for such activities through its membership program. “I’m proud that my membership supports these types of events for the campus community,” says Kim Sherman ’87. “It’s nice to see the Alumni Association at work, bringing quality programming to students and alumni.”

To become a member of the Alumni Association visit UMassAlumni.com/membership. Application details and schedules for the grants program are available at UMassAlumni.com/Awards_Grants.