The Alumni Association maintains a modest event schedule throughout the year. Although our focus is to provide support for the students at our college, we believe that taking the time to share in our common tie is what ultimately fosters a stronger and growing association. So we invite you to join us for the events throughout the year so we can all learn, grow, and of course have a little fun!
For the 2004-2005 year, we started out with our 6th annual Golf Outing. Once again we played at Pompey Country Club just outside of Syracuse. The event was scheduled for Saturday Sept. 11th this year. It was a great day, a little crisp in the air, yet the players were hot! Honoring the Association we had many dignitaries from the University and the College. SU VPs Ben and Eleanor Ware joined us for dinner after Ben spent the afternoon on the course. Brad Strait, PhD., College of Engineering Dean Emeritus, created a foursome for the golf and he and his wife dined with us. Eric Spina, PhD., Dean for the College of Engineering, made time for our dinner even though he was leaving for a business trip the next day. We wound up the day with a steak dinner at the club; awards were given out and a raffle for a custom designed and built piece of furniture brought in another $200 to support the students of the college. Everybody had a great day.


On Homecoming weekend the College of Engineering sponsored a tailgate barbeque on the front patio of the Link Hall of Engineering. A record number of 84 Alums participated in the pre-game activity, any of whom were home for the first time since graduation and many who call Central New York their home. Pulled pork, corn on the cob, corn bread, and fancy deserts made for a great meal with friends new and old. Chatting with the many professors who came by was a grand thing when you didn’t have to worry about their upcoming exam!


We are in the middle of our Annual Membership Campaign which is coming together very nicely. Once a year during the fourth quarter, the Association reaches out to the more than 14,000 graduates of the College of Engineering, worldwide, seeking their membership to our Engineering Alumni Association. Through the use of a direct mail campaign each alumnus will be asked to make a contribution to support the current engineering students as well as reconnecting to friends and colleagues. Each year we make strides in growing our 15-year-old Association.


Plans are under way for E-Week. Through the PRIDE office at the college that is sponsoring the week, the ECSAA is contributing time and talent in making Engineering Week, which is during February, a true celebration for all of us. Throughout the week there are academic and athletic competitions for all the students. Professors, students, and colleagues from the engineering community make time to connect and continue to learn from each other and to celebrate all of our accomplishments. Lectures & receptions provide venues for collaborative conversations about what the future holds and the plans we have to make it even better. The finale is a dinner dance for all of us. Although the students might move a little faster on the dance floor the rest of us can be rest assured everyone enjoys a great capstone evening event.


A new activity is tentatively planned for some time in the spring. For lack of a better name the “Spring Event,” will be another opportunity for us to come together and as importantly raising our ability as an organization to support ECS students. We are not sure what the event will be. Certainly we are looking for something to bring us together and have some fun while fulfilling our mission. If you have any ideas for this event please feel free to email the ECSAA President.


In concluding our year of events the ECSAA will again have our Annual General Meeting & Annual Report at the Dean’s breakfast on Reunion Weekend. This is a time for us to report on the past year’s activities and accomplishments. The three most important topics are the election of officers for the next year, announcement of our selection for the ECSAA Senior Award, and finally but most importantly our financial donation in the form of a check to the Dean for the support of engineering students for the next year. This donation is made possible through the hard work of all of us throughout the year in the raising funds. If you have been to a Dean’s breakfast you know what an invigorating and enthusiastic couple of hours it is. If you haven’t, I encourage you to attend the next one and reconnect with colleagues, friends, our College of Engineering, and the students who are our legacy.