WPI Journal - The Magazine for WPI Alumni

FALL 2014

The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)

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Fall 2014 47 news from HIGGINS HOUSE "My fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, was very volunteer oriented." In the secretarial role, Hebert focused on fundraising efforts and fostering alumni and community involvement with WPI. A major accomplishment was securing the Alumni Association under the umbrella of the university. When Jon Strauss became president, he took Hebert under his wing and advanced him to secretary of the corporation—a senior- level management position. After 15 years in alumni and development roles, Hebert attained the position of vice president– administration, CFO, and treasurer. He is humble when refecting upon his achievements at WPI, and quickly adds, "I had a lot of good people around me; no one ever accomplishes anything by himself." During his tenure, Hebert led the effort to close West Street to vehicular traffc. "It made the campus safer and a better environment for a college community," he says. He was a key member of the administration team that led the creation and development of Gateway Park. "It was good for WPI as well as for the city; it was a win-win situation," he recalls. In addition, he played a role in making the Bartlett Center a reality as a result of his efforts. "Everything we did was people-oriented and culture-oriented; our efforts revolved around making the campus environment a great place to learn, work, and live," he says. He ex- celled at bringing diverse parties together to work for the common good of WPI—he was the face of WPI to the outside world. He believes he spent the bulk of his career at his alma mater because "it was a growing, innovative institution with great people involved—whether they were students, staff, faculty, or alumni. I was very fortunate." Hebert retired in 2007, never having directly used his engineering degree. But WPI taught him so much more, he says. "I learned how to think, analyze, and make decisions, which served me well over the years." As the 2014 recipient of the Goat's Head Award for Lifetime Commitment to WPI, Hebert says, "I am honored to be selected and hope that I helped to make a little bit of a difference at WPI." — Karen Appold Barbecue Series Offers Meaningful Welcome I ncoming college students have a lot more to worry about than being solely re- sponsible for their aca- demic success … and their laun- dry. Being new to campus can be a jolting experience, rife with new challenges, whether stu- dents are attending school fve miles—or thousands of miles— away from home. That's where the WPI Alumni Association comes in. To offer incoming students a leg up on these challenges, the WPIAA has held a series of barbecues each summer since 2002, hosted by alumni or parents of current or past WPI students. This year 19 such events were held at the homes of volunteers across the country. The opportunity for so- cializing in a more cozy setting than typical welcome-to-college events gave some frst years a chance to chat about "all things WPI" before even stepping foot on campus. "These events are incredibly popular and are always oversub- scribed," says Maureen Maynard, assistant director of alumni rela- tions. "Students and parents are excited to be introduced to the WPI community on a more per- sonal level." Barbecues were held largely in New England and New York, with one event in San Francisco. A fnal, cumulative event was held on campus to allow one last chance for new students (particularly international stu- dents) to mingle before classes began. All told, there were 282 new students attending these events—Maynard notes that this is more than a quarter of the in- coming freshmen. Ed Crivello '81, a member of the WPI Parents Association Ex- ecutive Committee and dad of Matt Crivello '15, hosted a barbe- cue with his wife, Fernanda, at their home in Franklin, Mass. "As a WPI alumnus, hosting a new student barbecue provides the opportunity to reconnect and stay connected with the WPI community," says Crivello. "Every alum should consider such a rewarding experience that takes a very small effort." Crivello has hosted barbecues in years past, and his standing as a current WPI parent lends an- other tone to the gatherings— eager freshmen have access to an experienced student and can ask all sorts of questions about life and studies at WPI. And he loves seeing the new students come alive once given the chance to meet some of their classmates. "What I fnd most rewarding about hosting a New Student BBQ is seeing the students inter- act with one another," he says. "They quickly disengage from their parents and start talking about what they expect to be do- ing in the frst weeks of school." Getting new students to social- ize with each other is exactly the point of this series, confrms Maynard. "We often see the stu- dents arrive at the events timid and anxious, but they leave as friends, laughing and sharing contact information," she says. Beyond being a fun event, the hope is that tight bonds with WPI will form—before school is offcially in session. David Wheeler '93, treasurer of the WPI Alumni Association, has been hosting barbecues at his home in Portmouth, R.I., for a few years now. While he loves chatting about WPI and career paths with the new students, he also hopes these events plant a seed of long-lasting commitment to their future alma mater. "It's a worthwhile investment to support this example of alumni involvement," he says. "We feel it can help put our freshmen on a path of engage- ment that can last a lifetime." — Alison Baitz The last of this year's summer BBQs was held on campus in August to help connect staff, faculty, and incoming freshmen.

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