Alumni Beat
As has become a tradition, the Office of Alumni Affairs marked the year’s end by hosting holiday parties in Boston, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York. The gatherings enabled alumni around the country to celebrate the holiday season, meet new friends, and get reacquainted with those they had not seen in some time.
In Boston, some 160 alumni came together on Friday, December 7, to mix and mingle. Devon Yesberger ’13 and his trio provided music that added just the right touch to the evening’s festivities. Some partygoers said that this was their first alumni gathering and are eager to attend more.
The New York alumni were 189-strong at their holiday blast on Wednesday, December 12. Alumnus Steve Walter ’78 graciously opened the doors of his club, the Cutting Room, at its new location, for the event. Alumni enjoyed networking and listening to the music provided by Keenan O’Meara ’09, Emily Elbert ’11, Freddy Hall ’07, and Gabe Smi th ’12. Thanks to all who came out and< made each even t such a success. (Read about the L.A. and Nashville parties on pages 35 and 37.)
I want to take a moment to shine the spotlight on the Boston alumni community: Berklee’s largest alumni group. Because these alumni are in the college’s own backyard, we sometimes fail to stop to think about just how talent- rich this community is. More than 500 alumni work at Berklee alone. It’s just one of many alumni subgroups making up the Boston-area alumni community that has more than 7,000 members!
Berklee’s 160 Massachusetts Avenue building (the first the college has built from the ground up) will be completed within a year (see related story on page 4). It’s gotten members of the local alumni community both curious and excited. Now more than ever, alumni from the Boston area are sharing their time and expertise with students and welcoming new alumni into the fold. As the connection between these alumni and the college continues to grow, we look forward to strengthening this incredible partnership in the future.
That’s it for now. Here’s wishing all a magnificent 2013.
—Karen A. Bell ’90 Chief Alumni Affairs Officer